You can't have everything—not while shopping at Walmart, anyway
10 Things You Think Are Cheaper at Walmart—But Aren’t
Updated on Apr. 28, 2025
Appliances
This one might come as a surprise, as Walmart can offer some pretty impressive prices on appliances, both big and small. But these are large investments, so you want to buy them with the peace of mind of a stellar return policy. For some customers, that hasn’t been the case.
“I learned this the hard way when I bought a microwave from Walmart online that broke after less than five months after purchase,” says Mimi Nguyen, founder of Cafely, a functional beverage company. “They are pretty transparent about the 1-year warranty, but when I opted to return the product before the year was up I wasn’t allowed to do so.”
In this case, reading the warranty and product information wasn’t enough. “So I highly recommend reading customer reviews first, especially when shopping online,” Nguyen says. As for where to buy your new appliances? A better alternative is Costco, which has an extremely flexible return policy and is known for their outstanding customer service.
Fresh produce
When you’re running errands, condensing them into as few stops as possible is ideal. But when it comes to your fruits and veggies, you’re likely paying more at Walmart, despite the convenience of grabbing them at the same time you’re shopping for other odds and ends.
“Although Walmart is widely known for its low prices, it frequently focuses on national brand convenience over local sourcing,” says Clay Cary, a senior trends analyst at CouponFollow, a website that tracks and shares coupon codes and deals. “This makes produce more pricey.”
Ultimately, you’re better off shopping for produce at your local grocer or, even better, the farmer’s market, where you’ll pay less and have the added benefit of fresher inventory grown closer to home.
Heavy cream
Add another perishable item to the things you think are cheaper at Walmart, but aren’t. Joanna Clark-Simpson, head of consumer research at PissedConsumer.com, a website where people share their purchasing experiences, says that her reviewers rate heavy cream a “do-not-buy” when shopping at Walmart.
Clark-Simpson says, “shoppers should be aware that certain items at Walmart, such as heavy whipping cream, can be up to 20% more expensive than at stores like Aldi or Sam’s Club.” That’s curious, considering Sam’s Club is a subsidiary of Walmart (and named after Walmart founder Sam Walton), but for great prices on dairy, it’s no surprise that Aldi is a good choice.
Printer ink
According to Cary, a surprising item you’ll pay more for when shopping at Walmart is printer ink, which they typically sell at the full manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP).
“Office supply stores like Staples will normally have discounts or bundle deals,” Cary says. “Many customers believe Walmart is the cheapest on everything, but in this case, it’s simple to overspend if you don’t compare from store to store.” Other tech accessories, like charging cords and HDMI cords, are also typically marked up considerably more at Walmart than online retailers like Amazon, Cary says.
Diapers
Considering how Walmart hypes up their deals on essentials, you’d think baby must-haves like diapers would be priced competitively at the store. But that isn’t necessarily the case.
“Surprisingly, Walmart often charges more per unit on diapers and baby formula compared to competitors like Amazon or Costco,” says Destiny Chatman, a consumer expert at TopCashback.com, a company that helps consumers get rebates and other incentives. “While the cost difference may only be a few cents, over time the amount of extra money you are spending will add up.”
Chatman suggests that parents who frequently shop at Walmart for things like diapers consider switching to a “subscribe and save” option with a competitor, like Amazon. And, of course, you can’t beat the price and quality of Costco’s Kirkland diapers.
Meat
Nguyen advises against purchasing meat at Walmart, noting that it’s typically more expensive per pound at Walmart than, say, Costco, where she prefers to purchase proteins.
“Meats are also pricier at Walmart and are poorly stored,” she says. “This sometimes results in poor quality food, making them an automatic no-buy in my list.” (Incidentally, we also think Costco is a better place to buy beef for a whole host of reasons, not just price.)
Furniture
This is a category that actually has little to do with price and everything to do with quality. Across the board, the experts we spoke to warn against purchasing furniture that is specifically made for Walmart. While they have some seemingly great deals, Walmart’s furniture offerings could cost you more in the long run, as these products aren’t often built to last.
“Walmart tries to price its products low, resulting in the quality and production of its items being reflective of this,” Chatman says. “While you might be getting a ‘steal’ price-wise, you are also losing out on having a quality product,” instead getting stuck with something that “isn’t likely to be durable and long-lasting.”
Chatman suggests looking to IKEA for low-priced, better-value options on home furnishings.
Frozen pizza
This one is strangely specific, but for folks who like Hawaiian pizza, the Great Value Rising Crust Hawaiian frozen pizza is apparently not a “great value” at Walmart, despite being priced at less than $5 per pizza. Clark-Simpson says that her reviewers think the pizza has a “weird taste to it” and a noticeable lack of actual pineapple. And let’s face it, the pineapple is what makes a Hawaiian pizza … Hawaiian.
You’re better off buying the well-reviewed DiGiorno Hawaiian-Stye Rising Crust pizza, which does tend to run at least $1 more at local grocers. But, it often goes on sale, putting it in line with Great Value’s $4.92 price tag.
Tech bundles
You can find a lot of bundled deals at Walmart, largely in the electronics department. From the outset the prices seem pretty good, but experts warn that these bundles include ancillary items (that you might not even need) to bulk up the “value.” In addition, the electronic device itself may not have the same features you’ll find on a similarly priced item at a competitor.
“Store-exclusive models can make price comparisons tricky,” says Nick Drewe, CEO of WeThrift.com, a coupon sharing website. “Meanwhile, return policies or warranty coverage may not be as strong as at specialty retailers.”
So what’s your best alternative? Again, Costco’s return policy is exceptional, but you can also look for great deals at office supply stores like Staples and Office Depot. In a pinch, there’s also Best Buy for competitive pricing, though it’s important to read their return policy carefully. And no matter where you buy, read the fine print to make sure you have good warranty coverage for these expensive items.
Maple syrup
Last, but certainly not least, especially in this time of tariff-imposed price hikes, Drewe says maple syrup is surprisingly pricier at Walmart compared to its warehouse-club counterpart Sam’s Club.
“One of the more unexpected items that can set you back more at Walmart is maple syrup,” he says. “A 32-ounce bottle of Great Value pure maple syrup costs you around $15.98 at Walmart, while a similar organic version at Sam’s Club sells for under $12.50.”
A $3-plus difference? You better believe we won’t be shopping at Walmart the next time we want to make pancakes.
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Sources:
- Mimi Nguyen, founder of Cafely; interviewed, April 2025
- Clay Cary, senior trends analyst at CouponFollow; interviewed, April 2025
- Joanna Clark-Simpson, head of consumer research at PissedConsumer.com; interviewed, April 2025
- Destiny Chatman, consumer savings expert with TopCashback.com; interviewed, April 2025
- Nick Drewe, consumer trends expert and CEO of Wethrift.com; interviewed, April 2025
