This Kirkland Product Is Back On Shelves And It's A Total Steal: 'Literally The Best Deal At Costco'

With fall in full swing, all the seasonal products folks look forward to when chilly weather sets in are making their way back to Costco stores across the country. The discount warehouse is even getting a jump on winter, as shoppers have already noticed the return of a holiday bakery treat way ahead of schedule. People who prefer to do the holiday baking themselves have something coming their way too with Kirkland Signature Organic Madagascar Vanilla Beans returning to the retailer's shelves at a bargain price.

One Costco member who spotted the seasonal pantry staple took to Reddit to share the good news. "Time to start up a vanilla extract batch!" they said. Throughout the Reddit thread, folks celebrated the arrival of the seasonal favorite — and the low price tag attached to it. The image posted shows the jar of 20 vanilla beans being sold for $9.69. "I personally think this is quite literally the best deal at Costco compared to supermarket prices on comparable goods," one person said.

They're not wrong. Compared to Walmart, which sells a pack of 11 vanilla beans for $12.99, the Kirkland Signature product is an absolute steal. Even distributors that specialize in sourcing the ingredient from Madagascar (the country that grows the most vanilla beans in the world), like Vanilla Bean Kings, can't compete with Costco's heavily discounted cost.

It wasn't just the original poster who envisioned using Kirkland Signature Vanilla Beans to make a homemade batch of vanilla extract. When fellow Redditors discovered the vanilla beans were making their way back to stores, they too had vanilla extract dreams. The original poster encouraged people to try it when they said, "It's super easy, barely an inconvenience." Yet, while most jumped on the bandwagon, a few outliers noted it might not be the most efficient way to use the cheap Costco product.

All it takes to make vanilla extract is 1 ounce of vanilla beans (about 8 to 10 beans) and 8 ounces of rum, bourbon, or Costco's Kirkland Signature Vodka (which people say is better than Grey Goose). The problem is it takes forever and it's unlikely that folks will end up with a vanilla extract that matches the quality of what they can buy from the grocery store. It generally takes 6 to 12 months to make a batch and it's difficult to make one that's on par with what expert manufacturers sell.

On the other hand, it can be a fun DIY project. Additionally, vanilla extract won't go bad for years (if at all), whereas the beans have a six-month to two-year shelf life, depending on how they're stored. At the budget price Costco is selling its vanilla beans for, folks can afford to use half the jar on a batch of extract and still have the other half available for baked goods, leveled-up beverages, and flavorful custard desserts.