Appreciation post: comparing the $7 store brand foil to the $18 name brand at my local Kroger

So last week I ran out of heavy duty foil mid-batch of smoked ribs (I know, tragic). Grabbed the Kroger brand since it was right there. Honestly expected it to tear like wet paper. Nope. Same thickness, same roll length, and it handled the 225 degree smoke for 3 hours without a single rip. The name brand I usually grab is Reynolds at like $18 for the big roll. This one was $7. Same width, same feel, the cardboard tube is a bit flimsier but who cares about that. I did a side by side test with a leftover roll from the pantry. Pulled both hard, folded both over a sharp pan edge, even tried to rip them with my hands. No real difference. Am I missing something here or is the Reynolds tax just a habit thing? Has anyone else done a blind test with store brands on stuff like foil, parchment, or trash bags?

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jordan_hill4d ago

You ever notice how the cheap foil works fine until you actually need it to do something stupid, like hold a brisket wrapped in towels for a 2 hour rest? That's where I found a difference once. The cheap stuff tore at the corners when I cinched it down tight around the cooler. But for straight up smoking and baking on a sheet pan, yeah, it's basically the same. My move is keep the cheap roll for everyday stuff and grab the name brand only when I'm doing a big cook where I know I'm gonna be wrapping and unwrapping a few times. You're not crazy, the price gap is mostly about the name.