Here's Who Actually Makes Costco's Kirkland-Brand Aluminum Foil

There are quite a few aluminum foil home hacks worth trying. For instance, a ball of aluminum foil can remove hard water stains from sturdy metal surfaces. Your mileage may vary, however, because not all foil is created equal. The foil branded with Costco's private label, Kirkland Signature, deserves consideration for its hundreds of reviews and average rating that's about as close to five stars as you can get. Quality plays a big role in these high marks, but so does something else: the reputation of the company that manufactures this foil. That company is Reynolds, and its name appears in the names of Kirkland's aluminum foil products, from the 18-inch-by-500-foot roll of Kirkland Signature Reynolds Heavy Duty Foodservice Aluminum Foil to the 500-count box of Kirkland Signature Reynolds Foodservice Aluminum Foil Pre-Cut Single Sheets.

Knowing who's behind different Kirkland-branded items matters for a few reasons. First, the quality is likely to be higher when a reliable brand is making the product. Second, the manufacturer's identity can shed light on the labor practices behind a product, the environmental impact of making it, and more. Determining which companies manufacture Kirkland goods isn't always simple, though. For example, Duracell is quiet about the fact that it makes Kirkland batteries, forgoing the co-branding that Reynolds, Ocean Spray, and some other well-known companies have chosen.

Many shoppers who've left reviews on the Costco website note that Kirkland's standard and heavy-duty aluminum foils are comparable to what Reynolds makes. At least one customer even claims that Kirkland's is superior, writing that the 12-inch-by-1,000-foot roll of Kirkland Signature Reynolds Foodservice Aluminum Foil "is of better quality and much cheaper than Reynolds." Another reviewer commented, "I only buy my foil this way. The Kirkland Reynolds is thick enough that it doesn't rip too easily but is still cost effective. I love the large roll, and the weight keeps it seated while you are pulling material off the roll." Kirkland's heavy-duty foil, meanwhile, has garnered praise for being tough, reliable, and economical. As one shopper summed it up: "This foil is worth every penny. It is strong and thick. The perforation works every time. The roll lasts us about a year. "

Of course, even a product that's earned 4.7-star average on a 5-star rating scale has some naysayers. One buyer complained that the 1,000-foot roll of standard Kirkland foil "does not unroll properly — it tears into small strips, making the whole roll unusable." Then again, the non-Kirkland Reynolds Wrap Aluminum Foil Costco carries has faced similar criticisms. As one customer put it, this 2-pack of 12-inch-by-83.33-yard rolls "tears very easily where you don't want it to" and feels "half as thick" as a previously purchased roll of Reynolds foil. Despite a few other pieces of negative feedback, this Reynolds-branded wrap has a 4.8-star average, suggesting that customers are about as happy with it as they are with the Kirkland version.