Quality of off-brand Ziploc bags?

August 2, 2004 9:45 AM

I have noticed that off-brand Ziploc bags aren't closing very easily. While the real McCoy is sealing just fine. Anyone else experiencing this too? Is this a regional problem? (I'm near Seattle.)
posted by grefo to Shopping (5 answers total)

We buy most of our ziploc knock-offs from the dented can store down the street. Sometimes we also get dented bags of Ziploc brand plastic baggies. The off-brand ones suck, you are correct. I assume this is because of scrimping in the amount of zipper-plastic that helps the seal stay together better, but that's just my opinion.
posted by jessamyn at 9:56 AM on August 2, 2004

The knock-off bags might be manufacturered with poor quality equipment. Either the knock-off factories are buying old, worn molds from the zip-loc factories, or they designed their on molds badly. Alternately, they could be having allignment issues with the machines.

Lego has always claimed that they cast their bricks to surgical tolerances. You never see extraneous plastic sticking to the bricks, and legos always fit together as expected. Some of the knock-off "legos" have bricks that don't always fit, much like the knock-off zip-loc bags.
posted by Kwantsar at 10:26 AM on August 2, 2004

It's not regional. It's the same here in NYC, and it's simply a matter of "getting what you paid for".
posted by mkultra at 10:38 AM on August 2, 2004

Me too!

I like the zipper-type bags. The off-brands always tear on the seam no matter what I put in them. I've finally accepted the fact that I'll have to pony up for the good ones.
posted by Juicylicious at 6:26 PM on August 2, 2004

yeah, my wife was just observing that the major-chain-drug-store brand resealable bags were not as good as the national brand bags. I usually feel like I'm wasting money if I'm paying for national brands, but this is an outstanding exception. [I often clip Sunday coupons to buy the national brands anyway.]
posted by britain at 7:57 PM on August 2, 2004