10 Essentials You’ll Be Shocked You Can’t Buy at Costco

Costco Wholesale has a large selection of items ranging from electronics and clothes to food and toys. Many everyday essentials are sold in bulk, making Costco a great place for larger families and small business owners to stock up and save money.

Given how massive the store is, you might be surprised to find that Costco doesn’t sell everything. Some items are either unavailable altogether or available only when shopping in person. This means you might not be able to find them if you’re shopping primarily online or at certain locations.

Since every Costco is different, GOBankingRates browsed through the Costco Wholesale website to find out some items not sold online or at all. These are some of the most surprising items you can’t get at Costco.

Also check out eight things to buy at Costco on a middle-class budget.

Weed killers are both common and practical, but you’d be hard-pressed to find them online at Costco. If you want to pick up something like Roundup, you’ll need to go elsewhere. Target, for example, sells a gallon of Roundup weed and grass killer for $24.95.

Aside from Rastelli’s antibiotic-free turkey craft burgers, which come in a 32-pack and cost $119.99, you’re unlikely to find turkey burgers online at Costco. That doesn’t mean you won’t find alternatives when shopping in person. But if you’re more of an online shopper and want your groceries delivered, you might want to check out another store.

Some stores, like Walmart, will sell and deliver eggs right to your door. If you want to get eggs at Costco, however, you’re going to need to shop in person. Online, there really aren’t many options for regular cartons of eggs.

If you like to make homemade sun tea or lemonade, or even if you just want to have a nice cold glass of water straight from the fridge — without using the appliance’s built-in system — a glass pitcher is essential.

At Costco, you can buy filtered water pitchers, like this Kirkland Signature option that costs $29.99. But you might not be able to find simple glass pitchers for your favorite beverages. The good news is that you can find these at other stores. Target, for instance, sells a 67-ounce glass pitcher for $15.

If you steam vegetables, sift baking ingredients like flour or want to rinse produce, you need a colander or two on hand. They’re also great for a variety of other purposes in the kitchen.

Interestingly, there are very few colanders available in Costco’s online catalog. You can find them at other places, like Target — which sells a GoodCook 6-quart colander for $3.99 — or Amazon.

It’s essential to have at least one quality plunger in your home (or garage) just in case. You won’t find these online through Costco, however.

You might have better luck in person or at other stores like Walmart or Target. These types of stores will also deliver, sometimes quickly, so you won’t even have to leave the comfort of home to get what you need.

Coasters are also great to have around, especially if you have furniture you’d really rather not see condensation or moisture stains on. But while most major retailers sell at least basic drink coasters online, you won’t find many on Costco’s website.

Costco does sell outdoor umbrellas that block out the sun and give you a nice bit of shade. But when it comes to a portable, compact umbrella for the rain, you’re out of luck if you’re shopping online. Costco offers a few two-pack options, but they’re limited. If you need a handheld umbrella, you’re better off checking out your local Target or shop online at Amazon.

Costco has a wide selection of gloves — leather gloves, work gloves, golf gloves and so on. But where the store is lacking is gardening gloves. This is unfortunate for anyone who loves to spend their days out in the garden and wants to avoid splinters and keep the dirt out from under their nails.

For decent-quality gardening gloves, check out places like Home Depot. There, for example, you can grab a three-pack of medium jersey garden gloves for $12.99.

Another must-have for gardeners is a decent watering can. These can be great for both indoor and outdoor use.

Costco might sell some types of watering cans, but if so, they’re not available online. Your in-store options might also be limited, especially if you’re looking for a specialty type of watering can — like one with a unique spout or material.