Charmin costs more per sheet than Kirkland Signature, and for most households, that is the primary concern. Some people actually argue about whether the savings are worth it when a roll shreds as you tear it or leaves lint all over the bathroom. I dug through head-to-head tests, shopper price math, and owner complaints to work out which roll deserves a spot in your cart. If you want to know who actually manufactures the Costco roll first, we covered that in who makes Costco toilet paper.
Price: Kirkland Wins With a Thin Margin
This comparison is built on research, not a bathroom lab, so every number below traces back to a named source.
A 30-roll Kirkland pack with 380 sheets per roll costs about $30.99, which works out to 27 cents per 100 sheets by my math. One Slickdeals shopper put Charmin Ultra Soft near 37 cents per 100 sheets, and Yahoo Lifestyle reports that top brands like Charmin run over 40 cents. The price gap is real, but it moves around with sales, so divide the pack price by total sheets before you buy.
Softness, Strength, and the Lint Problem
On softness, Charmin has the edge. In One Good Thing by Jillee's test, each brand got at least a week of exclusive use, and Charmin Ultra Soft finished second while Kirkland took third. She called Charmin as soft as ever but thinner than the winner, and her only complaint about Kirkland was its embossed pattern. A Quora answerer who switched to Charmin years ago also calls it gentler.
Strength is where opinions split. Some owners say Kirkland shreds when you tear a sheet and leaves paper dust. Others state Charmin does the same: one commenter on Jillee's test dropped Charmin Ultra Soft over dust and pilling. Another says Charmin Ultra Strong is thick enough that four squares do the job, which is a different product from the soft version most reviews test.
Septic safety is the messiest argument. Costco lists Kirkland as septic-safe, but Yahoo Lifestyle reports that Redditors' plumbers advised them to avoid it. A commenter on Jillee's test claims a home science project showed Kirkland dissolving fastest. I would not treat either story as proof. A kitchen jar test with a few sheets and some water tells you more about your own pipes.
Who Should Buy Which (and What Went Wrong for Some Buyers)?
Buy Kirkland if you have a big household, a guest bathroom, or a bidet. One commenter who has used bidets for decades buys Kirkland because she barely uses any paper. Buy Charmin if softness is your tiebreaker and you are fine paying more for it.
The tradeoffs are not small. A Slickdeals buyer who stocked up on Kirkland in one year says the rolls are now "only suitable for emergency purposes." Another shopper went back to Charmin Ultra Soft and moved Kirkland to the guest bathroom. Costco also sells Charmin, so a membership does not lock you into the house brand, and Yahoo Lifestyle notes the 30-roll Charmin listing carries a 4.8-star rating against 4.7 for Kirkland.
The Sustainability Tie and My Pick
If the environment is your deciding factor, neither roll helps you. The NRDC's 2025 Issue with Tissue scorecard gave both Charmin and Kirkland an F for relying on forest fiber, while Charmin Ultra Bamboo earned a B.
My pick is Kirkland for everyday bulk buying, since the savings add up and the softness gap is modest. If you try it and the rolls feel flimsy, switch to Charmin Ultra Strong before you give up on paying more.
