7 Electronics You Should Try To Buy From Costco (And Why)

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

If you're looking to buy electronics, gadgets, or any form of tech, there are a plethora of retailers out there to find the best deals. Some shoppers may prefer buying from Amazon since they can get anything delivered directly to their home, while others may want to head to a physical store to check out and compare items side-by-side. If you belong to the second category, the default options for you generally include large retailers like Best Buy and Walmart. However, you local Costco is also an excellent option. You can find unexpected tech products at Costco at prices that are lower than competing retailers. Apart from lower prices, Costco also offers perks and freebies with the purchase of various electronics, making the deal even sweeter.

Not to forget, Costco offers a highly advantageous return policy in comparison to other retailers, not to mention additional cashback for executive members that can lead to further savings. So, if you're in the market for a new purchase, we've made a list of some electronics that you should try buying from Costco over other sores. On several occasions, you can find these items cheaper there than at other places. Even if that's not the case, Costco often offers bundle deals or special editions of certain gadgets that provide better value. To make the list relevant regardless of when you're reading it, we've not just included individual items but opted to suggest categories of electronics you should try to buy from Costco.

Costco is known to be a great place to purchase large electronics, especially huge TVs from multiple brands. Whether you're shopping for a new television for your Super Bowl party or you just enjoy watching movies or TV shows on a large screen, sometimes you just need a 65-inch, 75-inch, or even 100-inch television. Consumers usually prefer buying such large TVs at brick-and-mortar retailers, since they can manually inspect a set before they purchase it. Apart from the fact that you can easily do this at Costco, there's a big advantage to buying your next entertainment hub from the retailer — its Allstate protection plans. For those unaware, these insurance plans cover you in case something goes wrong after the manufacturer's warranty period is over. Costco will either repair or replace your TV free of cost during this time.

Depending on the model, Costco may bundle the Allstate protection plan for free, which means you are getting an additional perk that's rather useful. Typically, Allstate protection plans last for three years and kick in after the usual one or two-year warranty period offered by the manufacturer. If the plan isn't bundled with the television you're eyeing, purchasing it separately won't be too hard on your wallet either. For TVs under $500, the plan costs $35. If your television is priced between $500 and $1,000, it's $65. For all TVs above $1,000, the Allstate protection plan will set you back $100. Since big-screen televisions can be fragile, this protection plan is an excellent addition to your purchase.

Costco's Allstate protection is also applicable for Macs (and sometimes for cheaper than Apple Care+). That's a good reason why you may want to pick up a MacBook from Costco. However, the main reason why you should get yourself a Mac from the retailer is the free extended warranty. By default, Apple provides one year of warranty when you buy a Mac. However, Costco doubles that, providing two years of warranty against any manufacturing defect or issue. This is automatically a better deal, but it becomes even sweeter when you factor in how Costco tends to offer older MacBook models at prices lower than other retailers. 

Unfortunately, Costco does not pass on the same benefit to iPads. Apple tablets still come with just a one-year warranty, even if you buy them from Costco. However, the reason we recommend getting an iPad from the retailer is discounts on Apple Care+ plans. Costco offers up to a 24% discount when buying Apple Care+ with certain Apple products, which can result in significant savings. Moreover, if you don't want to opt for Apple's relatively costly protection plan, Costco's Allstate plans for tablets are much more affordable; they start at just $30 for iPads under $300. For iPads priced between $300-$750, it's $50, and if you opt for the top-end iPad Pro, the plan will cost you just $80.

If you're an audiophile looking for the best Bluetooth headphones, you likely know you're going to pay a premium. If you want to save without compromising quality, however, you're better off purchasing them from Costco. The retailer offers solid discounts when buying headphones from brands like Apple, Sony, and Bose. For example, the AirPods 4 retail for $129 on Apple's website, whereas the same earbuds are available for just $99 at Costco. Similarly, the AirPods 4 with noise cancellation will set you back $179 when purchased from an Apple Store, but will only cost you $119 at Costco — a significant savings. If you so desire, you can take that extra cash and purchase Apple Care+ for your earbuds along with a case to protect them.

It's not just Apple products, either. The Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones are available for $298 via Amazon, whereas they're $50 cheaper at Costco. Apart from the outright discount, Costco also offers special edition variants of certain headphones that may not necessarily be cheaper, but often include additional items in the package for the same price. For instance, you might also get a carrying case, charging cable, or gift card to purchase a subscription to a major music streaming service as part of the deal. At times, brands manufacture these special editions specifically for Costco with minor changes, such as a lower Bluetooth version or a more affordable carrying case instead of a premium one. This way, you can save money by buying the headphones at Costco without any major compromises.

It's the age of artificial intelligence, and one of the results is that AI is making common PC upgrades expensive. We're not just talking about GPUs or other complex components that are generally available at a markup, either — the cost of SSDs and RAM sticks is also skyrocketing. With growing costs, anyone looking to purchase a storage device will want to save money, and you can do this by shopping at Costco instead of other retailers. If you want proof of this, check out the SanDisk Extreme 1TB SSD, which costs $180 on Amazon but only $150 at Costco. Notably, this isn't the only reason why you should buy storage devices from the wholesale retailer. In fact, it's not even the primary motivator.

Costco's excellent return policy is possibly the most compelling reason you should be buying these devices from the retailer. Costco offers a 90-day return policy, which is extremely important for storage devices, since they can be prone to failure. While this is less of an issue for SSDs, traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) use magnetic disks that are prone to issues and corruption. Normally, a hard drive failure within the first three months of purchase leaves you having to resort to the manufacturer's warranty to get the drive repaired or replaced. With Costco, there's none of that: You can simply go to your nearest branch and return it for a full refund. 

Smart home gadgets can be major time-savers when it comes to automating mundane tasks. From smart switches to security cameras, you can install a bunch of IoT devices at home and control them all using a smart screen or speaker. Whether you're looking for a small smart bulb for your room or a complex robot vacuum system for the entire house, check out the listing on Costco before making the purchase at any other retailer. While you may not see a big difference in terms of pricing, Costco usually bundles additional accessories that can come in handy either while using the product or during installation.

For instance, some video doorbells may require users to insert batteries during the setup process. Costco may decide to include the required batteries with the package, which means you don't have to buy them separately. This not only saves you money but also any additional hassle. Meanwhile, if you're looking to buy a robot vacuum, the Narwal Freo Z is available at Costco with an accessory bundle that includes additional peripherals for better cleaning. Such perks provide more value while also ensuring you don't have to make additional purchases. Several smart home gadgets and appliances also include basic installation when you purchase them from Costco. This is an excellent add-on for those who aren't tech-savvy.

As mentioned earlier, Costco is known to provide special editions of certain items that include freebies or bundled accessories. The same is applicable to gaming consoles as well. For instance, if you buy the Nintendo Switch 2 from Costco, the console is accompanied by a "Mario Kart World" bundle. It includes the game, a 12-month subscription to Nintendo Switch Online, and an expansion pack. Essentially, you're getting a whole lot of perks for the same price that you would pay for just the console at other outlets. Similarly, the Nintendo Switch OLED comes with a 12-month Nintendo Switch Online family membership, an official carrying case, and a 256 GB microSD card — definitely a bargain.

It doesn't end there. Most variants of the PlayStation 5 purchased at Costco come with an additional DualSense controller, which is already much better than buying just the console via other retailers. A good example of this is the Spider-Man 2 bundle, which also includes a charging dock for the two controllers. Note that all of these perks are in addition to lower prices that you may see sometimes, especially on older consoles. Combine this with the fact that Costco offers a 90-day return policy. If there's a manufacturing defect or another issue within the first three months of you owning the console, you can always return it for a full refund.

Many of Costco's perks we've mentioned above also apply to laptop purchases. You get two years of warranty by default instead of one, and you can extend it to up to five years by purchasing an Allstate protection plan. Moreover, Costco provides an outright discount on some laptops, which means you can get them for cheaper compared to other retailers. However, the main reason we recommend buying laptops at Costco is the premium concierge service it offers. While most people buying laptops may want to set them up themselves, there are a good many individuals — especially seniors — who may not be as tech-savvy.

Whenever someone buys a laptop at Costco, they're entitled to expert-level technical support from the retailer for setup and troubleshooting. The service is completely free and can be availed by calling the customer support team from the Call Us page. This perk is included with your Costco membership, which means it's applicable to all electronics purchased via the retailer. However, it's more useful for laptops since those buying one for the first time may require additional assistance. So, whether you're unable to find an application you're looking for or you just want to know how you can video call your kids using the onboard webcam, instructions are just one call away.

One of the most important points of consideration when shortlisting electronics to buy from Costco was, of course, the price at which the items are available. Costco typically has promotions throughout the year on many models, making them more affordable compared to buying from a different retailer. Along with the price advantage, though, we've also considered additional parameters, such as freebies, bundled accessories, more advantageous warranty periods, longer return windows, and better technical support via the retailer's concierge service.

Apart from an outright discount, Costco often works with manufacturers to create special editions of some gadgets that include accessories or subscriptions specially curated for Costco shoppers. These additional perks are also a good reason to consider buying electronics from Costco.