For those on a strict budget, this isn’t the time to splurge on luxury $80 hand soaps that smell like a complex bouquet of wildflowers and look great in our bathrooms but serve the same purpose as their $5 counterparts. We need hand soaps to liberate our hands from dirt, rid them of nasty smells, and not dry out our skin. Bonus points for aesthetic packaging—just because we want to save money doesn’t mean we don’t want cute homes.

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When we think about budget-friendly outlets that sell store-brand hand soaps, a few familiar names pop up on our radar: Aldi, Amazon Basics, Sam’s Club, Target, Trader Joe’s, and Walmart. CR was curious: Are there significant differences among them? Do any stand out as the best of the budget bets?

We tested six cost-conscious hand soaps on hands dirtied from damp soil and smelling like gag-worthy garlic fumes, and found four soaps that stood out.

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We investigate, research, and test so you can choose with confidence.