Why Costco's Kirkland Signature Maple Syrup Infuriates Consumers

Costco might be known for having authentic products at great prices inside its big-box stores. But despite its quality, one product has shoppers fuming. Kirkland organic maple syrup is bottled with pure grade A amber maple syrup making it one worth buying if you know what to look for. But once you get home with the liter of syrup and pop the lid, the primary issue comes to light: the cap's spout.

While the medium-hued syrup (learn more about the four maple syrup grades with Tasting Table's guide) is delicious, it tends to pool under the lifted spout that rises above the rest of the cap. So, if you don't pour the maple syrup slowly and carefully, it can easily build up under the spout's lip, creating a crusty mess. Though this isn't the only unusual design choice of maple syrup vessels — like the tiny handle attached to the bottle – it is the only one that impedes the use and enjoyment of the syrup. No one wants to pick hardened bits of the sweet nectar off their food, after all.

Most maple syrup bottles have flat caps with very short, raised, straight-neck spouts that allow the syrup to funnel and pour out of the bottle as opposed to an open bottle. Some of these small holes are even fitted with a small silicon seal that lets you squeeze the syrup through its perforation. The idea here is that it protects the maple syrup from going bad by eliminating contamination and exposure to air in a similar way that honey bears do. Other glass jars that simply have a wide mouth the width of the container's opening are also easier to keep clear of any dried remnants since they lack a lip.

Really, the only way around this glaring design flaw at Costco is to either buy a different bottle of maple syrup or exercise plenty of caution when pouring maple syrup from the liter jug. If only this maple syrup will do, but you can't cope with the cap, try pouring the maple syrup into a different sealed container that's easier to manage. This will allow you to enjoy the Kirkland maple syrup you know and love while avoiding the bottle's cap altogether. Whatever you do, try using maple syrup in one of Tasting Table's 14 unconventional ways to shake things up.