The Most Bizarre Things You Had No Idea You Could Buy At Costco

Costco is a magical wonderland of bargain-priced bulk goods and one-of-a-kind products that tempt you into buying them even if they're ridiculous, ginormous, unnecessary, excessive, or all of the above. Let's be honest — it's those "all of the above" finds that make us the happiest. Who doesn't want (or need, for that matter) a 27-pound bucket o' mac and cheese or a 4-foot tall wine glass? Think of the Instagram possibilities alone that those purchases would provide...

But while some of these finds might actually prove to be useful and are within a regular shopper's budget, other items from the warehouse store leave us either scratching our heads in confusion or wondering how in the world anyone could afford to buy, say, a $32,000 bottle of scotch. (Or why they would want to, for that matter.) Exorbitant prices and/or lack of usefulness certainly doesn't stop Costco from slinging some truly bizarre food and drink items, though, as proven by these past and current offerings that just might take the cake when it comes to most outlandish products ever. 

As consumers, we seem to live by the unwritten rule that bigger is better. So, when you're perusing the aisles of Costco and happen upon a gigantic lobster claw that is approximately 112 times larger than those you normally see, you obviously jump at the chance of owning one, regardless of whether or not you even like lobster, or how much of that $9.99 per pound price will result in a worthless pile of shell.

The 3 to 5 pound lobster claws made a splash on social media in March 2019, and unfortunately for most of the country, seemed to be limited to West Coast availability. The surprising size alone mean these beasts would definitely make for good dinner conversation, but would they make for a good dinner? Aside from the fact that you probably need a hammer and a hack saw as part of your table setting, there's good news for anyone shelling out $50 for a single claw: According to LobsterAnywhere.com, a huge lobster should taste just as good as a small one and the meat should not be any tougher, provided, of course, that it's not overcooked — which means you're putting a lot of faith in the Costco cooks to have boiled these bad boys to tender perfection.

Sure, Costco sells two-packs of Nutella, and yes, at 33.5 ounces each they're larger than what you'd find on the shelf at a regular ol' grocery store. But do you know what you would never find at a regular grocery store? An almost 7-pound tub of the stuff. 

True Nutella addicts will jump at the chance to get their hands on this literal bucket of the chocolate-hazelnut spread that the warehouse store is selling for just $22. However, in this case, it's not about the bargain, it's more for shock value. That's because the per ounce price of this 6.6 pound container of heaven, at 21 cents, is actually the same as the 33.5 ounce containers. But see, those smaller containers will not afford you the social media opportunities that the bucket will. What do you think would get you more Instagram likes? A pic of you holding a standard jar of Nutella, or a pic of you hugging your tub and professing your undying love for it? The answer is #obvi, as the Instagrammers would say.

Okay, so this would technically fall into the category of emergency kit food, but that's not stopping mac and cheese-loving Costco shoppers from buying it just because. 

The six-gallon bucket that sells for $90 comes complete with almost 27 pounds — that's 180 servings — of everyone's favorite cheesy pasta, and has a... wait for it... 20-year shelf life. The good news is, since the portions are broken up into six 30-serving pouches, you're not on the hook to finish it all in one fell swoop should you panic and choose to break into it because your power goes out for the day. 

While the Chef's Banquet product may not have the name recognition of Kraft, the mac has gotten favorable reviews, with 4.6 stars out of 5 (as of April 2019).

If you're not a big doomsday prepper, and find yourself in possession of this unbelievably big commitment to mac and cheese, you can always do what one Costco reviewer plans to do: "This was a birthday gift from some idiot friends. Since it has such a long shelf life I am saving it for a mac n' cheese party on my 70th birthday in 2037. Mark your calendar. RSVP regrets only."

You know when a food comes with its own stand, you've entered into slightly ridiculous territory. But that's exactly what you get when you fork over $550 for this 16.5-pound leg of ham. Oh, and you get a knife, too, which presumably is made of solid gold and blessed by the Pope himself. 

This incredibly expensive leg of pork isn't just your regular spiral cut honey-baked Easter ham, though — it's the rare and prized Jamon de Bellota, a designation that carries some weight. While similar to the serrano ham that most of us regular Joes have probably bought in the past, the Bellota ham must meet certain criteria to be labeled as such. The breed of the pigs, their feed, and their origin set the Jamon de Bellota apart from others, and that includes a steady diet of acorns while blissfully roaming green pastures... you know, before meeting their maker.

So what can you expect $33 per pound jamon to taste like? According to Enrique Tomas, the Bellota "will practically melt slowly in your mouth when it comes into contact with the palate." Tempting, right? Now if we could just order it by the ounce, that might make it a little easier to swallow.

It's no secret that real Parmigiano Reggiano is pricey. We're not talking about the green can of "Parm" that may or may not be full of wood chips — we're talking about authentic, made in Italy, deliciously salty Parmigiano Reggiano, and a decent size chunk of it can easily cost you $20. It shouldn't come as too much of a surprise then that Costco's whole wheel, weighing in at 72 pounds, will set you back $900. The question is, though: Who really needs, or can actually use up, an entire wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano? How much pasta are you eating? And also, can we come for dinner?

Costco's list of product features comes with no false pretenses: "Aged 24 months, imported from Italy," and, inexplicably, "extravagant." Yeah, we know, Costco, we know. Considering, however, that Williams Sonoma sells an 80-pound wheel for $2500, it's actually not a bad deal.

There's no doubt that this Parmigiano Reggiano is tasty, and reviewers sing its praises, though some question what they'll do with such a huge hunk of cheese. Costco suggests using it to "transform any pasta, soup or salad into an exquisite gourmet experience," or, and this is probably the best idea of all, "eating it alone."

One of the downsides to buying produce at Costco is that although a 5-pound tub of spinach will probably cost you less than a 12-ounce bag at the grocery store, it can be downright impossible to use it up before it turns into a tub of green slime. The same goes for avocados, which seem to have the ability to band together, no matter their initial level of ripeness, and all become ready to eat at the same exact time. The result, typically, is you end up using two avocados from the bag of six, which is hardly a bargain. 

But that won't be the case with Costco's new and improved avocados, which must come from Willy Wonka's factory. How else would you explain these magical avocados with double the shelf life? It turns out that Apeel Sciences is responsible for these Wonka-esque marvels, thanks to the plant-based outer peel that coats the avocado's natural peel. This manufactured peel, which is tasteless, colorless, and odorless, is made of natural fats found in fruits and veggies, and by keeping moisture in while blocking oxygen out, effectively extends the life of the avocado.

Brides today don't want to abide by the stuffy, passé traditions of the past — they want a unique, Instagram-worthy wedding complete with their own hashtag. And an Instagram-worthy cake is a must, of course. 

But your standard five-tier fondant-draped white wedding cake simply will not do. No, today's bride will opt for something more unusual, like a five-tier cheese cake that she orders from Costco. (#Costcowedding has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?) Not cheesecake, as in cream cheese and sugar and eggs. We're talking about a literal cheese cake, as in a cake made of 24 pounds of actual cheese. The masterpiece, from Sid Wainer & Son, is made up of a mouthwatering array of flavors that will please any palate: Red Leicester, Danish Blue, Murcia al Vino, Tuscan Sheep's Cheese, and White Angelique Triple Cream Brie. Best of all, the "cake," which serves up to 150 people, costs under $440, and — let's be honest — is a bargain when it comes to a wedding cake.

The only caveat here is that it's on you to assemble and decorate. But how hard can stacking a few cheeses and throwing some flowers on it be? You didn't study all those Pinterest wedding boards for nothing.

If dropping $20 on a bottle of "good" booze makes you cringe, the prices of these bottles that have graced the shelves of Costco will blow your mind. Prepare yourself for what you're about to read... you may need a stiff drink after this.

While it's not unusual to see higher-end booze on display at the warehouse store, those price tags don't usually have more than three numbers in front of the decimal point. But over the years, shoppers have spotted a few offerings that have more than that — five numbers in front of the decimal, to be exact. Yes, that's at least $10,000 for a single bottle of alcohol, and these all happen to be scotch.

There was a $20,000 bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue 1805 Limited Edition, which seems to be very limited indeed at only 200 bottles. Then there was an almost $32,000 bottle of Macallan 65 Year Lalique Single Malt, whose super-fancy packaging must make up some of that cost; and lastly another Macallan offering, this time a Lalique 60 Year Old Single Malt for the bargain price of $17,000. Five years shaves quite a bit off the cost, doesn't it?

We already know these prices are nuts, but just for comparison's sake (and to prove just how nuts these prices really are), run-of-the-mill bottles of Macallan 12 Year and Johnnie Walker Blue will run you about $55 and $150, respectively, depending on your location. 

If you took one look at the 180-serving bucket of mac and cheese and scoffed at its small size, you're in luck. There's an even bigger doomsday prepper option out there, and this one will feed your family of four for an entire year. It's $6,000, but hey, that's a small price to pay to last another rapturous 365 days when the rest of the world has been blown to smithereens, right?

The kit, weighing in at 1,800 pounds, contains 600 cans of assorted food, including grains, legumes, protein, dairy, freeze-dried fruits and veggies, and more, with most items boasting a shelf life between 25 and 30 years. We can only imagine that each and every item is amazingly delicious.

This ginormous supply of food has come in and out of stock over years, so if you're super worried about the zombie apocalypse and see this hit the shelves again, you'd better scoop it up while you can. And worst (best?) case, if the apocalypse — zombie or otherwise — doesn't happen in the next 24 years, you've already paid for that 25th year of food.

Kobe beef is the most expensive meat in all the land, but unfortunately, Costco shoppers can't get their hands on this particular delicacy. They can, however, get their hands on Kobe's cousin, Japanese Wagyu beef — if they're willing to pay a premium for it. 

This probably isn't the steak you're going to pick up for a casual barbecue with friends, unless you frequently swim through pools of money a la Scrooge McDuck. At $210 per pound, Wagyu filet mignon steaks will likely be reserved for a very special occasion. You can save yourself some money though, if you opt for the ribeye or New York strip loin roasts, which can be had for around $80 to $90. Believe it or not, this exorbitant per pound price on the roasts is actually a bargain, according to Steak University, who says you would typically pay somewhere in the $120 to $200 per pound range.

If you do choose to take the leap and buy the most expensive steak you'll ever put in your mouth, at least you know you don't have to worry about beef fraud. Costco's Wagyu is the real deal, imported from the Kagoshima prefecture in Japan, graded A5 grade (the highest grade Wagyu beef can receive), and even comes with a certificate of authenticity.

Allow us to introduce you to the WineStation Pristine PLUS Wine Preservation System with Dual Zone Temperature Control. It's truly the gift for the person that has everything, that is, of course, if you happen to have $5,000 to spend on a gift.

Don't get us wrong — it's a cool gadget. What wine lover wouldn't want a system that not only preserves open bottles for up to 60 days, but also keeps whites and reds at separate but perfect temperatures? But where in the world does your average homeowner put this contraption? Most of us barely have counter space for our toasters, let alone an 85-pound WineStation. Unless you're this alleged Costco reviewer, of course, who although confessed that they were nervous about spending so much money on the system, said, "We put it in our special wine room below our basement and it has been a fantastic addition for our guests and tours. I need to train our butlers and housekeepers to change the bottles weekly, but that should be easy given the included instruction package." Okay, then. 

Every once in a while you stumble upon a product at Costco that you know, without a shadow of a doubt, you absolutely don't need, but you buy it anyway because it's just that ridiculous. Take the 4-foot tall wine glass, for example. 

Sure, $80 is a lot to spend on a novelty wine glass, but think of all the hilarious ways you could pose with it on Instagram. And if you really, really wanted to take things to the next level, you could actually fill it up with wine, which one Twitter user claims would take a mere 25 bottles. Look at it this way — if you go for Two-Buck Chuck (which should more accurately be called Three-Buck Chuck these days), that would only cost you $75, and really, $155 all in for what could prove to be social media's greatest post ever is not so bad when you think about it. Viral fame is worth way more than that.