What Costco Shoppers Hate Most About The Kirkland Maple Syrup Bottles

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Costco fans are a loyal bunch, but any perceived wrong can set them off on social media (just look at how they reacted to sub-par peppermint bark in 2024). They've weathered soda fountain brand switch-ups, some major Costco food recalls, and egg-purchasing limitations, but one ongoing issue concerns Kirkland Signature Organic Pure Maple Syrup, which comes in a cute 1-liter jug with a green flip cap on top. And that cap is exactly where some people take issue.

"Great syrup," one person wrote on Reddit, adding, "worst cap design in history." A user on another Reddit thread echoed this sentiment, proclaiming that the cap is awful because it not only continuously flips open when you want it closed, but it also has a tendency to break "before you get halfway through the bottle." This may occur because excess syrup collects at the mouth of the bottle the more you use it, and this syrup crystallizes into hardened little chunks due to air exposure. This, in turn, can offset the lid when you try to snap it shut. (The lid is also prone to dribbling syrup down the jug, which creates a sticky mess.)

Other Costco shoppers also had serious beef with the safety seal on the maple syrup container, which features a plastic flap that people can ostensibly use to lift the seal and open the bottle. One of the Reddit threads mentioned above is even captioned, "Can we all agree that this thing is useless?" and includes an image of the user's Kirkland maple syrup jug with the plastic flap pulled more than halfway off (and the actual seal still firmly in place).

This mirrors the issue that many Costco customers on Reddit have with the seal on the chain's milk jugs, which somehow might actually be stickier and more difficult to remove than that of the syrup. Some acknowledge that the tightness of the seal does have its merits, like preventing leakage when they need to store the jugs sideways, but most people are fed up with trying to open the jug, only to have the plastic flap completely break off. They then resort to using a knife (which we do not recommend), either slicing into the seal or trying to pry it loose from where it's stuck to the bottle with the sharp (and very dangerous) tip of the blade.

If everything we've mentioned so far makes you feel seen, here are a few tips to help you keep your lids clean and aid in the removal of the peel-and-lift seals Costco favors. First up, even though it's a pain, every time you use your maple syrup jug, take a bit of damp paper towel (Kirkland Signature paper towel, if you want to stay on brand) and clean off the spout. This will keep the sugar crystals from forming, which can help keep the lid both clear of debris and intact for much longer.

As for those peel-and-lift seals on Costco's maple syrup and milk jugs, ignore the clear tab you're supposed to pull. Instead, using two fingers (if your nails are long enough) or kitchen pliers, like this pair from HHZZMIAO, grip one of the small tabs at the side of the seal and lift up. Do so just enough to create an opening first, then pull the rest off. You're bypassing that flimsy clear tab entirely and pulling the seal straight from the jug lip, giving you much better leverage.