While some of its products enjoy a cult following, Consumer NZ has released a list of four Kmart items to take out of your shopping cart.

James le Page, test content team leader at Consumer NZ said, “Some Kmart products perform really well in our testing. As well as being cheap, products under Kmart’s Anko brand sometimes outperform much pricier brands. Whereas other times, Anko products perform poorly.”

“While there’s a lot to love about Kmart, our testing often shows you’ve got to do your research,” le Page said.

For example, the watchdog has tested 40 stick vacuums. A $189 model by Kmart brand Anko scored the worst of them all. 

“You’d be forgiven for thinking the $139 model by the same brand would be worse quality, but that’s not the case. Our test team found the cheaper version performs better than its pricier counterpart,” said le Page.

“Don’t buy these duds,” le Page said.

Anko 9L Twin Air Fryer $149: “Consumer tested 31 air fryers and the Anko Twin Air Fryer got the lowest score. Although this product was easy to use, other models in the same price range cooked better.”

Anko 1.2L Food Processor $69: “While the Anko food processor chops and emulsifies well, it’s awkward to use. Consumer’s advice? Spend just $10 more on a processor from The Warehouse that we score a bit higher.”

Anko Cordless Stick Vacuum $189: “We’ve tested four of Kmart’s stick vacuums and this cordless one did the worst in our test lab – even though it’s the most expensive out of them.”

Anko 24cm Aluminium 3 Layer Non-Stick Frypan – Stone Grey $21: “This $21 frypan performed so badly it received Consumer’s ‘Don’t Buy’ label. But there’s another Kmart frypan that gets our top score – outperforming big-name expensive ones.”

“When you’re standing in a store or scrolling online, it’s tricky to tell what is a deal or a dud. It’s only by doing your research with our test results you can see which products will last,” le Page says. 

“Savvy shoppers who are well informed can save hundreds of dollars, and ensure they buy a product that meets their needs,” they said.