Sam’s Club vs Costco in 2026: Which Membership Actually Saves More
Family shoppers heading into another summer of grocery runs and backyard cookouts want to know if a Sam’s Club membership earns its keep against Costco and Walmart. This guide breaks down real, recently tracked Sam’s Club markdowns — from a $7.85 chimney starter to a $394 pellet smoker — to show exactly where the membership pays off and where you should still cross-check other stores. TL;DR: the Member’s Mark Pro 36” Pellet Smoker w/ Induction Burner & Smoke Tray at $394 is the clearest proof point that Sam’s Club’s markdown pricing can compete with, and sometimes beat, sticker prices at other warehouse clubs.
Quick Picks (TL;DR)
- Best Overall: Member’s Mark Pro 36” Pellet Smoker w/ Induction Burner & Smoke Tray — $394 with free S&H is a genuine big-ticket markdown, not just a seasonal sale price.
- Best Budget: Cuisinart Charcoal Chimney Starter w/ Heat Resistant Gloves — $7.85 with free shipping for Plus members is nearly an impulse buy.
- Best Premium: 49” MSI DQHD 5120x1440 144Hz Curved OLED Gaming Monitor — $599 for an ultrawide OLED is the kind of electronics markdown worth planning a trip around.
- Best for Backyard Cooking: Member’s Mark 4-Burner Propane Gas Griddle w/ Soft Cover — $147.90 bundles a cover, a rarity at this price point.
- Best for Active Members: Shokz OpenRun Pro Endurance Wireless Bluetooth Headphones — $79 with free pickup, a solid markdown on a workout-focused pair.
How We Chose These Picks
We track Sam’s Club markdowns and Instant Savings events as they post, then flag the ones where the discounted price is unusually low relative to the category — not just “on sale,” but priced below what similar items typically cost even during a normal promotion. Every pick on this list cleared that bar recently, which is why we’re comfortable citing exact prices instead of vague “great deal” language.
Real buyers care about three things: whether the price is genuinely lower than normal, whether shipping or pickup adds hidden cost on top of the sticker price, and whether the item is worth the trip given household size and how often it will actually get used. We weighted picks toward items families use repeatedly — outdoor cooking gear, home electronics, fitness accessories — over one-off novelties that look good in a headline but sit in a closet.
We also paid close attention to membership tier requirements, because that’s where a lot of “deals” quietly stop being deals. Several of the items below only include free shipping for Plus members, not the base Club tier. If a deal only pencils out with Plus-level perks, we say so explicitly, because that changes the real math on whether upgrading your membership is worth it versus just picking the item up in-store.
Summer is peak season for outdoor cooking gear specifically, which is part of why three of our five picks — the smoker, the griddle, and the chimney starter — are grilling-adjacent. Timing matters: warehouse clubs tend to push their deepest markdowns on this category during the exact stretch when demand is highest, which is also when comparison shopping against Costco and Walmart pays off most.
The Best Sam’s Club Deals for 2026 — Full Comparison
| Product | Price | Best For | Key Feature | Where to Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member’s Mark Pro 36” Pellet Smoker w/ Induction Burner & Smoke Tray | $394 | Serious backyard cooks | Induction burner plus a dedicated smoke tray | Amazon |
| Member’s Mark 4-Burner Propane Gas Griddle w/ Soft Cover | $147.90 | Families who grill often | Four burners plus an included soft cover | Amazon |
| 49” MSI DQHD 5120x1440 144Hz Curved OLED Gaming Monitor | $599 | Home office or gaming upgrades | 5120x1440 OLED panel at 144Hz | Amazon |
| Shokz OpenRun Pro Endurance Wireless Bluetooth Headphones | $79 | Runners and gym-goers | Endurance-focused open-ear Bluetooth design | Amazon |
| Cuisinart Charcoal Chimney Starter w/ Heat Resistant Gloves | $7.85 | Charcoal grill owners | Bundled heat-resistant gloves included | Amazon |
Detailed Reviews
Member’s Mark Pro 36” Pellet Smoker w/ Induction Burner & Smoke Tray
This is a 36-inch pellet smoker with a built-in induction burner and a separate smoke tray, recently priced at $394 with free shipping and handling. It’s aimed at households that smoke meat regularly, not once-a-summer dabblers looking for a starter unit.
Pros:
- Induction burner adds searing capability most pellet smokers skip entirely
- Dedicated smoke tray for more consistent smoke output across long cooks
- Free S&H at this price point removes a common big-ticket-item tax
Cons:
- $394 is still a real commitment for occasional cooks
- Large 36” footprint needs patio or yard space to store year-round
Why we picked it: This is the deal that best answers the “does Sam’s Club actually save you money” question. A 36-inch pellet smoker with an induction burner is specialty gear that typically carries a premium price tag; seeing it land at $394 with free shipping is the kind of markdown that justifies checking Sam’s Club before buying big-ticket outdoor cooking equipment anywhere else. For more like this, see our outdoor gear deals section.
Member’s Mark 4-Burner Propane Gas Griddle w/ Soft Cover
A four-burner propane griddle bundled with a soft cover, priced at $147.90 with free shipping for Plus members. It’s built for families who cook outside often enough that a single-burner setup starts to feel limiting on busy weekends.
Pros:
- Four burners give more cooking zones for family-size meals
- Soft cover is included rather than sold separately
- $147.90 is a strong price for a four-burner unit
Cons:
- Free shipping requires Plus membership, not the base Club tier
- Griddles this size still need a dedicated storage spot
Why we picked it: Griddle covers are often a separate add-on purchase elsewhere, so bundling one in at this price adds real value on top of an already competitive griddle price. It’s the pick for anyone who’s been putting off upgrading from a two-burner grill to something that can feed a full table.
49” MSI DQHD 5120x1440 144Hz Curved OLED Gaming Monitor
A 49-inch curved OLED monitor running a 5120x1440 resolution at 144Hz, recently marked down to $599 with free shipping. This is a premium electronics pick, not a budget one, and it shows up on this list specifically because of how rare that combination of size, panel type, and price is.
Pros:
- OLED panel at this size and resolution usually costs significantly more
- 144Hz refresh rate suits gaming and fast-motion video work
- Free shipping included at the sale price
Cons:
- Free shipping perk again ties to Plus membership
- 49” curved format needs a deep desk to use comfortably
Why we picked it: Ultrawide OLED monitors are one of the categories where warehouse club markdowns can meaningfully undercut typical retail pricing, and $599 for a 5120x1440 144Hz panel is a legitimate premium-tier deal worth planning a purchase around rather than waiting on.
Shokz OpenRun Pro Endurance Wireless Bluetooth Headphones
An open-ear Bluetooth headphone built for endurance training, priced at $79 with free pickup. It’s aimed at runners and gym-goers who don’t want in-ear buds blocking outside noise during workouts.
Pros:
- Open-ear design keeps situational awareness during outdoor runs
- Free pickup avoids shipping costs entirely
- $79 undercuts typical pricing for the Endurance line
Cons:
- Open-ear designs trade off bass response versus sealed earbuds
- Free pickup only helps if a club location is nearby
Why we picked it: For members who already treat Sam’s Club as a stop for fitness gear, $79 with free pickup is a straightforward way to get endurance-focused headphones without paying for shipping or waiting on delivery.
Cuisinart Charcoal Chimney Starter w/ Heat Resistant Gloves
A charcoal chimney starter bundled with heat-resistant gloves, priced at $7.85 with free shipping for Plus members. It’s a small accessory purchase, not a centerpiece item, but it’s the easiest yes on this whole list.
Pros:
- $7.85 is a low-risk add to any charcoal grill setup
- Gloves bundled in instead of purchased separately
- Speeds up charcoal lighting versus lighter fluid
Cons:
- Only useful for charcoal grill owners, not gas or pellet setups
- Free shipping again requires Plus membership
Why we picked it: At under $8, it’s a low-stakes way to test whether Sam’s Club’s online markdown pricing is worth watching regularly, and the included gloves make it a two-for-one instead of a single-item purchase.
Buying Guide — What to Look For
Check the membership tier before you shop. Several deals above only include free shipping for Plus members. If you’re comparing Sam’s Club against Costco or Walmart, factor in whether you’d need the higher membership tier to get the full value of a given markdown, or whether in-store pickup gets you the same savings without the upgrade.
Look for bundled extras. The griddle’s soft cover and the chimney starter’s gloves both add value beyond the sticker price. When comparing similar items across retailers, check whether accessories are included or sold separately — that difference can close the gap between two prices that look identical at first glance.
Match the item to how often you’ll use it. A $394 pellet smoker only makes sense for households that cook outside regularly. For occasional use, the $147.90 griddle or the $7.85 chimney starter is the lower-commitment entry point, with less risk if your cooking habits change.
Watch for Instant Savings timing. Sam’s Club runs periodic Instant Savings events on top of everyday pricing, and big-ticket categories like outdoor cooking and electronics tend to see the deepest markdowns during these windows rather than at random points in the year.
Compare against Costco and Walmart before committing to a big purchase. Value-conscious shoppers do best when they price-check across all three before buying big-ticket items like smokers or monitors, rather than assuming any one club is automatically cheaper. Browse more in our outdoor gear deals roundup for other recent markdowns.
FAQ
Q: Is Sam’s Club cheaper than Costco for big-ticket items? A: It depends on the item and the timing. The deals we’ve tracked recently, like the $394 pellet smoker and the $599 OLED monitor, show Sam’s Club can post genuinely low prices during Instant Savings windows — but the only way to know for a specific purchase is to price-check both clubs at the time you’re buying.
Q: Do I need the Plus membership to get these prices? A: Not for the item price itself, but several deals above only include free shipping if you have Plus. The griddle, the chimney starter, and the monitor all list free shipping specifically as a Plus-member perk, so factor that into your total cost.
Q: What’s the best Sam’s Club deal for someone on a tight budget? A: The Cuisinart Charcoal Chimney Starter w/ Heat Resistant Gloves at $7.85 is the lowest-risk pick on this list and a reasonable way to test whether Sam’s Club’s markdown pricing works for your household before committing to bigger purchases.
Q: Are these prices guaranteed to still be available? A: No. Markdowns and Instant Savings pricing change frequently, so treat the prices here as a recent snapshot, not a permanent price. Check current pricing in-club or online before you buy.
Q: Is the pellet smoker worth it for a first-time smoker owner? A: If you cook outside often, the $394 price with free shipping is a strong entry point given the induction burner and smoke tray are usually found on pricier units. If you only smoke meat occasionally, the smaller investment in the griddle or chimney starter is probably a better starting point.
Q: Should I buy the gaming monitor now or wait for a bigger markdown? A: $599 for a 49” 5120x1440 144Hz OLED panel is already a notable markdown for that spec combination. If you need the monitor now, this is a reasonable price to act on rather than wait on; if you’re not in a hurry, keep an eye on future Instant Savings events.
Bottom Line
Sam’s Club’s recent markdowns — a $394 pellet smoker, a $599 OLED monitor, and a $7.85 chimney starter among them — show the membership can deliver real savings on both big-ticket and small accessory purchases. Still, compare against Costco and Walmart before you commit to anything expensive, and check current Sam’s Club Instant Savings pricing first since these markdowns don’t last indefinitely.