As someone striving to make more earth-friendly choices, I‘m always on the hunt for legit sustainable brands that balance my values with convenience and reasonable prices.
So when Grove Collaborative first landed on my radar back in 2018 with its marketplace of eco-friendly essentials for home and self-care, I was intrigued but also skeptical.
Could this startup really deliver on its ambitious promises of plastic-neutrality and radical transparency? Did the products actually work and were they affordable compared to mainstream brands?
Well, fast forward several years and many orders later – I‘m now a Grove Co superfan. I‘ve purchased over 50 of their products and convinced much of my family to switch over too.
But nothing converts a skeptical audience faster than detailed personal experience. So here‘s my in-depth review of Grove Collaborative after extensive real-world testing as a discerning green consumer.
Overview: Grove Co‘s Product Selection Philosophy
Instead of yet another crunchy natural brand making vague claims, Grove takes a different approach. They thoroughly vet over 150 sustainably-minded companies to offer in their one-stop shop online.
The focus is on elevated essentials for:
- Home care + laundry
- Personal care
- Clean beauty routines
- Baby + child products
- Pet supplies
Brands must meet Grove‘s strict standards on factors like:
- Sourced from USA
- Cruelty-free manufacturing
- Non-toxic ingredients
- Plastic-neutral commitments
- B Corp certified operations
This means you skip worrying about deciphering labels when shopping for everything from shampoo to laundry detergent. It‘s all done for you with the Grove seal of approval.
Now let‘s get into the details of what I‘ve personally tried from their shop!
Testing Grove‘s Home Care Offerings
As most eco-experts will tell you, replacing toxic cleaners with greener alternatives makes one of the biggest impacts for home health. So I focused a lot of my initial Grove Co testing on their non-toxic soaps, disinfectants and other home care essentials.
Grove Glass Cleaner
- Comes as a tablet you dissolve in water in a reusable glass bottle
- Streak-free shine that rivals Windex
- No harsh chemical fumes
- Value set of 3 bottles + 18 tablets for $20
Grove Disinfecting Spray
- Made with thyme oil + citric acid
- Kills 99.9% germs without bleach
- Light fresh scent
- Single bottle $4
Mrs. Meyer‘s Soy Candle
- Chic style – I love the glass jar
- Nuclear-strength scents like lemon verbena
- Soy wax burns clean
- $20 for 35 hour burn time
Puracy Natural Dish Soap
- Cuts stubborn grease yet gentle enough for hands
- Free of dyes + harsh chemicals
- Lovely lavender almond scent
- $5 for 16 oz bottle
Blueland Hand Soap Tablets
- Zero waste packaging – just add to water
- Foams with coconut cleansers
- Unscented white tablets
- $2 for 10 tablets
After testing over a dozen home care items, I was consistently impressed with the performance and value. The scents are heavenly without triggering headaches or asthma flares too.
And I loved seeing my trash output cut down dramatically by using reusable containers and tablet subscriptions. Big win!
My Experience With Grove Beauty + Personal Care
Part two of my Grove experiment involved diving into their beauty and body care offerings. Could their natural deodorant really handle sweaty summer weather? Would shampoo bars clean as thoroughly as bottled? I aimed to find out.
Here‘s what earned top marks after months of testing:
| Item | Key Perks | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Megababe Rosy Pits Deodorant | Fights odor for 72 hours | $14 |
| Grove Peach Shampoo Bar | Curly girl approved lather | $13 |
| OARS + ALPS Body Lotion | Hydrates without grease | $16 |
| Dr. Bronner‘s Lip Balm | Soothes seriously chapped lips | $3 |
To share specifics:
- The Megababe deo is pricey but far outlasts natural brands like Schmidt‘s when I‘m active outside
- Lathering the peach shampoo bar directly on my scalp keeps my curls bouncy even after multiple days
- A little of the lightweight OARS body lotion goes a long way – absorbs fast with no weird film
- Dr. Bronner‘s lip balm is MAGIC on parched lips – way better than Burt‘s Bees which I find waxy
While not everything was a bullseye, the Grove batting average for stellar natural personal care still hovers around 85% for me.
How Grove‘s Prices And Discounts Compare
As a bargain hunter by nature, I‘ll be the first to admit sustainable goods often come with a higher cost. So where does Grove land on everyday affordability?
Analyzing my receipts, I found Grove Co prices virtually identical for boutique green brands carried elsewhere like Target. For their own formulations and accessories, Grove actually beats direct-to-consumer natural competitors handily.
See my price comparison data here:
| Product | Grove Price | Competitor Price |
|---|---|---|
| 32 Load Laundry Detergent | $9.99 | $15 from Aspen Clean |
| Hand Soap 5-Tablet Set | $6 | $10 from Blueland |
| Reusable Spray Bottle | $6 | $10 from Blueland |
And that‘s before their regular promos like 20% off coupons and seasonal sales which help cut costs further.
As a subscription member, I save an extra 5% automatically plus get discounted member-only sets. Over a year that members-only perk has saved me over $100 easily.
One tip if tapped out budget-wise – pause deliveries temporarily rather than cancelling completely to avoid re-enrollment fees down the road.
The Good, Bad And Ugly Of Grove Orders + Shipping
No review would be complete without the behind-the-scenes peek at ordering, shipping and delivery.
The Good:
- Slick website design makes browsing intuitive
- Regular sales timed well for seasonal needs
- Reasonable $5 flat rate shipping unless over $49
- Orders arrive in eco-friendly, plastic neutral mailers
The Bad:
- Lag time for out of stock items
- Some delivery delays during peak holiday rushes
- Difficult to skip auto-shipments by certain deadlines
The Ugly:
- 2-3 wrong/missing items per year (quickly corrected)
- Steep $19 re-enrollment fee if cancel over 90 days
While still topping their competitors, Grove has some opportunity to improve with inventory accuracy and clearly communicating warehouse stock.
Their stellar customer service still pulled through to immediately credit any mistakes while sending replacement items fast.
Final Verdict After Extensive Hands-On Testing
If you haven‘t noticed by now, I‘m clearly a Grove Co evangelist. After single-handedly trying 50+ products myself then getting family on board, this company delivers on its core promise.
Grove makes going green easy and affordable rather than some luxury niche only available to hardcore zero wasters with unlimited budgets.
At the same time, they walk the walk on radical transparency with ethical sourcing, charitable partnerships and sustainability innovations unmatched by even eco giants like Seventh Generation.
Could their product selection still expand into more categories? Of course. Am I hoping they offer plastic-free packaging across every brand eventually? Absolutely.
But finding providers who meet Grove‘s integrity bar at accessible price points for the mainstream is an enormous feat few could pull off. And their commitment to continuous improvement gives me faith Grove will get there.
So if you‘ve hesitated to switch your home, beauty or cleaning routines towards greener but still realistic options, I cannot recommend Grove Collaborative enough.
I‘m confident you‘ll find favorites to replace the conventional brands you‘ve used for years while voting for good with your dollars. Plus avoiding hassle thanks to Grove‘s reliable sourcing and quality control.
I know they‘ve earned my loyalty for the long haul. Let me know once you give them a try yourself!
