Clean Essentials Kit vs Ultimate Starter Kit
The two listings are not the same kind of product. The Clean Essentials Kit is a four-piece home cleaning set built on plastic-free refill tablets. The Ultimate Starter Kit is a Branch Basics concentrate bundle with refillable bottles, Oxygen Boost and dishwasher tablets. The agent quoted $36.80 for the Clean Essentials Kit and $10.00 for the Ultimate Starter Kit, but those figures do not match the contents described, so confirm the price and pack size at checkout before buying.
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Clean Essentials Kit
4.7Choose the Clean Essentials Kit if you want four ready-to-use cleaners (hand soap plus multi-surface, bathroom and glass sprays) and prefer drop-in tablets over mixing a concentrate.
Pros
- Four cleaners cover hands, counters, bathrooms and glass
- Tablets are plastic-free and the packaging is compostable
- Large review base: 4.7 from 26,103 ratings
- Holds EPA Safer Choice and Leaping Bunny certifications
- Buyers report clear instructions and a spare tablet and sprayer
Cons
- No fragrance-free claim
- No laundry or dishwasher products
- Four bottles take more shelf space than one concentrate
What separates them
| Clean Essentials Kit | Ultimate Starter Kit | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Four separate products, each with its own tablet | One 33.8 oz concentrate diluted into refillable bottles |
| What is in the box | Foaming hand soap, multi-surface, bathroom and glass + mirror sprays | Concentrate, Oxygen Boost, 38 dishwasher tablets, refillable bottles |
| Fragrance | Not stated as fragrance-free | Fragrance-free |
| Third-party certifications | Cradle to Cradle, Leaping Bunny, EPA Safer Choice | EWG Verified |
| Dishwasher tablets | Not included | 38 tablets included |
| Laundry use | Not covered | Concentrate and Oxygen Boost cover laundry |
| Ratings volume | 4.7 from 26,103 ratings | 4.9 from 658 ratings |
Price history
- Clean Essentials Kit: lowest $26.99 on Oct 28.
- Ultimate Starter Kit: lowest $10.00 on Oct 28.
Prices at every store
Specs compared
| Spec | Clean Essentials Kit | Ultimate Starter Kit |
|---|---|---|
| Dosage form | kit | — |
| Salicylic Acid (astringent) | 20mg in 1mL | — |
| Salicylic Acid (moisturizer) | 5mg in 1mL | — |
| Astringent active ingredient | Salicylic Acid 2% | — |
| Moisturizer active ingredient | Salicylic Acid 0.5% | — |
| Digital I/O pins | — | 14 |
| PWM outputs | — | 6 |
| Analog inputs | — | 6 |
| Crystal frequency | — | 16 MHz |
| Power jack voltage | — | DC 7-12V |
Questions and answers
- Which is better for a household with a baby or pets?
- The Ultimate Starter Kit. It is fragrance-free and EWG Verified, and the maker states it is safe for babies and pets. The Clean Essentials Kit does not claim to be fragrance-free.
- Which covers more cleaning jobs?
- The Ultimate Starter Kit. The concentrate plus Oxygen Boost covers surfaces and laundry, and it adds 38 dishwasher tablets. The Clean Essentials Kit covers hand soap and three spray cleaners.
- Which is easier to use?
- The Clean Essentials Kit. You drop a tablet into water and spray. The Ultimate Starter Kit requires diluting the concentrate to the right strength for each bottle.
- Is the Clean Essentials Kit worth the higher quoted price?
- It buys four separate cleaners and a hand soap with no mixing. If you mainly want one concentrate for everything, the Ultimate Starter Kit is the better value.
- Are the certifications equivalent?
- They cover different things. EPA Safer Choice and Cradle to Cradle on the Clean Essentials Kit concern ingredient safety and material cycles. EWG Verified on the Ultimate Starter Kit concerns ingredient transparency and avoidance of ingredients of concern.
- Which has more reliable reviews?
- The Clean Essentials Kit has far more: 4.7 from 26,103 ratings versus 4.9 from 658. The smaller sample is more easily skewed.
