I only do my weekly shop at Aldi and Lidl - but one supermarket is better and cheaper

When it comes to budget supermarkets, my weekly shop almost always comes down to a choice between Aldi and Lidl. Both, in my opinion, are miles cheaper than The Big Four UK supermarkets of Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, and Morrisons, especially when buying items such as meat, pantry staples, and fresh fruit and vegetables.

Aldi and Lidl are also famously no-frills, both have great own-brand goods, and both have a cult following thanks to their middle aisles full of random treasures. But after months of splitting my shopping between the two - and checking the total price - I've decided: Aldi is the best choice - and officially the cheaper one, too.

Aldi has just reclaimed its title as the UK's cheapest supermarket, as crowned by consumer watchdog Which?. In August, a basket of 75 popular grocery items cost £127.92 at Aldi, compared to £128.35 at Lidl - narrowly ahead by just 43p full stop, or 38p if you're a member of Lidl's Plus loyalty scheme.

This marks a return to form for Aldi, which had held the cheapest title for 20 straight months before being briefly toppled by Lidl in July.

While I'm a fan of any discount card to save money, Aldi doesn't make you jump through hoops, download an app, or scan a barcode to get the best price. The price on the shelf is the price you pay.

Aldi's strength has always been its consistency. The basics - milk, bread, butter, pasta, eggs - are always cheaper than at the big supermarkets, and often cheaper than Lidl too. That predictability keeps my budget on track.

I also find that their quality of items are better - from fruit to seafood and confectionary to nuts, I find their products are often a touch better stocked, with produce that lasts longer.

Lidl's middle aisle is famous, but Aldi's Specialbuys are on another level. Aldi Specialbuys are limited-stock, non-food items (like tools, home goods, or toys) that are sold in stores on specific days. One week it's air fryers, the next it's garden furniture, ski gear, or kitchen cookwear. One of it's most popular drops is its kids and baby products with items that are often far cheaper than anywhere on the high street.

They're the kind of things you didn't know you needed until you spot them, and the prices are genuinely hard to beat. I've picked up high-quality cookware and homeware from Aldi at a fraction of what I'd pay elsewhere.

Aldi's Lacura beauty range has become a cult favourite for a reason. From Liz Earle-style hot cloth cleansers to Jo Malone-inspired perfumes. One of my favourtie items to pick up in store are the Hotel Collection candles which are inspired by Jo Malone but at £3.15 are a much better deal.

Various food items are dupes for big brands such as Nando's, McDonald's, McVities, Nutella, and even alcohol such as Birra Moretti.

That's not to say I don't like Lidl. In fact, there are a few things it does better.

The rotating world specials is the obvious one. Greek Week, Italian Week, Asian Week are all brilliant for spicing up mealtimes. I've discovered everything from frozen gyoza to burrata this way, and it's something Aldi doesn't really match.

At the end of the day, both Aldi and Lidl offer incredible value, and either will leave you with a far lighter bill than the big four supermarkets.

Aldi may have the crown as the cheapest right now, but when the price difference is a matter of pennies, it really does come down to personal preference - and, most practically, which one is closest to your front door.

Do you perfer Aldi or Lidl? Let us know in the comments.