The 'from 49p' Aldi range that's 'nicer than M&S'

I don't think many die-hard M&S shoppers would consider the products to be in the same league as Aldi's.

Cost wise they're quite often worlds apart and while M&S has been making waves with its own budget Remarksable range, overall, it's still among the most expensive for many other groceries.

We decided to see how some of its products compare with Aldi's premium own-label Specially Selected range, which is actually growing ahead of other products right now - a picture that's becoming familiar across the wider grocery market too.

Aldi says some shoppers are more willing to treat themselves to the more expensive products - 'trading up' to premium own-label products including Wagyu steak, premium cheese, ready meals, and brioche buns - as they ditch dining out for eating in.

Read more:Tesco's new range nearly gave me a heart attack when I saw the price, but there's more to it than meets the eye

It's also likely that some shoppers are opting for big name brands less - particularly if they've swapped to Aldi from another store.

So how does Specially Selected, which starts from 49p for its Steak Fajita Tortilla Chips, compare with M&S? We set out to find out.

With Wagyu steaks not available in the Aldi stores we visited - perhaps another sign of their popularity - we opted for fillet steaks from both retailers.

At Aldi a 28 day matured fillet steak, weighing 170g, costs £4.99. While at M&S it's a 10 day matured fillet steak, weighing 190g, and costing £8. That equates to £7.16 for the same size as Aldi.

Both were delicious, but overall it was the Aldi ones that stood out on flavour and texture. That extra maturing time obviously plays a part, bringing a greater concentration of beef flavour and making it more tender too.

Wagyu Beef Burgers are another of Aldi's popular premium range products, priced £3.49 for a pack of two, weighing 340g.

The closest product we could find at M&S were the Fully Loaded Steak Burgers costing £5 for a 380g pack, although you can get them as part of a 3 for £12 offer.

While both were tasty burgers, we didn't like the chewy bits in the 73% beef M&S ones, and much preferred the overall taste and texture of Aldi's 95% beef ones - as well as the sweeter taste of its brioche burger buns, costing £1.05 for a pack of four from Aldi, compared to a staggering £3 for four from M&S.

Almost every product we tried from Aldi tasted either just the same as M&S, or nicer.

We preferred the taste of Aldi's Vintage Cheddar over the M&S West Country one and the Specially Selected sausages - blended with herbs and a hint of ginger - were a huge hit.

Many of them, including the Canadian Maple Syrup, extra virgin olive oil and Parma Ham tasted pretty much identical and it's no surprise that Aldi's Specially Selected Superseed Farmhouse loaf tastes just like the M&S Super Seeded loaf, both of which contain sunflower, millet, linseed, poppy and pumpkin seeds. But while the M&S one will set you back £1.60, Aldi's version is £1.09.

And there were plenty more big price differences with some of the other products we tried too. Like the Manuka Honey, costing £4.39 for a 225g jar at Aldi, and £10 for a slightly bigger 250g jar of it from M&S.

Aldi's Extra Fine Beans were £1.29 for 200g, while M&S ones were £2.50 for the same size. Sales of premium ready meals have also been on the rise at Aldi and the ones we tried - Lasagne Al Forno and Mac & Cheese - were another big hit with the kids, as was Aldi's Specially Selected Spicy Italian Salami and 'Nduja pizza, Steak Pie and Pesto Alla Genovese, another of its best sellers.

And even the products that weren't part of Aldi's premium range, the tenderstem broccoli for example, at £1.39 for 200g, was no different to the M&S one, which was £3 for a larger 350g bag, but still working out more per kg.

The product that was hardest to compare was the alcohol. As among Aldi's most popular premium products is its Castellore Organic Prosecco Rose, priced £7.99 a bottle.

M&S doesn't do a rose organic prosecco, so we had to go with its white organic Colle Del Principe Prosecco, for £9.

Now I'm not usually a fan of rose, but I have to say the Aldi one is particularly nice and definitely had a fresher taste to the more expensive M&S bottle. I have to say my usual choice is Aldi's best-selling £5.45 Costellore Prosecco though, so I'm not particularly fussy and definitely no expert where wine is concerned.

There were a couple of products we thought fell short of M&S standards though.

We much preferred the M&S Collection Potato Dauphinoise, £3.50, which was straight from the fridge, over Aldi's £2.75 freezer pack - mostly because of the flavour, but also the way they're presented.

And the one that really couldn't compete was the lemon drizzle cake. While Aldi's is perfectly palatable, and a bargain at £2.25, it's the softer sponge and lemon juice icing that gives the £4 M&S one the edge.

I might just be able to justify the extra cost for that one. But when so much of the other items were pretty much neck and neck on taste and quality, it shows you don't necessarily have to pay a premium to get the good stuff.

With a move towards celebrating at home, this year Aldi's Specially Selected range will make up more than 50% of its overall Christmas offering for the first time. Judging by the ones we've tried so far, it'll be well worth checking out.