Whether you're painting a bedroom, sprucing up your patio, or remodeling your kitchen, Lowe's has all the supplies you need. But while the home renovation chain might be a winner for flooring materials or paint, other items are better bought elsewhere. To get the most out of your shopping trip, we spoke to retail experts about what you should never buy at Lowe's. Keep reading to find out more.
RELATED: 6 Secrets Lowe's Employees Want You to Know.
1 Cleaning supplies
"The selection of cleaning supplies at Lowe's isn't very big compared to grocery stores, so your choices are already going to be limited," explains Julie Ramhold, a consumer analyst with the shopping comparison site DealNews.com. "But even for the items that are there, prices usually aren't great either. You usually end up paying more at Lowe's for something like disinfectant wipes."
Alex Williams, CFO of the retail shopping guide FindThisBest, echoes the sentiment: "Lowe's is known for its extra charges on cleaning products. So much so that you could end up paying 10 percent more than the actual market rate."
2 Home decor
Ramhold says home decor is another category to avoid when shopping at Lowe's. "The home improvement store isn't really known for its home decor, and with good reason—often the selection is very limited, without a lot of styles to choose from," she explains. "Additionally, the prices leave a lot to be desired: You can usually find better deals by shopping at places like T.J. Maxx or HomeGoods."
RELATED: Lowe's Outlet Sells Appliances for 75% Off—Are They Just as Good?
3 Wall art
Real estate investor and HouseCashin founder Marina Vaamonde avoids buying wall art at Lowe's because "there's a very limited selection of styles and the prices aren't worth it." She says stores like HomeGoods offer "a wider range of options and better deals."
4 Rugs
Speaking of home decor, buying a rug from Lowe's is also a big mistake, especially if the rug is expected to get a lot of foot traffic.
"Lowe's often uses cheaper synthetic materials to make a lot of their decor pieces, so they aren't going to be the most high-quality or long-lasting," says Jeremy Yamaguchi, CEO of Lawn Love. Yamaguchi prefers At Home, Hobby Lobby, Wayfair, and even Target for a higher-quality selection.
RELATED: Costco Shopper Says Stop Buying These Overpriced Items.
5 Small appliances
People say that bigger is better, and when it comes to shopping at Lowe's, the statement is true. Sophia Phillips, lifestyle expert at CouponBirds, says you should always skip the small appliances at Lowe's because their selection is limited compared to other retailers.
"For instance, the De'Longhi Livenza All-In-One Programmable Multi-Cooker costs $209 at Lowe's but only [$155] at Walmart," says Phillips. Instead, she suggests buying smaller items at retailers like Kohl's, Amazon, and Macy's.
6 Batteries
Both Ramhold and Phillips agree that you shouldn't buy batteries from Lowe's.
"Once again, the price just isn't as good as what you'll find elsewhere," Ramhold explains. "Typically you'll find more reasonable prices at big box stores like Target, but even grocery stores may have more affordable prices than Lowe's on things like batteries."
Phillips recommends shopping for batteries at Costco, where you'll get a discount for buying them in bulk.
RELATED: 8 Secrets About Home Depot's Garden Department.
7 Turf
Whether you are trying to use less water or want to make a safe play area for your pet, you should avoid buying turf at Lowe's, says Michael Levy of Dirty Turf.
"If you're planning to invest in an artificial lawn for your property, trust a reputable local company specializing in turf when it comes to purchasing and installing," he advises. "Big box stores tend to carry a small selection of basic synthetic grass, but they won't have the variety of options needed to fit your needs."
8 Food and drinks
Most Lowe's stores have a selection of small snacks and bottled beverages near the register, but you shouldn't satisfy your cravings until you leave the store. "This is another item that's mainly there for convenience and to cater to impulse shoppers, so the prices aren't great," explains Ramhold.
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Courtney Shapiro Courtney Shapiro is an Associate Editor at Best Life. Before joining the Best Life team, she had editorial internships with BizBash and Anton Media Group.Read moreFiled UnderRetail • ShoppingRead This Next5 Worst Clothing Items to Buy at Thrift Stores
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