Home Depot or Lowe's?
 

I am very close to both and have shopped in both. I'll give my impressions and you're welcome to give yours. No arguments please. Remember that these are just everyone's opinions and impressions.

My first impression is that Home Depot is set up to deal more with professional contractors and Lowe's is more of a store for amateur Do It Yourselfers like me.

I went to buy a Christmas tree at Home Depot and they had a very small selection. The tree I wanted was out of stock and I couldn't find anyone to help me or answer questions so I left.

I went to Lowe's and found a much nicer tree that was on sale at 33% off and found a young lady to answer questions.

In general it seems that when I go to Home Depot and ask questions about how to do things, the people seemed annoyed that I don't already know. It seems that they think that their knowledge is general knowledge and they shouldn't have to be bothered answering such basic questions.

I find the people at Lowe's are much more willing to help you find what you need, make suggestions and take the time to explain how things work and how to perform certain tasks.

Home Depot doesn't seem to have as big a selection of non-hardware/lumber items where are you can find all kinds of things that professional contractor are not interested in at Lowe's.

Like I say, I'll shop at either depending on what I need. If it's something that I don't need any information about like a pair of wire cutters I'll go to Home Depot because it's a bit closer to me. But for something like the four fans I just bought and installed I went to Lowe's because I could ask some questions without feeling like I'm an idiot.

I think you got it right

I don't go to either unless I have to. It's hard to get anyone to assist you. It seems like most (not all) employees hate their job. I shop at Ace Hardware. Knowledgeable employees and they seem to like their job.

I prefer Lowe's but trying to find a person to help me is impossible.

Z

Lowe's

I prefer Lowes for all the same reasons as the OP. Also agree with other poster than ACE is great and when it comes a minor part and I do not need fifty of them, then ACE is great for just small amounts . They also have great service!

Lowes for me.

My opinion is based on pricing ... I feel the Home Depot store is lower priced than the Lowe's store.

I can't get to Home Depot easily (no car) but on the odd occasion that I have compared prices I have found Lowe's to be cheaper

Lowe's

Lowe's

Home Depot has a better web site.

Home Depot has a great Italian Sausage vendor in front of the store. Lowes doesn't.

I prefer Lowe's but will go to HD depending on what I may need.

I agree ACE is the store if you want to get expert help over the other two.

ACE is the place.

However, if you have Discover and go thru their site (Discover deals) to homedepot.com you get a discount and usually free shipping to your door! Can't beat that. We remodeled 2 bathrooms and had everything delivered to our garage..free.

My wife likes Home Depot for landscaping needs and it's her favorite store. I prefer Lowes. So there you have it---a tie in our house. Wife wins all ties!

Lowes.

Home Depot or Lowe's?
 

Home Depot. Lowe's does not honor their maintenance agreements. Never had an issue with HD though.

Lowe's for me. I've pretty much disliked HD from the day one opened in California. Have never had a pleasant experience there.

Prefer to go to Ace, then Lowe's if necessary...however have more than once been advised to check Home Depot by a Lowe's clerk when they didn't carry a particular item I was looking for. Last time it was an electric light socket for a lamp, before that, a floor putty to repair scratches...before that...a few other items. Home Depot helps about half the time, the other times, I need to buy on-line.

First choice checkbook to pay the handyman. I'm over being the Mr. Fix It Man. If it's something that can't wait definitely The Home Depot. Never Lowes again ever for any reason because of a water heater installation that went bad and when I say never She I mean I mean it. lol.

Understand that. Amen.

Have walked out of Lowes many times because lack of employees to help answer any questions.

Went to HD yesterday to get a price on a window. Then went to Lowes for a price for the same window. HD priced an Anderson window and Lowes priced a Pella window. Both are of the same quality and Lowes price was $64.00 less than HD.
Guess which one we ordered.

Reverse here too.
 

I compare online for prices but have left the HD store because of lack of service.

I stopped going to Ace a log time ago for the same reasons that I quoted about Home Depot. The people there all seem to be too bothered to answer question that they think you should know the answers to.

I also had a problem once when I bought a tube of what I thought was caulking compound. It was on a sale table. There were several tubes and a sign that said no refunds. When I got home I realized that it was some kind of adhesive and not caulking.

I went back to the store and asked if I could put it back and take the correct product. I was told no. No refunds, no exchanges. I explained that I had just grabbed the wrong tube and only wanted to exchange it for the right one that was the same price. They refused to allow me to do that.

Yes, I know I should have been more careful and looked at the tube before I paid for it. Yes, I know the sign said "All Sales Final". I take some responsibility here, but seemed like such a petty little thing that I decided to never shop there again. It was about a two dollar item and they wouldn't let me grab another two dollar item off the same sales table. What difference could this have made to them?

I e-mailed the store manager and explained the story and never heard back. Lowe's and Home Depot have so much more selection and usually better prices. The only thing that Ames has going for it is convenience. It's easier for me to get to, but I'll drive by it every time after that incident.

That's funny. In my neck of the woods, I can get to Lowe's by golf cart but have to use the car to get to Home Depot.

Lowe's because I can get there on my golf cart

Try Spar located on 44 right across from Brownwood. It's a large store catering to farm and builders. They don't have the large selection of different products, but sometimes they have products that are better.
Last year I needed to replace my lamp post lamp. After going to Lowes and HD I found what I wanted at Spars for a much lower price.

I agree. Ace is much better than either, but I do prefer Home Depot over Lowe's.

Lowe's

1- nicer stores, better organized, more homeowner oriented
2- generally cheaper by a small margin
3- I own the chain (just kidding)

Great question. For me, I do business with both....and of course others. I think Lowes has a better assortment of light fixtures. I like Home Depot for Ryobi tools, and their Black Friday sale is MUCH better than Lowes.

I like that Lowes gives 5% off any purchase if you have a Lowes Card. Since I've have not paid a penny interest on any card ever, (that's in over 40 years), I'll take the 5% off and pay the bill at the end of the month. I really like that Lowe's has the "My Lowes" program, so they remember EVERY purchase you have ever made, so if you need to return it you do not even need the receipt.

Both have their strengths and weaknesses. I agree that many times the help is not knowledgeable, but I do not need them to be. I usually end up helping folks in the same aisle....especially when I overhear them getting wrong, non-code correct advice from an employee who does not shave yet.

I often go to Ace to pick up something quick...might cost a bit more, but I save on time and gas when doing so. I also have an account at Ro-Mac. I have not yet walked into Spurr or Sparr, but I've heard it is a good place. Also, if I have the foresight to plan two days in advance, Amazon brings it to my home.

This is almost as good as the question, Wegman's or Publix....!

Frank

Maryanne or Ginger?

Wegmans, by a zillion light years:smiley:

I was told in a very condescending way...We don't have Wegman's down here yet. Like I was born with that knowledge....A beautiful place like The Villages without Wegman's...that's a sin. It's a couple of bucks more to shop there but you almost want to go food shopping. It really is that nice. Make it happen!:popcorn: Golfing Eagle advice on the money.

:agree: Just seemed like the opposite in KC and STL; HD seemed more to help DIY'ers more in those two areas.

As far as I know all supermarket chains are regional. Coming from Boston we had Shaw's, Stop and Shop and Hannford. I'd never heard of Wegman's or Publix. The only way I knew Winn Dixie was from the movie.

I did not mean to have my comment make the thread go off topic....I apologize.....

Back to the original subject.....Home Depot or Lowes....? I like both for the simple reason that I remember when both did not exist....and with no HGTV or DIY network, there was almost no such thing as "Do it Yourself". No "Youtube" videos to teach you, no internet.

Items were not packaged to be helpful or teach. We live in an amazing time.

Frank

At one time I prefered Lowes, clean stores and always associates on hand to help. Home Depot stores were nice, but finding someone knowledgeable to help was impossible. Over the past ten years, I think Lowes digressed and Home Depot made the effort to hire and train enough staff to see to customers needs.
Recently I went to Lowes to shop for lighting. The lighting department was in disarray, many displays were hanging from the wall and unlit. I made my purchase at Home Depot. I won't condemn a company for one department in one store. And I will compare prices at Lowes to Home Depot , but my past experiences will have me trying Home Depot first.

Lowes for me, totally more accommodating.