If you are in the market for new home appliances, you might want to avoid Home Depot.
“Home Depot is great for many things — paint, tools, even some basic appliances — but when it comes to high-end or specialty appliances, it’s not the best place to shop,” said Maksim Sauchanka, owner and CEO of BMR Belmax Remodeling.
Customers say Home Depot often has higher prices, fewer choices, and tougher return policies than other stores. Here are five appliances you should never buy at Home Depot.
1. Air Fryers
Home Depot’s selection of air fryers is usually more expensive. A small one costs about $69–$160, and larger ones can be over $200. Customers have also noted that, in comparison to other stores, the air fryers at Home Depot are usually older models and less reliable.
Why Not Buy at Home Depot?
This appliance shouldn’t be bought at Home Depot because their budget models are more pricey than Amazon’s or Walmart’s. They also have a limited amount of stock, so there won’t be a variety of colors or feature options. And after purchasing, you might even struggle with poor after-sales support.
Which Air Fryer Brands Should We Avoid?
Some air fryers are best avoided due to safety concerns like fire hazards and quality control issues, while others just have poor cooking performance and a high price in terms of their actual value.
The Insignia was subject to a massive recall in 2024 because of fire and overheating hazards.
Several Cosori models have also been recalled due to fire risk, burns, and laceration hazards.
After some independent testing, the following brands received low performance ratings and poor value scores: Kitchen Couture, Tefal, and Sunbeam.
Here are Some Great Alternative Suggestions:
Great alternatives to look out for would be at Best Buy, where they sell the Bella Pro Touchscreen Air Fryer for around $80 (currently 50% off for only $40). On Amazon, you can find the top-rated budget pick, the Ninja 4-Quart Air Fryer, for $69. Lastly, Walmart retails the Drew Barrymore Beautiful Air Fryer, 6-quart, for $79.
2. Coffee Makers
While Home Depot stocks a variety of coffee makers, their prices are unfortunately not always competitive. For example, a popular drip coffee machine can cost anywhere from $80 to $230 at Home Depot, depending on the brand and features. Their budget options rarely go under $70, even if they are marked on sale.
Why Not Buy at Home Depot?
You might not want to buy a coffee maker at Home Depot because its prices are usually higher, and it doesn’t have as many options, especially for new or better-quality models. Some coffee makers it sells have problems, like leaking or breaking early, and there aren’t many reviews to help you decide.
Even though Home Depot allows returns, it’s not as easy or flexible as stores like Amazon or Best Buy.
Which Coffee Maker Brands Should We Avoid?
Certain brands should be avoided because they have reliability and durability issues, as well as reports of faulty design leading to messes or machine failure.
Let’s start with the Cuisinart. Avoid a few models like SS-16BKS and DCC-3200P1 because they have repeatedly received complaints about leaking, overflowing grounds, and problematic single-serve functions.
The other brand would be the Mr. Coffee machine, as we can see frequent negative citations regarding its reliability and early breakdowns.
Here are Some Great Alternative Suggestions:
Amazon sells a Ninja 12-Cup Programmable Coffee Brewer for about $70, which it claims offers excellent value and performance.
Walmart sells Mainstays Coffee Makers, ranging between $19-$29 for their basic models.
You can buy a Ninja CE251 12-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker at Wayfair for around $80.
3. Blenders
When shopping for blenders, if you do so at Home Depot you can expect brands like NutriBullet or Ninja to usually start at about $62 and it can go up to $299. Like those from Vitamix, expensive blenders can cost $700 or even more.
Why Not Buy at Home Depot?
Home Depot mainly sells blenders in the middle or higher price range and has few budget-friendly choices. The cheaper blenders they do sell often don’t work very well.
Some of their blenders also don’t have many reviews, and people sometimes say these blenders break or stop working quickly. In general, you’ll find that blenders cost more at Home Depot than at Amazon or Target.
Which Blender Brands Should We Avoid?
Some blenders have a wide inconsistency in their build quality, while others, more low-end models, tend to have a shorter lifespan or limited power supply.
The Oster brand has been noted to deliver some disappointing performance, especially in the lower-priced models, because they underperform and can break quickly.
Compared to their price, Cuisinart blenders are not highly rated because they offer only average blending power.
Here are Some Great Alternative Suggestions:
If you want a good blender at a better price, consider shopping at Amazon. They sell the Oster 1500-watt Extreme Mix Blender for under $200, and it’s highly rated for power and value. You can also find the NutriBullet Pro (32oz) for about $60–$80 at either Target or Amazon.
4. Microwaves
At Home Depot, over-the-range microwaves—like popular GE models—typically cost between $308 and $569 as of July 2025. While Home Depot offers a range of microwaves, you can usually find the same or better models for less at other major retailers, plus you may get extra perks like longer return windows or cheaper installation.
Why Not Buy at Home Depot?
Home Depot’s microwaves have some significant drawbacks to know before you buy. Your choices will be limited as they offer fewer compact or energy-saving models.
Delivery and installation usually cost extra money, which raises the total price. Also, after your microwave is delivered, you only have 48 hours to report any problems, so if something’s wrong and you miss that deadline, returning or exchanging it can be difficult.
Which Microwave Brands Should We Avoid?
According to customer reviews, some brands of microwaves should be avoided. For example, cheap, no-name brands like Tappan are usually part of Home Depot’s Black Friday specials, but they tend to break within a year and are hard to fix, even if they’re still under warranty.
Panasonic microwaves also get complaints that they sometimes stop working early, even after months of purchase, and people say it’s not easy to get them fixed or replaced through Home Depot.
Here are Some Great Alternative Suggestions:
Wayfair often sells GE over-the-range microwaves for $269–$420.
On Amazon, the Toshiba 1.2 cu.ft. Stainless Steel Microwave is available for just $120–$140.
Best Buy also runs regular discounts on Samsung and Panasonic countertop microwaves, sometimes starting as low as $110.
5. Dishwashers & Refrigerators
Dishwashers at Home Depot usually cost between $600 and $1,700, and cheaper models are hard to find once you add installation fees. Basic refrigerators also start at over $850, while fancier types like French door or smart fridges often cost over $2,000.
Why Not Buy at Home Depot?
Home Depot isn’t the best place to buy dishwashers or refrigerators because its return policy is so strict. You only have 48 hours after delivery to report any problems, which isn’t a lot of time.
You’ll also pay extra for installation and delivery, making the total price higher than expected.
Plus, some of the cheaper brands they sell, like SPT dishwashers, aren’t very reliable and might break more easily.
Which Dishwashers & Refrigerators Brands Should We Avoid?
Some dishwasher and refrigerator brands aren’t a good choice because they often have problems and don’t last long.
For dishwashers, brands like Samsung, Electrolux, Blomberg, AGA, and Viking often break down or don’t clean and dry well.
For refrigerators, Samsung and LG are known for breaking easily, having hard-to-find parts, and not giving good customer support. Frigidaire and Electrolux refrigerators also get a lot of complaints about problems and needing repairs.
If you buy from these brands, you might spend more time and money fixing them.
Here are Some Great Alternative Suggestions:
If you’re shopping for a new dishwasher or refrigerator, there are several great alternatives to Home Depot where you can find top-rated models at reasonable prices.
For dishwashers, Listful.com highlights deals like the QuadWash Dishwasher for $799 and the Bosch 300 Series Dishwasher, which range from $999 to $1,099.
Lowe’s also frequently offers discounts on dishwashers, including the GE Profile UltraFresh model, which is priced between $849 and $1,047.
Regarding refrigerators, Amazon offers an LG 20 cu.ft. Top-Freezer Refrigerator for under $1,000, which is a great choice for both price and capacity.
Best Buy lists the LG LRFCS25D3S French-door refrigerator for $1,300, which is a popular choice for those seeking more space and modern features.
Have you purchased any of these items from Home Depot before, and if so, what has your experience been like?