If you enjoyed this video, please give it a THUMBS UP as it helps me in the RUclips algorithm! 😀 Which do you like better, Home Depot or Lowes? Comment below! 👇
I’m there with you! Sherman Williams is my favorite paint! I’m usually there, but my hubby likes the Home Depot for any home repair projects. So great to see you and I really enjoy 😊 your hard work and great videos!
I was always told. "If you want to build a home, go to Home Depot. If you want to finish a home, go to Lowes, If you want to live in a home, go to Ace."
I use to work at lowes, if you shop the middle aisles you can get an amazing deal on things called "non stock" aka things they are not carrying anymore (if you look on the price tag there is an N under the price) or something called special order returns (typically they have a was now price tag on them) both types are negotiable if you talk to a sales specialist or manager
I shop at both Home Depot and Lowe's and my purchases are generally split right down the line as you mentioned in this video. However, sometimes I buy products from Home Depot and I know I would probably have found something better and more aesthetically pleasing at Lowe's. But, since Home Depot is closer, it got the sale. I am planning to purchase new flooring, a washer, dryer, and a new front door for a property, and this time, Lowe's is where I am headed.
My garage at home is just like going to Home Depot and/or Lowes. There are multiples of each tool and hardware type, but there is never anyone to help me find where they are located. So, it takes me 30 minutes of wandering around by myself to find what I need, if I ever do find what I am looking for. Then, if I can't find it, ...it's a trip to HD or Lowes to buy another one, and the time consuming process of finding the right stuff starts all over again!
I’m retired Army. The thing I noticed between Lowe’s and Home Depot is that Lowe’s still give military discount on items that are on sale. Home Depot will not give military discount on items that are on sale. Those are a major factor.
You're lucky then. Our lowes is a pain in the ass with giving military discount. Pull up email and find you, rather than just show my veteran ID. Plus lowes has never given me a discount on marked down items. Regardless of how nice I ask lol.
I am not military but I have noticed that not all stores have the same policy about when they will give the discounts. I have seen customers asking for a discount and have been refused I do not get it.
Lowe’s extends that discount to family as well (spouse and children). They honor vets and the sacrifice they made to serve. They will always be my only choice. ❤️
Contractor for 3 decades. You pretty much nailed it. If I am buying something for me to install or build with, I go to HD 9 times out of 10. If a customer asks where to go, I send them to Lowe's. They feel much more comfortable there.
Interesting way to deal with the two choices. My brother has been a contractor for more than 40 years, and he'll occasionally use both of the big box stores with the exception of lumber and roofing supplies. He will only use a lumber yard, and he will only use roofing suppliers for materials.
I must say when mentioning the return policy, when you are doing a big project that usually ends up taking the average person a lot longer than they anticipated, those extra days really do matter because you would be surprised at the end of the project having a ton of leftover that you’re never going to use really does add up and being able to still return them is really awesome.
I agree on most of your observations regarding the two stores. I really feel that the customer service is better at Home Depot and their displays on small hardware items is definitely superior. I went to the store for Hanging Closet door hardware and found a perfect display at Home Depot and at Lowes I found a horrible display and boxes with parts all over the place.
As a newish owner of a fixer upper, my initial loyalty went to Lowe’s. Both stores are about the same distance from my home but Lowe’s is an easier drive and something about it just felt more inviting. Keep in mind, my family owns a small local hardware store so I only shop these stores for what our store doesn’t carry. I purchased a section of privacy fencing from Lowe’s and scheduled the install. Long story short, the fence was installed slightly over the property line (partially my fault and partially the installers fault) and the fence needed to be moved. I emailed with no response so I called to make an appointment. The sales rep no showed. I went to the store thinking I misunderstood and he laughed saying he forgot about our appointment. Again, short version but I happened to have a customer at my job that I knew worked at Lowe’s so I casually complained about the incident. I thought he was a sales associate but turned out he was the assistant store manager and looked into my email correspondence and appointment and ended up agreeing they screwed up and gave me a good discount on having the fence moved. Still cost me several hundred dollars but was very grateful for the discount. That being said, Lowe’s continues to disappoint me. AWFUL customer service. I’ve never had an associate say hello or ask if I need assistance. I recently was looking to purchase a large amount of trim and they were out of stock of the size I could transport so I asked if they could cut literally in half ( no specific sizes) and their saw has been out of commission every time I go. I also purchased a large amount of piping in 2 finishes, not knowing what I needed and I when I went to return what I didn’t need, the cashier told me she couldn’t take back because they didn’t carry that product anymore. I took her word for it and brought my returns to my car and went back and they absolutely carry all of those pieces on the exact same packaging and same price. I walked out. Screw them. I recently refinished my hardwood floors and rented all the tools from HD. That was another nightmare within itself but mainly because only 2 in my city rent tools ( both on the other side of town) and they don’t take cash in the tool rental which I didn’t know ahead of time. Moral of my story: Local is always best for service and quality as well as wider selections on more specific items. (Cabinet hardware and other finish items. The orderable Options are endless) Menards has the most unique and affordable items in stock. (Their light fixtures had me blown away) Home Depot has decent customer service for a big box store Lowe’s for me is only good for when I’m on a pinch and don’t want to get on Uber highway during rush hour.
Not true! Home Depot does not have the same discount for veterans. The HD discount is only for active duty and retirees. If you are former military but did not retire, only Lowe's gives a discount.
Agreed that both stores do 10% military discount, but since Lowe’s puts it directly onto your “my Lowe’s” card, you can get the discount when ordering items online. Home Depot will only give you the discount in store (at least in our area).
The major difference for me is the 10% veterans discount. At Lowes it applies to all non-sale products whether in-store or online. HD it applies on to in-store purchases, not including items ordered for store pickup.
they just upgraded their online military discount policy at Home Depot. i had the same issues but now they online discount is automatic after you sign up.
I was waiting for someone to mention the Veterans discount. While on vacation in St. Petersburg, Florida we were told the veterans discount is limited to active military and not retired military while at Lowe's this distinction doesn't exist. We left our purchase at the cashier in Home Depot and went to Lowe's where we were given the 10% for items to update our vacation condo.
Just an observation: This past weekend I visited 3 different Lowes looking for gravel and top soil. 1 store didn't have gravel, another had pea gravel, and another had egg gravel (IOW, no store had both kinds.) It was the same with top soil. I have noticed that both stores are subject to what I imagine are management decisions.
Nope ... HD people are friendly much more so than lowes. Also HD employees seem to be more knowledgeable and can help answer project questions -- maybe cause they deal with pro contractors all the time. HD has lower prices over all including lumber and scrap. HD managers are more flexible on price matching from other vendors (not just lowes). Also HD gives good discounts on open box. Lowes has better selection on somethings like appliances and fastners. HD carries all brand tools. Lowes does not have milwaukee or ryobe. Rigid and Kobolt are a wash. Home Depot is home town and Lowes is more corporate. Personal story: Both Lowes and HD have battery recycle bins. My son was doing earth science projected and needed battery pack to break and test. No way was I giving him one of my $80 tool batteries. We asked for one out scrap bin at Lowes -- no way, no how. HD ... well they, like Lowes, refused to let us rifle out of the bin ourselves. But HD manager grabbed one for us. My son is now HD fan for life!
Thanks, Matt! Something I will add is that recently, Lowe's has more items out of stock/unavailable items online, less product in stores, and I have had at least 2 instances in the past month where they could not find a sales associate to answer specific questions about products regarding electrical and millwork. A lot of this could be due to the 'pandemic' but due to these factors, I have been venturing off to HD and Menard's even though Lowe's is much closer to me. And for the record, I have spent quite a bit of time in these stores (and a hoard of money) as I bought my first home less than 2 years ago and am doing a lot of renovation/upgrades. Thanks again for the videos!
I guess it’s all about preference, one thing I’ve always noticed about Home Depot is that even if the employee I asked didn’t know what I needed they were willing to get one that did. At Lowe’s your pretty much left on your own to figure it for yourself.... since most of their employees are only their to stock the shelves.
HD has always been stressful for me to go into. Parking lot is always a mess, aisles are roped off, you have to get out of the way of forklifts, and check out lines are always full. At lowes i love having entire aisles for myself.
As A manager at Lowe’s i can tell you that this last year sales were up about 40%for 2020 over 2019, we weren’t allowed to add any extra help to make up for the increased customer traffic. And at the end if each sales quarter we also had to cut hours so bad the store was almost inoperable. With marvin shareholders are more important than Associates.
Home Depot’s credit card also offers an initial $25 off of $25 or more, $50 off of $500 or more or $100 off of $1,000 or more which wasn’t mentioned, I also work at the Home Depot
I like both for the very reasons you shared. I have bought appliances from both. One thing I do like about Lowe’s more is their employees are much more available and knowledgeable about their store’s inventory. Right now, Home Depot is closer to me in location, so we go there more often. Both chain seem to be doing their best with Covid-19 precautions also.
I shop mostly at Lowes since it's like 10 min from my house. This is important because whenever I start a new project, I always end up going back like 5 times, ha!
I'm in the same boat, except with Home Depot....they are literally 1 mile from my house, and takes 5 minutes to get to...where as Lowe's is about 6 miles, and with good traffic, you can get there in 15
I just watched your video & enjoyed it. One thing that irks me about Home Depot vs. Lowes is that although both offer 10% discount to military, only Lowes will give 10% when ordering on line. To get the 10% at Home Depot one has to physically enter the store. That sucks I signed on the Lowes site with military info and it immediately honored my service and 10% on all purchases whether in store or web site.
The biggest difference I've experienced is that Home Depot has much better customer service. At Home Depot, I'm constantly being approached by employees asking if I need any help finding anything. I never noticed how often this happened until going into Lowes and being unable to find what I was looking for. Another thing I couldn't find there was an employee to ask for help. I had to walk to the registers, and wait in line to ask where to find something, and they had to ask someone else. I've since returned to Home Depot, and have made them my go-to store.
I consistently appreciate your clips, and the advise you provide. I look for quality, and value. I price compare, do my homework by checking local retail establishments and various online locations before “pulling the trigger” on most purchases. I personally prefer Home Depot far more than Lowe’s, for one extremely important reason. Customer support. Whenever I shop Home Depot, I find sales staff readily available who genuinely invest time, effort and energy to assist me to get what I need and to offer technical expertise on the task I am attempting. On the other hand, I find consistency in one thing at Lowe’s, and it is not a good thing. Locating someone to assist me is like pulling hen’s teeth. No employees are available, and regrettably, my experience has been that when I finally locate a Lowe’s employee, they are not knowledgable about home repairs, and many of them are flat out rude. This is my very generalized observation, but I personally will pay a few dollars more for assistance, knowledge and courtesy. Home Depot is my “to go” preferred location for home goods.
Many thanks for the video. One other difference between the two retailers is the veterans discount. Although both give a 10 % discount to veterans only Lowes extends that discount to online shoppers.
My Local Home Depot in Pa. was NOT going to take back two tree that I paid $9.99. They died while still in the pots and they did not want to take them back. Maybe you should check on this and see if it has changed.
Having just finished remodeling a kitchen and bathroom, I'll add this. With the exception of a dishwasher and refrigerators from Lowe's, everything else came from HD. What the Deal Guy didn't mention is that HD (in my community) has more "sales advisors" or customer service reps on the floor. At HD, I could get advice on plumbing and electrical questions. At Lowe's, I couldn't find anyone to ask.
That's for sure! Go into any local hardware or lumber yard and you will see what it has caused. Prices are higher so can pay their workers what they paid before the big box stores took over. If that $15 an hour passes you can say good bye to local businesses.
@@jerzeedivr Lumber yard tyuo will also find a much greater selection. and if you are looking to match a secific trim. because you did some sort of repair or remodeling. You will likely find an exact match at a lumber yard. You often wont find that at either box store
This was perfect! I’m not a professional contractor but did just recently bought a new construction home without any upgrades. Let’s just say I gotta visit these stores for the next couple years and this video was exactly what I needed.
You'll want to sign up for the ProXtra Rewards program if you shop at HD and you'll be doing a big renovation. It's a free loyalty program that's geared more towards contractors, but they sometimes have sales that even homeowners can take advantage of (most of their membership sales are for very large quantities of items). I like it for receipt tracking, especially when I make cash purchases; if I need to return something I know they'll be able to find my receipt.
I love Lowe's clearance plants - I have gotten so many plants at a great price that I never would have gotten otherwise & was told by a Home Depot employee a while back that they just throw their plants away instead of marking them down!
Angie Talmage FWIW, in my experience, Lowe’s clearance section for plants is highly variable, based on location & department manager discretion. I have two Lowe’s nearby, both within 15 minutes of my location. At one, clearance plants are plentiful, well-priced and condition varies from slightly stressed to a small proportion of greenery that is near death and probably unsalvageable. At the other store, prices show lesser reductions, but nearly every plant in the section is beyond redemption, whilst troubled & struggling plants are left on the full price shelf. That said, I’ve found some fine bargains for my “home jungle” at Lowe’s as well. Nice to meet another plant lover. Happy shopping!
Yay!! I am a contractor and Lowe's blows. Not really it just makes us feel like we're too dirty to be in that store and like we're driving a soccervan. Home Depot just feels more like a contracting space you see more people u know there.
I've had the problem in HD that I don't look like a contractor, so the employees scurry the other way if I look like I'm going to ask for help. Usually I have figured out what I need so only need someone to reach it for me, on that 7 foot tall display, but they scatter like roaches in the light.
My grandfather who passed when I was 11 was a carpenter.he let me play in his shop around his tools. I am soon to be retiring myself and I go to Home Depot smell my grandfather. We all have issues
I like your videos. I do want to point out one thing about Lowes. They give a 10% discount to veterans every day while Home Depot only does it 3 or 4 days out of the year. If you are not a veteran Lowes has, I believe, some type of "club" that will also get you a discount. There are a few things you can find at one store that you can't find at the other, but not many. I do prefer Lowes for the feel of the store and the discount, however Home Depot is 7 miles from my house, but Lowes is at least 12 miles away. (small town vs bigger town) Bigger town has both. So depends upon gas and time. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for this excellent comparison, Matt! We have Lowe's, Menards, & Home Depot all within walking distance and are often trying to decide between them. We typically end up snagging appliances & paint @ Lowe's, lighting @ Home Depot, and lumber/construction materials @ Menards. Your insight is helpful as always ☺️
Your Home Depot Pro Extra Rewards can be tied to a 10% military discount too. Also the Pro Extra has gotten so much better lately . Now the more you spend the more you earn digital gift cards to use on future purchases. Home Depot will, on most products, give 10% off with military iDs as well.
@@billman6364 Home Depot offers a 10% OFF military discount on regularly priced merchandise for in-store purchases for active duty, retired military, and reservists at participating locations. Customers are required to show a valid government-issued military ID card to redeem this offer.
Never understood why Home Depot will not match their own online prices. I find it frustrating to stand in front of a product in store and see an online price $50 less than what I’m looking at. Last time this happened I walked out and bought a comparable item at Lowe’s.
I've run into that. Some will match it, some won't. At one store where I actually needed the item right then, I ordered it on my cell while standing there for the lower price, waited 10 minutes, and picked it up. I've also found Lowe's is more willing to make a deal on larger purchases. Never be afraid to offer a lower price on appliances and other bigger ticket items. They DO have room to discount the items.
@@intoodeep001 Because my job as a tech takes me all over the state, I've shopped at many different locations. What I have seen is it depends on the volume of the store. Higher volume stores seem ready to do this while low volume stores seem less likely. This hasn't been 100% true but has happened enough that I'd call it a general rule of thumb.
@@josephferguson6883 I wanted a Tool Cabinet. They wouldn't match the online price and in store pick up was not available for on line orders for that item. Shipping made it slightly more than the shelf price.
Lowes' 10% military discount for all active and non-active duty and their immediate family members gives them the clear advantage over HD in my opinion
I completely agree, Lowe's offers 10% discount both in store and online while Home Depot offers a spotty discount at some stores and nothing online. For me this means that a heavy majority of my shopping is done at Lowe's. Not including this in the review was a major omission in my opinion.
As a veteran, I also do the majority of my shopping at Lowe's because of the veterans' discount but, unfortunately, Lowe's has taken a couple of steps to limit this benefit and I find that terribly disappointing. First, they stopped applying the 10% discount to any items on sale or which would have another discount. Previously they let you use the 10% military discount on all purchases, even items already on sale. Now I've learned that even if an item is not advertised as being "on sale," so it's not ticketed as a special sale item, if you take it to the register and it comes up as the "lowest retail price" in their system, you won't get the military discount. I'm still glad they have the discount and that they make it easy to use, but it's disappointing that they've been limiting its application.
@@paultatton7440 Wait "some stores"? I think Home Depot allows military for all stores but only in store not online, but it also only caps to $50 and is not applicable to lumber nor many plumbing.
as someone who works for home depot, you can get the military discount on anything, you just show your military ID, and then you get the 10%, it’s also not capped at $50, it just has to get manager approval which most times will be approved
@@greatirishday i worked at lowes from 2016-2018 and just came back in december 2020 and currently work at customer service. on items at the lowest retail price, it has always not taken additional off with military. it's the same with our employee discounts. it only applies to regular priced items pretty much.
so as an x depot associate few points. I agree with the video, and your opinion, 99%. When we carried EGO they were actually kinda a PITA to deal with, especially on the repair side. we had a customer that took 3 months to get a switch for his mower in. early on their batteries were pretty craptastic as well. that said i can see why it was dropped in order to prevent competition with a depot owned brand. i find depot to be more shoppable but thats because i worked there. i can walk into basically any depot and know where everything is. paint comes from lowes. Also there is one lumber region where lowes beats depot and thats specialty board. by that i mean poplar, oak, maple, more "exotic" wood choices. If you need a couple feet of poplar go to depot as they price by the linear foot. if you need many feet of poplar go to lowes as they sell by the board and it is a couple bucks less for the whole board. The quality is the same, both depot and lowes use many of the same mills and use the same mill for their "exotic" woods. lastly loosing ego means nothing to tool rental at depot. (i started in tool rental, moved to lumber after a couple years, then to overnight restocking a couple years after that) but we have never had an electric mower for rental, they just arent repairable enough yet. we do rent electric chainsaws tho. Fun depot fact, ACE is their largest competitor, honestly lowes wasnt even on our radar most of the time. While they are similar stores they cater to different crowds, depot to the professional builder/contractor/planner or the more, advanced i guess, DIYer. Lowes caters to the general homeowner just looking to modernize or spice things up a little. Both offer plenty of knowledgeable associates that can get you the information you need to do a project, but lowes tends to be a little friendlier to the novice. Thats because you can get a little annoyed when you have been helping pros all day and have a novice come in with 100000 questions 2 minutes to close while you are trying to case a shoplifter. kinda extreme scenario but it happens more than you may think. I find ACE sits right in the middle and tends to get more of the local crowd or the contractor that forgot a couple things and isnt about to schlep back to depot or lowes when ace is right around the corner.
I recently wanted a new doormat (outdoor) that would really clean the crud of our shoes. Lowes had dozens, no, hundreds of size and design options to choose from on line and delivery was excellent.
Lowes has stepped up its game for contractors. They have a pro desk, bid room, and reward program. Additionally, they offer an automatic 5% discount if you use your Lowes card (this applies to regular consumer card and their pro cards) I use both, depending on which is closer to my job site. But my preference is Lowe's.
I go to both depending on geography or looking for a specific item. The Lowes and Home Depot I go to are both in the same zip code. Lowes for me is easier to get in and out of. You can Google your local Lowes store click on the website and search the product and go straight to the aisle and section. It's that easy. Their lumber prices are higher on 2X lumber. The Home Depit takes way longer to check out. They don't have the loaders that Lowes does. If you buy in quantity that's huge. However Home Depot does have " The Bid Room" which substantially lowers the cost if you are buying more than $1,500 of product but you have to go to a pro desk to ask for it.
Hi from North Dakota. Let me give you my opinion. If you have a problem (I had a major one) and you call Home Depot HQ to go above the local manager, you can't get anyone in charge. They have a "customer complaint" dept, that just apologizes and doesn't do anything. I think you can buy a bag of apologies at Doller Days. If you go to Lowe's they get a regional manager, who fixed a smaller problem in less than an hour.
There are some things I like from Menards but I really don’t like their rebate practices. They’ve been sued for it at least once and I don’t feel that the suit was wrong. But for my lamp repair stuff Menards is the best by far.
@@nona104 there is absolutely no real medical condition that warrants an exemption from wearing a mask. If my aunt with LUNG CANCER can wear a mask or my grandmother whose oxygen levels haven’t seen 90 percent in a couple years because of her asthma, CHF, COPD, and diabetes just as an extra can wear them without issues (I’ve monitored their oxygen levels) then you can too Karen. I have asthma and a cloth mask will throw me into an asthma attack, but the disposables being thinner do not. Where I am, the local hospitals will not let you enter the building at all without a mask, ZERO exceptions. Same with my doctor’s office.
@@dsly4425 Keep believing the propaganda and the narrative. Your relatives should not be wearing masks with their breathing issues and if they’re worried about getting sick they should stay at home. And my name is Nancy.
I always look forward to Home Depot wanting me to fill out a customer satisfaction survey. I do my best to let them know how bad they need an overhaul. Customer Service? what is that?
I bought expensive silicone roof coating at Lowes. When I got home I checked the codes and called the manufacturer (remembering this brand had a shelf life). The manufacturer said nit to buy it, they had expired over a year ago. I took it all back, and informed a supervisor. Days later when I checked those same pails, identified by the codes, were back on the shelf. That is how much they care about customers no matter what the warm and fuzzy commercials display.
Went to Lowe's last Spring when I was planning to replace my roof. I wanted to see the product before having it installed. While they didn't have the product in stock they were running a promotion - 1/2 price on materials if they did the installation. Total price was more than $11k but... BUT I got the 5% off. In addition, the 5% comes off the price before the sales tax is applied. Now, truth be told, the Home Depot is 25 miles away and Lowe's less than 5 miles. Regardless, the 5% is still a great deal. There was a time when HD would match it if you showed them your Lowe's card but that practice was discontinued.
I love both stores but my son works at Home Depot and let me tell you that he loves his job and in the store he works in (IDK if it's like this in all their stores) he has great perks, great managers and so many opportunities to move up in the company! Great place to work AND shop! (Except no employee discount but a "perks at work" program)
I work at Home Depot, and our store is like that. We’re dealing with the snow here in Texas, and they fed us three meals today. They’re amazing. I literally could not say enough good things about HD.
Perks at work is a discount site that gives you deals on just about anything including cars, house mortgages, electronics, etc and I also work for Home Depot and love the people I work with and they seriously took care of us during the pandemic
If you're a veteran, you can flash your VA card at Home Depot. At Lowes, there's a huge process where they gather your personal information and make it a huge hassle.
I go to Home Depot for one reason. Home Depot (at least where I live) has the hardware (nail, screws, etc.) section right next to the lumber. Lowes has these two sections at opposite ends of the store.
Considering they're usually located close to each other, you can just go to one..pick up what you want..then across the street to the other. We have the lowes card..you can buy stuff with it, get the 5% then turn around and pay it off...automatically 5% off! Lowes also has classes to learn how to do things around the house..dont know if home depot does or not.
Thanks for the info your timing is impeciable I'm doing some reno projects in my apartment this week! Lowes for meeee, but I do love how I feel like a boss at Home Depot too! lol
Matt, I love your videos! Fantastic and thorough consumer info and you make me laugh too 🤩 Thank you for this. I'm always wondering which to go to overall. Now I can choose based upon my need at the time.
Lmaooooo.... This is SO ON POINT!!! Being in Home Depot makes you feel BAD-ASS...... unlesssssss you need any help. Then you are LI-TER-A-LLY chasing an employee down!! In Lowe's, no less than 3 associates asked if I needed help with a 5 minute span. In Home Depot , every associate looks PISSED and they try not to make eye contact with you lest you might ask for some assistance.
I don't like lowes for employee assistance I needed help for a generator waited like 10 Mins asked 2 associate I left and bought it else where at home depot MOST employees know the difference between certain things which is great for your average home buyer I do give lowes props in the cleanliness of the store which makes it feel more consumer friendly rather industrial friendly
And if you are ever at Home Depot and see an employee rushing past you to get to the break room instead of stopping to help you, it may be because they will get in trouble if they stop to help you. My sister used to work there and she said they were penalized for not clocking in and out on time for their breaks- almost to the point of the threat of getting fired if they were a minute late in or out of breaks or clocking out for the day.
I was intimidated by HD when I first got into DYIs, but never at Lowes. In many instances I can find an HD across the street from Lowes, but not in my neighborhood, so Lowes wins by default. Now that my knowledge and experience has grown, if there was an HD within the same 5 minute commute, I would probably split my visits to the stores; however, there are certain items for shop and yard use that makes the longer commute a must.
In my area up in Maine Lowe's seems to be more customer friendly and the employees seem to be more eager to help Home Depot like you said is more contractor and professional oriented
And when you find it, it’s generally more in the category of hindrance! I swear they give a knowledge test and only hire those with scores below a certain point because they’re more likely to accept the pay and stay. I have yet to get ANY helpful information from someone at Home Depot. Lowe’s employees are friendlier and confident enough that if they don’t know something, they get help rather than just make up an answer or sell you whatever they see even if it’s wrong for your project. At my one house, I’ll drive clear across the city to a Lowe’s before I drive 5 minutes to the Hone Depot near me.
It’s relative to where you live I guess. I may have to wander a bit in Home Depot but when I find someone they know their stuff and are helpful. At my Lowes, there are people but they are useless. Rude and never know anything.
This is opposite for me. Lowe’s mostly employs early 20 somethings that have no idea what they are doing and will hide from you. Home Depot hires more knowledgeable people and are easier to find.
I love Home Depot and I dislike Lowe's especially after an employee called me Stupid while shopping for a 3/4 in ceiling fan extension rod and argued that it was an inch! And I have other Lowe's horror stories so I stay away!
Actually glad to see this response as I have experienced the exact opposite, way less employees in Lowes to help. Guess it does matter where you are in the country
I rented a skid steer to move rock out of a barn for my horse. The entire rental process was easy from reserving the item, pickup and return. Staff was knowledgeable, made sure my truck could pull the weight. They assisted in hooking up the trailer. The equipment was secured safely, no problems pulling it home. This was an economical way and on my time schedule. Didn't have to bother the neighbors to borrow their tractor. Will definitely use them again.
Just now watching this video. Just wanted to comment and say you do a great job in how detailed and how you deliver the info. Great job, even some humor in there. Love it man.
I'm a new subscriber and really love your channel. Definitely one of the most useful, well researched and entertaining consumer videos I have seen. Thanks!!
@@electricianron_New_Jersey 10 out of the 11 amish construction crews in our group use all dewalt tools and I guarantee even the 13 yr Olds in the crews working full time year around are more of man then you'll ever be 😂
Near me, in western PA, we have two small cities, within about 40 miles of each other. Both cities have both a Lowe's and a Home Depot, and they are, literally, within eyesight of each other. In both cases, the Lowe's stores are always busier, and have a much larger selection of products. I may go into the Home Depot once, maybe twice, in a year. I'm in Lowe's several times a month.
a huge advantage home depot has is that on their website they tell you, not only which aisle, but also where in the aisle the item is. So i put together my shopping list on the website and then I can grab everything quick.
My experience in my area (Honolulu, Hawaii) is completely the opposite. There are a few exceptions like workers in the plumbing department but in general our Lowes store is haphazardly managed, with shopping carts difficult to find and help hard to come by inside and inventory status not accurate. I have had multiple major appliance orders either pushed back months or canceled on me without warning by them in the past year as well. We are in a time where more people are renovating their homes, making appliance purchases harder but if they’re going to claim availability and take my order then I expect delivery. Last October my oven purchase was pushed back to January. Ridiculous. Bottom line for me is it can vary based upon the individual location and how it is managed.
Totally! Every time I walk into HD and need some help, I find a bunch of guys standing around talking about the game and completely ignoring me... or just pointing in some vague direction while continuing their game conversation. Yes, literally that bad!
Maybe it depends on where you live. Around where I live, Home Depot is great in their costumer service, but Lowe’s is horrible! At Lowe’s you can’t even find someone to help you.
I was a die hard Lowes customer however I have recently switched for the sake of two reasons: 1. Lowes credit card coupled with their customer service; I had a disputed entry on my Lowes statement and was certain that i should not be charged. In order to correct the error online I would have to fill out and submit a two page form and enter arbitration. I chose instead to bring my problem to the local customer service a Lowes, it took three visits before I could get a manager approved resolution which was a cash refund. I was sugared off so they could be rid of me, I of course payed the bill but the problem was not really resolved except to say it became cost neutral. 2. Last year I bought a Craftsman R140 Lawn Tractor at Lowes, Home Depot sells an equivalent model which is branded Cub Cadet, both are priced nearly identical. I had my Lowes 5% off advantage so I bought the Craftsman R140. Last week I performed the first oil change and was ready to change the filter as well but the R140 does not use an oil filter. I got curious about the Cub Cadet and learned that it comes not only with an oil filter but also has a slightly larger engine which translates into longer life. Both lawn tractors are manufactured by MTD and both have Briggs and Stratton engines.
I live in a hurricaine area. I noticed a big difference in their customers by the placement of flood barriers. Lowe's has flood barriers usually in the outdoor area and/or near generators. Home Depot puts flood barriers next to toilets...literally. I guess for a contractor fixing leaks??
Just FYI: Knowing about tools, lumber, plumbing, construction etc. isn't just a "guy thing". 😉 I've worked on my homes and properties for over 30 years and prefer Home Depot for the literal "nuts and bolts" for my projects.
I was always for Lowes, but awhile back I ordered a product online. It took an hour to get the item. They had to go to the back of the store and were gone for a long time even though I had an email saying it was ready. I ordered a online order at Home Depot and went to pick up the item, not only did I get the item right away, they knew exactly where the item was. Homedepot has been more of a win for me.
If it means anything at all I prefer the blue over the orange. I know it's not a big deal but since bother stores have their color wall to wall it does affect your shopping experience.
I agree with this for both my husband and I. We both find the majority of products at Hobby Lobby overpriced (even when on sale), so we'd rather just build it ourselves with materials from Home Depot - which we've done for much of our furniture.
I am not in the construction industry but I am in the maintenance industry and I love home depot because they carry Ryobi. Ryobi is middle of the road and have tons of battery tools. But I never thought about whether or not it feels like a warehouse. It just feels like a store that has what I need
HD is more comprehensive with small detailed parts for a true DIYer, but both are good places to survey for any project if you're lucky enough to have both in your area. Always go to both before deciding on a renovation fixture.
@savage2680 Home Depot won't give the discount to every vet...they require a service-connected disability to get a discount. Also, Lowes has linked the military registration to the MyLowe's card, which you're going to be scanning anyway.
Having done work as a contractor for both companies, I would agree. I see many more long term employees at Lowe's than at HD, especially manager level and higher.
Depends where you're from. In my city they treat their employees way better at home depot, you can tell by their attitude when you walk in. Lowes screwed me over on a new zero turn, made me drive an hour just to tell me its out of stock (they had a deal going on) wouldn't give me the deal when they got back in. I went to home depot, they matched their sale price and I bought it. Paid cash. And HD dont discriminate when I dont wear a mask. Dont even question me.
I shop at Lowe’s for two reasons. 1.) It’s easier to get in and out of the parking lot. 2.) I have a better chance at finding someone to help me if I have a question.
I can never find anyone at our local Lowe’s to help except for paint department. Home Depot policy is for all employees know where everything is and to take you to it.
I have to disagree on the delivery. Everytime i order something from lowes its late at least over a week and i would have to contact them in order to reschedule.
The city I live in has Lowes, Home Depot and a large Sunderland's store plus Menards has announced they will open a store. Our Lowes and Home Depot have horrible customer service and usually when I have a question nobody seems to have any knowledge about what I ask. I usually will go to Sunderland's because I usually get help as soon as I walk in the door and the staff is knowledgeable on products and services.
As an employee of Lowe’s it’s a clear difference. The orange box is focused the contractor cause they spend 3x more then the average DIY. But Lowe’s focus on the DIY and the weekend warrior. They also aim towards the house wife cause pet be real, they make the finally call and Lowe’s knows that.
@@jimibones178 I worked at both. Home Depot is very geared to contractors. HD has smaller selection, but they have the best stuff. If you want stuff to last forever, shop at HD. If you need something cheap and simple, go to Lowes. If you need something difficult to find, go to Ace.
Lowe’s Advantage Cards also offer up to 24 month’s Special Financing during those promotions exactly like the Home Depot Card, and they also offer a 365 day return policy to the Credit Card Holder as well. It’s stated on the website.
Home depot has people in each department who have actually worked in that particular field who can interprete your vague description of the item you require. Lowes i found are good at pointing towards the aisle you need to go to.
Disagree. All stores only have 2 riding disability carts and one is usually broken. This is totally unacceptable. I live in a large city and have waited way over an hour for a cart. Management has no concern at all for the disabled. I rarely go there anymore. I spent alot of money in these stores as I have a home repair business.
If you enjoyed this video, please give it a THUMBS UP as it helps me in the RUclips algorithm! 😀
Which do you like better, Home Depot or Lowes? Comment below! 👇
I tend to graviate to Home Depot more, even though I like both stores.
I’m there with you! Sherman Williams is my favorite paint! I’m usually there, but my hubby likes the Home Depot for any home repair projects.
So great to see you and I really enjoy 😊 your hard work and great videos!
Lowes
I usually go to Lowe’s due to proximity. I like the layout of Lowe’s more than Home Depot and the lighting seems brighter at Lowe’s
Lowes first
I was always told. "If you want to build a home, go to Home Depot. If you want to finish a home, go to Lowes, If you want to live in a home, go to Ace."
I couldn’t agree more.
Wow I've never heard that before!
I shop ace because mine is locally owned and for convenience a lot of the time but I can usually find everything I get at Ace for less at Home Depot
That is an awesome comment!!!!
@@dsly4425 we have two locally owned ACE stores within about 10 miles. I will always check them first.
I like this dude. He doesn't take himself too seriously and he seems comfortable in his own skin.
Me Too😉😁👍
Lowes is better.
Sometimes he wears pants in his videos.
Why don't you marry him?
When he winked😅
I use to work at lowes, if you shop the middle aisles you can get an amazing deal on things called "non stock" aka things they are not carrying anymore (if you look on the price tag there is an N under the price) or something called special order returns (typically they have a was now price tag on them) both types are negotiable if you talk to a sales specialist or manager
SHOULD HAVE WORKED AT HOME DEPOT
I shop at both Home Depot and Lowe's and my purchases are generally split right down the line as you mentioned in this video. However, sometimes I buy products from Home Depot and I know I would probably have found something better and more aesthetically pleasing at Lowe's. But, since Home Depot is closer, it got the sale. I am planning to purchase new flooring, a washer, dryer, and a new front door for a property, and this time, Lowe's is where I am headed.
My garage at home is just like going to Home Depot and/or Lowes.
There are multiples of each tool and hardware type, but there is never anyone to help me find where they are located. So, it takes me 30 minutes of wandering around by myself to find what I need, if I ever do find what I am looking for. Then, if I can't find it, ...it's a trip to HD or Lowes to buy another one, and the time consuming process of finding the right stuff starts all over again!
I’m retired Army. The thing I noticed between Lowe’s and Home Depot is that Lowe’s still give military discount on items that are on sale. Home Depot will not give military discount on items that are on sale. Those are a major factor.
You're lucky then. Our lowes is a pain in the ass with giving military discount. Pull up email and find you, rather than just show my veteran ID. Plus lowes has never given me a discount on marked down items. Regardless of how nice I ask lol.
Exactly.. that's why I go to lowes
Also, Lowe’s gives 10% military discount for all purchases including online.
I am not military but I have noticed that not all stores have the same policy about when they will give the discounts. I have seen customers asking for a discount and have been refused I do not get it.
Lowe’s extends that discount to family as well (spouse and children). They honor vets and the sacrifice they made to serve. They will always be my only choice. ❤️
Contractor for 3 decades. You pretty much nailed it. If I am buying something for me to install or build with, I go to HD 9 times out of 10. If a customer asks where to go, I send them to Lowe's. They feel much more comfortable there.
Interesting way to deal with the two choices. My brother has been a contractor for more than 40 years, and he'll occasionally use both of the big box stores with the exception of lumber and roofing supplies. He will only use a lumber yard, and he will only use roofing suppliers for materials.
I must say when mentioning the return policy, when you are doing a big project that usually ends up taking the average person a lot longer than they anticipated, those extra days really do matter because you would be surprised at the end of the project having a ton of leftover that you’re never going to use really does add up and being able to still return them is really awesome.
When returning past the deadline, they both give a store credit, which is not a problem for me.
@@samjg1 when we are flipping a property though it can get up to the tens of thousands.
I agree on most of your observations regarding the two stores. I really feel that the customer service is better at Home Depot and their displays on small hardware items is definitely superior. I went to the store for Hanging Closet door hardware and found a perfect display at Home Depot and at Lowes I found a horrible display and boxes with parts all over the place.
As a newish owner of a fixer upper, my initial loyalty went to Lowe’s. Both stores are about the same distance from my home but Lowe’s is an easier drive and something about it just felt more inviting. Keep in mind, my family owns a small local hardware store so I only shop these stores for what our store doesn’t carry.
I purchased a section of privacy fencing from Lowe’s and scheduled the install. Long story short, the fence was installed slightly over the property line (partially my fault and partially the installers fault) and the fence needed to be moved. I emailed with no response so I called to make an appointment. The sales rep no showed. I went to the store thinking I misunderstood and he laughed saying he forgot about our appointment. Again, short version but I happened to have a customer at my job that I knew worked at Lowe’s so I casually complained about the incident. I thought he was a sales associate but turned out he was the assistant store manager and looked into my email correspondence and appointment and ended up agreeing they screwed up and gave me a good discount on having the fence moved. Still cost me several hundred dollars but was very grateful for the discount.
That being said, Lowe’s continues to disappoint me. AWFUL customer service. I’ve never had an associate say hello or ask if I need assistance. I recently was looking to purchase a large amount of trim and they were out of stock of the size I could transport so I asked if they could cut literally in half ( no specific sizes) and their saw has been out of commission every time I go. I also purchased a large amount of piping in 2 finishes, not knowing what I needed and I when I went to return what I didn’t need, the cashier told me she couldn’t take back because they didn’t carry that product anymore. I took her word for it and brought my returns to my car and went back and they absolutely carry all of those pieces on the exact same packaging and same price. I walked out. Screw them.
I recently refinished my hardwood floors and rented all the tools from HD. That was another nightmare within itself but mainly because only 2 in my city rent tools ( both on the other side of town) and they don’t take cash in the tool rental which I didn’t know ahead of time.
Moral of my story:
Local is always best for service and quality as well as wider selections on more specific items. (Cabinet hardware and other finish items. The orderable Options are endless)
Menards has the most unique and affordable items in stock. (Their light fixtures had me blown away)
Home Depot has decent customer service for a big box store
Lowe’s for me is only good for when I’m on a pinch and don’t want to get on Uber highway during rush hour.
Bro wrote an essay
I’ll support the place that supports me. I have no problem dropping a place that’s convenient over a store that’s for it’s consumer!
America
Lowes wins hands down for veterans. With signing up for the "My Lowes" card I get 10% off on all items. Win for Lowes.
Same for HD
Yes, both have same discount
Not true! Home Depot does not have the same discount for veterans. The HD discount is only for active duty and retirees. If you are former military but did not retire, only Lowe's gives a discount.
Hands down,home depot, better deals and sells Milwaukee
Agreed that both stores do 10% military discount, but since Lowe’s puts it directly onto your “my Lowe’s” card, you can get the discount when ordering items online. Home Depot will only give you the discount in store (at least in our area).
The major difference for me is the 10% veterans discount. At Lowes it applies to all non-sale products whether in-store or online. HD it applies on to in-store purchases, not including items ordered for store pickup.
they just upgraded their online military discount policy at Home Depot. i had the same issues but now they online discount is automatic after you sign up.
I was waiting for someone to mention the Veterans discount. While on vacation in St. Petersburg, Florida we were told the veterans discount is limited to active military and not retired military while at Lowe's this distinction doesn't exist. We left our purchase at the cashier in Home Depot and went to Lowe's where we were given the 10% for items to update our vacation condo.
Just an observation:
This past weekend I visited 3 different Lowes looking for gravel and top soil. 1 store didn't have gravel, another had pea gravel, and another had egg gravel (IOW, no store had both kinds.) It was the same with top soil.
I have noticed that both stores are subject to what I imagine are management decisions.
Lowe's for me.HD seems more like a giant warehouse, whereas Lowe's, like you said is more homey.I do shop at both.
Thanks for your comment Lee!
I feel the same way. I love Lowes.
Nope ... HD people are friendly much more so than lowes. Also HD employees seem to be more knowledgeable and can help answer project questions -- maybe cause they deal with pro contractors all the time. HD has lower prices over all including lumber and scrap. HD managers are more flexible on price matching from other vendors (not just lowes). Also HD gives good discounts on open box. Lowes has better selection on somethings like appliances and fastners. HD carries all brand tools. Lowes does not have milwaukee or ryobe. Rigid and Kobolt are a wash. Home Depot is home town and Lowes is more corporate.
Personal story: Both Lowes and HD have battery recycle bins. My son was doing earth science projected and needed battery pack to break and test. No way was I giving him one of my $80 tool batteries. We asked for one out scrap bin at Lowes -- no way, no how. HD ... well they, like Lowes, refused to let us rifle out of the bin ourselves. But HD manager grabbed one for us. My son is now HD fan for life!
I have heard it said that the more you know about DIY, tools and hardware - the more you go to HD.
Thanks, Matt! Something I will add is that recently, Lowe's has more items out of stock/unavailable items online, less product in stores, and I have had at least 2 instances in the past month where they could not find a sales associate to answer specific questions about products regarding electrical and millwork. A lot of this could be due to the 'pandemic' but due to these factors, I have been venturing off to HD and Menard's even though Lowe's is much closer to me. And for the record, I have spent quite a bit of time in these stores (and a hoard of money) as I bought my first home less than 2 years ago and am doing a lot of renovation/upgrades. Thanks again for the videos!
I guess it’s all about preference, one thing I’ve always noticed about Home Depot is that even if the employee I asked didn’t know what I needed they were willing to get one that did. At Lowe’s your pretty much left on your own to figure it for yourself.... since most of their employees are only their to stock the shelves.
Thats rare beacuse it happens the same to me, but oposite.
HD has always been stressful for me to go into. Parking lot is always a mess, aisles are roped off, you have to get out of the way of forklifts, and check out lines are always full. At lowes i love having entire aisles for myself.
As A manager at Lowe’s i can tell you that this last year sales were up about 40%for 2020 over 2019, we weren’t allowed to add any extra help to make up for the increased customer traffic. And at the end if each sales quarter we also had to cut hours so bad the store was almost inoperable. With marvin shareholders are more important than Associates.
Really? our Lowes never stops hiring lol.
thats unfortunate and why I dont shop at lowes, the staff dont ever say hi or acknowledge the customers, its too bad you guys are spread so thin..
easily said when you increase prices and people have no choice but to buy them
I understand that. It's not you that I don't like it's Lowe's and that's the reason
FYI Lowe’s CC does offer 24 month financing. We used this option for our kitchen appliances two years ago
So does Home Depot. I work there.
@@catherinegee2741 yea he mentioned that in the video. But he said that the Lowe’s card did NOT offer 24 months which is why I commented
Home Depot’s credit card also offers an initial $25 off of $25 or more, $50 off of $500 or more or $100 off of $1,000 or more which wasn’t mentioned, I also work at the Home Depot
@@dawsongorton9992 What Department?
I started in freight, I’ve been in appliances, and plumbing, and I’m currently the deliveries Lead
I like both for the very reasons you shared. I have bought appliances from both. One thing I do like about Lowe’s more is their employees are much more available and knowledgeable about their store’s inventory. Right now, Home Depot is closer to me in location, so we go there more often. Both chain seem to be doing their best with Covid-19 precautions also.
I shop mostly at Lowes since it's like 10 min from my house. This is important because whenever I start a new project, I always end up going back like 5 times, ha!
There's an actual law that states that you can't ever go to a hardware store just once for a project.
This is so true! We always end up buying new tools 😂
I'm in the same boat, except with Home Depot....they are literally 1 mile from my house, and takes 5 minutes to get to...where as Lowe's is about 6 miles, and with good traffic, you can get there in 15
I just watched your video & enjoyed it. One thing that irks me about Home Depot vs. Lowes is that although both offer 10% discount to military, only Lowes will give 10% when ordering on line. To get the 10% at Home Depot one has to physically enter the store. That sucks
I signed on the Lowes site with military info and it immediately honored my service and 10% on all purchases whether in store or web site.
The biggest difference I've experienced is that Home Depot has much better customer service. At Home Depot, I'm constantly being approached by employees asking if I need any help finding anything. I never noticed how often this happened until going into Lowes and being unable to find what I was looking for. Another thing I couldn't find there was an employee to ask for help. I had to walk to the registers, and wait in line to ask where to find something, and they had to ask someone else.
I've since returned to Home Depot, and have made them my go-to store.
I consistently appreciate your clips, and the advise you provide. I look for quality, and value. I price compare, do my homework by checking local retail establishments and various online locations before “pulling the trigger” on most purchases. I personally prefer Home Depot far more than Lowe’s, for one extremely important reason. Customer support. Whenever I shop Home Depot, I find sales staff readily available who genuinely invest time, effort and energy to assist me to get what I need and to offer technical expertise on the task I am attempting. On the other hand, I find consistency in one thing at Lowe’s, and it is not a good thing. Locating someone to assist me is like pulling hen’s teeth. No employees are available, and regrettably, my experience has been that when I finally locate a Lowe’s employee, they are not knowledgable about home repairs, and many of them are flat out rude. This is my very generalized observation, but I personally will pay a few dollars more for assistance, knowledge and courtesy. Home Depot is my “to go” preferred location for home goods.
I go to both. Depends on which has the best deal.
Many thanks for the video. One other difference between the two retailers is the veterans discount. Although both give a 10 % discount to veterans only Lowes extends that discount to online shoppers.
Home Depot recently started doing this as well
My Local Home Depot in Pa. was NOT going to take back two tree that I paid $9.99. They died while still in the pots and they did not want to take them back. Maybe you should check on this and see if it has changed.
Having just finished remodeling a kitchen and bathroom, I'll add this. With the exception of a dishwasher and refrigerators from Lowe's, everything else came from HD. What the Deal Guy didn't mention is that HD (in my community) has more "sales advisors" or customer service reps on the floor. At HD, I could get advice on plumbing and electrical questions. At Lowe's, I couldn't find anyone to ask.
In short: Lowes is the replacement for your local Hardware Store and
Home Depot is the replacement for your local Lumber Yard.
Lumber prices have sky rocketed at HD.! Lumber Yard is now Cheaper!!!!!!!!!!!
That's for sure! Go into any local hardware or lumber yard and you will see what it has caused. Prices are higher so can pay their workers what they paid before the big box stores took over. If that $15 an hour passes you can say good bye to local businesses.
Cept the quality isnt the same as you used to get at either.
@@jerzeedivr Lumber yard tyuo will also find a much greater selection. and if you are looking to match a secific trim. because you did some sort of repair or remodeling. You will likely find an exact match at a lumber yard. You often wont find that at either box store
Home dump better for comercial electrical items.
Home Depot tool brands like Milwaukee gives them an advantage as well
Yas. The only reason I end up getting hand tools at Home Depot is because I’m there already although Lowe’s have better hand tools.
Disagree. I prefer the Craftsman and Kobalt (made by Snapon).
This was perfect! I’m not a professional contractor but did just recently bought a new construction home without any upgrades. Let’s just say I gotta visit these stores for the next couple years and this video was exactly what I needed.
You'll want to sign up for the ProXtra Rewards program if you shop at HD and you'll be doing a big renovation. It's a free loyalty program that's geared more towards contractors, but they sometimes have sales that even homeowners can take advantage of (most of their membership sales are for very large quantities of items). I like it for receipt tracking, especially when I make cash purchases; if I need to return something I know they'll be able to find my receipt.
The everyday discount that lowes gives to our veterans goes a long way with me. I'm not a vet. But they have my respect and loyalty.
I love Lowe's clearance plants - I have gotten so many plants at a great price that I never would have gotten otherwise & was told by a Home Depot employee a while back that they just throw their plants away instead of marking them down!
Angie Talmage FWIW, in my experience, Lowe’s clearance section for plants is highly variable, based on location & department manager discretion. I have two Lowe’s nearby, both within 15 minutes of my location. At one, clearance plants are plentiful, well-priced and condition varies from slightly stressed to a small proportion of greenery that is near death and probably unsalvageable. At the other store, prices show lesser reductions, but nearly every plant in the section is beyond redemption, whilst troubled & struggling plants are left on the full price shelf.
That said, I’ve found some fine bargains for my “home jungle” at Lowe’s as well. Nice to meet another plant lover. Happy shopping!
Yay!! I am a contractor and Lowe's blows. Not really it just makes us feel like we're too dirty to be in that store and like we're driving a soccervan. Home Depot just feels more like a contracting space you see more people u know there.
To piggyback, I'm more likely to talk to other shoppers about my project in that they're more likely to be experienced (generally) DIYers
@@dezdman8623 I'm ur guy👷
I've had the problem in HD that I don't look like a contractor, so the employees scurry the other way if I look like I'm going to ask for help. Usually I have figured out what I need so only need someone to reach it for me, on that 7 foot tall display, but they scatter like roaches in the light.
My grandfather who passed when I was 11 was a carpenter.he let me play in his shop around his tools. I am soon to be retiring myself and I go to Home Depot smell my grandfather. We all have issues
I go to auto parts store to smell my late father so I completely understand.
My God father late sri pulimi sudhakar Reddy was a doctor.. I can't say I sell medicines; but I still understand.
We are a Lowe's family. The Veteran parking, discounts and proximity to our home make it our fave.
Home Depot has the same thing
“Veteran parking”. LOL!
I like your videos. I do want to point out one thing about Lowes. They give a 10% discount to veterans every day while Home Depot only does it 3 or 4 days out of the year. If you are not a veteran Lowes has, I believe, some type of "club" that will also get you a discount. There are a few things you can find at one store that you can't find at the other, but not many. I do prefer Lowes for the feel of the store and the discount, however Home Depot is 7 miles from my house, but Lowes is at least 12 miles away. (small town vs bigger town) Bigger town has both. So depends upon gas and time. Keep up the good work.
I do feel it's easier to actually find an employee to ask questions of at Lowes.
Thanks for this excellent comparison, Matt! We have Lowe's, Menards, & Home Depot all within walking distance and are often trying to decide between them. We typically end up snagging appliances & paint @ Lowe's, lighting @ Home Depot, and lumber/construction materials @ Menards. Your insight is helpful as always ☺️
The My Lowes account can be tied directly to a Military discount for those who qualify. I always look for that discount.
Your Home Depot Pro Extra Rewards can be tied to a 10% military discount too. Also the Pro Extra has gotten so much better lately . Now the more you spend the more you earn digital gift cards to use on future purchases. Home Depot will, on most products, give 10% off with military iDs as well.
As far as im aware....Lowes gives all vets 10% off. Home Depot....you have to be a retired veteran to get the discount.
@@Hagg506 no any vet just not online
@@billman6364 Home Depot offers a 10% OFF military discount on regularly priced merchandise for in-store purchases for active duty, retired military, and reservists at participating locations. Customers are required to show a valid government-issued military ID card to redeem this offer.
Active duty and retired
Never understood why Home Depot will not match their own online prices. I find it frustrating to stand in front of a product in store and see an online price $50 less than what I’m looking at. Last time this happened I walked out and bought a comparable item at Lowe’s.
I've run into that. Some will match it, some won't. At one store where I actually needed the item right then, I ordered it on my cell while standing there for the lower price, waited 10 minutes, and picked it up. I've also found Lowe's is more willing to make a deal on larger purchases. Never be afraid to offer a lower price on appliances and other bigger ticket items. They DO have room to discount the items.
I've never had a problem with Home Depot matching their online pricing.
@@intoodeep001 Because my job as a tech takes me all over the state, I've shopped at many different locations. What I have seen is it depends on the volume of the store. Higher volume stores seem ready to do this while low volume stores seem less likely. This hasn't been 100% true but has happened enough that I'd call it a general rule of thumb.
@@josephferguson6883 I wanted a Tool Cabinet. They wouldn't match the online price and in store pick up was not available for on line orders for that item. Shipping made it slightly more than the shelf price.
Will Home Depot match Lowes price
Lowes' 10% military discount for all active and non-active duty and their immediate family members gives them the clear advantage over HD in my opinion
I completely agree, Lowe's offers 10% discount both in store and online while Home Depot offers a spotty discount at some stores and nothing online. For me this means that a heavy majority of my shopping is done at Lowe's. Not including this in the review was a major omission in my opinion.
As a veteran, I also do the majority of my shopping at Lowe's because of the veterans' discount but, unfortunately, Lowe's has taken a couple of steps to limit this benefit and I find that terribly disappointing. First, they stopped applying the 10% discount to any items on sale or which would have another discount. Previously they let you use the 10% military discount on all purchases, even items already on sale. Now I've learned that even if an item is not advertised as being "on sale," so it's not ticketed as a special sale item, if you take it to the register and it comes up as the "lowest retail price" in their system, you won't get the military discount. I'm still glad they have the discount and that they make it easy to use, but it's disappointing that they've been limiting its application.
@@paultatton7440 Wait "some stores"? I think Home Depot allows military for all stores but only in store not online, but it also only caps to $50 and is not applicable to lumber nor many plumbing.
as someone who works for home depot, you can get the military discount on anything, you just show your military ID, and then you get the 10%, it’s also not capped at $50, it just has to get manager approval which most times will be approved
@@greatirishday i worked at lowes from 2016-2018 and just came back in december 2020 and currently work at customer service. on items at the lowest retail price, it has always not taken additional off with military. it's the same with our employee discounts. it only applies to regular priced items pretty much.
so as an x depot associate few points. I agree with the video, and your opinion, 99%. When we carried EGO they were actually kinda a PITA to deal with, especially on the repair side. we had a customer that took 3 months to get a switch for his mower in. early on their batteries were pretty craptastic as well. that said i can see why it was dropped in order to prevent competition with a depot owned brand. i find depot to be more shoppable but thats because i worked there. i can walk into basically any depot and know where everything is. paint comes from lowes. Also there is one lumber region where lowes beats depot and thats specialty board. by that i mean poplar, oak, maple, more "exotic" wood choices. If you need a couple feet of poplar go to depot as they price by the linear foot. if you need many feet of poplar go to lowes as they sell by the board and it is a couple bucks less for the whole board. The quality is the same, both depot and lowes use many of the same mills and use the same mill for their "exotic" woods. lastly loosing ego means nothing to tool rental at depot. (i started in tool rental, moved to lumber after a couple years, then to overnight restocking a couple years after that) but we have never had an electric mower for rental, they just arent repairable enough yet. we do rent electric chainsaws tho.
Fun depot fact, ACE is their largest competitor, honestly lowes wasnt even on our radar most of the time. While they are similar stores they cater to different crowds, depot to the professional builder/contractor/planner or the more, advanced i guess, DIYer. Lowes caters to the general homeowner just looking to modernize or spice things up a little. Both offer plenty of knowledgeable associates that can get you the information you need to do a project, but lowes tends to be a little friendlier to the novice. Thats because you can get a little annoyed when you have been helping pros all day and have a novice come in with 100000 questions 2 minutes to close while you are trying to case a shoplifter. kinda extreme scenario but it happens more than you may think. I find ACE sits right in the middle and tends to get more of the local crowd or the contractor that forgot a couple things and isnt about to schlep back to depot or lowes when ace is right around the corner.
Lowes paint quality is superior! Way to go, Matt!!
I recently wanted a new doormat (outdoor) that would really clean the crud of our shoes. Lowes had dozens, no, hundreds of size and design options to choose from on line and delivery was excellent.
Home depot online has over a Million SKUS and no cost to deliver to the store.
@@onetakeadventureswithjoeld4679 yeah but womwn prefer lowe’s
Lowes has stepped up its game for contractors. They have a pro desk, bid room, and reward program. Additionally, they offer an automatic 5% discount if you use your Lowes card (this applies to regular consumer card and their pro cards)
I use both, depending on which is closer to my job site. But my preference is Lowe's.
I go to both depending on geography or looking for a specific item. The Lowes and Home Depot I go to are both in the same zip code. Lowes for me is easier to get in and out of. You can Google your local Lowes store click on the website and search the product and go straight to the aisle and section. It's that easy. Their lumber prices are higher on 2X lumber.
The Home Depit takes way longer to check out. They don't have the loaders that Lowes does. If you buy in quantity that's huge. However Home Depot does have " The Bid Room" which substantially lowers the cost if you are buying more than $1,500 of product but you have to go to a pro desk to ask for it.
Hi from North Dakota. Let me give you my opinion. If you have a problem (I had a major one) and you call Home Depot HQ to go above the local manager, you can't get anyone in charge. They have a "customer complaint" dept, that just apologizes and doesn't do anything. I think you can buy a bag of apologies at Doller Days. If you go to Lowe's they get a regional manager, who fixed a smaller problem in less than an hour.
My husband is a Lowe's fan, me- Home Depot. Our favorite is Menards
There are some things I like from Menards but I really don’t like their rebate practices. They’ve been sued for it at least once and I don’t feel that the suit was wrong.
But for my lamp repair stuff Menards is the best by far.
Menards was my favorite until they wanted everyone wearing masks ;even people with real medical conditions.
@@nona104 there is absolutely no real medical condition that warrants an exemption from wearing a mask. If my aunt with LUNG CANCER can wear a mask or my grandmother whose oxygen levels haven’t seen 90 percent in a couple years because of her asthma, CHF, COPD, and diabetes just as an extra can wear them without issues (I’ve monitored their oxygen levels) then you can too Karen.
I have asthma and a cloth mask will throw me into an asthma attack, but the disposables being thinner do not.
Where I am, the local hospitals will not let you enter the building at all without a mask, ZERO exceptions. Same with my doctor’s office.
Menards all the way!
@@dsly4425 Keep believing the propaganda and the narrative. Your relatives should not be wearing masks with their breathing issues and if they’re worried about getting sick they should stay at home.
And my name is Nancy.
Lowe’s is my place to go for most home improvement purchase. I go to HD for Milwaukee tools that I don’t get from eBay.
They've both changed corporate management in the last few years; the result for both stores is much worse customer service.
As an associate, the newer management and policies has made employees' morale TANK, especially I the last year or so
Sad, even if trueful. Can't give you a thumbs down but the downward trend is not good.
I always look forward to Home Depot wanting me to fill out a customer satisfaction survey. I do my best to let them know how bad they need an overhaul. Customer Service? what is that?
I bought expensive silicone roof coating at Lowes. When I got home I checked the codes and called the manufacturer (remembering this brand had a shelf life). The manufacturer said nit to buy it, they had expired over a year ago. I took it all back, and informed a supervisor. Days later when I checked those same pails, identified by the codes, were back on the shelf. That is how much they care about customers no matter what the warm and fuzzy commercials display.
Went to Lowe's last Spring when I was planning to replace my roof. I wanted to see the product before having it installed. While they didn't have the product in stock they were running a promotion - 1/2 price on materials if they did the installation. Total price was more than $11k but... BUT I got the 5% off. In addition, the 5% comes off the price before the sales tax is applied.
Now, truth be told, the Home Depot is 25 miles away and Lowe's less than 5 miles. Regardless, the 5% is still a great deal. There was a time when HD would match it if you showed them your Lowe's card but that practice was discontinued.
I love both stores but my son works at Home Depot and let me tell you that he loves his job and in the store he works in (IDK if it's like this in all their stores) he has great perks, great managers and so many opportunities to move up in the company! Great place to work AND shop! (Except no employee discount but a "perks at work" program)
I work at Home Depot, and our store is like that. We’re dealing with the snow here in Texas, and they fed us three meals today. They’re amazing. I literally could not say enough good things about HD.
Excuse my ignorance but what you mean
by “perks at work” program.
Perks at work is a discount site that gives you deals on just about anything including cars, house mortgages, electronics, etc and I also work for Home Depot and love the people I work with and they seriously took care of us during the pandemic
I worked at Lowe's during college and learned a lot there. It's still my favorite, but I find the HD website easier to use.
I worked for them too and they treated us employee's like credible, intelligent adults. Great place to work and shop.
If you're a veteran, you can flash your VA card at Home Depot. At Lowes, there's a huge process where they gather your personal information and make it a huge hassle.
Agreed, I shop at HD mainly because of the no hassle 10% discount
no , at lowes just make an online acc easy
I go to Home Depot for one reason. Home Depot (at least where I live) has the hardware (nail, screws, etc.) section right next to the lumber. Lowes has these two sections at opposite ends of the store.
Considering they're usually located close to each other, you can just go to one..pick up what you want..then across the street to the other.
We have the lowes card..you can buy stuff with it, get the 5% then turn around and pay it off...automatically 5% off!
Lowes also has classes to learn how to do things around the house..dont know if home depot does or not.
Thanks for the info your timing is impeciable I'm doing some reno projects in my apartment this week! Lowes for meeee, but I do love how I feel like a boss at Home Depot too! lol
Matt, I love your videos! Fantastic and thorough consumer info and you make me laugh too 🤩
Thank you for this. I'm always wondering which to go to overall. Now I can choose based upon my need at the time.
Lmaooooo....
This is SO ON POINT!!!
Being in Home Depot makes you feel BAD-ASS...... unlesssssss you need any help. Then you are LI-TER-A-LLY chasing an employee down!!
In Lowe's, no less than 3 associates asked if I needed help with a 5 minute span. In Home Depot , every associate looks PISSED and they try not to make eye contact with you lest you might ask for some assistance.
Honestly, my experience is the exact opposite. I can find a Home Depot associate in
I don't like lowes for employee assistance I needed help for a generator waited like 10 Mins asked 2 associate I left and bought it else where at home depot MOST employees know the difference between certain things which is great for your average home buyer I do give lowes props in the cleanliness of the store which makes it feel more consumer friendly rather industrial friendly
And if you are ever at Home Depot and see an employee rushing past you to get to the break room instead of stopping to help you, it may be because they will get in trouble if they stop to help you. My sister used to work there and she said they were penalized for not clocking in and out on time for their breaks- almost to the point of the threat of getting fired if they were a minute late in or out of breaks or clocking out for the day.
I was intimidated by HD when I first got into DYIs, but never at Lowes. In many instances I can find an HD across the street from Lowes, but not in my neighborhood, so Lowes wins by default. Now that my knowledge and experience has grown, if there was an HD within the same 5 minute commute, I would probably split my visits to the stores; however, there are certain items for shop and yard use that makes the longer commute a must.
In my area up in Maine Lowe's seems to be more customer friendly and the employees seem to be more eager to help
Home Depot like you said is more contractor and professional oriented
You can always find someone to help you at lowes and I have to wander around home depot to find help
And when you find it, it’s generally more in the category of hindrance! I swear they give a knowledge test and only hire those with scores below a certain point because they’re more likely to accept the pay and stay. I have yet to get ANY helpful information from someone at Home Depot. Lowe’s employees are friendlier and confident enough that if they don’t know something, they get help rather than just make up an answer or sell you whatever they see even if it’s wrong for your project. At my one house, I’ll drive clear across the city to a Lowe’s before I drive 5 minutes to the Hone Depot near me.
It’s relative to where you live I guess. I may have to wander a bit in Home Depot but when I find someone they know their stuff and are helpful. At my Lowes, there are people but they are useless. Rude and never know anything.
This is opposite for me. Lowe’s mostly employs early 20 somethings that have no idea what they are doing and will hide from you. Home Depot hires more knowledgeable people and are easier to find.
I love Home Depot and I dislike Lowe's especially after an employee called me Stupid while shopping for a 3/4 in ceiling fan extension rod and argued that it was an inch! And I have other Lowe's horror stories so I stay away!
Actually glad to see this response as I have experienced the exact opposite, way less employees in Lowes to help. Guess it does matter where you are in the country
so glad to see that you uploaded again!😀
Glad to have you here!
I rented a skid steer to move rock out of a barn for my horse. The entire rental process was easy from reserving the item, pickup and return. Staff was knowledgeable, made sure my truck could pull the weight. They assisted in hooking up the trailer. The equipment was secured safely, no problems pulling it home. This was an economical way and on my time schedule. Didn't have to bother the neighbors to borrow their tractor. Will definitely use them again.
Just now watching this video. Just wanted to comment and say you do a great job in how detailed and how you deliver the info. Great job, even some humor in there. Love it man.
I'm a new subscriber and really love your channel. Definitely one of the most useful, well researched and entertaining consumer videos I have seen. Thanks!!
I agree!
Home Depot has Milwaukee, that’s what matters
Yessir
Lowes carries DeWalt - that's my preference !!
@@gb2828 home depot carries both milwaukee and dewalt. Lowes however Does not.
That's it! Dewalt tools are cute but real men work with Milwaukee.
@@electricianron_New_Jersey 10 out of the 11 amish construction crews in our group use all dewalt tools and I guarantee even the 13 yr Olds in the crews working full time year around are more of man then you'll ever be 😂
I build a house with Home Depot and decorate it with Loews
Lol
This is a fact 💯lol
You get the win 🍻
Near me, in western PA, we have two small cities, within about 40 miles of each other. Both cities have both a Lowe's and a Home Depot, and they are, literally, within eyesight of each other. In both cases, the Lowe's stores are always busier, and have a much larger selection of products.
I may go into the Home Depot once, maybe twice, in a year. I'm in Lowe's several times a month.
a huge advantage home depot has is that on their website they tell you, not only which aisle, but also where in the aisle the item is. So i put together my shopping list on the website and then I can grab everything quick.
Lowe's is geared to the home owners. Home Depot is geared to the builder's. I say Lowe's.
I've always felt the opposite lol..
To me Lowe’s has waaay better customer service.
My experience in my area (Honolulu, Hawaii) is completely the opposite. There are a few exceptions like workers in the plumbing department but in general our Lowes store is haphazardly managed, with shopping carts difficult to find and help hard to come by inside and inventory status not accurate. I have had multiple major appliance orders either pushed back months or canceled on me without warning by them in the past year as well. We are in a time where more people are renovating their homes, making appliance purchases harder but if they’re going to claim availability and take my order then I expect delivery. Last October my oven purchase was pushed back to January. Ridiculous. Bottom line for me is it can vary based upon the individual location and how it is managed.
I’d agree
Disagree. Home Depot is Better
Totally! Every time I walk into HD and need some help, I find a bunch of guys standing around talking about the game and completely ignoring me... or just pointing in some vague direction while continuing their game conversation. Yes, literally that bad!
Maybe it depends on where you live. Around where I live, Home Depot is great in their costumer service, but Lowe’s is horrible! At Lowe’s you can’t even find someone to help you.
I enjoy your humorous personality!
I was a die hard Lowes customer however I have recently switched for the sake of two reasons:
1. Lowes credit card coupled with their customer service; I had a disputed entry on my Lowes statement and was certain that i should not be charged. In order to correct the error online I would have to fill out and submit a two page form and enter arbitration. I chose instead to bring my problem to the local customer service a Lowes, it took three visits before I could get a manager approved resolution which was a cash refund. I was sugared off so they could be rid of me, I of course payed the bill but the problem was not really resolved except to say it became cost neutral.
2. Last year I bought a Craftsman R140 Lawn Tractor at Lowes, Home Depot sells an equivalent model which is branded Cub Cadet, both are priced nearly identical. I had my Lowes 5% off advantage so I bought the Craftsman R140. Last week I performed the first oil change and was ready to change the filter as well but the R140 does not use an oil filter. I got curious about the Cub Cadet and learned that it comes not only with an oil filter but also has a slightly larger engine which translates into longer life. Both lawn tractors are manufactured by MTD and both have Briggs and Stratton engines.
I live in a hurricaine area. I noticed a big difference in their customers by the placement of flood barriers. Lowe's has flood barriers usually in the outdoor area and/or near generators. Home Depot puts flood barriers next to toilets...literally. I guess for a contractor fixing leaks??
As a woman I'm more attracted to home depot😀😀. Maybe its the branding color idk. And I love behr brand paint.
I am a Costco/Home Depot guy! Also there is the way HD feels that makes me as a man want to walk around the store and do the guy thing!
Thanks Matt!
Me ...too..I feel so happy going there.....Not so much at Lowe's.....
Just FYI: Knowing about tools, lumber, plumbing, construction etc. isn't just a "guy thing". 😉 I've worked on my homes and properties for over 30 years and prefer Home Depot for the literal "nuts and bolts" for my projects.
I was always for Lowes, but awhile back I ordered a product online. It took an hour to get the item. They had to go to the back of the store and were gone for a long time even though I had an email saying it was ready. I ordered a online order at Home Depot and went to pick up the item, not only did I get the item right away, they knew exactly where the item was. Homedepot has been more of a win for me.
If it means anything at all I prefer the blue over the orange. I know it's not a big deal but since bother stores have their color wall to wall it does affect your shopping experience.
I've come to the conclusion that Home Depot is my husband's version of Hobby Lobby
I don't know you or your husband, but I know myself, and I know my wife. So I conclude that your conclusion is very accurate.
:P Yeah...
I agree with this for both my husband and I. We both find the majority of products at Hobby Lobby overpriced (even when on sale), so we'd rather just build it ourselves with materials from Home Depot - which we've done for much of our furniture.
I prefer Lowe’s but Homedepot is closer so I tend to go there more.
Lowe’s has veterans discount! It is automatic once tied to your online account but you have to remember when in store.
And update date it yearly which is a hassle, home depot just needs to see your I.D.
I am not in the construction industry but I am in the maintenance industry and I love home depot because they carry Ryobi. Ryobi is middle of the road and have tons of battery tools. But I never thought about whether or not it feels like a warehouse. It just feels like a store that has what I need
HD is more comprehensive with small detailed parts for a true DIYer, but both are good places to survey for any project if you're lucky enough to have both in your area. Always go to both before deciding on a renovation fixture.
Lowe’s has a 10% military discount for veterans EVERYDAY. And they thank me for my service at check out. Very appreciated from a Vietnam vet.
@savage2680 Home Depot won't give the discount to every vet...they require a service-connected disability to get a discount. Also, Lowes has linked the military registration to the MyLowe's card, which you're going to be scanning anyway.
Home Depot gives a military 10% discount every day to anyway that can show military id or a family associated... just ask
@@tombworld9012 this is wrong... they give it to every vet and family of vets with an id
I have worked at both HD and Lowe's. Lowe's treat their employees with respect.
Having done work as a contractor for both companies, I would agree. I see many more long term employees at Lowe's than at HD, especially manager level and higher.
They like scamming their customers on grand openings. I've never shopped there since.
You gotta me on this one. The employees at HD really suck.
Depends where you're from. In my city they treat their employees way better at home depot, you can tell by their attitude when you walk in. Lowes screwed me over on a new zero turn, made me drive an hour just to tell me its out of stock (they had a deal going on) wouldn't give me the deal when they got back in. I went to home depot, they matched their sale price and I bought it. Paid cash. And HD dont discriminate when I dont wear a mask. Dont even question me.
I like how Lowes took their employees bonuses away, that's why people that work there DGAF.
I shop at Lowe’s for two reasons. 1.) It’s easier to get in and out of the parking lot. 2.) I have a better chance at finding someone to help me if I have a question.
I can never find anyone at our local Lowe’s to help except for paint department. Home Depot policy is for all employees know where everything is and to take you to it.
I have to disagree on the delivery. Everytime i order something from lowes its late at least over a week and i would have to contact them in order to reschedule.
The city I live in has Lowes, Home Depot and a large Sunderland's store plus Menards has announced they will open a store. Our Lowes and Home Depot have horrible customer service and usually when I have a question nobody seems to have any knowledge about what I ask. I usually will go to Sunderland's because I usually get help as soon as I walk in the door and the staff is knowledgeable on products and services.
From here in Wisconsin and representative of the Midwest Menards breakdown would be a welcomed video
I wonder if Matt has a Menards in the area where he lives
Yes Menards is awesome
As an employee of Lowe’s it’s a clear difference. The orange box is focused the contractor cause they spend 3x more then the average DIY. But Lowe’s focus on the DIY and the weekend warrior. They also aim towards the house wife cause pet be real, they make the finally call and Lowe’s knows that.
Mmmm, they both focus on the diy and weekend warriors. Contractor supply stores focus on contractors
@@jimibones178 I worked at both. Home Depot is very geared to contractors. HD has smaller selection, but they have the best stuff. If you want stuff to last forever, shop at HD. If you need something cheap and simple, go to Lowes. If you need something difficult to find, go to Ace.
I like both of them!
Lowe’s Advantage Cards also offer up to 24 month’s Special Financing during those promotions exactly like the Home Depot Card, and they also offer a 365 day return policy to the Credit Card Holder as well. It’s stated on the website.
Home depot has people in each department who have actually worked in that particular field who can interprete your vague description of the item you require. Lowes i found are good at pointing towards the aisle you need to go to.
Hello deal guy, I love Menards do a comparison with them, I don't know if they're cheaper but their customer service makes up for it.
Disagree. All stores only have 2 riding disability carts and one is usually broken. This is totally unacceptable. I live in a large city and have waited way over an hour for a cart. Management has no concern at all for the disabled. I rarely go there anymore. I spent alot of money in these stores as I have a home repair business.
customer service at my local Menards is horrible. I prefer Home Depot