Lowe's vs. Home Depot

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cycloner29

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Dec 17, 2008
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Ames
I live a block from Ace Hardware too damn convenient for me for almost any type of nut, washer screw, etc. I have Ryobi tools and its easier to go to Amazon and buy.

With no HD in Ames, I would go with Lowes on appliances, and lumber at Menards.
 
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JP4CY

I'm Mike Jones
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Bosch tools do not suck. At all.
Bosch tools definitely do not suck. But for close to the same price there are alternatives that have a bigger library of tools including outdoor lawn and garden tools.
 

VTXCyRyD

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Sep 2, 2010
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I know most of Menards power tools stink, but I do have a Master Force 1/4" impact driver and drill. Both have brushless motors with lithium batteries. I have never had an issue with either except for the impact driver breaking bits. Good battery life, strong motors.

I have a friend that said his master force impact driver won't hold a charge for anything, but his is the normal brushed motor.
 

VTXCyRyD

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About 10 years ago I was buying a gas grill. Lowes had the best price online, I get to the store and it was $50 more. I asked for the online price (exact same model numbers/product code) and they said they won't match their online prices. I'll have to purchase it online and come back to pick it up at the store. This was the manager at the customer service desk that said that.

Lowes is the last place I will stop to buy home improvement stuff and that is only if I can't wait and no one else has what I need. I haven't bought anything there since Menards opened in Ames.
 

Macloney

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Feb 28, 2014
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I like all 3 for different reasons, but everyone should know that Menards' lumber sucks.

Most lumber and treated wood sold in the US is graded and/or certified by an independent 3rd party that jas been accredited by the American Lumber Standars Committee or ALSC. Not Menards, they have their own certification program that is not recognized.

As someone who spent over a decade in the industry, I would tell you to run away from Menards' structural and treated lumber. I buy finish stuff there all the time though, they stock more than the other guys.
 

coolerifyoudid

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Feb 8, 2013
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HD and Lowes are closer to me than Menards. Since I always seem to make more damn return trips than necessary, I go to what's closest. They are pretty comparable, but I've had slightly better luck finding things in stock at HD. Add in that going to Lowes involves navigating around the WalMart parking lot and HD gets the nod.
 

Cyclones423

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Dec 30, 2009
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One thing that might sway some of your opinions towards Home Depot is the fact that they match the Menards 11% rebate on in store purchases. You just need to have both a Menards and Home Depot in your area, which covers most of the midwest. It's also a much better rebate process than Menards, you do it online, nothing to mail in, and you get a gift card after only about a month. https://www.homedepotrebates11percent.com/#/home
 

mramseyISU

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Nov 8, 2006
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Deere owns Hitachi. So it's just a Hitachi with a different skin.
Deere does not own Hitachi. Deere and Hitachi have a joint venture on excavators but on the engineering side the engineering teams have a very strict set of rules regarding contact between the Deere team and Hitachi teams. It's a really odd arrangement.
 
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mywayorcyway

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I drive past Lowe's on my way to Ace. I almost always start at Ace - smaller store that seems to have the odd stuff I need and none of the superfluous junk to wander through. Their staff is more helpful as well, at least where I'm at.

I like Home Depot as well but only go there if I'm getting something specific.
 
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VeloClone

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Jan 19, 2010
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Brooklyn Park, MN
I'm pretty lucky in that I have a Fleet Farm about 1 1/2 miles away, a Menards just past that but still only 2 1/2 miles away. If I still haven't found what I need the Home Depot is in the same direction only 4 miles away from home or the Lowes is in the same direction as Menards also only about 4 miles away. The proximity to Fleet Farm was one thing we counted as a plus when we were buying our house. The Menards used to be kind of dumpy but they rebuilt it about 3 years ago. The Home Depot is fine and the Lowes was a new store about 8 years ago. There are a list of things I like better at each of the stores.

We also have a nursery 2 1/2 miles away.
 
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BillBrasky4Cy

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Lowe's is a great place to buy scratch and dent appliances. I got a nice Samsung washing machine for $400 this year after the old Kenmore ate it's bearing/drum assembly for the second time in 12 years. The parts to fix the Sears were $200, plus 2- 3 hours of work, so that was an easy decision.

Good luck with that Samsung wash machine... Everyone I know (including myself) that has bought a samsung washer or dryer absolutely hates it. Gigantic POS and does a poor job washing your clothes. Mine is 3 years old and it's already rusting.
 

Yaz

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Edit: For wood products like popular trim, base trim, cabinet grade plywood, cabinets, doors (Solid and Hollow), hinges/door mechanicals, special orders, windows...I would put Gillcrest/Jewett (Des Moines area supplier) at number 1#.

Edit: Sherwin Williams for Paint at #1.

For everything else...
1 Home Depot
2 Lowes
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 Menards
 
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BillBrasky4Cy

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Menards is my go-to for supplies. They generally have everything I need in stock, and their prices on those types of items can't be beat by HD or Lowes, especially when you add in the 11% off. I know, I know, it's not technically a discount, but I shop at Menards so much its basically cash to me. I have yet to have any bad luck with their supplies. I agree that their tool brands (other than bosch) are hot garbage and no better than Harbor Freight.

I prefer DeWalt for my tools, and HD seems to have the better offerings there. So, I've been buying my power tools there, but for no other reason than they have them.

The rebates have actually turned me away from Menards. Rebates are nothing more than a gimmick and I honestly lost a lot of respect for Menards when they decided to go all in on them vs actually running sales. They've used rebates for years but for individual items but I really don't like the "blank % on all purchases" gimmick. As a consumer I want money back in my pocket today and not store credit 6-8 weeks from now.
 
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CyCloned

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Good luck with that Samsung wash machine... Everyone I know (including myself) that has bought a samsung washer or dryer absolutely hates it. Gigantic POS and does a poor job washing your clothes. Mine is 3 years old and it's already rusting.

Yeah, so far so good, and I wash a lot of clothes. From talking to people in the repair business it sounds like everything new you buy is a POS and you will be lucky for it to last 10 years. I have had this for 9 months, and so far no quirks, and the clothes seem to get clean. Also no rust, but now I am going to have to look close every once in a while. The old Kenmore lasted quite a while, but then I probably put $300 in parts into it in the 12-15 years I ran it.

My sister went to a place that sold appliances to replace her Whirlpool dryer and the guy there talked her into buying the parts to fix it, because it would outlast anything he could sell her.
 

BryceC

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Yeah, so far so good, and I wash a lot of clothes. From talking to people in the repair business it sounds like everything new you buy is a POS and you will be lucky for it to last 10 years. I have had this for 9 months, and so far no quirks, and the clothes seem to get clean. Also no rust, but now I am going to have to look close every once in a while. The old Kenmore lasted quite a while, but then I probably put $300 in parts into it in the 12-15 years I ran it.

My sister went to a place that sold appliances to replace her Whirlpool dryer and the guy there talked her into buying the parts to fix it, because it would outlast anything he could sell her.

I've been told there is a basically a 10 year lifespan on EVERY appliance that goes in a home now regardless of price. Don't know if it's true, but I've been in my house for 8 years and we got new everything and it's generally my experience, stuff is already starting to wear out.
 

Yaz

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Only thing I use Home Depot for is paint. I prefer Behr. That's it.
If you have a Sherwin Williams near you, give their paint a try. It is totally different than others from the big box store. Also, from my experience, the people that work in the stores are trained very well. Very knowledgeable.
 
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