Home Depot is often the first -- and sometimes only -- stop when you've got a honey-do list to get started on, a project to knock out, or a side job to wrangle. The big store with the orange sign, shelves, and carts opened in 1979. Growing from a couple stores in Atlanta to over 2,300 today, the home improvement warehouse carries thousands of products from hundreds of brands. And while many of those products are easy to recommend, there are inevitably a few duds in the bunch.
Brand or tool specific
searches go a long way in finding some hidden "gems" with disastrous reviews. The following five tools were chosen based on poor review scores, consistent complaints among verified purchasers, and product reviews on trusted websites and YouTube. I also factored in my own poor experiences with several of these tools. We've added links to Home Depot's website for each, but also linked similar tools that are a better pick for comparison. That way, you can still shop at your favorite home improvement warehouse, but make a more informed decision if you happen to be in the market for any of the following tools.
Read more: 5 Non-Ryobi Products That Work With Ryobi Batteries
Ryobi One+ HP 18V Brushless Cordless 6-½ Inch Track Saw
Ryobi makes solid tools that are exclusive to Home Depot stores, although they can also be ordered through Ryobi's website -- often at a lower price. While its older products were a dark blue color, the brand is now known for its highlighter green lineup that has grown to include power tools, outdoor power equipment, and some useful stuff that doesn't fit into either category. And while some pros hate on the brand for its DIY-grade products, countless homeowners and weekend warriors invest in the brand's affordable, reliable tools.
A 3.7 star rating with 42 1- and 2-star reviews isn't a great look for the Ryobi One+ HP 18V Brushless Cordless 6-½ Inch Track Saw Kit, a tool with a price tag of $330 at Home Depot. Common complaints include short battery life, a two-piece track that doesn't stay straight as you cut, and unavailability of replacement track. The included blade wobbles and doesn't cut straight, either.
A better choice is available, likely on the same shelf as that Ryobi track saw. The Ridgid 18V Brushless Cordless 6-½ Inch Track Saw is capable of over 100 linear feet more per charge than the Ryobi and includes the same 55 inches of track. The Ridgid had a 4.7 star review at time of writing, a full star better than the Ryobi, and it's just $20 more than the green brand, priced $350 for the bare tool
Dremel 4200 Series 1.6A Variable Speed Corded Rotary Tool Kit
The name Dremel is synonymous with rotary tools, so much so that many users refer to their rotary tools as Dremels regardless of what brand they are -- which is doubly interesting when you consider that Dremel actually makes a wide variety of other products, including glue guns, engravers, and pet grooming tools. Most of those tools, and, indeed, most of Dremel's products sold at Home Depot have high star ratings and good reviews. The 4200 Series just falls short.
The Dremel 4200 Series 1.6A Variable Speed Corded Rotary Tool Kit, priced $120 at Home Depot, is a tool that drops the ball in basically every aspect of functionality for a rotary tool. The most common complaints against it include bit holder failure, power failure from poor switch design, and motor failures. It has just 2.5 stars on-site.
Fortunately, there's an easy solution -- simply buy literally any other Dremel rotary tool. The Dremel 4300 Series 1.8A Variable Speed Corded Rotary Kit was Dremel's make-good after the 4200's poor reception, and this kit has similar parts, a carrying case, and a rating that's a full two stars better than its predecessor. You can get all that for just four bucks more than the 4200 Series.
The Dremel 4300 Series 1.8A Variable Speed Corded Rotary Kit can be purchased from Home Depot for $124.
Ridgid 18V Cordless ¼ Inch Impact Driver
When you're wandering the aisles of your local Home Depot, you're going to notice that some brands are showcased more than others. Ryobi and Ridgid are often given larger displays or end caps, and while both brands are made by TTI for exclusive sale at Home Depot, there are differences in the products. While Ryobi tools are typically seen as entry-level products for the DIY enthusiast or homeowner taking care of the occasional weekend project, Ridgid is marketed as an affordable option for the professional.
The main knock against Home Depot's $100 Ridgid 18V Cordless ¼ Inch Impact Driver is that it's equipped with a brushed motor. Brushless motors are a little more expensive to produce, but they are smaller, run cooler, and last longer than their brushed counterparts. You're better off spending $50 more for the Ridgid 18V Brushless Cordless 4-Mode ¼ Inch Impact Driver, sold at Home Depot for $149. It's smaller, lighter, faster, and more powerful. It even runs off the same battery as the brushed model, in case you're already invested in the Ridgid battery system.
Just be sure to fill out the warranty information after you make your purchase, since Ridgid's fantastic warranty requires product registration.
Ryobi One+ HP 18V Brushless Cordless ½ Inch Hammer Drill
We hate to dump on Ryobi, but the Ryobi One+ HP 18V Brushless Cordless ½ Inch Hammer Drill is another of the bright green tools that has a price tag that does not equate to its power when compared to other brands. While it maintains decent reviews on Home Depot's site, head-to-head tests reveal this Ryobi hammer drill to be found lacking in categories that matter most, like maximum torque and average drilling and fastener installation time. With the wide variety of brands on the shelves at both Home Depot and other retailers, it's just not worth your investment to grab a tool that doesn't measure up to the demands of heavy duty work -- the kind of jobs that would require a hammer drill in the first place.
A trip to Harbor Freight for a Hercules hammer drill will net you a far more powerful tool at a lower price, from a brand SlashGear has spoken highly of before. The Hercules 20V Brushless Cordless ½ Inch Compact Hammer Drill/Driver is sold as a bare tool for $80 at Harbor Freight, and has an all-metal clutch, max torque of 1200 inch-pounds, and all metal gear construction for increased durability.
HDX Adjust-A-Size Paper Towels
Paper towels seem like the kind of thing you'd pick up at a home improvement store as an afterthought. You're going to make a mess with most projects, and Home Depot has the stuff to clean said mess right there. Why wouldn't you just grab a roll of whatever brand is cheapest and toss it in your cart? Because at some point, saving a little money gives way to getting what you pay for.
The store-brand HDX Adjust-A-Size Paper Towel Roll maintains a 3-star rating with 84 one-star reviews at time of writing. Customers complain of towels tearing apart when trying to remove one from the roll, disintegrating when using them to dry hands, and requiring double the amount of towels expected for a cleaning task. According to several customer reviews, Home Depot switched paper towel manufacturers at some point and the HDX paper towels are now thinner than ever, don't absorb well, and aren't even worth the 98 cents Home Depot charges for a single roll.
We suggest switching to HDX's premium towels in the green packaging, which many customers say are a significant upgrade. The quality is significantly better, and the price difference isn't as wide as the chasm between standard HDX towels and the big name brands.
A six pack of HDX Premium Adjust-A-Size Paper Towel Rolls is $9.98 at Home Depot, or about $1.66 per roll.
Methodology
We looked at user reviews, scores, and prices to compare tools at Home Depot to not only similar-value products at the store, but similar products at competing stores. A combination of user feedback, years of tool pricing and use on the part of the writer, and current pricing allowed this list to be constructed.
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