Lowe’s Vs. Home Depot Kitchen Cabinets- Which is Best? Explained

Lowe’s and Home Depot are major home improvement stores with thousands of branches in the US and Canada.

They both have huge inventories, offer competitive, fair prices, and feature different styles and colors. In addition, most of their merchandise is similar, and they target a budget-minded clientele.

As a result, it is difficult to choose where to shop.

Nevertheless, there are slight differences between the two stores, which are key in helping you decide which is better. These include budget, brand selection, online shopping, and shipping timelines.

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Table Comparison

Parameters	Lowe’s	Home Depot
Prices	Low to mid-range	Low to mid-range designer cabinetry options
Brand Selections	Diamond NOW KraftMaid Custom CabinetsProject SourceValleywoodLuxxeAllen + Roth CabinetrySchuler Custom Cabinets	Hampton Bay KraftMaid American WoodmarkHome Decorators CollectionThomasville
Physical Store Atmosphere	Well-lit, clean, spacious aisles and well-stocked shelves.	Fairs slightly better than Lowe’s.
Online Shopping and In-Store Pickup	Offers online shopping and in-store pickup but with higher in-store purchase discounts	Offers online shopping and in-store pickup
Shipping Timeline and Process	1-10 days for in-store cabinets Upto four weeks for custom orders.	1-10 days for in-store cabinets Upto four weeks for custom orders.
Accepting Returns	Accepts returns	Accepts returns
Customer Service	Fair customer service	Fair customer service

Lowe’s Kitchen Cabinets – Explained

Lowe’s kitchen cabinetry selection is excellent. You can get them in stock in their physical stores and online on their website.

Besides, the store offers in-stock and semi-customization options for most cabinetry. They also make deliveries within stipulated timelines. Store deliveries happen within ten days, while semi-customs can take up to 30 days.

Lowe’s cabinets come either fully assembled or ready to assemble. Their design and quality are top-notch.

When you shop at big box stores like Lowe’s, you can choose from thousands of colors, styles, sizes, and custom selections. Therefore, you can get kitchen wall cabinets that perfectly fit your space and suit your style.

Note: Custom cabinets are not available for online ordering.

Pros

• Offers free professional installation
• Offers free designer consultation
• You can use Lowe’s kitchen budgeting online tool to determine the overall cost.
• If you are unsure of the style to purchase, you can take Lowe’s kitchen personality quiz to discover what suits your kitchen best.
• Hundreds of styles, colors, and sizes to choose from to remodel or reface kitchen cabinets.
•  Flexible return policy

Cons

• The quality of Lowe’s cabinets is low to mid-range.

Home Depot Kitchen Cabinets – Explained

Are you planning to get a new set of kitchen cabinetry or just a cabinet makeover? Home Depot is your go-to store or local cabinet shop for all your purchases.

The store offers high-quality custom and in-stock cabinets in various colors, styles, and sizes. Home Depot got everything from roll-out cabinets, pull-out cabinets, and soft close and glass kitchen cabinet doors!

Their cabinets fall under different price ranges, mostly from basic to mid-tier, so there is something for everyone.

The style selections available include:

• Modern
• Classic
• Industrial
• Transitional
•  Cottage
• Farmhouse

If you are looking for high-end cabinets, Home Depot cabinets got you! They have a designer collection from renowned brands like Hampton Bay.

Custom orders are shipped within four weeks, and the store also offers professional installation.

Pros

• Offers shipping and installation
•  Lenient return policy
• The store’s website is so easy to navigate
•  Quality is guaranteed
• Excellent customer service and designer consultation

Cons

• A bit pricey

7 Key Differences Between Lowe’s and Home Depot Kitchen Cabinets

Prices

New kitchen cabinets are quite pricey, irrespective of the type. In fact, you should set aside an average of $11,100 for kitchen cabinets alone!

For this reason, ensure you get the highest quality at the best deal in the market.

So, do Lowe’s and Home Depot have better price deals?

To have a fair comparison, let’s look at each retailer’s least expensive kitchen base cabinets.

The cheapest base kitchen cabinet at Home Depot is the Hampton Bay sink base cabinet. It measures 30 inches wide by 24 inches deep by 34.5 inches high and is priced at $194.

This cabinet is available in various finishes, including satin white, medium oak, and unfinished beech. However, prices vary per finish.

On the other hand, Lowe’s cheapest sink base cabinet is Project Source Natural Oak, priced at $149. It is 30 inches wide by 23.75 inches deep by 35 inches tall. It is slightly taller than the Home Depot’s one.

Source: wellborn.com

This cabinet only comes in the unfinished version. Consequently, you have to factor in the cost of paint or stain if you don’t want the natural look.

Verdict: If you are looking for a high-quality cabinet that is ready to use out of the box and has finish options to choose from, consider Home Depot. But if you love the natural oak appearance and want to save some bucks, go to Lowe’s.

Brand Selections

Lowe’s and Home Depot offer exclusive and store brands for kitchen cabinets.

The cabinetry brands offered at Lowe’s include:

• Diamond NOW
• KraftMaid Custom Cabinets
• Project Source
• Valleywood
• Luxxe
• Allen + Roth Cabinetry
• Schuler Custom Cabinets

The cabinetry brands offered at Home Depot include:

• Hampton Bay
• KraftMaid
• American Woodmark
• Home Decorators Collection
• Thomasville

I looked at tons of stellar reviews, and notably, customers have no issues with the devoted brands that each store focuses on.

However, there were several concerns regarding specific brands from both stores regarding quality.

For example, Lowe’s Project Source sink base has a 3.7-star review. One user lamented the flimsy construction, saying they had to reinforce the base’s bottom using support strips.

Verdict: Both stores offer a wide range of styles and brand selections.

Physical Store Atmosphere

By atmosphere here, we mean stocked shelves, lighting, cleanliness, the width of aisles, and parking of the physical store.

First, Lowe’s and Home Depot have over 2,000 stores in the United States, distributed across all the states. They’ve done so to ensure that most shoppers can get to their stores within an hour.

Both Lowe’s and Home Depot have well-lit, clean, spacious aisles, and their shelves are replenished promptly. The only complaint is that both stores’ lumber areas and garden centers appear neglected.

Nevertheless, you can rest assured that you’ll have an awesome shopping experience at both stores.

Verdict: Lowe’s and Home Depot average about the same concerning store atmosphere.

Online Shopping and In-Store Pickup

Source: entrepreneur.com

Did you know that you can shop for kitchen cabinets online in the comfort of your home?

Lowe’s and Home Depot offer online purchase options to their customers. Moreover, they tag in-stock merchandise for pickup at a customer’s convenient local store.

Home Depot has an extremely user-friendly, easy-to-navigate website with all the necessary tools to get you started.

The website features a free estimation tool to help you process a price estimate. It also has a product suggestion page.

Another fantastic feature of Home Depot is that it offers in-house help from design to installation. The process starts with a free consultation with a designer, either online or in person.

These designers are super-knowledgeable, and they help you get the correct measurements before placing an order for your home renovation projects.

Lowe’s offers slightly higher discounts than Home Depot for large in-store purchases, plus a 5% guaranteed discount on all eligible purchases.

Related Read: 36 Vs. 42 Kitchen Cabinets [7 Differences Explained]

Both stores accept credit card purchases with no annual fees or interest for six months. Besides, they offer a 10% military discount, which does not require a credit card. The discount covers active service members, veterans, and their spouses.

According to some reviews regarding online shopping and in-store pickup, there were concerns that items weren’t ready when the customer arrived. Other customers lamented that store associates pre-selected low-quality items for them.

Verdict: Home Depot offers better online shopping and in-store pickup than Lowe’s.

Shipping Timeline and Process

Both stores deliver heavy and smaller items. Delivery time for in-stock cabinets is 1 to 10 days, while semi-custom cabinets may take 14 to 30 days.

You’ll need to wait another 2-8 days after delivery for installation.

Important tip: Scheduling installation after purchase is chaotic. As such, in-house installation is preferable to avoid stress.

Verdict: Both stores have reasonable shipping timelines and smooth processing.

Accepting Returns

Lowe’s and Home Depot have a return desk in their stores. You’ll see it first when you walk into their premises.

Both stores are lenient in accepting returns but with some reasonable conditions.

• When you return an item within a reasonable period and have the receipt, you get a cashback.
• They give you store credit when you return an item without a receipt.
• If you paid for the item using a credit card, there is no need to carry the receipt. Your card details will reflect in their systems when swiped for the return.

Sometimes, the return desk area may appear overflowing and understaffed.

Verdict: Both Lowe’s and Home Depot accept returns under reasonable terms.

Customer Service

Source: forbes.com

Both Lowe’s and Home Depot offer free consultation resources. They also have friendly and knowledgeable staff and interior designers to guide you through the decision process.

Although there are a few complaints about disrespectful staff, many customers find staff in both stores helpful.

Verdict: The customer service at Lowe’s and Home Depot is just about the same.

Wrapping It Up

Lowe’s and Home Depot stores offer varieties of high-quality kitchen cabinets. Before deciding on where to shop, first determine your price preference and style, then do a lot of online research and in-person consultations.