Home And Garden Products You Should Skip Buying At Costco, According To Reviews

Costco is an excellent place to shop for many home-related items. You can find great deals on Costco storage solutions that come highly rated by real customers, snag some new appliances for your kitchen, or outfit your patio for summer entertaining. Professional designers even shop at Costco for area rugs, motorized shades, light fixtures, and more. However, as wonderful as the majority of the items you'll find at the warehouse may be, not every item is a gem. Some of the home and garden items you can find online or at your local store are very poorly reviewed by those who have given them a try.

We wanted to take a deeper look at some of these products that don't live up to Costco's overall reputation. So, we browsed through the various categories of home and garden products, looking for those that had subpar ratings. All of the products listed below have a rating of 3.7 stars or lower. To prevent one or two poor ratings from unfairly skewing an average, we also looked for items that had been reviewed by a decent number of customers. A thorough explanation of our methodology can be found at the end of our list.

If you were to just read the description from the manufacturer, you might be ready to add the Dream Plush Memory Foam Side Sleeper Pillow with Cooling Cover to your cart. The special pillow is described as having an ergonomic design, which is supposed to contour to the body of a side sleeper for optimal comfort. The side-sleeper-specific design also includes a special armrest and an ear divot to help with positioning and to alleviate common pressure points. These features, combined with the memory foam construction and cooling cover to prevent you from overheating, sound like a winning package. However, when you scroll past what the manufacturer has to say and read the reviews of real users, you'll see a bit of a different story. Several complain that the pillow is just too flat and doesn't offer the support they need in order to sleep comfortably.

This memory foam side sleeper pillow has only a 3.2-star rating on Costco's website. Nearly 50 customers have reviewed it, and nearly half of them (45%) gave it a 1-, 2-, or 3-star rating. In fact, 35% of all reviewers were so dissatisfied that they gave it a dismal 1-star rating. Here is what one of these customers shared in their review: "This is the worst pillow I have ever laid my head on. There is no support of my neck, no matter whether I am on my side or my back. It is such a ridiculous design that I can't even put my arm under to try to add support when I'm on my side." If you're looking for a new pillow, you'd probably be better off scrolling past this one. Plus, if you want easy maintenance, memory foam is one of the pillow types you should avoid putting in the washer.

The product image for this Brookdale 5-Drawer Chest looks stunning. The dresser features a modern design that is available in three finishes to match different decor styles (gray peppercorn, whisky brown, and rubbed black finish). The top drawer is even felt-lined to offer protection for more delicate items, and the lower drawers are cedar-lined to help with proper clothing storage. Unfortunately, looks can be deceiving, and many customers who have reviewed this are not very impressed with the quality of the dresser. Numerous reviewers share that the drawers do not line up or glide smoothly, impacting the overall usability of this piece.

With so many customers complaining about the drawers and overall quality of this dresser, its rating has really taken a beating. With feedback from nearly 400 customers, it only has a 3.4-star rating. Of all of the reviewers, 44% deemed it worthy of 3 stars or less, with nearly 26% giving it only a single star. "The dresser looks great, I was happy with that, but one of my drawers wouldn't even shut, it kept getting jammed 2 inches from being closed. The other drawers didn't slide smoothly either, or close all the way. Super flimsy and cheap. Very sad because I loved the way it looked," wrote one of these disappointed customers.

If you've been searching for some new kitchen runners to add comfort and warmth to your space, these Natco Home Runners might catch your eye. The set includes two large 20-inch by 84-inch runners with a flat-woven design. They're available in navy, gray, white, and beige to coordinate with different decor styles and are even machine washable. However, before you click on that "add to cart" button, there's something you might want to know: several reviewers gave them a low rating because they don't stay in place and slide around too much.

More than 30 customers have taken the time to review these runners, giving them only an average rating of 3.5 stars. Nearly half (49%) of those reviewers gave these a 3-star rating or lower. One reviewer said, "Not good for wood floors. No backing to keep the rug in place. Slips all over and does not lay flat."

Keurig is a well-known brand, and many of their products come very highly recommended by customers. However, if you're looking for the best kitchen appliances you can pick up at Costco, the Keurig K-Cafe Barista Bar Single Serve Coffee Maker and Frother might not make your list. It's another product where the experiences of many customers simply don't match the product description. Keurig highlights what the brand sees as some of the top selling points of this coffee maker, including the hot and cold milk frother, the ability to use it to brew over ice, and the easy-to-clean nonstick interior. Sadly, too many customers experienced different malfunctions with their unit that it caused the overall rating to really take a downward dive. A lot of the feedback centers around issues with the frother, but some customers also cite problems with the coffee maker not working properly.

More than 200 Costco customers have taken the time to review this Keurig coffee maker. These reviewers have given it only a 3.5-star average rating. It's really notable that out of just over 200 reviewers, about 24% were displeased enough to give it only a 1-star rating (another 17% only gave it 2 or 3 stars). "If I had looked at the reviews, I would not have bought this machine. Just like everybody else, the frother didn't work at all. The one espresso shot I made (for the cappuccino that never was) was pretty weak. Total fail on Keurig's quality control," posted one upset reviewer.

The TheraLuxe by Therapedic 300 Thread Count 6-piece Peached Percale Sheet Set sounds like a good buy, based on the product information on Costco's website. The sheet set is described as being moisture-wicking and temperature-regulating, both good properties if you're a hot sleeper. It's available in queen, king, California king, and split king sizes, comes in five solid color options, and offers deep pockets to accommodate mattresses that are up to 18 inches. The only problem is that several customers aren't all that happy. In their write-ups, many share that the sheets are too scratchy and uncomfortable to sleep on.

With more than 50 reviews, these have only a 3.7-star rating. Beyond the low overall rating, it is also worth noting that about one out of every five reviewers (22%) gave these only a 1-star rating. One of these unhappy customers wrote, "Pretty color, I was so excited to try these. 'Peached' sounds so soft and lovely. Wrong....these are the scratchiest sheets ever. I washed them first, and had to get up in the middle of the night to change the sheets because these were unbearably scratchy and uncomfortable."

A robot vacuum is a game-changer when you find one that works properly. Pushing a few buttons in an app and returning to a clean floor is such a good feeling. You might think that this iRobot Roomba Combo j9 Max Robot Vacuum and Mop is one that you'll want to add to your cart to take care of your cleaning needs. The description from the manufacturer boasts about the strong suction, Carpet Boost technology, and mopping capabilities. This model is also designed to be an upgrade over some cheaper options, as it features a self-emptying base that reduces the work needed to keep your floors clean. Alas, what is written doesn't always match reality. Too many customers reported technical troubles and other performance issues for us to recommend picking this model up.

These dissatisfied customers have brought the average rating of this robot vacuum down to just 3.3 stars. Of the more than 200 reviewers, about 48% gave it a rating of 3 stars or less, with 23% giving it an abysmal 1-star rating. "Not worth the money. Mopping isn't effective, takes more than an hour to map the house, and you have to fill the water tank in the robot regularly. The water tank should be in the docking station. There are alternatives with far better performance and for less price," shared one individual.

You might think that this Woodland Storage Bench and Hall Tree would be the perfect addition to your entryway. It features six double-prong hooks (four across the center and one on each side), eight lower cubbies for shoes, three upper compartments for smaller items, and a bench. It is also sold in three finishes — white, gray, and brown — to match your design preferences. What's not to love? Well, according to customer reviews, the quality just isn't there. Several also shared issues with assembling this piece.

It has just 3.4 stars with 150 reviews, not exactly a glowing endorsement. Moreover, 45% of reviewers gave it a rating of 3 stars or less, solidifying our advice to look for other options. One reviewer's write-up captures their overall disappointment with this piece of furniture. They shared, "I bought this item online, thinking I could trust the usually high quality of big-ticket Costco items I have purchased online in the past. I was wrong. Aside from the cheap, lightweight particleboard materials, two of the major components arrived cracked and unusable. I had the item about halfway put together when I decided to load them and the remaining pieces into my truck and drive them back to the returns door."

The Rowenta IXEO All-in-One Iron & Steamer sounds like a really cool concept. It's designed to take the place of two essential laundry tools — a steamer and an iron. Rowenta's product description says that within 45 seconds, the tool should be hot and ready for use, delivering 1,500 watts of power and turbo steam technology to eliminate wrinkles and leave your garments looking fresh. It's also described as having a lightweight and easy-to-maneuver head to facilitate using it as you would a standard iron. However, while the concept sounds intriguing, this product doesn't seem to live up to customer expectations.

With more than 130 customer reviews, this all-in-one laundry tool holds only a 3.4 average star rating. In fact, one-fourth of all reviewers were so unimpressed that they gave it only one star. "It doesn't work at all. It's cheaply made, flimsy, and even my travel steamer works better. It's too bad because I was really excited for it, but barely even works as an iron," is what one of those unhappy customers wrote in their review.

A leaf blower can come in handy when cleaning the gutters, clearing debris off the garage floor, and, of course, cleaning up leaves in the fall. With all of those potential uses, the Greenworks 24V Blower/Vacuum might sound like an appealing product to add to your cart. In addition to functioning as a leaf blower, it can also be used as a mulcher and a vacuum. However, even though the tool does come with two 24-volt 5Ah batteries, many customers are still disappointed in the battery life and how it negatively impacts how much they're able to get done at a time.

Nearly 90 customers have reviewed this combo leaf tool. With those reviews averaged out, it has a rather dismal rating of just 3.3 stars. In fact, more than half of all reviewers (55%) didn't give it anything higher than a 3-star rating. One customer explained, "Charged the batteries fully overnight. Installed both batteries, which makes the blower pretty heavy. Just OK blowing power and batteries fully exhausted in 13 minutes. Returned it to Costco."

The BE Power 3400 PSI 2.4 GPM Gas Pressure Washer is another product you might want to avoid when shopping at Costco. However, unlike most of the other products on the list, the reason for the low customer ratings relates more to delivery. The pressure washer itself seems to work well, when it arrives intact. It has a 7-horsepower engine, a 36-inch high-pressure spray wand, and comes with various cleaning tools to add to its functionality. However, as mentioned earlier, many customers report delivery issues with damaged packaging and/or components.

Because there appear to be so many shipping-related problems, the pressure washer only has a 3.5-star rating, and that's based on more than 200 reviews. One customer wrote, "Purchased online, box arrived looking like it had been to war. Opened it up to find pretty much everything inside beat to heck. The actual machine itself was sporting a giant dent and smelled like oil. Didn't even make it past unboxing before I initiated a return."

The FlamePro 81"H Steel Patio Pellet Heater looks like it could make a nice addition to an outdoor patio. It features an 18-pound pellet hopper for up to four hours of burn time. And, with the gravity automatic feeding system, you should be able to sit back and let it do its job. The 75,000-BTU heater is designed to warm areas up to 120 square feet. However, if you've been debating whether patio heaters are worth the hefty price tag, this probably isn't the best one to try out. The general consensus seems to be that customers do not feel that it produces enough heat.

This pellet heater has been reviewed by more than 250 customers, and it has only a 3.4-star rating. Of these buyers, 43% didn't deem it worthy of a 4- or 5-star rating. And, 27% were so unhappy with its performance that they only gave it 1 star. "Returned this item after using only once, didn't put out anywhere near the heat it was supposed to. Nice ambience with the flames, but no heat," shared one individual.

To put together this list of home and garden products you might want to skip buying at Costco, we looked for items that had an average rating of 3.7 stars or lower. This made it clear that a large percentage of reviewers were not impressed with the item's quality, performance, value, or other features. And, with so many disappointed customers, we wouldn't want you to waste your hard-earned money on something that may not live up to your expectations.

While the average rating is important to consider, we also understand how one or two poor reviews could tank the average if only a few customers have evaluated the item. For this reason, we only selected products that had at least 30 reviews. This way, one or two disgruntled customers wouldn't be able to have such a drastic impact on the product's overall rating.