16 Costco Outdoor Products You'll Want To Avoid, Based On Customer Reviews

Costco offers outdoor items across a range of categories. Many of these outdoor products earn positive praise from Costco members. But reviews for other items show recurring problems and a high return rate. To make sure you invest in the right equipment, these are 16 of the Costco outdoor products you'll want to avoid based on customer reviews.

We combed every Costco outdoor category and identified products with the lowest ratings and recurring customer complaints. Each product on this list has less than a 4-star rating, and at least 15% of its reviews are 1-star ratings. With such low endorsement by real buyers, there's reason to be wary of adding these items to your Costco cart.

The concept of this sleek, steel fire pit table is great, but the execution is poor. The challenge is that the push-button ignition often fails. Customers consistently report challenges igniting the flame, and some say that even when successful, the flame goes out quickly.

There are about two dozen reviews for The Real Flame Monaco Steel Fire Pit Table at Costco. It has a meager rating of 3.3 stars, and more than one-third are single-star reviews. The biggest problem is that the flame function doesn't work well, and that's really the big appeal of this fire pit table. One disappointed buyer reports: "It had troubles turning on and once it finally did, the flame died within minutes. I then researched previous reviews and found the same thing happening to other people, which is making me think Costco should reconsider selling this product."

The Mirador Metal Storage Box is meant to be durable and secure. However, the product falls short because it frequently arrives damaged. According to reviewers, the panels are often bent out of shape. That makes assembly a real challenge and compromises the overall structure of this storage box.

This product has an average rating of 3.6 stars, based on 136 reviews. Of those, 28 are single-star reviews, and many cite damage as the key complaint. One reviewer rolled the dice and bought this storage box anyway but sums up his experience this way: "Despite warnings from other buyers about receiving damaged units, I took a chance on the Mirador deck box and was extremely disappointed with its condition upon arrival. The deck box arrived with significant damage, particularly at the corners, where multiple panels were bent. This damage prevented the panels from sliding into the grooves of the channels, making assembly impossible."

Despite featuring a kink prevention feature on the hose's packaging, the Flexon 5/8 in. x 100 ft. Contractor Grade Hose is best known for kinking, based on reviews. If you've ever struggled to water your garden because of problems with a hose, you know how frustrating it can be when the water pressure is interrupted by kinks. Plus, this hose also draws complaints for being very rigid. 

Of the 462 reviews for this hose at Costco, 25% of them are 1-star ratings. The average rating for the hose is 3.4 stars. Because of the persistent problems, this hose is frequently returned. One frustrated buyer had this to say: "This is the worst hose I have ever used. At 55 degrees in Colorado this hose feels like rigid PVC pipe and somehow kinks every four feet. Hose is so rigid it won't even lay flat."

The most unique thing about the Evergreen Solar Smart Hummingbird Feeder is its integrated 2K HD camera and the associated app. Unfortunately, reviewers say that the app is hard to use. But perhaps the biggest flaw of this Costco outdoor product is that the dispenser constantly leaks, according to reviewers. That causes the feeder to need frequent refilling and defeats the purpose of using a hummingbird feeder to attract more feathered friends to your yard.

At Costco, this feeder has a rating of 3.3 stars. About 30% of the reviews are single-star ratings. Most of these poor reviews center on the flawed dispenser. For instance, this buyer says, "I really like everything about the feeder. The only problem was that it leaked the minute I hung it. There is no way to fix the leak, it wasn't from the seal. I returned the feeder. Reviews show that I'm not the only one that had that problem."

The Broil King Baron 440C Gas Grill earns low marks from buyers because of challenging assembly. Customers frequently report receiving a grill with missing parts. That happened to this reviewer, who says, "The grill was very difficult to install with missing parts and we returned it for a Weber which was a dream to install."

Missing parts can be frustrating during assembly, but in the case of this grill, the problem is compounded by a lack of customer support. According to reviewers, the company's customer service leaves a lot to be desired. A dissatisfied reviewer says, "Customer Service is terrible in Canada. Do not trust what the representative tells you. Even after you give them your model number and part number they still will send you the wrong parts." Not surprisingly, the Broil King Baron 440C Gas Grill has an average rating of only 3.5 stars.

Compared to a gas snow blower, a battery-powered model promises freedom from filling up the gas tank and generates less noise during operation. But before you make the switch and buy the Greenworks 80V 22-inch Snow Thrower from Costco, consider the poor reviews left by buyers. There are frequent comments about the snow blower being cheaply made and failing to start.

This model has just a 3-star rating on the Costco website. More than a third of the reviews are single-star ratings. Regarding the snow blower's quality, here's what one buyer had to say, "I bought this item two weeks ago. When it arrived I put it together and it didn't work. Called customer service and no offer for aggravation. Returned it to the store. The switch on the snow thrower is cheaply made and obviously didn't work." 

The limitations of the Fanttik K100 Flip Foldable Pressure Washer have been a major turn-off for Costco customers. Buyers have been frustrated to discover that this compact alternative to a pressure washer can't be connected to a hose. Instead, you'll have to use a bucket as the water source. Adding to the frustration is the fact that it's difficult to keep the water intake hose submerged in the bucket. When it does work, customers complain of low water pressure.

These shortcomings are reflected in the pressure washer's 3.5-star rating. Of the 155 reviews, over 20% are just one-star ratings that focus on the challenges of using the tool. For instance, one frustrated buyer says, "Do not buy unless you expect to carry a bucket of water with you!" Another reviewer thought that this cordless pressure washer would be more convenient than a regular pressure washer. However, the reviewer says, "I thought it being lighter and portable would be good, but turns out not the case. The power wasn't that much and you can get the same with a hose and nozzle."

Among Costco's outdoor power tools, you'll find the HOTO 20V Cordless Leaf Blower. This electric yard tool offers three power settings, but since buyers complain about insufficient air volume, you'll most likely want to use it at top speed. The downside of that plan is very poor battery life. Reviewers report that this cordless blower only works for about 4 minutes when used at top speed. (It turns out that's not a fluke, since the manufacturer lists 4 minutes as the expected runtime for this mode.)

This leaf blower has an average rating of 3.6 stars, with nearly 19% of the reviews being single-star ratings. The poor ratings revolve around battery life problems. One reviewer expresses disappointment with the tool and says, "This product did not meet my expectations. The battery life is significantly reduced when using the turbo mode, lasting only a few minutes. Additionally, the power output was weak."

The Keter Cortina Mega Storage Shed has a top-opening, hinged lid and a pair of front-facing doors that give easy access to the storage space inside. Despite those conveniences, customers are often frustrated with the function and quality of the shed. Numerous Costco reviews mention that this product arrives damaged, and others cite problems with the hinges and hardware failing.

This outdoor storage shed has a 3.3-star rating at Costco. Out of the 166 reviews, 46 of them are one-star ratings. For some buyers, the negative experiences start as soon as they unpack the shed from the box. That was the case for this reviewer, who says, "Half of the panels had damage ranging from flimsy end cuts to an entire 6 inch section being splintered off and unusable." Another reviewer was able to successfully build the storage shed but experienced problems shortly afterward. The reviewer says, "After a period of time the shelf just fell out with the screws tearing large holes in the interior walls. Also, the left door sometimes fell out of its hinges. The screws and hardware that are included cannot be any worse."

The SaluSpa Santa Monica Inflatable Spa is a round hot tub that fits 5 to 7 people. It promises inflation in just five minutes. However, customers complain that this inflatable hot tub doesn't hold air, rendering it useless. One reviewer describes their experience with the hot tub this way: "I spent 3 days of my life tending to this hot tub. It would not hold air. I checked everywhere for cracks and holes. We retightened all knobs and listened for leaks. Unfortunately I had to return it but thank you Costco for making the return process smooth."

This inflatable hot tub has an average rating of 3.7 stars at Costco. Of the reviews, 20% are single-star ratings. It turns out that air leakage isn't the only problem that customers have faced with the SaluSpa Santa Monica model. One customer tried to use it despite the fact that it wouldn't hold air by adding more air every time they wanted to use the hot tub. But once a new problem started with an error message on the control pad, the customer gave up and returned the hot tub.

The Aiper Surfer S1 is a robotic pool skimmer powered by solar. That's an appealing prospect if you start to see signs that your pool is in dire need of a cleaning but are short on time for daily maintenance. But there are some commonly reported shortcomings of the Aiper Surfer S1 to consider. For starters, it often gets stuck in corners or by pool ladders, according to reviewers. That was the experience of this Costco buyer, who says, "Disappointing skimmer performance ended with a return. I love the concept, the solar power was great and initially the unit ran all day in my pool. It did occasionally get stuck in corners, in the skimmer area and near the stairs. When it did this, it would disconnect from Bluetooth so you couldn't steer it out. You had to manually move it and restart it."

Compounding the navigation problems is a shortcoming in the way that it stores collected debris. There's no backflow prevention, so if you're not careful when picking up the skimmer, it will dump all of the debris back into your pool. For these reasons and other problems noted by reviewers, this pool skimmer earns less than a 4-star review at Costco. More than 20% of the reviews are single-star ratings.

A greenhouse is a tried-and-true way to extend the growing season for plants. And even if you're not into gardening, there are other ways to use a backyard greenhouse when you aren't growing plants. The Canopia by Palram Balance 8 ft. Series Greenhouse has clear polycarbonate panels to let light in, and vented windows provide air circulation as needed. However, the reviews for this Costco outdoor product leave a lot to be desired. Customers are especially dismayed by the quality of the plastic panels, comparing them to the thickness of produce containers.

Out of more than 500 reviews, 22 percent are one-star ratings. The average rating for this greenhouse is 3.4 stars on Costco. The recurring theme is that the greenhouse doesn't hold up to wind well. Take this reviewer's experience as a warning example: "Putting together the greenhouse step-by-step is a wonderful experience. But it is all downhill from there. The panels of the greenhouse frequently pop out of place under windy conditions. After that happens, the integrity of the structure is never the same. One by one, different panels start giving way as the wind finds the weaknesses in the structure and bends panels out of place."

The Beaumont 60-inch CGH Cascading Leaves Fountain is designed to be an attractive addition to your home. The fountain produces a soft, trickling water sound, but its performance is hampered by pump problems. Costco customers say that the pump is loud, hard to adjust, and sometimes fails to work.

This outdoor fountain has an average rating of 3.6 stars at Costco, with 16% being one-star reviews. Some reviewers point out that the fountain has aesthetic appeal, but there's frequent mention of trying to tinker with the fountain to get it to work right. As an example, one reviewer writes: "I've had this on my patio for about a month now. I've had to disassemble it many times to adjust the pump. Initially, it was a matter of adjusting flow for trickle noise. Now I'm having intermittent problems with the pump not working which doesn't appear to be caused by clogs."

A pair of Motorola's T600 two-way radios can communicate across a distance of up to 35 miles. However, these radios are frequently returned because of poor battery life and charging problems. Says one customer, "The battery specs are not nearly as good as advertised. Read all the other reviews reporting this performance shortfall and disappointment. The batteries don't last, and they have problems charging."

The radios have an average rating of 3.1 stars. Of the 85 ratings, nearly 30% are one-star reviews. Compounding the battery life problems, Costco reviewers often experience poor reception while using these two-way radios. "We could not get more than about 4 blocks away. Did not find any channel that had any longer range," reports one frustrated reviewer.

The CORE 12' x 10' Center Push Mesh Screenhouse is designed to be easy to set up and disassemble. Rather than adjusting each leg individually, you push a center mechanism to set all six legs and give the screenhouse stability. Reviewers agree that this part is easy, but the trouble with the screenhouse is the quality of the fabric and mesh.

Based on the product's 3.7-star rating at Costco, there's room for improvement with this screenhouse. One reviewer shared this experience: "Bought this and really loved it the first season we had it up. Easy to set up and take down. Last summer (second season of use) the fabric at one of the peaks developed a small tear and mosquitoes found their way in. We were gentle with putting it up and taking it down and for $200 I was hoping to get a few years use out of it."

The Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ Telescope is a backyard telescope that includes an eyepiece kit and smartphone adapter. Promising a simple, tool-free setup, the idea is that you'll be ready to use this telescope for day or night viewing with minimal assembly. The reality is that reviewers find the telescope stand to be wobbly and the knobs hard to adjust, making it frustrating to use. "My son and I spent an hour assembling it and struggling to tighten the adjustment hinges and after all that we couldn't see anything in focus," says one customer.

There are more than 350 reviews for the telescope at Costco, and the average rating is 3.8 stars. Almost 18% of the reviews are single-star ratings. The poor ratings usually focus on adjustment problems. Says one reviewer, "I have been stargazing with backyard telescopes for over 45 years, and purchased this for easy transport on occasional trips out of town on the assumption that Celestron would produce a quality product. This isn't one. The pointing mechanism is hard to use, with the fine control knobs being loose and having a very limited run, and the coarse knobs slewing the telescope when tightened."

To find the worst Costco outdoor products, we identified the items with the lowest ratings from any outdoor category on the website. Products we considered had less than a 4-star rating. For all of the items we recommend that you steer clear of, at least 15% of the reviews were just a single star. We carefully compared the reviews to determine any recurring flaws that qualified the product to be on this list.