New Home Depot Items To Avoid In 2026 (So Far)

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Home Depot was one of the pioneers of hardware superstores and, since opening its first store in 1979, has become the largest business of its kind in the world. An enormous range of products attracts both DIYers and contractors. I've been a professional carpenter and remodeler for over 25 years, and while I don't always shop there, its prices are usually competitive, and it's always worth keeping an eye on the deals. There are plenty of things you should be buying at Home Depot, but there are also items in 2026 that I think you should avoid.

I've chosen five products that aren't necessarily a complete write-off (in fact, some have their strong points), but each has one or more clear weaknesses that would make me look for an alternative. Three of them, unsurprisingly, are tool-related, and the fourth is a piece of furniture. So they're all well within my wheelhouse. The fifth is a grill, and while I'm no chef, I reckon I've done enough cooking outdoors to understand why you'd want to give a particular model a miss. Okay, let's take a closer look.

My first pick is the Ryobi 40V Lithium Ion 2Ah Battery and Charger, which costs $188.00. Ryobi has a well-deserved reputation for producing excellent cordless tools for the DIYer and gardener, and its 40V range is intended as a major performance increase over its 18V models. Most are for outdoor use with larger machinery like lawnmowers and chainsaws, where, understandably, power demands are higher.

I have no problem with the 40V models, but why offer a frankly pathetic 2Ah battery for them? For those who don't know, the voltage tells you how much actual power a tool delivers, while the Amp-hours (Ah) are like fuel. The higher the figure, the longer the equipment will run. So imagine you've invested in a high-performance device to help you rip through yard work more quickly, but then it's strangled by a short run time. Quite a few customers agree, with one saying the most he could get out of the 40V 2Ah battery was 15 minutes. If you're buying a 40V tool, buy the highest Ah battery you can afford. Certainly not less than 4Ah.

There's no device that DIYers use more than a drill driver, which is why it tops the list of must-buy power tools. DeWalt's reputation for professional-quality equipment is only rivaled by Milwaukee's, so finding a 20V DeWalt Drill/Driver Set with two batteries, a charger, a 21-piece drill bit set, and a carryall for just $99 might seem like a no-brainer.

When you look at the details, though, it's not quite the deal that it seems. The drill driver itself has an old-style brush motor that is a hangover from corded days. It's not bad, but it's not as efficient with battery life as the more modern brushless kind, and it's not likely to last as long. The batteries included are just 1.3Ah, and thankfully, there are two because you'll be changing them a lot. The titanium-coated drill bits are good, and the carryalls usually prove pretty durable.

Before the advent of brushless motors, this would have been a good buy, but now, if you're only going to use a drill driver occasionally, you can get budget kits for less. And if you're a frequent user, I'd suggest investing a bit more and getting an up-to-date model. All in all, I just can't see why the average person would buy this set.

Having mentioned how good Milwaukee tools are, the M12 FUEL 12V Hammer/Impact Drill and Spot Blower Kit at $289.00 is one I would give a miss. Compact 12V tools can be great for getting into small spaces, and these Milwaukee models have impressive performance figures. That said, they won't compete with 18V or 20V versions, and when it comes to hammer drills and impact drivers, there's no substitute for outright power. The inclusion of a 75-piece impact-rated bit set is a nice touch, as is the contractor bag. At 2Ah and 4Ah, the batteries should offer good run times. The drill and driver are not for me, but I could understand why people would buy them.

What really turns me off, though, is the compact spot blower. It's like a baby leaf blower and is supposed to be for quick clean-ups. Like blowing sawdust off of your workbench or sweeping the floor. It might be fast, but why would you want to blow dust all around the shop? It seems a very strange idea to me. What you want to do is use something like a shop vac to clear the dust and debris, not blow it all into the air.

Glacier Bay is one of Home Depot's own brands and, as such, is exclusive to the store. The range is extensive and will suit a wide variety of tastes, but my objection here is not about the look of the Rory 60 inch Double Sink Bathroom Vanity. That's a matter of personal choice. It's more about the materials and the way it's put together.

As a carpenter, I will admit to a certain bias against a lot of knock-down furniture. This unit does come ready assembled, but it appears to be made in a similar way. You will need to take some of it apart to get the plumbing in, which is common (instructions are available on the webpage). The headline description is white oak (or walnut), but later it is described as a white oak finish. In other words, a laminate over an MDF core. The top is engineered marble, which is basically particles of rock, dyes, and resin. In truth, it's probably more hard-wearing than real marble, but it's not real marble, and this vanity costs $1099.00.

Okay, you could argue that's not a bad price for a large piece, and Glacier Bay is known for being budget-friendly, but I would be concerned about long-term durability. MDF has little structural strength, so you must always lift this kind of vanity, not drag it, and it weighs 280 pounds. The instructions say it needs four people to move, so it just might not be the most practical.

I may not be an expert chef, but I've owned a few grills and cooked my share of burgers and steaks. At first glance, the Royal Gourmet Premium 5 Burner Gas Grill, which costs just $369.99, seems like a great value. If you were looking to save a few bucks by DIYing an outdoor kitchen space, you might well consider this as the centerpiece. There's a total of 768 square inches of cooking space that includes a warming rack and a pizza oven (which can be changed for a griddle at extra cost).

It looks like it's got a lot going for it. My concern is how well it will stand up to regular use. This one is new for 2026, so there's not a great deal of feedback yet, but older models in the range aren't rated particularly highly by owners. It seems they can be challenging to put together, and both quality and durability can be issues. To be fair, some people love it, but there are too many dissatisfied owners for my liking.