Not Home Depot: The Best Places To Buy Affordable, Quality Bathroom Vanities

The bathroom may be one of the smallest rooms in the house, but tackling a remodel is not a minor undertaking. One of the most important pieces in a bathroom that can make or break the space is the bathroom vanity. You may not realize it, but you probably use your bathroom vanity more than any other item in the room. Between personal grooming, teeth brushing, hair styling, and storing your essentials, you need something that is going to perform reliably over the years without compromising on appearance. Unfortunately, when you walk into Home Depot, it can feel like you're stuck between cheap particleboard options and expensive custom sets. That's why this popular retailer may not be the best place to buy affordable, high-quality bathroom vanities.

Home Depot might not provide the best selection, but that doesn't mean you can't find something at alternative retailers. Lowe's offers a wide range of single and double vanities between $100 and $500. If you don't mind putting it together yourself, IKEA is another option that consumers praise for carrying quality bathroom vanities that don't break the bank. IKEA bathroom vanities are perfect for packing storage into a small space, and they are known for their simple, sleek designs. Additionally, there's always the option to shop secondhand — thrifting a vanity is surprisingly doable, and it will likely be the most affordable way to score a quality product.

Shopping online from stores like IKEA and Lowe's can help to expand your options beyond what you find in-store at Home Depot. Look for products made of durable materials like plywood, solid wood, or even steel. If these products are still a bit out of the budget, however, you can also find surprisingly good quality vanities by thrifting. 

Vanities are one piece of bedroom furniture you should find at thrift stores, but when it comes to bathroom vanities, you'll want to plan carefully. Bedroom vanities are furniture-style vanities that are designed for dressing and grooming, without the connection of a sink. A bathroom vanity, on the other hand, is usually connected to the wall to hide plumbing. That means you will need to consider not only the design and sturdy construction of the vanity, but the placement of your plumbing and how it will work with your chosen piece.

One place to consider shopping for affordable, quality bathroom vanities that will fit your style and your space is the Habitat for Humanity Restore. Habitat for Humanity is an international non-profit that works to recycle old building materials, including bathroom vanities. While you may run into some outdated bathroom vanity styles and colors to avoid in your space, it's always worth a look. Inventory is always changing, and you may just find your dream vanity hiding in plain sight. Alternatively, you can find solid wood vanities on local garage sale sites like Marketplace, Craigslist, or Nextdoor. You will most likely need to put in some effort to DIY pipe holes and install a sink in furniture-style vanities found through secondhand sales, but this is a fairly simple job.