5 Budget-Friendly Appliances You Can Find At Home Depot
Home Depot is one of the best-known retailers where shoppers can find hardware for DIY or home improvement projects, including must-have tools for your home garage. However, the big-box store also has plenty of room on its shelves for not just tools and hardware equipment, but appliances too. Even better, many of these appliances won't break the bank and can be found at affordable prices.
The appliances available from Home Depot (including its online store, if you prefer to shop online), can be used in nearly every room in your home, from the kitchen to the living room, and include devices that will help make cooking, cleaning, and maintaining your home much less of a chore than it needs to be. Here are five budget-friendly appliances you can find at Home Depot, based on strong reviews from those who have tested and used them, including Home Depot customers and expert reviewers at reputable publications. More information on how these appliances were evaluated can be found at the end of this list.
Black+Decker Vitessa Advanced Steam Iron
If you need a new iron, the Black+Decker Vitessa Advanced Steam Iron is a great option from Home Depot. The design of its Even Steam TrueGlide Nonstick Soleplate allows for more consistent steam to spread from top to bottom. It can also be used in short bursts as a vertical steamer for particularly stubborn wrinkles.
For some appliances — including steam irons — simpler is better, which is another reason the Vitessa is a great choice. The device's steam and temperature settings are controlled by a single, convenient dial, so you can easily switch between garments and fabrics. It's also got a large capacity water tank so you won't have to constantly refill the unit, and its anti-drip design will keep water off your clothes and ironing board. Other features include a retractable cord, auto shutoff, integrated mister, and a handy, labor-saving auto-clean system.
Despite the solid performance and features of the appliance, it's still an affordable option. After testing 30 different options, The Spruce found the Vitesssa to have the "best value" in its list of the best steam irons of 2024, though it noted a couple of drawbacks, including the lack of a ready light and separate settings for cotton and linen fabrics. If these aren't issues for you, you can purchase the Black+Decker Vitessa Advanced Steam Iron from Home Depot for $28.40.
Hamilton Beach Stainless Steel Electric Kettle
A watched pot never boils, but you can observe an electric kettle heat your water in a flash with the Hamilton Beach Stainless Steel Electric Kettle. If you've never used an electric kettle to heat water for your tea or coffee, you might be surprised at just how convenient it is to use than a microwave or stovetop. It has dual water windows, marked measurements, and an easy-pour spout, allowing you to fill the container with cold water or pour out hot water with the exact amount you need. The kettle is separate from the corded heating mount, so you're also not restricted by cord length when you pour. Its stainless steel construction will help keep the contents warm for a while, so you can leave it on your table for convenient refills.
The kettle can hold 1.7 liters and runs at 1,500 watts. A removable mesh filter and concealed heating element make it easy to keep clean and sanitary. If aesthetics are important to you, the kettle looks great in modern and classic kitchens and comes in two different color options: stainless steel and a sleek, stylish red.
Plus, it's cheap. In its list of the best electric kettles of 2024, Wirecutter named Hamilton Beach's model its budget pick, praising its heat-safe handle and simple on/off switch, saying it's "very straightforward to operate." Unlike pricier models, however, you can't set what temperature you'd like, and it won't alert you when it's done — but it does have an auto shut-off feature for added safety. Home Depot sells the Hamilton Beach Stainless Steel Electric Kettle for $36.99.
Panasonic 1250W Inverter Microwave
Panasonic topped SlashGear's list of major microwave brands ranked worst to best, and Home Depot carries one of the manufacturer's greatest models: the Panasonic 1,250W Inverter Microwave. With 1,250 watts, the appliance can heat food quickly and thoroughly, and its patented inverter technology helps prevent cold insides and overcooked outsides while helping food retain its color, texture, and nutrients.
The device also includes a turbo defrost option for much faster thawing. A built-in sensor can also automatically adjust the power levels and cooking times, so you don't have to stress about overcooking or undercooking your meal. Fourteen different cook settings using this sensor are included, as well as reheat and keep-warm features that allow you to use your microwave like you would a traditional oven.
At 2.2 cubic feet, the appliance is a little larger than most standard countertop microwaves, so if you've got a small kitchen you may want to opt for a different model. If you've got room for it, however, you'll appreciate extra space when heating or cooking larger dishes. Home Depot shoppers don't seem to have a problem with its size either, as nearly 600 customers have given the product a combined user rating of 4.5 out of 5, with three-quarters of those who've purchased it also recommending it. You can purchase the Panasonic 1,250W Inverter Microwave (product code NN-SN936) from the retailer for $279.
Shark Navigator Upright Vacuum
Shark is one of the best names in vacuum cleaners, with its IX141 Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum topping SlashGear's list of the best cordless vacuums available for under $200. If you prefer the extra oomph that comes with using corded cleaners, you can choose the Shark Navigator Upright Vacuum, which is also affordable, and has been named "best budget upright vacuum" by Wirecutter for six years running. The strong suction and deep cleaning it provides to both hard floors and carpets make the appliance ideal. It's designed to capture 99.99% of dust and allergens (0.3 microns or larger) before emitting air back into the air.
Perhaps its most useful feature is its Lift-Away detachable pod, which allows you to use a foot pedal and handheld control to access more areas, including stairs and furniture. Advanced swivel steering grants you more maneuverability in tight spaces and corners, while integrated powerful LEDs on the nozzle can reveal debris hiding in shadows and low-lit spaces. Other attachment tools can assist with hard-to-reach areas and stubborn pet hair.
If you've got delicate flooring that's easy to scratch or carpets that are hand-knotted or especially thick, then you might want to go with a different model with a cleaning head more sensitive to those surfaces. Otherwise, the Shark Navigator Upright Vacuum would be a great addition to your cleaning appliance arsenal and can be purchased for $179.99 from Home Depot.
Presto PopLite Hot Air Countertop Popcorn Popper
The Presto PopLite Hot Air Countertop Popcorn Popper proves that you can quickly and easily make tasty, fresh-popped popcorn without a microwave. It's also a handy appliance if you're on a budget, since it's cheaper to buy kernels in bulk than in microwavable bags, while also having the option to upgrade to gourmet kernels if you wish.
The PopLite can make up to 18 cups of popcorn in less than 2.5 minutes and leaves very few unpopped kernels. Using hot air to cook, you can easily enjoy the tasty treat with no salt or artificial flavors added, making it a healthier way to snack. Of course, you may want to indulge a little by adding butter, in which case you can use the included butter melter that conveniently doubles as a measuring cup. The popper is designed to deliver popcorn right to your bowl by pouring it from its chute, and its base and cover are both easy to wipe clean. It's also a stylish device, with four retro colors to choose from: red, yellow, teal, and an aqua/white mix.
In its list of the top popcorn makers of 2024, The Spruce Eats named the Presto PopLite its best overall choice, praising its simple setup and fast, effective popping, among other features. While the publication's review is very positive, it does note that the product needs some time to cool down between batches and — somewhat frustratingly — has no on/off switch. The Presto PopLite Hot Air Countertop Popcorn Popper is available for just $29.99 from Home Depot.
How these budget-friendly appliances were selected
To ensure that the budget-friendly appliances found at Home Depot included on this list are worthy of your investment, only items that have been vetted and given positive feedback have been selected. By relying on the first-hand experience of reviewers, you can be much more confident that these devices are useful, reliable, and work as advertised.
Four of the five products on this list were selected because they had strong reviews from experts who personally tested them, vetting the appliances for reputable publications that specialize in reviewing appliances, tools, and other equipment. These publications include The New York Times Wirecutter and The Spruce, as well as the latter's kitchen-centric offshoot, The Spruce Eats. Additionally, the fifth product — the Panasonic 1250W Inverter Microwave — has strong reviews from Home Depot shoppers who've bought and used it, with 75 percent of buyers recommending the product. The microwave has a 4.5 out of 5 user score, which is averaged from the ratings of nearly 600 Home Depot customers — so you don't have to worry about this score being skewed by any ratings (positive or negative) that were made in bad faith.
Furthermore, none of the products recommended above cost more than $300. None of these Home Depot appliances are exceedingly expensive, while also still being high-quality products that can make great additions to your home.