5 Great Gift Ideas From Lowe's

Lowe's Home Improvement has become one of the preeminent locations in which to buy all the tools and materials homeowners need to tackle DIY projects in their home or yard. Some notable consumer ratings organizations have even named the big-box home improvement retailer the best in the business when it comes to customer satisfaction. 

While items like yard gear, power tools, appliances, and must-have DIY gadgets remain big sellers in many Lowe's brick-and-mortar stores and its online outlet, shoppers may be surprised to learn that the company has expanded its range of offerings beyond home improvement tools and materials over the years. In fact, these days the retail chain is stocking everything from outdoor furniture and homewares to the sort of cleaning supplies you might also find in your corner grocery store.

Many Lowe's outlets are also selling certain products that don't strictly exist within the realm of the home improvement arena at all. Indeed, some of those items might turn out to be the perfect gift for your friends or family at the next birthday or holiday. If you know where to look, you may just find the perfect gift idea at Lowe's.

While there is, admittedly, no hard data to back up this claim, we'd wager good money that there's a direct correlation between folks who enjoy working in their yard on the weekends and those who also enjoy getting out in the wilds to commune with nature. Assuming that is the case, it stands to reason that there may be some overlap between folks hitting up Lowe's Home Improvement outlets for yard care gear and those shopping elsewhere for outdoor gear. Lowe's may be seeking to bridge that gap by offering some outdoor items itself, including Oru's 1-Person Inlet Kayak.

There are, of course, other rafts and kayaks available through Lowe's, either online or in-store. We're highlighting Oru's 1-Person model in no small part because — with a rating of 4.7 stars out of 5 — it's one of the better-rated options available. So, if you're eyeing a gift for the river rat in your life, folks who've already purchased this kayak seem to believe it's worth the investment. So too do the pros at Kayak Angler.

Now for the bad news, which is that, at a cost of $899, the Oru Kayak is also one of the more expensive options out there. Either way, design is one of the more common points of praise for this plastic floater, as Oru gave it an origami-inspired style, allowing users to fold it up for easy storage and transportation. At a weight of just 20 pounds, it should be easy enough for most folks to carry, pack up, and bring along whenever they hear the call of the river.    

Of course, not everybody lives to get out in the sun and commune with nature during their downtime. If you are searching Lowe's Home Improvement's online outlet to find a gift for that certain someone who instead prefers to crank out some jams with friends in the basement or out on the backyard patio, iLive's Bluetooth Party Speaker may be the item you're looking for.

Lowe's is currently selling the iLive Speaker for $105.87, and if its 4.8-star user rating is any indication, it may be a steal at that price. As for those reviews, they are almost universally positive, with no customers rating the speaker below 3 stars. One of the few knocks against it is a perceived lack of punchy bass. Other than that, customers generally rave about the speaker's overall sound, as well as its lightweight build and general ease of use.

As far as functionality goes, the iLive Speaker is obviously Bluetooth compatible, meaning you can tune right into your favorite streaming service and kick out the hits you love with ease. You can also connect directly via USB if needed. It's also got a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack that should last roughly 3.5 hours at 50% volume. The speaker is pairable with another iLive speaker, too, and tripod-mountable if you're looking for a more professional setup. There's a microphone input as well for hosting a karaoke party, and the built-in colored lighting array is sure to add some legit party-time vibes, giving it a fun edge over some of the better Bluetooth speakers out there. 

Most people probably don't think about a day at the beach when they think about Lowe's Home Improvement. In truth, there's virtually no reason they should, as Lowe's has not, historically, offered its customers much in the way of wares fit for having a little fun in the sandy sun. That is no longer the case, however, with some Lowe's outlets now listing a few items that very much fit the bill. So, if you want to gift family or friends such an item, you should check out GoSports' beach-ready Slammo Set.

If you're not familiar with Slammo, it's a little bit like volleyball, except the net is not supported vertically. Instead, its tightened net stands on the ground in a circular frame. Players are meant to bounce a little ball directly on and off the net in attempts to prevent their opposition from making a return play. It's a game as fit for beach play as it is for the backyard, and can be loads of fun for the entire family. Yes, it's a good way for the fam to get a little exercise in the great outdoors, too, if you're looking to pry them away from the old gaming console. 

Since Lowe's is now selling the GoSports Slammo Set for just $39.99, it's also a relatively cheap way to score some prime family time to boot. That price also makes it far more affordable than some competitors like Spikeball. With a 4.8-star rating from users, satisfaction would hardly seem like a concern either. 

There are few things in this world that can inspire childlike glee in people, young or old, quite as fast as bubbles. So it is that bubble wands and fluids have been popular springtime and summertime fixtures throughout the world for as long as most people can remember. The making of bubble merriment has, of course, gone next level in recent years, with toy manufacturers making everything from bubble blasters to largely mechanized bubble-making machines that require little more than filling with fluid and pressing an "On" button.

If you're looking to bring some bubble joy to your backyard this year, Lowe's Home Improvement has you covered with the Funrise Gazillion Bubbles Bubble Maker. Dubbed a "next generation" bubble maker by the company, the device promises it will bring an "Instant Bubble Party" to any location it is deployed. The company claims its no-spill setup is even designed to recycle excess solution when needed. 

Those who have purchased a Funrise Bubble Maker would largely seem to back up those claims, rating it 4.6 stars. As far as complaints go, some users do note that the bubble maker runs through bubble solution with a quickness. Others bemoan that it is a battery-powered device that requires frequent changes. Nonetheless, most of the posted reviews note that the device was loads of fun for their kiddos, as it produces a massive amount of bubbles. At a cost of $29.98, it's a pretty cost-effective way to entertain kids, young and old, throughout the warmer seasons.

Lowe's Home Improvement stores are, obviously, still best known for selling gear for projects in the home or garden. So, if you've got someone in your life who considers themselves a true green thumb, such gear may be the gift of choice. You could choose to promote their garden activities by going all-in and setting them up with a backyard greenhouse like you might find at Harbor Freight Tools, though proper greenhouses are hardly cheap. Those in need of a less pricey option might consider Backyard Discovery's Aggie Cold Box Greenhouse Kit, which is essentially a miniature greenhouse. 

Said kit can be had for $349 these days, with users awarding it an impressive 4.9-star rating on its Lowe's product page. In fact, the only real negative comment lobbed against the kit is that its instruction manual may be difficult to understand for some. Apart from that, customers are almost overwhelmingly pleased with their purchase, with many praising the quality of the kit's materials along with its overall function.

On the latter front, the Cold Box Kit is pretty cool, in that it is designed to open and close automatically as needed based on changes in the weather, lifting when it's warm in the box and lowering when it's too cold. In terms of materials, the box is made from 100% real cedar wood with powder-coated steel legs. Meanwhile, the lid is made from double-sided polycarbonate panels, allowing for proper insulation without blocking natural light. The kit is also backed by a 5-year warranty.  

The purpose of this article is to highlight a few fun objects fit for the next gift-giving occasion that you may not realize are currently available through Lowe's Home Improvement. In selecting the items above, we took into consideration several factors, including price point, usability, and how well each has been rated by customers. Whenever they were available, professional reviews were also consulted.