How Does Costco's Return Policy Stack Up To Home Depot's?

Costco and Home Depot have very different return policies that widely diverge depending on the product in question. For everyday items like kitchen decor, those would fall under each store's general return policy: Home Depot takes returns on most merchandise with proof of purchase within 90 days, whereas Costco's industry-leading general return policy allows for (more or less) any item at any time, regardless of packaging or proof of purchase. But each policy has exceptions, and a glaring one is kitchen appliances.

As you might guess from its expansive return policy for most merchandise, Costco has a relatively forgiving return policy for large kitchen appliances, including over-the-range microwave ovens. The store also provides limited warranty coverage in addition to the manufacturer's warranty.

Home Depot, on the other hand, has a remarkably restrictive return policy for large kitchen appliances. You essentially cannot use the appliance before deciding to return it, raising questions about what you can do if you didn't find out the appliance was defective until it was installed and didn't work. Costco shoppers have no such worries under its policy, which is worth exploring further.

Costco's return policy for large appliances is almost as forgiving as its general return policy. Appliances such as washers, dryers, refrigerators, dishwashers, freezers, ranges, cooktops, and over-the-range microwaves can all be returned within 90 days of purchase, for nearly any reason, including dissatisfaction.

90 days is a significantly longer window than most other appliance vendors, though Costco is strict about it. The only potential exception past the 90-day mark is if the appliance manufacturer sends a return approval to Costco's technical support and warranty department, which can then give final approval. But returns sometimes don't go as smoothly as they should, within or outside the 90-day window.

There are a lot of reasons to buy (or not buy) large appliances from Costco. Unfortunately, one drawback is a spotty return process. Some customers complain of scheduled pickups happening later than expected, sometimes significantly so. In one case, a shopper on Reddit said Costco never actually picked up the returned appliance, even though it issued a refund. Historically, Costco has contracted with third parties for delivery and pickup, but as of August 2025, it now handles those itself. Hopefully, this helps address common complaints.

Rather than having about three months to change your mind, Home Depot only allows 48 hours after delivery to initiate a return. The good news is that this doesn't include weekends, so you may have up to 96 hours depending on when the delivery happened. But it only gets more restrictive from there.

Home Depot will only accept a returned appliance if it is either damaged or defective and remains unopened, unused, and, if applicable, factory-sealed. This means that if you bought a bad appliance that doesn't work right out of the box, Home Depot won't take it back under any circumstances. You'll have to try your luck with the manufacturer.

Unfortunately, Home Depot's policy is close to the norm among many appliance retailers, which often have similarly tight restrictions on appliance returns. Some stores may give you slightly more time, but Costco's 90-day window is an unusual gem for appliance returns, one that Home Depot just cannot compete with.