More bang for your buck: 4th of July sales at home centers

The 4th of July sales at the country's two largest home centers could inspire a feeling of déjà vu—the deals these retailers are offering through the Independence Day holiday weekend and beyond have a lot in common.

At Home Depot, you'll find 10 percent savings on appliance purchases of $399 or more, and Lowe's is taking 10 percent all appliance purchases over $397. In the paint aisle, Home Depot will knock $5 off every gallon and $20 off 5-gallon pails, while Lowe's is offering mail-in rebates of $5 for gallon purchases and $20 rebates for 5-gallon pails. Home Depot and Lowe's are also offering payment and financing deals.

But price is just one shopping criterion—quality should be key, too. Consider interior paints. In our latest tests of interior finishes, Valspar (Lowe's) paints and Behr (Home Depot) paints were both highly rated in all three sheens we tested (flat, low-luster, and semigloss). Since the Lowe's holiday sale is good only for Olympic paints, which we rated below Behr in all categories, you might want to buy your paints at Home Depot.

The shopping experience and quality of service are two other major factors in deciding where to shop. Neither big-box retailer excels in customer service and support, according to our new survey of 20,000 subscribers about shopping at home centers, independent stores, and online retailers. Lowe's outranked Home Depot for product selection and shopping ease, and the checkout lines move faster at Lowe's. (Who's otherwise pleasant shopping excursion hasn't been ruined by an interminable checkout wait?)

Learn where to buy appliances (from our August 2008 issue) and find out much more about kitchen remodeling.

If your 4th of July break don't include shopping—and we applaud you for that—use our Outdoor Living Guide to make the most of your time off and perhaps even plan a staycation.—Daniel DiClerico

Essential information: Check out our brand-new Home Improvement Guide interactive, which offers buying advice on appliances, tools, and building materials for every area of your home.