Because Aldi products are often less expensive than their name-brand counterparts, people often wonder about their quality. Durability in Aldi products can vary, but overall I’ve had positive experiences. Here are a few of my family’s favorite Aldi items that have stood the test of time. We’ve owned these items for anywhere from one year to almost ten years. So, come take a tour of Aldi products in our house.
Note: All of these items are Special Buys (ALDI Finds), which means they are only in stores for a limited time, but they usually reappear in stores around the same time each year on a cyclical basis.
Gardenline Double Glider
Thoughts: I bought this glider in the spring of 2010 for $50 at Aldi, and it has been a rock star in terms of durability. It is the oldest Aldi non-food product my family owns. Sometimes the screw caps on the moving glider parts fall off, but we just twist them back on. Occasionally the glider gets squeaky, but a little WD-40 fixes that. The legs have also left some rust marks on our porch, but a good cleaning product may be able to take care of that.
An important disclosure: our front porch, where we keep this glider, is covered by a roof. Our glider gets exposed to intense morning sun and Midwest temperature extremes (we leave it on the porch year-round), but it rarely gets rain or snow on it, so I think that has prolonged its lifespan. In contrast, some relatives of mine kept their Aldi glider on an uncovered patio that was completely open to the elements, and the mesh seat ripped after a few seasons of use. They also dealt with rust on the glider frame.
Full review: here
Gardenline Two-Person Swing
Thoughts: My husband picked this up in the early fall of 2014 when we spotted it on clearance for half off (only $50!) at Aldi. Parts of the frame where the canopy screws on are rusting, and we lost one of the stabilizing feet off one of the legs on the bottom of the frame, but that is not a big deal and the swing is still usable. I store the cushions indoors when not in use, so they aren’t exposed to rain and other elements. I also store the canopy and the swing seat in a shed during the off season, leaving just the metal frame outdoors year-round. The canopy is developing some small tears and thin spots, and I’m not sure if it will last through the coming season. Still, we’ve gotten almost five years of use out of this $50 product, and even if we have to eventually stop using the canopy, this remains a fully functional swing that we paid very little money for.
Full review: here
Kitchen Living Skillet
Thoughts: We owned this skillet for several years. It was solid and durable, and it cooked food evenly. We finally got rid of it after the nonstick coating began to chip, but that was after we had cooked many meals in it over several years.
Full review: here
Easy Home Clothes Drying Rack
Thoughts: I have owned this for at least three years, and it works as well as it did the day I bought it. It sees regular use because I air dry all of my shirts and many of my children’s clothes. I liked Aldi’s drying rack so much I bought a second one for $9.99 last year to accommodate my family’s laundry needs.
Full review: here
Sempre Digital Weather Station
Thoughts: We bought this weather station in 2016 to replace an old name-brand station. The outdoor humidity reading is no longer accurate, but otherwise the station works well. Initial setup was easy and the display looks cool, and the precipitation forecast is about as accurate as a name-brand weather station.
Full review: here
Easy Home Torchiere Floor Lamp
Thoughts: We bought this in January of 2017 and use it daily in a kid’s room. We put in a better light bulb than what it originally came with, but otherwise we are happy with the lamp. It’s sturdy and shines a light where we need it.
Full review: here
Gardenline Garden Trellis
Thoughts: I’ve owned two of these trellises for at least five or six years, and I purchased one of them on clearance for only $3 or $4. I like the decorative birds on these, and they look pretty much like they did when I bought them, with no signs of rust and still structurally sound. Sometimes the legs that stick into the ground bend a bit if I am not careful when I move the trellis, but they can be bent right back into place and the trellis still provides good support for my plants. I’ve always placed it near/against my wood fence for stability. Over the years, I’ve grown sugar snap peas and thornless blackberries (pictured above) on these trellises.
Gardenline Shepherd’s Hook
Thoughts: I bought this shepherd’s hook at the same time that I bought my first trellis from Aldi. They coordinate well because they both have those metal decorative birds on them. This hook is at least five or six years old, but it’s been so long that I really can’t remember. It’s still going strong, has never bent or warped or rusted, and it is helping to feed lots of hummingbirds and woodpeckers in my yard.
Gardenline Raised Garden Bed
Thoughts: This is a more recent Aldi purchase from the spring of 2018. I’ve had it for just over one year and it shows no obvious signs of weathering, warping, cracking, or fading. I have friends who have used the Aldi garden beds for years with good results. I anticipate getting many seasons out of my Aldi raised garden bed.
Full review: here
What are some Aldi products that have held up well over time for you? Let us know in the comments.
