I shopped at Home Depot and Lowe's for Halloween decorations, and I'd return to the more expensive store

Both have become popular Halloween shopping spots in recent years, partially as a result of the 12-foot-tall skeleton first sold by Home Depot in 2020.

After the massive decoration went viral, Lowe's introduced a giant mummy in 2022 and a 13-foot animated Jack Skellington this year.

The two stores have been competing ever since to deliver the best outdoor decor — giant animatronics and otherwise.

So, to kick off spooky season, I visited both Lowe's and Home Depot to see which had better offerings. In my opinion, the winner was clear.

It made sense to me that Halloween decor was displayed here, as most of the items available are meant for outdoor use.

It also meant the section was right near one of the store's entrances, which made it easy to find.

I loved how you could see the actual size of these decorations, with clear price tags stating how much each cost.

Most of the inflatables depicted licensed characters like Chucky and Stitch, while the light-up and animatronic decorations were more generic Halloween designs, like jack-o'-lanterns and ghosts.

Almost every decoration on this wall was in stock when I visited, which I appreciated.

The smaller inflatables retailed around $35, which I felt was a fair price, and the larger ones cost upwards of $130.

The animatronics were pretty impressive, though I noticed that they were all displayed on top of pallets, making them look a bit larger than they actually were.

Most of the animatronics also had "Try Me" buttons attached to them, which allowed shoppers to see the decorations in action if they wanted.

There was one set, however — two reaper-esque creatures with instruments — that moved and played a rendition of "I Love Rock 'N' Roll" nonstop. I had only been shopping for a few minutes when I heard the song for what felt like the 10th time in a row, much to my dismay.

Boxes of each animatronic were stacked behind the displays, allowing shoppers to load their carts with any they wanted to buy.

Prices for these pieces ranged between $199 and $348 each. Though the prices were steep, the animatronics were impressive, in my opinion.

Not only were there clear price tags on each decoration, but some also had notes listing how many of that specific piece were left in store.

There were pillows priced around $17 — not far off from what you'd pay at stores like Home Goods — and giant packs of fake spiderwebs for $7.

I also noticed $13 garden flags, $22 banners, $2 window clings, and dozens of other items. I thought some items were fairly priced and others a bit high, but the range of decor was so impressive that I knew most shoppers could find something in their budget.

There were "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" lights for $25, a Ghost Face door decoration for $20, and even a life-size Pennywise animatronic for $239.

I frequently shop at Spirit Halloween, and I know how often they sell out of merchandise from popular movies. So I was thrilled to learn that I could find similar items at Lowe's.

In addition to inflatable Mickey Mouse decorations and fall-themed Disney flags, there were also a good number of "Haunted Mansion" themed items.

Inspired by the Disney theme park ride — not the 2023 movie — there was an animatronic of a popular character, spooky lights, plush toys, and more.

As a huge fan of the franchise, I loved that I could shop for these items so far away from any Disney park.

After walking through Home Depot's Garden Center, I entered the store and found the Halloween section immediately. With massive animatronics on display, it was hard to miss.

Whereas Lowe's had one main animatronic display, Home Depot had two.

The latter store's options were also noticeably bigger, the "Try Me" buttons were neatly arranged on the floor, and the prices were lower.

Small animatronics cost around $90 and most larger ones were priced at $249.

Not only was the $399 decoration massive, but when you pressed the "Try Me" button it also moved smoothly, talked, and sang.

I'm not a huge fan of "The Nightmare Before Christmas," but there was no denying that it was one of the coolest Halloween decorations I've seen in stores this year.

At the store I shopped in, I noticed a few animatronic boxes lined against the floor and wall. Most of the bigger pieces like Jack Skellington, however, weren't there, meaning you'd need an employee to retrieve them from the stock room for you.

In an email sent to Insider, a representative for Home Depot said that "while it varies by store location," Halloween and holiday animatronics are typically "stocked in the aisles for shoppers to load into their own carts, as available."

"Of course, our associates are always there to help, should you need it!" they added.

There were a few generic inflatable decorations displayed against one wall and licensed Disney ones in another section. Still, compared to Lowe's, it seemed like Home Depot wasn't selling as many.

At the store I visited, there were also a few in boxes with no displays, which was disappointing since you couldn't tell exactly how big they were or what they looked like inflated. 

"We display select inflatables at Home Depot locations, but this does not encapsulate our entire, wide-ranging collection, which can be found online," a store representative told Insider. "To note, there are many Halloween items only available online."

Prices, however, were the same, with most small ones costing around $35 and larger ones priced around $150.

I was drawn to a shelf of pre-made jack-o'-lanterns priced upwards of $15, as some of the designs were really unique.

But I quickly noticed tons of empty spots on the shelves, and was a little disappointed that I may have missed out on the coolest ones.

I particularly loved a statue that was a mix of a bear, pumpkin, and skeleton. The decoration was unique and good quality for only $39.98, so I considered buying it.

Welcome mats were priced at $12.98, lighted decorations cost around $25, and fake animal skeletons cost approximately $13 — prices that I thought were a bargain in many cases.

Plus, I noticed that some basic decor was cheaper at Home Depot. Wooden signs, for example, were around $25 at Lowe's but $13 at Home Depot.

I truly enjoyed shopping for Halloween decorations at both stores and would return in the future. Still, I thought there was a better variety of Halloween items at Lowe's.

Sure, some things were slightly more expensive there. But the decor seemed to be of high quality and the designs stood out from decorations sold at other stores.

Home Depot did have Lowe's beat when it came to animatronics, in my opinion, but even then, there were a few unique ones at Lowe's that really stood out to me, like the realistic Pennywise.

With more than a month to go until Halloween, I'll probably visit both stores again. But if I get caught up in spooky festivities and only have time to shop at one, it'll be Lowe's.