More Than 1 in 3 Americans Have a Tool or Appliance Upgrade on Hold, VEVOR Home Improvement Report Finds

Kitchen gear tops the backlog and price is the No. 1 reason for waiting. Only 1 in 10 strongly agree pro-level results require the most expensive tools.

HOUSTON, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- More than a third of Americans (35%) have a tool or appliance at home they've been meaning to upgrade but haven't, and two-thirds of them have been putting it off for six months or longer, according to The VEVOR Home Improvement Report: Black Friday Edition, a new survey from home improvement brand VEVOR.

Key Findings

• 35% of Americans have a tool or appliance upgrade on hold; 66% of them have waited six months or more
• Kitchen equipment (25%), power tools (20%) and lawn and yard equipment (15%) top the backlog
• Price is the top reason for waiting (44%); another 17% are holding out for a sale
• 1 in 5 Americans (21%) plan to buy home improvement tools or equipment this Black Friday–Cyber Monday
• Only 9% strongly agree that pro-level results require the most expensive tools; 66% lean the other way
• Among home improvement shoppers, the backyard and garden (41%), kitchen (34%) and garage or workshop (31%) top next year's upgrade plans

The Upgrade Backlog

Among Americans with a pending upgrade, the items waiting to be replaced span the categories most households manage:

• Kitchen equipment and appliances: 25%
• Power tools: 20%
• Lawn and yard equipment: 15%
• Outdoor and patio equipment: 10%
• Vehicle maintenance tools: 9%
• Hand tools: 7%
• Garage storage: 6%

For two-thirds of them (66%), the wait has lasted six months or longer. Among Americans with an upgrade on hold, 31% have been waiting less than six months, another 35% for six months to a year, 22% for one to two years and 9% for more than two years.

Why It's on Hold

Price tops the list. Among Americans with an upgrade on hold, 44% said the price is more than they want to spend — more than seven times the 6% who cited concerns about the quality of unfamiliar brands. Another 17% said they are holding out for a sale, 15% said the item still works, 9% were unsure which product to buy and 7% said they had not had time to research.

Black Friday Plans

Roughly 1 in 5 Americans (21%) have already decided, or are very likely, to buy a home improvement tool or piece of equipment during this year's Black Friday and Cyber Monday period. Add the 30% who say they might, and the share rises to 51%.

Among those planning to buy, price sensitivity is clear. The $100–$249 range is the most common target, picked by 39% of intending buyers, and 77% plan to spend less than $500.

Pro-Level ≠ Most Expensive

When Americans were asked to rate their agreement with the statement "To get professional-level results on a home improvement project, you have to buy the most expensive tools," on a scale of 1 (disagree) to 10 (agree), only 9% gave the statement an 8–10 rating. Roughly two-thirds (66%) rated the statement between 1 and 5.

Where Shoppers Plan to Upgrade Next

Among U.S. adults identified through YouGov profile data as having an interest in home improvement and DIY, the spaces they expect to tackle over the next year cluster around the home's everyday working areas. Respondents could choose more than one:

• Backyard and garden: 41%
• Kitchen: 34%
• Garage or workshop: 31%
• Patio: 29%
• Exterior: 25%
• Storage: 24%

Figures for backyard and garden through storage are based on the home improvement sample and are not nationally representative.

DIY Culture

Americans remain hands-on. Among U.S. adults surveyed, 59% reported personally completing hands-on work on at least one home, yard, garage or vehicle project in the past 12 months — 32% did most of the work themselves and another 27% worked on it with family or friends. Just 8% handed projects off entirely to professionals.

3 Tips Before You Upgrade This Black Friday

1. Start with the space you use most. For many shoppers, that's the backyard or the kitchen.
2. Read user reviews, not just specs. Look for verified reviews from people who used the product on a similar project.
3. Match the tool to the job, not the brand name. With only 9% of Americans strongly agreeing that pro-level results require the most expensive tools, fit and features matter more than a familiar label.

"Most people have one thing at home they've been meaning to upgrade — the mower that barely starts, the drill with a battery that won't hold a charge," said Gavin Wu, Brand Director at VEVOR. "Price is what keeps it on the list. And very few shoppers believe you need the most expensive tool to get a professional result."

Full results, charts and methodology are available at The VEVOR Home Improvement Report. Journalists can request breakdowns by age and income, or an interview with Gavin Wu.

About the Survey

The VEVOR Home Improvement Report: Black Friday Edition is based on two online surveys conducted by VEVOR using YouGov Surveys: Self-serve between September 24 and October 2, 2026.

The national sample comprises 804 U.S. adults aged 18 and over, weighted by age, gender and region. The home improvement sample comprises 1,002 U.S. adults identified through YouGov profile data as interested in home improvement and DIY and having completed a major home improvement project in the past 12 months. Figures describing Americans are based on the national sample. Figures describing home improvement shoppers are based on the home improvement sample and are not nationally representative.

About VEVOR

VEVOR is a leading global home improvement brand built on a simple promise: Pro-Level Performance Without the Pro-Level Price. From tools, garden and outdoor to kitchen, storage and automotive, VEVOR helps Home Creators upgrade their spaces with confidence. Today, VEVOR has supported over 30 million Home Creators worldwide.

Media Contact

VEVOR Communications Team
[email protected]

SOURCE VEVOR