13 Overpriced Walmart Furniture and Decor Items You Should Skip

It seems like there are only two options for furniture these days: super expensive or half a step above cardboard.

Walmart has often been the go-to store for inexpensive furniture options, but in recent years, shoppers have noticed that the price keeps increasing while the quality keeps decreasing. 

There are lots of great ways to save money on Walmart essentials, but when it comes to furniture there are some that just aren't worth it.

See what furniture options you should avoid at Walmart, so you aren't throwing your money away.

Price: $169.99

These bookcases might look nice, but that's a hefty price tag for cheap particleboard with uneven shelves. It's rated as P2 grade material which is the second worst grade, with P7 being the highest.

Opt for a solid wood cubby storage option instead.

Price: $240.99

This dresser is being sold under several different brands, including Tvilum on Amazon, and all the reviews are terrible. The product title includes the description "oak," but it's entirely made of particleboard that customers complain breaks easily.

Every part of the dresser has complaints of breaking, including the screws that hold it together. Half of the Amazon reviews are one star, and 77% of Walmart reviewers agree.

Price: $684

A bed that folds up into a cabinet seems convenient, but the reviews are riddled with complaints. The description boasts a pine wood construction, but most of it is actually particleboard.

Many shoppers complained it had missing or broken parts that didn't fit together properly, and those who did manage to get it together discovered it was extremely difficult to find a mattress to fit it.

Price: $174 (on sale from $198)

It's rare to find a futon that is as equally bad at being a bed as it is a couch. Customers report their guests chose to sleep on the floor rather than deal with this monstrosity. Those lucky enough to receive all the pieces undamaged learned that it struggled to maintain position, and since both the back and two armrests are "adjustable," the futon can stuck in several configurations.

The padding is also too thin, so most people can feel the metal bars beneath while trying to relax.

Price: $39.75

Have you ever used a table so bad it's not even worth $40? A third of reviews on this coffee table rate it as one star. The problems start from assembly, with many complaining it's both complicated and doesn't fit together correctly.

Many customers who did put it together had it break within weeks (sometimes days) because it's made from cheap particleboard. If you read the fine print, you'll also see the table has a maximum weight capacity of 20 pounds.

Price: $129.99 (on sale from $199.99)

Skip the gaming chair and go for a high-end ergonomic office chair, if you want the best bang for your buck.

If you must have a gaming chair, it's best to avoid one that several reviewers claim breaks in half after minimal use.

Price: $108

If you're going to invest money on any piece of furniture, you want it to be your mattress. Avoid outdated spring mattresses and go directly to memory foam or another modern material.

Unhappy reviewers indicate the too-cheap-to-be-good six-inch mattress immediately malfunctioned, either by never fully expanding once out of the box or because the springs spilled out the sides later.

Price: $129.97 (on sale from $149.98)

Three seat cushions may lead one to believe a couch is full-sized, but in this case, the pictures are misleading and disguise that it's more of a loveseat size with a weight limit of only 330 pounds— which is pretty low even for a loveseat.

The low capacity is likely due to the engineered wood frame that balances on four angled legs that reviewers say are unstable. Over a third of reviewers gave the couch just one star, with a common complaint being that the cushions are hard and thin.

Price: $69.99 (on sale from $140.60)

The description says these are leather chairs on a steel frame, but in actuality, they have iron tube frames with a pleather upholstery. The stated weight capacity is 264 pounds each, but that's only when they're firmly situated with all four legs on the ground. If they tilt at all, those tube frames could crumble.

It makes sense why nearly a third of reviewers gave these chairs a one-star rating.

Price: $129

This desk looks cute, but many of the reviewers give it one star because it's not sturdy enough to be a desk. It's crafted mostly from MDF, particleboard, and paperboard—which probably explains why many of the complaints were that the desk fell apart during or immediately after assembly.

There are also many negative comments about the pre-drilled holes being unaligned or the wrong size.

Price: $632

You want a sturdy kitchen island that can hold up food prep, but this model struggles to survive just the shipping process causing it to arrive extremely damaged or missing significant parts, according to customer reviews.

The product description only indicates the island is made of wood, but customer pictures reveal much of it is particle board—especially bad for kitchen furniture that might get wet.

Price: $338 (on sale from $592)

The herringbone pattern finish on this dresser is eye-catching, but reviews indicate it is easily damaged.

Nearly a third of customer reviews give the dresser a one-star rating, with the biggest complaint being incorrect pre-drilled holes and poorly cut pieces that made it impossible to assemble correctly.

Price: $260.99

How much do you want to pay for a broken mirror? A whopping 67% of the reviews give this vanity one star, and nearly all of them are because the mirror arrived shattered. Save yourself the hassle of returning this and just skip it altogether.

Finding deals at Walmart on furniture can seem like a great way to save money shopping, but savvy shoppers will want to keep an eye on what kind of materials are used to make sure the purchase will last. Particleboard and MDF are both technically wood, but they aren't solid wood which makes a big impact on lasting quality.

Always examine furniture carefully and consider if the price is worth the expected longevity. A low price tag isn't so low if it needs to be replaced frequently.