8 of the Best Appliance Shopping Tips (they’re easy)
If you’re ready for a big appliance purchase I’ve got a few appliance shopping tips right here!
So you’re in the market for a new refrigerator or oven? Or even a great new grill for your backyard?
Unless you move pretty regularly into a new build, you’re probably not going to purchase new appliances very often. In fact you may go years without ever even having to consider appliance shopping, and then you need a new fridge and you need it right away!
So how do you choose the best model at the best price?
I hope that you’re lucky enough to only need new appliances when you’re upgrading or remodeling and not that something stopped working and you’re desperate to have it replaced!
If you’re upgrading congratulations – that’s the best time to shop for appliances.
If your fridge went out, I’m so sorry. There’s nothing worse than having to make a quick decision on a new appliance and spend lots of money. Especially on something like a new fridge.
Our house has a fridge in it that was here when we purchased the home. It was the fridge from when the house was originally built and the ice and water in the door don’t work, but we’ve been okay with it. Looking at refrigerators is a low key thing we do sometimes because we know that eventually we are really going to have to replace this one.
My daughter’s house, on the other hand, also came with a fridge that stopped cooling. It started building up ice in the back and she had a repairman come out and fix it.
He warned her that it would happen again, that it was an issue with that particular refrigerator so she should plan to replace it.
Not surprisingly he was correct. It worked fine for several months and then the same thing happened.
Fortunately or unfortunately it happened the week they were leaving for a trip abroad, so their refrigerator was almost empty anyway. She told me her budget and I did the research and had it delivered the day after they returned! (Yes, she does appreciate me!)
So here are the tips I can offer you when appliance shopping. It doesn’t matter what appliance you’re looking for really, I’d suggest these and I did use them.
The first two I’d definitely suggest before you even start narrowing down your options and then move onto the rest of the list.
10 to 15 Years
Did you know that the average lifespan of a major appliance is only 10-15 years?
Measure and Measure Again
I cannot tell you enough that it won’t matter if you fall in love with something if it won’t fit in the spot you have for it!
Do I want a giant gas range? I would love one but this kitchen won’t accommodate it so we have to use the space we have for the gas range that will fit that space. That means the bigger one is on a wishlist for someday!
For refrigerators there are several important measurements that you’re going to need, not just the width of the space, but also the depth and the height. If your fridge is in a walk through area of your kitchen or opens toward other cabinets you’ll need to see how much room you have for your doors to open.
This is the very first step (unless you’re remodeling and making room for larger appliances) and it will actually help you narrow down your search. Which is nice because it will eliminate a few choices right at the beginning.
Talk to a Pro
If you can, it’s a great idea to visit a showroom and actually see the appliances that you’re shopping for. A salesperson can answer questions, help you find what you’re looking for and let you know about any discounts.
If you haven’t been shopping for appliances in awhile then you may be surprised about some of the “bells and whistles” that are available.
A pro can also help you design your layout when your remodeling!
Sometimes you can get a better price by shopping in store since a salesperson can offer you discounts that you may not find online.
Once you’ve measured and looked around to narrow down your options you need to do the nitty gritty work of finding the best option at the best price!
Read the Reviews
Remember that price is only one part of the equation when you’re appliance shopping!
We all have a budget to respect so that’s going to narrow down the choices as well!
Be sure to read reviews of any appliance that you’re considering purchasing and read lots of them.
You’ll find that some people will give a one star review for reasons that have nothing to do with how the appliance functions so you’re going to have to read a lot of mediocre reviews to be able to actually find any of them that will help you.
While I am still shopping for a refrigerator we found that there was a wild price range in the size my daughter was searching for and not only did I read reviews, I also purchased a monthly subscription to Consumer Reports to read their reviews as well.
Watch for Sales
If you have the luxury of waiting for a sale to happen then that can save you some money for sure.
There are usually a few major appliance sales each year, but there are discounts around long holiday weekends as well.
If you’ve narrowed down your choices then set up a price alert on google to let you know if there’s a drop!
Purchasing Multiples when Appliance Shopping
There’s usually a break when you buy an “appliance package” from any store.
If you’re purchasing an entire kitchen for a remodel then you should get an overall discount. If you buy a washer and dryer at the same time you should get a discount.
You’ll also save money on delivery and installation if you purchase your appliances from the same source.
Free Delivery
Unless you are purchasing specialty appliances you should be able to get free delivery.
Check for Rebates
Some local utility providers or city’s will offer you a rebate when you upgrade your appliances if they meet certain requirements. It’s at least worth checking out
A Few Extra Tips!
Here are just a few other tips that we learned while researching or were questions that other’s have asked!
When is the best time to purchase appliances?
September through December are the best months to find discounts on appliances since new models are being released. Retailers will need to make floor space for the new models and clear out the previous years.
There are also sales on holiday weekends so if you can’t make it to the fall then try for a holiday sale!
When researching for my daughter, I found out that one of the best ranked refrigerators was on backorder for several months. The same fridge was available in a 33″ instead of a 36″ immediately and surprisingly has just as much interior space as her previous refrigerator because of the layout on the interior!
I hope you’re able to use these tips the next time you’re appliance shopping and if you’ve got a tip to add then be sure to let me know in the comments below!
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