buying appliances, appliance store or lowes, home depot

[VegasBella]

When we did our kitchen remodel I scouted out the appliances I wanted and then shopped around to get the best price. I did a lot of research to read reviews and learn about what appliances were rated best for low energy and child safety as well as (obviously) long life/ fewest repairs. So I chose the appliances and then found the best price. If you shop for price first and just assume the quality is all the same, you will end up paying more in the long run with higher energy bills or repair bills or even worse, medical bills from injuries.

After the discounts related to the Lowes credit card, we ended up buying most of our appliances straight through Lowes. But one had to be special ordered - no one locally had it.

Look into what they do with the old appliances. Many places will offer to haul them away for free but what they don't tell you is they won't bothers to recycle them, they just go in a landfill. You may want to arrange to have a local thrift store pick them up to resell if possible. We donated ours to Habitat For Humanity Restore - they take appliances if they're in good condition and less than 10 years old and they resell them. If your appliances are older than that you may want to look into who might recycle them for you.

 

[csxjohn]

Check with your local electric company before giving away an old fridge. Some pay $50 when you upgrade and haul it away.

https://www.firstenergycorp.com/con...ts/6627-Energy Efficiency Pa Recycle 0315.pdf

 

["Roger"]

I would be concerned about buying from a big box store. The manufactures produce a more cheaply made product for them so that they can advertise low prices. The problem is that they have a lower shelf life. (You could easily end up paying more in the long run.)

This same problem is beginning to affect the local stores. The last time I bought from a local store, the owner (whom I have had a long and trusting relationship with) admitted that some of the products in his store were not of the quality that he used to sell. In order to compete with the box store, he had to start carrying less well made goods in order to compete in price.

Bottom line, don't just worry about price. Worry about quality.

 

[Elan]

I would be concerned about buying from a big box store. The manufactures produce a more cheaply made product for them so that they can advertise low prices. The problem is that they have a lower shelf life. (You could easily end up paying more in the long run.)

I think this is only true for certain lines. For example, in GE, the Adora line is exclusive to Home Depot. If you buy a Cafe or Profile line product, I would be almost certain you're getting the exact same product you're getting anywhere else. The model numbers and specifications are identical.

 

[Passepartout]

After several TUG threads concerning GE products that either failed early, or were flat out poor quality, I wonder if the bean counters there haven't about milked all the profit they can from the home appliance business.

I think I read somewhere recently that GE was selling it's appliance arm to China's Haier.

Jim

 

[Elan]

After several TUG threads concerning GE products that either failed early, or were flat out poor quality, I wonder if the bean counters there haven't about milked all the profit they can from the home appliance business.

I think I read somewhere recently that GE was selling it's appliance arm to China's Haier.

Jim

Unfortunately, I don't think there's much, if any, data that suggests one gets any better quality/reliability by spending significantly more on other brands.

 

[Jason245]

Unfortunately, I don't think there's much, if any, data that suggests one gets any better quality/reliability by spending significantly more on other brands.

Buy from costco. .keep receipt. Return when it breaks. ..got a love lifetime satisfaction guarantee. .

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

 

[WinniWoman]

After several TUG threads concerning GE products that either failed early, or were flat out poor quality, I wonder if the bean counters there haven't about milked all the profit they can from the home appliance business.

I think I read somewhere recently that GE was selling it's appliance arm to China's Haier.

Jim

I have had nothing but the best of luck with my GE appliances. I have owned my washer/dryer for a very long time-over 10 years- no issues- just a minor repair on the dryer last year, and so far love my GE range and microwave.. My last GE microwave was 30 years old and still going. My Hotpoint (also GE) dishwasher was 26 years old and still worked when I got rid of it, with never a repair.

I swear by GE- but I always check Consumer reports first.

 

[Paumavista]

Lowes

When we built our home last year we did a lot of research on the type we wanted and then got the very best deal during sales at Lowes.
We got one of the premium fridgidaire appliance lines and my husband says he would definitely do the same thing if we were looking again.

 

[artringwald]

12 Hot Trends in Kitchen Appliances

HGTV has an article about 12 Hot Trends in Kitchen Appliances. I think I'd skip the Jadite Green retro fridge.

 

[IngridN]

When we built our home last year we did a lot of research on the type we wanted and then got the very best deal during sales at Lowes.
We got one of the premium fridgidaire appliance lines and my husband says he would definitely do the same thing if we were looking again.

I'm not looking forward to doing the same. We're just finishing the upstairs (master & hall bath, new hardwood floors, painting) as well as downstairs laundry room which will be my kitchen when it gets gutted in Phase 2.

I'm soooo tired of decisions, decision, decisions. The one thing I want which I don't think exists is a double oven with a regular sized oven and a smaller one for sides. It appears the only ones in existence other than 2 regular sized ones, are with a microwave. In my family we use the microwave to reheat leftovers, not to cook in!

Ingrid

 

[WinniWoman]

I'm not looking forward to doing the same. We're just finishing the upstairs (master & hall bath, new hardwood floors, painting) as well as downstairs laundry room which will be my kitchen when it gets gutted in Phase 2.

I'm soooo tired of decisions, decision, decisions. The one thing I want which I don't think exists is a double oven with a regular sized oven and a smaller one for sides. It appears the only ones in existence other than 2 regular sized ones, are with a microwave. In my family we use the microwave to reheat leftovers, not to cook in!

Ingrid

My 2 year old GE is a double oven regular size range- slide in- with a small oven on top and the big oven on bottom. We rarely use the big oven.

 

[WinniWoman]

here's a pic.

 

[nightnurse613]

Mary Ann- I so agree with the double oven concept! When we remodeled we bought from a local appliance store - with lots of stores. They met (and beat) every price - and their warranty was 1/3-1/2 cheaper than Sears! We bought a LG stove (looks like yours but has controls on back). It heats up quickly and has convection option. Whether I use the burners or the oven, it heats up quickly but, we use the small, top oven almost exclusively. Of course, we also bought a LG french door fridge, very feature packed (even has it's own Wi-Fi ). Of course, it's been a PITB. Fourteen months old, three expensive service calls -all covered by the service contract. I don't know what I'll do when five years are up!!?? Consumer Reports bailed on that

 

[theo]

I have to ask...

;1852214] <snip>...we also bought a LG french door fridge, very feature packed (even has it's own Wi-Fi )

With whom or what does your refrigerator communicate? Does it have and use its' own email account? Does it ever complain about inadequate bandwidth?

Keep an eye on things if you also have Amazon Echo in the kitchen. In our house, I suspect that "Alexa" and the nearby toaster may have something going on...

 

[WinniWoman]

Mary Ann- I so agree with the double oven concept! When we remodeled we bought from a local appliance store - with lots of stores. They met (and beat) every price - and their warranty was 1/3-1/2 cheaper than Sears! We bought a LG stove (looks like yours but has controls on back). It heats up quickly and has convection option. Whether I use the burners or the oven, it heats up quickly but, we use the small, top oven almost exclusively. Of course, we also bought a LG french door fridge, very feature packed (even has it's own Wi-Fi ). Of course, it's been a PITB. Fourteen months old, three expensive service calls -all covered by the service contract. I don't know what I'll do when five years are up!!?? Consumer Reports bailed on that

Mine has a convection oven as well. Only used the convection feature once. I only do the basics on my range and oven. I am a simpleton when it comes to cooking.

I find with most appliances, however the more things they have the more they break. I stuck with the very basic Kenmore model fridge recommended by Consumer Reports. It doesn't even have a water/ice maker in the door It has an ice maker in the freezer that we do not have hooked up. It is usually one of the things that breaks the most in fridges. So we use ice cube trays and fill up the bin in the freezer manually. No biggie. We have nice cold mountain well water, so we just walk a few steps over to our faucet for water.

Sorry about your fridge. That stinks!

I never buy service contracts and I guess I have been lucky all my life with our appliances. Hope our luck holds out. So far so good.

 

[IngridN]

My 2 year old GE is a double oven regular size range- slide in- with a small oven on top and the big oven on bottom. We rarely use the big oven.

Forgot to mention that I'm looking for a wall oven. Did see the ones for range, however, I'm keeping my cooktop which is relatively new.

Ingrid

 

[IngridN]

here's a pic.

Very nice!

ingrid

 

[DebBrown]

I would be concerned about buying from a big box store. The manufactures produce a more cheaply made product for them so that they can advertise low prices. The problem is that they have a lower shelf life. (You could easily end up paying more in the long run.)

This same problem is beginning to affect the local stores. The last time I bought from a local store, the owner (whom I have had a long and trusting relationship with) admitted that some of the products in his store were not of the quality that he used to sell. In order to compete with the box store, he had to start carrying less well made goods in order to compete in price.

Bottom line, don't just worry about price. Worry about quality.

I've found this to be true as well. I do my research first and figure out which brand/model I want and these are rarely available in the big box stores. They seem to carry the lower end models. I'm sure there are exceptions but one needs to be careful. I guess, like with anything, doing your research is the important part.

Deb

 

[WinniWoman]

Forgot to mention that I'm looking for a wall oven. Did see the ones for range, however, I'm keeping my cooktop which is relatively new.

Ingrid

I wanted a wall oven originally but was going to be a big hassle with electrical work and so forth. Then I also read that wall ovens are a pain to repair should they break.

 

[WinniWoman]

I've found this to be true as well. I do my research first and figure out which brand/model I want and these are rarely available in the big box stores. They seem to carry the lower end models. I'm sure there are exceptions but one needs to be careful. I guess, like with anything, doing your research is the important part.

Deb

Yes. I got good quality items even at the lower price end for most of my appliances. Quality was a big factor as was value. But I also went for the big bucks (at least to me it was big $$)on my range because it just fit the bill for what I wanted, had good ratings and so forth.

 

[ladixson]

Lowe's will beat any price

Lowe's will beat any competitor's price by 10%. Find what you want, find the lowest price, then buy from Lowe's. I saved quite a bit doing this for a fridge, stove and dishwasher.

 

[WinniWoman]

I found that Lowes and Home Depot did not have the model numbers for the items I wanted except Home Depot did have my range- on-line only - and it was higher priced than Sears.

 

[Elan]

I wouldn't confuse what the box stores floor with what they carry. They don't stock but a small percentage of what they carry, understandably.

One can easily spend $9K on a range, $8K on a refrigerator and $1.5K on a dishwasher at Home Depot. I don't know that I'd consider dropping $20K on kitchen appliances "low end".

 

[WinniWoman]

I meant they(HD and Lowes) did not have them on-line or in the store.

My Kenmore bottom freezer stainless steel fridge was just over $1000-maybe $1200 or $1400?My Bosch dishwasher was about $500. My GE range was $3000 and my GE over the range microwave I think was around $400- can't remember.
With discount (from a little haggling) and tax and delivery and taking my old appliances I believe I ended up paying like $4500+ for everything.

I think I did pretty well.