5 Things to Bear in Mind Before Buying New Appliances

Perhaps one of your older appliances no longer fits your needs, or maybe you’re just looking to spruce up your household with something fresh and fancy. Whatever the reason, the task of purchasing new appliances often carries its own unique positives and negatives.

On one hand, you get to customize and give your rooms some added “flavor”, thanks to a wide plethora of modern, swanky designs for fridges, microwaves, washers, air conditioners, and whatever else you can think of when it comes to major appliances or consumer electronics.

But on the other hand, you also have various headache-inducing factors to mull over. Big purchases aren’t some casual, everyday occurrence to regular folks – which is why we’re here to help with your decision-making process and future purchasing plans.

Think About What You ‘Really’ Need

By chance, you might like to get something a tad more “extra” to replace your old appliance – like a fridge with smartphone integration, or a microwave with custom settings for each and every type of food there is.

However, the conundrum with these types of “needs” is that they can often lead to frivolous purchases. Purchases that may seem beneficial at first, but end up only leaving a deeper hole in your wallet.

For example, how many people profited from smart fridges, or having apps on their phones for their smart air conditioners? Really, we would like to know.

We guess that a majority of customers fall for the “new and shiny” marketing catches, like kids in a toy store – which is why you need to carefully consider whether your expenses will be worth the investment.

Do Some Research on the Features

With the above point in mind, you’re still going to have to contemplate whether your future new appliance will fit the proper job for you.

While some extras can be frivolous as mentioned – others, like having a fridge with better energy efficiency or an AC unit that comes with a washable filter, are quite useful or downright advised for financial or utilitarian reasons.

Moreover, some features that aren’t as heavily advertised as the fancy-schmancy add-ons tend to go ignored or underappreciated, which is why you should always consult with contractors for larger appliances, who know a thing or two about real practicality and utility for appliances.

Carefully Choose a Brand

Don’t make the mistake of settling on a brand that puts all of its money towards aggressive advertising, rather than providing a good-quality product.

While this sentiment may seem easier said than done, the truth is that reliable brands aren’t hard to find – the people that happily use them are – hence the issue.

The internet is a great place (for once!) in that regard. You can find all sorts of dedicated forums or even regular social media sites where people give their two cents or experiences with customer service concerning a brand and its products.

Be Wary of Budget

With brands, necessary features, and gratuitous extras out of the way, your next big step is related to good old (boring) math! Think about what you’re able to afford under your constraints, whether you pay in one sum, apply for credit, or sign up for monthly plans.

It is often best to leave payment plans for the costly, premium items – and we’re not talking about unnecessary ones, to reiterate; just the stuff that goes for extravagant prices regardless of brand, or ones that have a high-cost return if brought cheaper and low-quality.

If you are not in a rush to get that new appliance, try to wait out for any potential seasonal/holiday discounts. Black Friday is an obvious one, albeit troublesome – but you also have Memorial Day, Labor Day, or whole seasons like winter or summer to look forward to.

Even So, Does It Fit?

It’s all well and good once you’re starting to get a decent idea of what you’re going to purchase, but what if you forget the teeny tiny detail of “Oh man, will this large piece of tech even fit inside my home?”

Small appliances like microwaves might not pose such problems, but refrigerators or stoves need some prior assessment on whether or not they’ll have the necessary space. Sometimes it’s not even a question of “Will this stove fit in that indented part of the kitchen?”, but rather a matter of whether the range hood will have space above said stove (or even vice-versa).

Measuring depth, width, and height is the key step to mindful preparation. Too many people go out purchasing their technology blindly. This isn’t exclusive to kitchen appliances, but also consumer tech such as TVs – which may end up appearing smaller in stores, or online.

We hope that this article helps you out in avoiding that exact scenario!