When is the Best Time to Buy Appliances?

When buying a fridge (is it better to say refrigerator?) or washer timing and planning can save you hundreds. With Howard’s tips, you can keep some money in your wallet.

Major appliances are major purchases, plain and simple. But like most other products, appliances go on sale and are subject to retailer’s offers and manufacturer rebates. Knowing when is the best time to buy appliances is a sure-fire way to save some serious bucks and get your house one step closer to looking like your dream home.

So when is the best time to buy appliances? To help answer that question, we’ve split the answer into two categories: your time and retail time.

Your Time

Finding the best time for you to remodel has more to do with your prevailing situation and the condition of your current appliances than anything. When you’re thinking about when is the best time to buy appliances, it’s completely up to your immediate needs and circumstances. Here are a couple of things to consider:

• Dying/Old Appliances

  If your fridge is on the fritz and outside of warranty, it's time to replace it regardless of sales or promotions. Refrigerators are the most urgent case (no one wants spoiled food), but all major appliances have a lifespan. The order of importance for replacing appliances is refrigerators, oven/stove, and washer/dryer. Thinking about replacing mom's hand-me-down washer that you’ve used for the past five years? Chances are that old washer is on its last legs and is costing you a fortune in energy and water efficiency. Similar inefficiencies occur in all old appliances.

  If your appliances are reaching the ten-year mark, it’s a good idea to examine them and begin planning a replacement strategy. By doing this, you can avoid having to make an emergency purchase by recognizing that your appliances will need replacement soon. You may even be able to purchase something new during a sale or plan out the best place to buy and save money.

• Moving Or Selling Homes

  If you're in the midst of a move or are trying to bump up the price and allure of your home, buying new appliances may become a necessity. In fact, it’s usually the first answer when asking “when is the best time to buy appliances.”

  Buying a new home tends to indicate that you’re ready for a fresh start and may want to do some remodeling before you settle in. Adding new appliances may be part of your home improvement plans, especially if you're considering innovations like built-in refrigerators or wall ovens that are integrated into the cabinets. Or perhaps you left your old appliances behind and need replacements. Regardless of your situation, moving is a great time to upgrade and enjoy new amenities.

  On the opposite end, selling is often underlooked as a reason to buy appliances. Brand new appliances can make your home look modern and increase visual appeal, making it easier to sell. If you measure everything properly, you could even take the new appliances with you when you move. Any unsightly or very old appliances are probably best replaced. Even if you plan on taking them with you, seeing a modern appliance will help potential buyers visualize what their new home can look like.

  Tip: Look for appliance sets/packages. Many times the package pricing is better than if purchased separately. The added benefit is you get a uniform visual aesthetic and more streamline warranty information.

Retail Time

This is the more traditional answer to the question “when is the best time to buy appliances.” We’ll cover the best times of the year, and when retailers usually offer promotions and reduce prices on appliances. Here are a few great times and tips for finding when is the best time to buy appliances.

• Three-day Weekends

  Sales during holidays like President’s Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day can save you major money on your appliances. Retailers usually offer lower prices during three-day weekends to attract people with free time. If you can hold off and shop during these holiday weekends, your patience will pay off.

• After A New Release

  The latest in appliances are often announced in January at the CES tradeshow, and the products are usually released later in the year. As with most products, prices on year-old appliance models drop when the ones with the latest and greatest features are introduced.

  Companies often release new models in October (except when it comes to refrigerators, those are usually released in May), which means you’ll see some aggressive discounts around these times as retailers need to make room for newer models. While you may not be getting the newest version, you will have access to more online reviews that can help your decision making.

• Off-Season

  If you’ve purchased a bathing suit in the middle of winter, chances are you snagged it at a massively reduced price. The same goes for out of season appliances like air conditioners in the winter and heaters in the summer.

Appliance purchases should be treated as investments, not only because of the dollar amount but because of the preparation and planning that goes into purchasing. Regardless of the time of year, Howard’s offers a 60-day price match guarantee so you can be confident you got the right price.