Dos and Don’ts of Buying Appliances
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Whether you are building a new home, renovating, or simply replacing a broken one, purchasing appliances can be an intimidating task for many. One would need to know a lot about appliances in order to pick something by him or herself: brand, features that suit your needs, quality and longevity, the combination of appliances, and most importantly, the size of the appliances you need in order to make sure they will fit in the space you have. That’s why purchasing appliances on-line is a bad idea, unless you really know what you are doing. There are a few things you should keep in mind when you purchase an appliance:
Visit a local appliance dealer that has knowledgeable staff who can provide you with accurate information on the appliances you need. There are factors you may not have even considered - factors that can be brought to your attention by an expert sales person. Avoid shopping online for appliances where you stand to face issues you may never have considered that can cause you a lot of headaches.
There are not many self-servicing appliance retailers out there anymore. If you have one in your area, it’s the wisest choice you can make to buy from them. All brand new appliances come with at least one-year full parts and labour warranty and liability insurance from the manufacturer. It’s important to know that the warranty and liability of products are held by the company that makes them, not the retailer who sells the appliances. If a product breaks down within warranty period, or in some rare cases, causes damage to your property due to a manufacturing defect, the manufacturer is the party you have to deal with, not the retailer. The advantage of buying appliances from an authorized self servicer/dealer of appliances lies in the fact that they will reduce your interaction with the manufacturer through their call centres, which are mostly located overseas. Your life will be much easier if you can visit or call your local dealer directly. They can set up a service call for you without having to call the 1-800 number and talking to multiple strangers who may not even know where your city is. This can be a very frustrating experience.
Buy the extended warranty. It is the cheapest insurance you can purchase. It can potentially save you hundreds of dollars, if not more. The cost of repairing appliances nowadays is very high. Just a simple diagnostic call and repair can exceed the amount you paid for the extended warranty itself.
Always double- or triple-check the dimensions of the space you want to put the appliance in. There is no such a thing as a standard fridge or stove. You need to know the depth, height and width of the space in order to buy the right appliance. Also, measure the doorways to make sure the appliance can fit through.
Consumer reports and online reviews, even though they are a good source for information, should not be your main resource. There is a lot of contradictory information on consumer reports. There will always be a percentage of appliances that break down and their owners will get upset and go online and complain. Mostly, people who are happy with their appliances have better things to do with their time than go online to complain.