When Is the Best Time To Buy Appliances? Mark Your Calendars and Plan Ahead With These Shopping Tips
You won't have to wait long to score a deal and save money.
Whether you are renovating a kitchen or building a new house, or you have had your appliances so long that they are breaking down or showing wear, purchasing new appliances is an expensive undertaking. Luckily, you don't need to buy appliances often but when you do, you want to get the best price. That's where good timing comes in. If you can be flexible with your timing, you should be able to score a good deal that you wouldn't necessarily get with spur-of-the-moment purchases. And it's not like there is only one day of the year to find a great deal, we've got all the details on the best time of year to buy appliances!
Maybe you have found a model of an appliance, like a refrigerator, that fits your budget but is pretty basic. If you can wait a little while, you could potentially have an upgraded model, at a discounted price, that still fits into your budget. Knowing when there will be sales can help you plan your big purchases. And if you need a whole houseful, that means you could be saving hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars.
Here is the best time to buy appliances so that you can keep some of your hard-earned cash in your pocket.
Related: How to Keep Your Appliances Going Longer
When Is the Best Time To Buy Appliances?
There isn't just one major appliance sale each year—there are several throughout the year. That means that you're not out of luck if you realize you need a new oven just days after a holiday sale has ended. Chances are there will be another sale just around the corner!
Holiday Sales
Independence Day
Presidents' Day
New Year's Day
For starters, holidays and holiday weekends are times you can count on to find some of the best deals. Of course, there are also retail shopping holidays like Black Friday. However, New Year's Day, Memorial Day weekend, the 4th of July, Labor Day weekend, Veterans Day and Presidents' Day are popular times for appliances to go on sale. Typically, these holiday sales will go on for a few days so you can still spend the actual holiday with family if you want to.
Related: 15 In-Home Sauna Kits to Amp Up Your Relaxation in 2023
Retail Shopping Holidays
Black Friday
Prime Days
Black Friday is one of the most popular holiday times to find amazing deals on appliances. If you are willing to stand in lines and battle the crowds, it could be well worth your while.
However, with the ability to shop pretty much everything online, Cyber Monday and Prime Days are also fantastic days to get a huge discount on appliances (and you can relax in the comfort of your own home). It's probably a good idea, though, to have some brands and models in mind and research before shopping online.
Related: Turn up the Heat in Your Kitchen With the 10 Best Air Fryers for 2022
When New Models Are Released
When new models are released, retailers are anxious to get rid of the old models to make room for the new inventory. Just like anything, it can be worthwhile to hold off on purchasing a brand-new model and wait for the old model to go on sale instead. Different appliances have different times for rolling out new models.
May - Refrigerators
January - Ranges and ovens
Buy Seasonal Appliances in the Off-season
Air conditioners, heaters, furnaces and grills will all be heavily discounted when the demand for them is low. This is a fantastic time to swoop in and snag a deal. Even though it can be hard to spend money on something that you don't need immediately, it can save you a bunch of money in the long run.
End of the Month
At the end of each month, stores typically have month-end quotas to make. To ensure that they reach this quota, they may begin to discount their inventory. This is also a time when you will want to put your negotiation skills to the test—supervisors may be given the okay to mark prices down further at the end of the month.
Related: Celebrity Contractor Stephen Fanuka on Building a Brand and Summer Home Renovation Tips
What To Do if You Have an Urgent Appliance Need
Although waiting for a sale is best, you don't always have that luxury when an appliance suddenly breaks down. There are some things that you can do proactively to help reduce the likelihood of this happening.
Keep In Mind the Average Life Span of Each Appliance
No appliance lasts forever, so it is a given that they will need to be replaced at some point. Knowing the average life span of each of your appliances will help you to better plan ahead for when you need to purchase a replacement. Hopefully, you can then do this before the appliance ever breaks down. If you are getting close to the end of a life span, it may even be prudent to purchase a new appliance, at a discount, and store it until you actually need to replace it if you don't want to replace one before the other starts having problems.
Here is the average life span of each major appliance according to Bob Vila.
Dishwashers - 9 years
Washers - 10 years
Dryers - 13 years
Refrigerators - 13 years
Electric ranges - 13 years
Gas ranges - 15 years
Electric ovens - 13 years
Gas ovens - 15 years
Take Advantage of Ways to Save During Non-sale Times
Ask To Purchase a Floor Model - Many retailers may be willing to sell you a floor model at a discounted price.
Look For Discontinued or Damaged Appliances - If an appliance has been discontinued or slightly damaged, it will be marked down. Although you probably don't want an appliance that has heavy damage, one with scratches or small dents will probably operate just fine. It's all a matter if you can handle the look visually or not.
Price Matching - Check to see if your retailer accepts price matching. If so, you can comparison-shop. Just find a current ad and bring it in to get that same price.
