Shopping for New Appliances for Your New Kitchen

Whether you just bought or built a new home and are looking to furnish your kitchen with new appliances or you have decided to replace your appliances to upgrade, shopping for appliances is not something most people know much about. We are going to take a little tour about what to look for in new appliances and where you can find some reliable reviews to get the best bang for your buck for your purchase.

Style

Everyone has their own personal style and it can come across in your home decor and in the appliance designs you choose. If you believe you will be in your home for quite some time, don’t be afraid to buy those trendy appliances that you love, that may not be the taste for majority home buyers. If you love crisp clean looks, you may opt for bright white or black, or you might want to go trendy with the stainless steel look.

Any way you go is up to you, but if you are planning on selling your home within five years you might want to consider to buy what the market prefers, especially if it is different from what you want to buy for yourself. Having the right design in your kitchen can literally make or break it for potential buyers of your home. Choose wisely!

Crisp clean and minimalist look for your kitchen

Features

You are probably no stranger to using appliances in your kitchen, but when you are buying them make sure the simple things you take for granted are included in your new purchases, to avoid buyer remorse! If you love having an ice maker in your fridge, don’t forget to have that on your must have list!

There are some crazy features you can get on your appliances that goes beyond anything I ever imagined. You can buy appliances that connect to wifi and let you know things like if you are running low on something or if a door was left open. The door left open is HUGE if you have a toddler! Your food can spoil and you might not even know causing your family to get sick. That is a crazy feature, but can be pretty useful! Then there are completely practical features like having the knobs for your stove behind the burners instead of on the front of the stove. The knobs on the front of the stove is a hazard especially if you have children who like to play with knobs! I have also seen my elderly father in law bump into a burner switch and turn on the gas stove and not even know it. Knobs in the back people! Know your must haves and safety concerns before going into the store to buy.

Smart kitchens are all the hype right now

Cost

Staying within a budget can be challenging once you see all of the choices you can have! Style, design, features, longevity and cost should all play a role in your decision on what to buy. If you LOVE design you might pay a higher price, if you are more budget conscious you can work hard to stay in line with a budget, opting to buy one appliance that you know you want the extra features on and get basic models of the other appliances. You can also check out scratch and dent sections of stores, although it might make buying matching appliances a bit more challenging. It is also going to get more expensive to buy appliances, you should note that.

While it is hardly a necessity, having appliances that do not match can also be a deal breaker when you go to sell your home. Even though buyers should be aware they can purchase new appliances, it is one extra cost they will add into their major home purchase. When buying scratch or dent you also want to consider if a manufacturer’s warranty has been voided because of the damage.

Beautiful clean look with built-in appliances

Maintenance and Warranties

While almost all appliances will come with a manufacturer’s warranty of one year, if you buy from a scratch and dent section to save money, the manufacturers warranty may be void, be sure to check with your salesperson and get something in writing. Always get warranty coverage in writing and I am not talking about a handwritten note.

It should be listed in print on your receipt. What about the rest of the lifetime of your appliances? Covering them in case of a malfunction or other damage? You can purchase individual coverage usually from the retailer, but you can end up spending more money doing this. You can check out home warranties to cover the entire appliance package you just purchased and then some. For a low monthly fee you can cover your entire kitchen, your clothes washer and dryer, furnace, garbage disposal, air conditioner and more.

With this home warranty coverage you are also not tied to one specific retailer for your repairs. You can get service from any participating repair service with your home warranty company. You can get coverage for all the little repairs that could start to add up over the years and pay little to nothing out of pocket for these unforeseen issues. Great for anyone on a budget, and accessible across the USA (there are even companies like HMS National which offers coverage almost nationwide).

Your kitchen appliances’ warranty coverage is important

Reviews

Online reviews are everywhere! An easy place to start is Amazon, Home Depot and for now Sears. Each website provides ratings on appliances’ brands and models. Check out places online to see what not to buy! Check out various consumer reports to see what ratings are on different brands and models. You can post a poll on Facebook too, and ask your family and friends their opinions on what to buy. You may find some people have some pretty strong opinions on dishwashers and you had no idea about! Asking friends or family can be just as valuable as doing hours of research online for the best appliances. Always research your major purchases before you buy!

Ask friends and family for advice when choosing kitchen appliances