5 questions to ask yourself before buying a new home appliance Nikita H July 1, 2022 Lifestyle 482 With so much choice these days, it can be difficult to find the right home appliances for your specific needs. But with a little focus and some forward planning, you’ll find the perfect appliance to take home and make the most of. The last thing you want is to spend a considerable amount of money on a new appliance and then find that it doesn’t suit your needs. While it is possible to resell appliances, you will be putting yourself through a lot more stress than you need to. To make sure you get the right appliance for your home, you need to think about your priorities. Here are the 5 main questions to ask yourself before visiting an appliance store and buying your next appliance to help narrow down exactly what you need. Have you looked into spare parts for the appliance? For argument’s sake, let’s say you’ve just bought an extremely well-known appliance that’s a household name. For this example, we’ll stick to a Bosch dishwasher. If you experience an issue with your Bosch dishwasher, are you going to call a tradesperson to come and take a look, or are you confident enough to replace and mend the necessary parts yourself? Replacement parts for Bosch dishwashers are available at fair prices that’ll save you hundreds of dollars in fees to a tradesperson. All it takes is a little patience and a few instructional videos to do it yourself. If you’re planning to buy an older model of a well-known appliance, make sure you do some extra research to see how long parts will be available for it. Some older models are still compatible with new parts, which will make any repairs much easier to organise. If parts for your older model are hard to come by, you might want to consider a newer appliance to make your life easier. How much can you afford to spend on this appliance? A good budget for a home appliance can be tricky at times. After all, you don’t want to buy a cheap and unreliable appliance that’s destined to cause you issues in just a few years. Doing that will lead to costly repairs and callout fees again and again. No one is asking you to break the bank here, but tried and tested brand names with a strong reputation are always worth that little extra bump in price to save you unnecessary spending in the future. Most retailers will allow you to pay off expensive appliances in instalments, so if you’re struggling to save up a large amount, this could be the perfect solution. Pay close attention to interest rates and, if at all possible, choose a 0% interest plan that won’t result in you paying even more for your appliance than you would have to in a lump sum. Have you checked out any online reviews for this appliance? Nothing tells you about the quality of an appliance like a pile of online reviews. People don’t want you to be ripped off, especially if they’ve experienced problems with an appliance. Look for common complaints as they’re likely to be accurate if multiple people mention them. Make note of how many years they’ve owned it to gauge the longevity of the appliance. Don’t forget, it’s important to check out independent review sites as well as those on the brand website. Some brands will delete negative reviews, making a product seem better than it really is. If possible, read some in-depth blogs from product reviewers to get the best overview possible. Just be careful that the blog isn’t sponsored, as this could lead the writer to be more positive about the product they’re advertising. Do you have the room to accommodate this appliance? A good quality home appliance cannot be shoved into a cramped corner and expected to work at its best. If you’re choosing to buy a strong product, you’ll need to allocate the right amount of room for it to perform its job efficiently. Refrigerators in particular need space between the back of it and the walls of your kitchen. This allows it to run smoothly and not overheat or collect dust around its coils. Similarly, a top-loading washing machine might not work for your home if you need to install it underneath a counter. Instead, opt for a front-loading model so you can easily access the drum. It’s always smarter to buy a smaller appliance that fits neatly in the space you have available, especially if it’s something you use on a near-daily basis. Otherwise, you might find yourself getting frustrated and buying a new appliance further down the line anyway. What are the essential features you need for your appliance to have? This one simple question can significantly narrow down your search criteria. If you just want a reliable appliance that’s going to last without any of the extra bells and whistles, there are multiple options available that’ll offer good value for money. But if you’re desperate to get the latest technology with the most up-to-date advancements then there are smart appliances on the market (but at a much higher price). Think carefully about your priorities and whether your new washing machine really needs an integrated dryer, or whether you’ll probably hang your clothes on the line anyway. Extra add-ons can sound impressive, but if you’re not going to use them, then what’s the point in paying extra? Try not to get sucked into kettles that light up or toasters that have defrost functions if realistically these features aren’t essential to your home. Find the perfect appliance today Even if you don’t need a new appliance right now, it pays to begin your search as soon as possible. This way, you can keep an eye on prices and sales throughout the year. Planning ahead also means that you’ll be able to jump on any deals as soon as you see them because you’ll know exactly what you need from your appliance. SHARE THIS POST