The Best Time of Year to Buy Appliances

When is the Best Time to Buy Appliances?

When you moved into your new home, maybe you were charmed by the older appliances, some in a fun vintage shade of olive green. You learned their quirks over time. However, no matter how much you’ve been babying your old oven and fridge, at some point you’ll need to replace them with newer models.

If you plan carefully and budget accordingly, these big purchases won’t break the bank. The best time to buy appliances can depend on the time of year, the type of appliance you’re purchasing, and whether the fridge or water heater you have your eye on is this year’s model or last year’s. Consider your needs and your budget and don’t be afraid to shop around for the best deals. Once you’re armed with the knowledge of when appliances go on sale, you’ll be able to get the best price.

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When to Buy This Year’s New Appliances

Shoppers can count on a few periods throughout the year during which major appliances are discounted:

• Holiday weekend sales. Retailers take advantage of the long holiday weekends, like Memorial Day, to offer deep discounts or rebates. Other sales are concentrated around Independence Day, Labor Day, and Veterans Day. Some retailers use these long weekends to offer special deals to consumers who purchase multiple appliances at once. If you’re doing your holiday shopping online, you might find that you’ll be offered things like free shipping or gift cards for making a big appliance purchase.
• Retail holidays. Some holidays exist for the sole purpose of shopping, so incredible deals abound. Immediately after Thanksgiving, retailers slash prices on just about everything for Black Friday and Cyber Monday—which has been evolving into Cyber Week. Advertisements for these sales usually become public in the middle of November and shoppers can compare deals on household appliances to get the best price available. Make sure to read the fine print; many stores offer the best deals as early morning doorbusters and have limited quantities.
• Last day of the month. If you prefer brick-and-mortar shopping instead of browsing online, stop by your favorite appliance retailer at the end of the month. Many salespeople work on commission and have monthly sales quotas to meet. By shopping at the end of the month, you may find that salespeople are eager to make the sale and are more willing to negotiate on the price of appliances. This may be more applicable at independent retailers than big box stores.
• Seasonal clearance sales. Pay attention to the seasonality of appliances. It may seem counterintuitive to buy a new furnace in July, but those retailers need to make space for air conditioners and home cooling appliances. Similarly, replace your air conditioner or shop for a new window unit in December and January. You may find that by purchasing household appliances at the opposite time of year from when you’ll need them, you’ll get a great price.

When to Buy Last Year’s New Appliances

If you want a new fridge or washing machine but don’t want to pay for the brand-new model, consider the previous year’s offerings when purchasing large home appliances. Retailers are eager to make space for new inventory and may sell last year’s models at a much friendlier price. However, these discounts may occur at different times throughout the year, based on when new models get released. Read on for the best time of year to buy new appliances from the previous year, based on the type of appliance.

• Ovens and ranges. Winter holidays are associated with cooking, and new models of ovens and ranges tend to arrive in stores beginning in September. If inventory from the previous year is still in stock, the discounts around the holiday season can be extremely deep. Pay attention to retailers and keep your eyes open for late-year discounts.
• Washers and dryers. A busted washing machine or dryer can be an enormous headache, but if you have to buy a new set, try to do so in September or October. Even if you only need one machine, if you buy a washer and a dryer, you can receive an incredible discount. New models arrive in late August and September, so retailers will be eager to move the previous year’s machines.
• Refrigerators and freezers. The best month to buy appliances for refrigeration is May. Retailers put the prior year’s models on sale in May ahead of the summer shopping season and these prices may coincide with Mother’s Day, Memorial Day and Father’s Day sales.
• Dishwashers. If you need a new dishwasher ahead of the winter holiday season, you’ll be pleased to find that you can get a great price on last year’s new models. While the pre-holiday discounts can be deep, any remaining inventory may be put on clearance in January as retailers look to make room.
• Water heaters. Time your water heater purchase for September or October, when new models arrive. One tip for saving money is to do careful research on HVAC companies so you don’t end up paying more for hardware and installation packages. These add-ons can be marked up significantly and may negate any discount you may have received on the water heater itself.
• Air conditioners. The last thing you need is a broken air conditioner in the height of summer. Consider replacing it in the off-season; pricing is usually particularly kind to budget-conscious buyers in January because the demand for home cooling is low. Alternately, consider shopping for a new AC unit around October, as the summer heat has lessened and retailers are focused on heating units.
• Furnaces. Home heating equipment tends to go on sale in early fall instead of in the spring or summer. Some companies may give you a discount on the simultaneous purchase of a furnace and a water heater but do your research. It may be less expensive to make this purchase from a major appliance retailer.

Budgeting for a New Appliance

The last thing you need is to have to make a big purchase when you’re not financially prepared for it. If your furnace stops working when it’s freezing outside, you can’t put off a replacement. While it’s sound financial advice to pay attention to sales and buy new appliances at a discount, having an emergency savings account can be a literal lifesaver.

However, if you have the financial bandwidth to save up for big purchases like a new washer and dryer, Microsoft’s savings estimator can be really helpful. To use this downloadable template, enter your savings goal and date parameters. You’ll get a breakdown of how much money should be saved daily, weekly, or monthly until you meet your savings goal.

Making a big purchase like a major household can be overwhelming, especially since it’s such an investment. But if you pay attention to the best time of year to buy appliances, you’ll be in good financial shape when it comes time to replace your water heater.