How to Save Big Money on Your Next Refrigerator, Dishwasher, Oven, or Other Appliances

Appliance buying is costly, and most of us don't get that excited about it either. A new car is flashy and fun. A new washer and dryer? Enh. Not so much.

One does need clean clothes, clean dishes, cooked food, etc. though so I've put together some appliance buying tips. Read through these before you buy:

1. Don't play the "name game."

When you're buying an appliance, it's easy to get sucked into choosing a Frigidaire, a Whirlpool, a General Electric, or another name brand just because you're familiar with it. Because you've heard the name a lot, and you know others who have appliances by these brands, you subconsciously assume these units are higher quality and worth the higher price.

News flash: they're not.

Many of the name brands are made by the same manufacturers that bring you less well known brands. For example, you might pay $250 for a refrigerator by General Electric instead of a Hotpoint. But GE makes Hotpoint, and there's little to no difference in the actual mechanics of the two appliances.

So when you're appliance buying, you can save $200 or more simply by refusing to play the name game.

2. See if you know someone in the business.

If you have a friend or family member who works in the appliance sale business (and since so many big retailers sell appliances, everyone from Sears to Best Buy, chances are good you at least know a friend of a friend who's in the business), you may be able to get a discount just by giving that person the money and having them buy the appliance for you.

Employees can often buy products at cost or slightly above. This can amount to a 50% savings or half off the retail price. So if you have a friend in the business, he or she could buy you a $1499 refrigerator for $750. We're talking about a significant savings, even if you have to give your friend a "cut" for doing the legwork for you.

3. Buy last year's model.

Appliance buying isn't like purchasing a car. Nobody's going to be impressed if you have the latest model. Refrigerators and dishwashers don't usually change that much from year to year anyway. In fact, sometimes the "new" model is identical to the previous year's model, but it'll still be selling for $100 more.

You can save money on appliances if you can find and buy last year's model. By doing this, you can expect a discount of 10% to as much as 25%. Since refrigerators, ovens, etc. are so expensive (costing hundreds or even thousands of dollars), buying appliances this year just makes sense. You could save hundreds of dollars by getting last year's model.

4. Don't be afraid to negotiate!

People who wouldn't think twice about bartering for an item at a flea market mutely accept the sticker price when they're buying appliances. As they say, all things are negotiable. That goes for appliances too.

When appliance buying, let the salesman think you were hoping for another item (something not stocked by that store). While you do need a dishwasher, say the model you saw at another store is what you really had your heart set on...

Spend a lot of time "thinking" about it and be prepared to walk if the salesman isn't open to lowering the price (there's no rule that says you can't come back on someone else's shift or try again at another store). Chances are, however, that the sales person is on commission and will want your sale and be willing to drop the price a bit to get it.

You can save anywhere from 5% to 20% with this tactic.

As you can see from these tips, appliance buying doesn't always mean paying the sticker price. You can save a lot of money by shopping smart instead of going with the most obvious purchase.

Good luck on your appliance buying journey!