Best Times to Buy Household Appliances

In the market for a kitchen makeover? Ready to re-do the laundry room? Or maybe it's simply time to swap out the avocado fridge that's been chugging along since the '70s. While most would-be remodelers fret over where to shop for new household appliances, thrifty Bob Vila wannabes focus on when to shop to get the best bargains. Here's some advice from shopping experts on timing your trips to the appliance store to score the sweetest deals.

The best time to buy most major household appliances is September and October, when new models hit stores and older models need to be cleared out to make room, says Regina Novickis, consumer expert with Slickdeals.net, a Web site that rates deals and coupons. In general, you can expect discounts of 20% on dishwashers, stoves and washer/dryer sets, but some retailers slash prices on clearance models by as much as 90%, she says.

You also can find deep discounts during sales over three-day holiday weekends – especially Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day – as well as during Black Friday sales, but only on select appliances, says online shopping expert Brent Shelton, of FatWallet.com, a coupon and deal site. He notes that most stores will throw in free delivery and setup of new appliances and haul away old appliances, so make sure you ask.

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One notable exception is the refrigerator. There are several reasons why May is a better time to buy a new fridge, Shelton says. Manufacturers introduce new models in the spring, so retailers tend to cut prices in May on the previous year’s models by as much as 50% to make room. And to drum up interest in the latest appliance releases, new models often are marked down by up to 25% during Memorial Day sales or even Mother’s Day sales, he says.

If you’re thinking about renovating the entire kitchen, May is a good time to haggle to get discounts on other appliances as well. Because refrigerators can be the priciest kitchen appliance – a high-end French door refrigerator can cost more than $9,000 – many stores will negotiate a deal to sell you a matching stove or dishwasher, Shelton says.

Wondering when you should make other major purchases? Check out our comprehensive guide to the best times to buy big-ticket items.

Award-winning journalist, speaker, family finance expert, and author of Mom and Dad, We Need to Talk.

Cameron Huddleston wrote the daily "Kip Tips" column for Kiplinger.com. She joined Kiplinger in 2001 after graduating from American University with an MA in economic journalism.