We all know that Labor Day signals the final days of Summer however what I have never been able to figure out is why Labor Day tends to signal huge sales for home appliances. Oh well my thought is not really focused on why this is the case every year but more so to discuss how to perform some research prior to hitting the sale on Monday!

A few weeks ago I went appliance shopping with one of my clients and we ventured into two large showrooms to look at all of the floor models in order to determine what style, look and appearance was most appealing while also trying to find out which brands would be most cost effective for the project. Price is based upon many factors such as functions, size and finish [color].

After determining that the finish would be stainless steel for all of the Kitchen appliances for this project we further determined that there was [is] a preference for the matte stainless steel finish and not the high gloss or shiny finish which will certainly show every single fingerprint. Next we decided that we would like to use appliances from just one manufacturer instead of using different manufacturers. This decision is not a right or wrong one; it is typically a personal preference and at times using just one manufacturer can save you some additional money if they are offering factory rebates for purchasing multiple items.

I compared 5 brands; KitchenAid, GE, Whirlpool, Bosch and Frigidaire. I found these manufacturers to all be mid-range in price and depending upon the model you can purchase all of your essential Kitchen appliances from any of these manufacturers for under $7,500.00. By essential Kitchen appliances I am referring to a cook top, hood, wall oven, microwave, dishwasher and refrigerator/freezer.

After the “in person” research; looking at a lot of the models on the showroom floor, I then spent time researching the manufacturers’ websites as well as websites of major retailers for these brands such as Lowes, Best Buy, Home Depot and Sears. I found it essential to have to keep referring back to the website for each manufacturer as not all retailers offer the same models. While I was on the manufacturer websites I discovered links with current Promotions and Rebates and was pleased to find out that Frigidaire as well as GE is offering some nice discounts when multiple items are purchased. You need to be sure to look at the list of “qualified models” to make sure you purchase the correct appliance as most of these promotions and rebates are not for just any item; but specific model numbers.

In the end the best pricing and deal for my current project is going to be with Frigidaire appliances since this client wants to purchase only one brand and not mix/match. The second runner up was Whirlpool even though they are currently not offering any rebates and the third was GE when applicable rebates were used.

Do not shop purely by price; spend a little time and read reviews; and if you have the opportunity I recommend that you look at the actual appliances you are considering in person. Take the time to see how they open, close, look at the interior, etc. and consider all of the functions they have to offer. You might have your heart set on a unit with an outside ice and water dispenser but in the end your pocket book might be happier with the larger capacity and more energy efficient unit with a water dispenser and ice maker on the inside.

If you take a little time and do your research you could end up with a very sweet deal and a kitchen full of brand new appliances. Based upon the final selections for my current project we’ll spend under $6,000.00.