Thursday, July 31, 2008

ENERGY-STAR-struck: I (heart) my fridge

Our appliances arrived! Since Pacha Mama house was mid-renovation when we bought her, the old appliances were long gone and we never knew them. M. and I are proud to say we were able to meet our goal: all new energy-star kitchen and laundry appliances on a tight budget. How did we do it? Careful research, planning, and smart shopping…we were even able to splurge on nicer models and extra features. Is it possible to love a fridge?
To save time and gas, we started with online research of several big box store websites (Home Depot, Lowes, Sears, Best Buy, etc.). We made a list of the best price for the appliances that met our criteria (ie. Energystar rated). Next we visited a local appliance retailer known for having the best prices in town. We walked in to that store ready to wheel-and-deal! Here are some of our savviest shopping tips:

  • Pre-shopping, discuss and agree upon appliance finish: stainless, black, white, or bisque (we considered our white cabinets and went for a seamless look with white appliances)
  • Come up with a strict budget cap for the total package and agree to stick to it.
  • If you plan on keeping your existing cabinetry and layout, shop with kitchen measurements to make sure that oversized fridge will really fit!
  • Resist upselling – this is part of a salesperson’s job, but don’t buy more features than you will use. (we didn’t really need an LCD TV screen built into our fridge)
  • For deep discounts, ask to see the following: scratch-n-dent, open-box items, floor models and discontinued styles. (this is how we found our dishwasher!).
  • Ask stores to honor their expired sale prices (in our case, they honored their own sale price from the last holiday-weekend-sale)
  • Ask them to price match against their competitors (we went in with a print-out from big box websites showing a more competitive price on our stove)
  • If buying more than one item, ask for an additional discount or incentive (we got free delivery)
  • If a salesperson doesn't seem eager to give you a good deal, find one that does...




3 comments:

Unknown said...

Nice job! What make and model did you get for a dishwasher? We'll be keeping our stove and fridge (for now), but we're going to a new dishwasher sooner rather than later.

J - Pacha Mama said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
J - Pacha Mama said...

WHOOPS!!! IGNORE the last post. M. just informed me that our dishwasher is actually: GE® Model GSD4000NWW. Description: 5-level PowerScrub™ wash system with PowerShower — 5 wash levels and redesigned wash arms direct water precisely for a quiet and efficient clean.; Electronic controls — Provide a modern look with a smooth, easy-to-use, easy-to-clean surface.; 100% Water Filtration with ExtraFine™ Filter —Clean water helps deliver clean dishes; 2/4/8-Hour Delay Start — Makes it easier than ever to wash dishes at any hour or washing dishes even when the family is asleep; Meets 2007 ENERGY STAR® Criteria — Can reduce utility bill by using less water to get dishes clean; China/Crystal Cycle — Protects delicate dishes and glassware by lowering the water temperature during the cycle

[RE: the other dishwasher. The Americana dishwasher, sold exclusively at Home Depot,WAS one that we looked at and the price is good, but the product reviews scared us off...] I've just updated the post with the correct picture too...sorry for the confusion. Happy hunting!

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