Do Your Homework -- Not an Impulse Buy
Jan 19 '00
If you've read a few of my reviews, then you know a few things about me: I bought a house, I bought all new appliances, I research the HECK out of things, AND I am a feature geek. So, of course, when I went to purchase my refrigerator, I spent weeks visiting stores, talking to sales people, talking to friends, researching on the Internet, etc. Here is what I learned:
First of all, do your research and compare! Visit every store in town if you have to, because it helps when you know that the guy down the street will give you a 5% discount and free delivery. I was a highly informed consumer which made me a real pain (to the sales person), because I sometimes knew more than they did.
Know which manufacturer makes which brand so you're comparing apples to apples. Did you know that Kenmore is made by Whirlpool (so is Kitchen Aid, I think), and Jenn Air is Maytag (I hope I got all those right!)? So, if you know this, then you could get almost the same appliance at a lower or better price by switching from the Jenn Air model to the Maytag.
Ask your friends and family members what they use and like/hate. GE seems to be a brand that people either love or hate, so that made me a little leery. Parents are usually a good place to start.
Check Consumer Reports and websites like Epinions! See what other people have to say about the appliance.
This sounds silly, but measure the space for your new refrigerator. I measured, and the darn thing still barely fit. Measure height, width AND depth. Check door swing, too.
What is the warranty offered? Does the store offer an extended one? If so, don't do it. I always get suckered into them, and I NEVER use them. I've been told by others that they are a total scam.
This sounds like a serious geek thing to do, but make a chart. You don't have to do anything fancy like an Excel spreadsheet. You should have columns with "Brand", "Model", "Cost", "Features", "Options", "Financing", etc. I would list the most important things first since these will probably be your decision makers.
Hope my experience helps you with your purchase.
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Epinions.com ID:
Caronis
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Location: Cincinnati, OH
Reviews written: 79
Trusted by: 98 members
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