[00:00:00] Eric Goranson: It's around the house. Um, you know, and here's one of the things about lg. They manufacture a lot of their focals like motors, compressors, so they have a better control of that where other companies don't. But here's the amazing thing. Their dishwasher had a reliability rating of. 1.7% last year, and that is the lowest service rate that they've ever recorded.

[00:00:27] Eric Goranson: So there's a key right there. Next one down. It's a big job. GE profile, 6.8%. Now GE last year was a 6.1%, but a 6.8 service rate, which is pretty good. GE profile and keep in mind, GE has different brands. GE is cafe when it comes to remodeling and renovating your home. There is. To know the, we've got you covered.

[00:00:53] Eric Goranson: This is around the house. Welcome to The Round the House Show. This is where we help you get the most outta your home through [00:01:00] information and education. Thanks for joining us today. Well, today we are going to dive into an appliance episode. We are gonna talk all about those kitchen and laundry appliances, whether or not you need to maintain them, what you need to do to keep 'em working.

[00:01:17] Eric Goranson: What are the new ones? What are the best brands? All that and more coming up in this episode. Well, today I wanted to start out with one of the most important things about your appliance. And this is how you maintain and use them. And these are kind of important things. And uh, I thought let's start out with maintenance and then we'll get into, uh, a little bit later on here.

[00:01:38] Eric Goranson: Some of the most reliable brands out there. And I'm not just taking some magazine report. I've got some great little secrets on how I find the most reliable brands right now for 2023. And I can just about guarantee you're going to be shocked with what the most reliable are and what the least. Reliable R out there.

[00:01:58] Eric Goranson: So let's dive in. The [00:02:00] first thing you need to take pay attention to is maintenance on those appliances. You know, people think, oh, that refrigerator, I plug it in and it's good to go. Well, first thing is refrigerators, and I'm gonna say most like your side-by-side are French doors. They have that little toe kick area down across the bottom.

[00:02:17] Eric Goranson: If you have pets every four to six months, you should be popping that off and carefully vacuuming out all the pet hair and dirt. Pet dander down there, that is going to reduce the lifespan of that unit and make sure you get all that outta there because that is gonna be like a blanket around the coils down there.

[00:02:35] Eric Goranson: And the more blanket that's around those coils, the harder it has to work to keep things cold. Which means you can burn up and reduce the lifespan of it. So first off, I wanna make sure that you're taking that toe kick area off vacuuming underneath the fridge carefully. Now, don't just go shoving a, a vacuum one down there because one, there's electrical, two, there's very delicate pieces, so be very careful in how you do [00:03:00] it.

[00:03:00] Eric Goranson: And, uh, just don't get, you know, get a good vacuum. It'll pull it out there when in doubt you could actually blow a little air in and push it out into the room and then be able to vacuum it up. So that's the first one there. Second of all, make sure you have a right proper hose behind it. If you have an ice maker, I like the steel braided hose.

[00:03:19] Eric Goranson: If you have one of those clear plastic ones or some of these other hoses out there that are more. That can be a problem. I would make sure and replace it and make sure you've got a good hose back there. That is one of the leading causes of water damage inside your kitchen where floors have to be replaced.

[00:03:36] Eric Goranson: Everything else is that hose going to the ice maker. Third, pay attention, and I know this is a pet peeve of mine as well, so I will, I will throw this out. But with a refrigerator, you know, they're wanting you to replace that filter. You could have the cleanest water coming into your refrigerator, and yes, they are trying to sell you filters.

[00:03:56] Eric Goranson: I totally agree. But you do want to change that filter from [00:04:00] time to time as well as, uh, on a lot of the newer ones have air filtration on the inside, so that charcoal filter and the filter for the ice maker and the water in the door, those are important as. Now other things you can do to maintain you think about your oven or your range.

[00:04:17] Eric Goranson: Now, most ovens, and there are a few exceptions, like Beeson and a few of these where I want you to get a oven thermometer and see and test if your oven is working correctly. It's really simple, you know, turn it on to 4 25, pick a nice hot temp, put the oven thermometer in there, let it get up to. And let it sit there for probably 20 minutes.

[00:04:42] Eric Goranson: Then peek in there a normal oven. You'll see temperature swings as much as 30 or 40 degrees inside, and that's typical for many appliances out there. The nicer the appliance typically the less the swing, but you could see that 4 25 down to 3 [00:05:00] 75, 360. And up to 4 50, 4 75. Sometimes I have seen those temperature swings get huge.

[00:05:07] Eric Goranson: But what you wanna see is if you set it to 4 25, is it actually 4 25? Where does it hang out? Because I tell you what, on my older GE Whirlpool Ranges, things like that, I have had them 30 or 40 degrees off. And then check your manual to. How you set that. If it's a dial, usually there's a set screw you can move.

[00:05:27] Eric Goranson: If it's an electronic control, many times you can actually just get in there, push a couple buttons and adjust that plus or minus temperature to get it where you want. So that is a key right there, making sure that's styled in and keeping it clean. Guys, do not run the, the self-cleaning mode right before you're gonna cook a big meal, cuz it will taste like you just ran the, the self-cleaning mode.

[00:05:48] Eric Goranson: So that's another one of those to be careful with. But keeping it clean, keeping things inspected, making sure you're good. If you have a gas range, it is okay to contact your gas company every few years, have them come out and check to make sure [00:06:00] there's no leaks. That's not a bad thing. And then of course, making sure with that vent hood above it.

[00:06:06] Eric Goranson: When was the last time you wiped that down? When was the last time that you cleaned those filters? And third, it better be venting outside. If it's not, there's a great DIY project for you to make sure that that rain hood should always no if ands or butts about it. If you have a cooking surface in there that range hood should vent 100%.

[00:06:29] Eric Goranson: Even if you've got one of those horrible recirculating ones, as I've always said, they make no sense they don't work and make sure that that thing vents outside. If not, you will have some of the worst air quality in your house that you've ever had by not using that range hood. So when that range cooktop is on, hood should be on and it should be venting.

[00:06:51] Eric Goranson: Now if you have front load washing machines, make sure that you're checking that filter cuz almost all front load washing machines have a filter in front of the drain. Check your, uh, [00:07:00] instructions to make sure that I'd be changing that every six months to a year. Cleaning it out, putting it back in, as well as making sure that those hoses are not rubber hoses behind the unit.

[00:07:09] Eric Goranson: Those need to be braided hose. And uh, that way they don't fail rubber hoses only last a few years, so make sure that you've got those. Another cause for flooding as well as on that dryer. Make sure that you've got that dryer vent cleaned out. I like to clean those, uh, vents that go out to the outside probably once a year.

[00:07:26] Eric Goranson: And, uh, make sure those are good and, uh, that that ducting is in good condition. Make sure you vacuum out that area where the, uh, lint goes in, uh, that lint charging, you know, the changing filter thing in there. Make sure you change and get that cleaned out and make sure that's golden. Now, when it comes to dishwashers, you can run dishwasher cleaner through there to make sure that you've got all the buildup.

[00:07:47] Eric Goranson: The harder the water, the more maintenance you need to do. And then, uh, with dishwashers today, one rule of thumb, do not pre-wash them. Pre scrape them. Do not pre-wash dishes before you put the dishes in there because you are actually [00:08:00] resulting in cl in not cleaner dishes. You're having less clean dishes because that.

[00:08:05] Eric Goranson: Detergent now is not have any of the phosphates and stuff that were in there before. They use enzymes. Enzymes need food to turn on, so if you actually are washing those dishes before you put 'em in, you are getting less clean dishes because you're not activating those detergents. So make sure that you pre scrape 'em, put 'em through.

[00:08:24] Eric Goranson: If that's not cleaning the dishes right after you've pre-scripted them, then you either have the wrong detergent or you've got a broken dishwasher. But do not pre rinse those things beforehand. That's another key right there. And then microwaves, just really keep 'em clean. Make sure they're working great.

[00:08:40] Eric Goranson: Wipe 'em out. Make 'em look good. And you'll be good to go there. And another thing out there that I want you to take a peek at, you know those mic over the range microwaves, make sure those are cleaned out as well. And, uh, you'll be good to go there. And, uh, any other appliances like steam ovens, things like that, make sure you're freshen up the water.

[00:08:58] Eric Goranson: Same with built-in coffee makers, all [00:09:00] those different things like that. Those are all appliances that you can maintain pretty easily. And when it gets out to your outdoor grill, make sure that those things are cleaned up. Nobody wants any grill fires. And, uh, again, those are just basic things. Garbage, disposals.

[00:09:14] Eric Goranson: They make really good little. Tablets you can drop in to make those things smell fresh. What I do is when I'm using lemons or limes in the, in the kitchen, I run those through there with some ice and uh, that acid of those as well as the ice will go through there and really clean things up and it makes a huge difference, aren't we?

[00:09:33] Eric Goranson: Come back. So much more about appliances just as soon as around the house returns. Why in

[00:09:46] Eric Goranson: should I be so hot?[00:10:00]

[00:10:11] Eric Goranson: Welcome back to The Round The House Show, where we hope you get the most outta your home through information and education. Thanks for tuning in today. Hey, if you wanna get a hold of us over here at Around the House, head over to around the house online.com. Make sure you're following us on social media.

[00:10:25] Eric Goranson: That could be the around the house. Uh, on Facebook, Instagram, and make sure that you're falling around the House Northwest. That is the television show, and that is where you can catch new video every single week. It's one hour of fresh television that we do, including some segments called Perform like a Pro, where we take on a DIY project, as well as our maiden Northwest series, which is made in USA stuff that's made around my hometown here in the Portland metro area.

[00:10:52] Eric Goranson: So much more of that. And then, uh, if you wanna see the video, You can head, uh, over and catch a lot of those over to round the house [00:11:00] online.com. Or if you're checking out the YouTube that is over on, uh, just go to Fox 12 Oregon. Look for around the house in the playlist and you'll find it there. Well, I have a source that I use for finding the best and most reliable appliances out there, and it's kind of interesting how it goes.

[00:11:20] Eric Goranson: Um, I do not use the. Consumer magazines, and I'll leave it at that because I think those are flawed. There's a company that I follow out of the Northeast Yale Appliance, and they do every single year, they keep track of all their appliance repairs and the percentage of repairs, and I think it works out really well that way and it's a little bit better measure of what it is.

[00:11:50] Eric Goranson: So it's interesting when it comes down in to the most reliable appliances, we're gonna start out here [00:12:00] with some of the, the least reliable appliances out there, because I tell you what, it's interesting. Um, It's, it's kind of crazy how, what brands are reliable, what aren't, and what are some of the, the, the types of appliances that are least reliable as well.

[00:12:19] Eric Goranson: Cuz that's an important one. So let's talk about the least reliable cuz it kind of makes a difference on the brand because if a company makes a lot of this certain type, then guess what? That can skew those numbers a little bit. So the least reliable appliances for 2020. Counter depth French door refrigerators, and usually it's the ice maker which has a problem because the ice cubes are traveling through a warmer refrigerator and those can refreeze again.

[00:12:51] Eric Goranson: So that is something that's getting better, but that is an issue there. Pro ranges with the high output burners have problems [00:13:00] with gas igniters. You know, it, um, it's not an issue. If you have, you know, because you have four to seven burners on a range, but you know, it can be an issue. So there's a lot of things like griddles, grills, steam ovens, multiple burners, and then you've got SOVs on some now, and those can be an issue all down the road.

[00:13:22] Eric Goranson: And so that's one of the things here that, that kind of interesting. Those are the, those are the, some of the biggest issues right there. Now let's get into the brands here that are the most reliable. And per that, uh, Yale appliance list here, I'll give them credit for this, for their statistics. And it's interesting, so their their top brands, this is shocking, LG at 4.4% service rate, and they base this on about 40,000 service calls logged by their service team last year.

[00:13:59] Eric Goranson: And that's pretty [00:14:00] important. So 4.4% service rate, um, and previous service rate in 2021 was 4.4. So they are pretty consistent. So LG is number one for the second year in a row, and it's kind of surprising to be honest, because they have those French door refrigerators, which are one of the biggest ones.

[00:14:18] Eric Goranson: That's one of their biggest movers. But, uh, LG had some problems back in 2019 when they had a, uh, had a, um, a really big class action lawsuit. And I think that really helped them do, and now here's another one. Um, you know, and here's one of the things about lg. They manufacture a lot of their core components like motors, compressors, so they have a better control of that where other companies don't.

[00:14:43] Eric Goranson: But here's the amazing thing. Their dishwasher had a reliability rating of 1.7% last year, and that is the lowest service rate that they have ever recorded. So there's a key right? Next one down. It's a big [00:15:00] jump. GE profile, 6.8%. Now GE last year was a 6.1%, but a 6.8 service rate, which is pretty good. Uh, and that's, uh, GE profile.

[00:15:15] Eric Goranson: And keep in mind, GE has different brands. GE is Cafe, um, which is interesting. And um, you know, they've got their other stuff as well in. But that's kind of where that is. Now, the interesting thing here too with GE is GE is not an American company anymore. They were bought by Harrier, the Chinese company, and so I don't know if that has anything to do with them going from a 6.8 to a 6.1, but that's something that happened a few years ago.

[00:15:42] Eric Goranson: Number three on this list, LG Studio. It is a sub-brand of LG and. The LG appliances have a little bit better build quality and advanced features, uh, in their washer dryers range as wall ovens and refrigeration. Uh, Maytag, [00:16:00] their previous service rate was 8.6. They're at 7.4%, so that's good. Um, and their laundry is decent as well.

[00:16:09] Eric Goranson: So, um, Bosch 10% previous service rate in 20 21, 11 0.7. So they've gotten. Uh, dishwashers reliable with a service rate of 5.1%, but the refrigerators, you know, stoves, wall ovens, you know, were there. Now here's an interesting one. This is one that, uh, that I'm surprised with. Speed Queen 8.9% service rate, previous service rate at 10.3 speed Queen in my mind, used to be in the wa in the laundry world, the most reliable period.

[00:16:47] Eric Goranson: It's kind of interesting. So these, um, they produce commercial and residential units, but, uh, I tell you what, if I bought a speed Queen with an 8.9% service rate and I could have bought an LG with a better [00:17:00] service rate, guess what? That's getting my attention. So, speed Queen, who has been the, the king of longevity of these things, definitely a higher service rate than they have.

[00:17:09] Eric Goranson: Uh, and that's interesting. Number seven. 10.4% service rate. They've popped up just a little 9.9 last year. And uh, those guys really are incredibly sophisticated, so I'm not surprised. I mean, they have heat pump dryers, advanced washers, dishwasher, the with automatic ex, you know, dispensers. There's a lot of features with Mila and so that's a big one there as well.

[00:17:33] Eric Goranson: So, That's interesting and they make almost all their own parts. And one of the things I do like about Mila is that they do have a lot of, uh, service on theirs. They keep parts around for a long time, so you can buy that and keep it around Number eight. Signature Kitchen Suite, which is the LG Luxury brand.

[00:17:53] Eric Goranson: So that is their high-end professional ranges, and that's at 9.3%. Number nine, Gaggenau [00:18:00] 9.4%. Uh, they were 7.7, so they slipped a little bit. Uh, it is the exclusive cooking line, by the way, from Bosch. So German designed, manufactured in France, you know, that kind of stuff. And number 10 is GE appliances at 10.2% service rate.

[00:18:18] Eric Goranson: Last year, they're at 8.4. So that tells me that they have slipped a little bit there as well. We'll wrap this one up as soon as we come back, just as soon as around the house returns.[00:19:00]

[00:19:10] Eric Goranson: Welcome back to The Round The House Show. This is where we help you get the most outta your home through information and education. Thanks for joining us. Well, if you want to comment on this, make sure you head over to Facebook on Around The House Show. You can send over, uh, messages there or over to me at around the house online.com.

[00:19:27] Eric Goranson: Now, we've been talking about appliances today in this hour, and uh, we've been talking about the most reliable appliance brands for 2023. And to recap so far, LG was number one, GE Profile two, LG Studio three, Maytag four, Bosch five speed Queen six. Mila seven signature Kitchen Suite, which is the, uh, luxury version of LG at eight gagan oh nine.

[00:19:52] Eric Goranson: Number 10. GE appliances number 11. Is Thermador, and that's [00:20:00] an interesting one there too. They're a very nice luxury brand. Um, they've really got some neat stuff. I'm really impressed with Thermador. Um, they simply, they just build mostly builtin refrigerators, pro range wall oven, steam ovens, cooktops, range tops, that whole thing.

[00:20:17] Eric Goranson: So it's hard to believe that anybody with all those different options can even be on this list. They've done a great job of it, so, Bosch bought them in the nineties and they have gotten better and better and better as time goes on. And number 12 is KitchenAid with an 11.2% service rate. And their previous service rate was 10.2%.

[00:20:41] Eric Goranson: And that tells you really kind of where there are. Um, you know, they're dishwashers again, well manufactured, reliable. Um, they struggle when it comes to refrigerators and stoves and, um, I like the brand. But yeah, that has really been hurting. [00:21:00] Now I noticed that there's brands on this, in these top 12 here that are not here.

[00:21:07] Eric Goranson: You don't see Samsung anywhere on this list. You don't see Whirlpool anywhere on this list. KitchenAid is the closest because they're a Whirlpool corporation, but you don't see, you don't see a lot of the others on here like Gen Air, and I'm not seeing the Vikings. I'm not seeing. Um, many of the other brands out there, you know, you're not seeing Sub-Zero Wolf, but again, those are a luxury brands, so that's harder for them to deal with.

[00:21:36] Eric Goranson: But there's a lot of things on here. Um, you know, Samsung's probably the biggest one that it looks like to me. And, you know, I, I have LG in my house, so, um, and then the other one on here that's not, and it's a lot of, a lot of this is because they're not common out there. You know, I do have, in full disclosure, I have Z line appliances in, in, in my range and my dishwasher, [00:22:00] which is made by Bo.

[00:22:02] Eric Goranson: And those are pretty good appliances now, um, for what they are price point, they are great. But if you go out and buy a, a $5,000 range from Z Line and think it's gonna be the same as a $12,000 sub-zero or you're kidding yourself, but it is a nice working product and that's something to consider. Now, another little honorable mention here is when it comes to range hoods and range hoods are something that's a little bit of a different beast here.

[00:22:30] Eric Goranson: Um, You know, a lot of the great brands out there, you know, Zephyr, which is one of my favorites, best by Bro, um, those are all under 5% service rates. So that's really, uh, really incredible. I like a good hood and that's where you don't wanna buy the off brand. You want to get one of the better ones with that, but that's kind of the key right there to all those.

[00:22:54] Eric Goranson: And then, um, just make sure that you're going out and spending the. You know your right dollars in the right [00:23:00] place with that, because I tell you what, um, when it comes down to appliances of what is the most reliable, here's where it gets interesting, and you can break these down by number over here, and I'll put this up on Facebook after the show airs so people could see it.

[00:23:14] Eric Goranson: But like for instance, right here, the most reliable induction, cooktops and induction's, a big one. Uh, the most reliable is GE profile, but here's the. When I first designing was first designing kitchens back in the nineties, GE profile had an induction cooktop. So this isn't new technology, but GE profile and Bosch 0% service rates.

[00:23:44] Eric Goranson: And then, uh, you know, you look back at like even Gaggenau Fisher, Patel, Gena, those are Ganos at 2.8. Fisher Patel's at 8.8. Gena is at 8.8. 15.6, so it looks [00:24:00] like they're having a handful of service issues there. And so that's an interesting one there. So you start to look at what some of these little. You know, microcosms of these things are, you know, when you're looking at, um, you know, front load washing machines, for instance, if I go into the front load washing machines, the most reliable, um, lg number one at 2.1%, GE is, uh, number two.

[00:24:29] Eric Goranson: And then you start going down the list a little bit. But here's what happens. You know, when you start to get into these Samsungs and Whirlpools and stuff like that, you get to be less reliable with these. Um, and some of the problems that you're seeing out there too with these brands, the, the Maytags of Whirlpools and the Samsungs, they have also had some considerable issues with people trying to get them, and the parts.

[00:24:54] Eric Goranson: And that has still been an issue this entire time. So, um, [00:25:00] you know, it's interesting. And the other key too is, is Merl, Whirlpool and Maytag are the same company, just like we, so you have Whirlpool, Maytag, Gena, KitchenAid. So, um, and it's interesting. I love the people over there as well. Good people. I, I love all the people in all these appliance companies, but Maytag is not the laundry that it used to be.

[00:25:25] Eric Goranson: And so, you know, and here's the other thing too, um, and this is where we're gonna talk a little bit more in this last segment today, but, uh, you have to start looking at how companies decided to market. Some companies out there have decided, okay, we are gonna, we're gonna focus on the big box stores and we're gonna stay away from the local distributor.

[00:25:49] Eric Goranson: And that's the key sometimes in these measurement things, because Yale Appliance is a company that is a, you know, local service provider up there. So they are [00:26:00] not a big box store retailer. And so that can skew those numbers a little bit as. And you know, there's a lot of new appliances that are out there in the marketplace now.

[00:26:10] Eric Goranson: You're seeing ranges like the one from, uh, LG signature that we talked about in my, uh, around the House Northwest Show, which had one range that had a sovi cooking surface on top. And if you don't know, what suvy is, is that you're basically vacuum sealing food, like meat for instance, or vegetables or whatever.

[00:26:31] Eric Goranson: And. Basically doing that in a controlled temperature water bath. So you, it, it basically just cooks that food to the exact temperature, but you can't overcook it cuz you're only getting it to some whatever temperature. So it's really a great way to cook. And you've got sovi, you've got steam ovens, you've got, uh, a lot of the speed ovens that have, um, you know, kind of a [00:27:00] microwave convection type thing in there where they use that.

[00:27:03] Eric Goranson: Um, there's so many different appliances out there that you see in a kitchen now. Coffee makers have been around for a couple decades, but you're really starting to see that you're seeing, uh, a lot of ware things from, uh, you know, ice makers that make that little pebble ice to the round ball ice makers that you see that come from lg.

[00:27:23] Eric Goranson: So there's a lot of different appliances out there, you know, and, and to be honest, some of my least favorite, uh, if I could sit there and say, I wish there was one out there, it would be the microwave range hood. I think those, um, unless there's no other option, uh, those are an appliance that I rarely use anymore because they're not handy.

[00:27:43] Eric Goranson: They don't work well for either thing. I don't like reaching across a. Cooking surface to put something in a microwave. I don't like kids to have to jump up on a range to get to that microwave. I don't like having a hot surface over that. I'm grabbing like a bowl of soup over [00:28:00] my arms being level. So that is my kind of least favorite out of all of those.

[00:28:07] Eric Goranson: So those are keys right there of, uh, some of the appliances out there that you should be looking at or paying attention to. And some of those are the wave of the future. You know, induction cooking is amazing. It is so much better. You have so much better temperature control than you do with gas and I. I have gas in my house, but I'll tell you what, if I wanted to really cook and have temperature control and get the most energy into that pot induction is a way to go.

[00:28:34] Eric Goranson: All right, we come back, we're gonna wrap up. How to go out and find that special deal just as soon as around the house returns.[00:29:00]

[00:29:07] Eric Goranson: Welcome back to The Round The House Show. This is where we helped you get the most outta your home through information and education. Thanks for joining us today. Well, this has been our appliance Deep dive. And, uh, this is where the secrets to buying and finding a good deal on appliances is, uh, the last segment here of the show.

[00:29:26] Eric Goranson: And this is one of those things that, uh, I think is really important. Now, if you're catching us on the radio and you're just joining us, make sure you grab the podcast out there because we have covered a lot of information on appliances here for you in, uh, this episode today, this hour. I want this segment here.

[00:29:41] Eric Goranson: Really, I wanted to talk about the secrets to buying and finding a good deal out there. Now one thing that I see people do that are on a budget and right now everything's tied out there, there's not a lot of people with extra cash in their hands cuz things get so expensive is that I am seeing people go on Facebook marketplace.

[00:29:58] Eric Goranson: I am seeing people go on, [00:30:00] you know, any of these brands. You know, finding the reliable brands on Craigslist or Facebook marketplace and trying to get from somebody that's maybe moving or something like that. That's not a bad deal. You just don't know the service history of the appliance before you got there.

[00:30:15] Eric Goranson: So if you find a model you like and you find it over there, that's one way to do it. But many times, um, the holidays, you know, labor Day, Memorial Day, president's Day are great times to turn around and. Those special appliance deals. Now let's back it up here and I'm gonna explain how many appliances are sold so you can get an understanding of it.

[00:30:40] Eric Goranson: Now, appliance manufacturers have what they call map pricing. Map pricing is the minimum advertised price. So when you're out looking at a washing machine and you see everybody has 9 99 on it, [00:31:00] Then you go, huh, they can't sell it for less than that. So many of these things like that, you can't sell for less than that.

[00:31:10] Eric Goranson: And here's what happens. I watched a Mila distributor a number of years ago that some of their salespeople were selling it below that price. They shut them down. They couldn't sell that brand for 90 days as a penalty. So it can be very expensive for a retailer to go around that. So many times that will, an employee could lose their job for selling it below that price, and that is there to keep a price war from going on.

[00:31:38] Eric Goranson: So they keep the appliance dealers in business, whether you like it or not. That's how it works. So what happens though is, is how companies get around that. As you will see major retailers, the Home Depots, the lows. Even sometimes the Costcos will carry appliances, but they will get a special number and they'll [00:32:00] call it a special buy.

[00:32:02] Eric Goranson: And so what it is, is it's a very similar model number, but maybe has an added feature that they could sell in a different thing. Because it used to be 20 years ago, everybody was, oh, we've got our 5%, 10% price match g. And so people would have that problem. And so that was pretty scary. So that's kind of what happens.

[00:32:24] Eric Goranson: So the key there is, is making sure that you find those special buys, cuz many times those special buys are that special deal one that that company will have it in stock cuz it's a special buy. So they sell 'em until they're gone. Number two. That they're usually a lower cost because that's why they're the quote, special buy.

[00:32:47] Eric Goranson: So that's another one there. Now, here's another one that makes a lot of sense, and this is something to sure take a look at going around and finding those closeouts, finding the [00:33:00] returned model, the scratch and dent, the discontinued. That is usually where you're gonna find the best price. Now, like at the home centers, you can go around and, and, uh, start scoping them out.

[00:33:15] Eric Goranson: You will find that model that's there, especially the more expensive models. They will sit on the floor for a while. And my key on that is to go up and hit that person up at the manager and say, Hey, I like this $2,000 refrigerator that's marked down from $3,500. If you'll sell it to me for 1500 bucks, I'll take it out the door today, or I'll have it delivered the next available.

[00:33:42] Eric Goranson: I am not shy of going up to the manager because that manager wants to get that outta the store, and if they can make the space, they're gonna be much happier. So something to think about while you're doing that, a lot of times you're just trying to kick it out the door. They'd much rather see it [00:34:00] go today and get the sales in the register than to sit around for another two months because somebody, the shopping cart could damage it.

[00:34:06] Eric Goranson: You know, it's just not, never in a good space. So always ask on those. You might be able to get a better deal on that. And uh, one other little trick that I've done in the past that has worked depending on the store is that heading, hitting up that night manager, that evening manager at the end of the month where they're trying to get it out the door might get you even a little more discount.

[00:34:30] Eric Goranson: Not saying that's a foolproof way, but I have seen that or go, they're like, just get it outta. Just get it outta here and that will help you out. And they can mark it down and let it go. So that's a key. So just another one of those little tricks right there. Now the other thing is too is, is you know, people will go into that retailer and you know, I, I personally love shopping from my local appliance stores.

[00:34:53] Eric Goranson: They are some of my favorites. And ask 'em if they have something that's a return out of box, something [00:35:00] like that. Something with a dent in the back. And then make sure from, you know, if you've got that local, regional retailer that's got three or four locations, do they have a scrunch and dent area? Or store for that.

[00:35:12] Eric Goranson: And that's another one of those. Sears used to do that. Years ago when you'd saw Sears stores out there, you would see that they would have a ton of scratch and dents in their, uh, scratch and dent retail locations. And so those were pretty good places to grab it, but. Uh, just keep an eye on that. And with, with scratch and dents, you want a scratch and dent on the side panel.

[00:35:34] Eric Goranson: You do not want it there where you're gonna find it on the front door or something like that, cuz that can be very expensive to repair. So take a look at, uh, take a listen to water we talked about is the most, you know, reliable ones. And then turn around and go back and you'll be able to see what you can do there as far as getting a good brand at a good price.

[00:35:55] Eric Goranson: Now here's another little secret too. Sometimes you can get things [00:36:00] thrown in. What I mean is if you go into an appliance store and you wanna buy it, you might be able to negotiate, for instance, a free delivery service or a free delivery and pickup. Um, you might be able to get a. You know, uh, uh, extended warranty for a less price.

[00:36:21] Eric Goranson: And, you know, extended warranties are an interesting one. Um, for some appliances they can work out pretty good. I am not the biggest extended warranty guy, and those are one of those things that I just, I just get really worried about it because to be honest, if you're buying a reliable appliance, you're probably not going to.

[00:36:45] Eric Goranson: But how long are you gonna pay that and, and how long would it cost to do that service call? So, you know that service thing, if you're buying a, a less reliable brand, that could be the way to go. So just [00:37:00] think about those extended warranties. Uh, they're there to be sold because that extended warranty company is assuming it's not gonna need to.

[00:37:07] Eric Goranson: It is a profit center for them. It is not a nonprofit. So think about that and what it covers and what it doesn't. You know, many times in appliance we'll have a one year warranty on parts and labor, and then they'll have a, you know, five year warranty on a big part, 10 year warranty on other parts. Um, you know, but if you're worried about it and it's something that could be an issue, like if you're buying a French Door refrigerator, maybe getting an extended two-year warranty is smart on that thing.

[00:37:36] Eric Goranson: Just in case you have problems. If you're buying a Samsung unit, I might think about. You know, and not here to bash Samsung because they're nice people, but you don't, you don't wanna have to pay for stuff. You don't have to pay. And so those are things to really consider, and those are things that I really want you to think about before you go do it.

[00:37:54] Eric Goranson: But, uh, another thing too is if you're online buying, check with your credit [00:38:00] card companies. And I'm not saying go out and apply, apply stuff on there, but there's a lot of companies out there like Capital One and others that have these shopping programs that are tied in with their credit cards that could save you, you know, 50 to a hundred bucks on some of this stuff.

[00:38:15] Eric Goranson: And that is something to take a look. There are some of those special deals on there that could help you out. And again, those are things, you know, other brands too, the best buys that kind of thing are in that B, same box store thing. And then looking at some of these other brands that sell direct, like Z Line and some of these others might be a good way to go as well.

[00:38:35] Eric Goranson: But, uh, just think about where you're buying those appliances and what they're costing you. And more importantly, make sure that you're maintaining these things and you're gonna be good to go. I'd love to hear your experiences with appliances. Feel free to message me over and around the house. And you can do that around the house online.com or send a message over on Facebook.

[00:38:54] Eric Goranson: We have our own close group, which is around the House Nation, and that is where you can share up some of [00:39:00] your stories over there on what, uh, nightmares or great experiences you've had when the appliance brand out there. If you're wa of waving a flag that you like, I'd like to hear it and make sure you catch the show out there.

[00:39:11] Eric Goranson: Just do a little search for around the House Northwest that is, Television show out there that you can catch every single week and stream it on Hulu. Just look for the Fox 12 app. All right, buddy. Time to get onto the next hour. Thanks again for tuning in to around the House.