﻿What to consider before buying a new kitchen appliance | Chester & Flintshire CH5
What to consider before buying a new kitchen appliance
Kitchen appliances Chester
Whether you are looking to replace an old or broken kitchen appliance or looking to simplify your daily routine with a fancy new appliance, choosing the perfect one can be difficult. With each kitchen appliance having a massive variety of specifications and using terms you haven’t a clue what they mean, it can sometimes feel that you are reading another language and that you are better off without it. Similarly, we have all heard horror stories of people purchasing kitchen appliances that did not do what they were supposed to, therefore leaving people out of pocket and with an unsuitable kitchen appliance. Don’t make these mistakes and make sure that you buy the perfect appliance first time by following this guide on what to consider before buying a new kitchen appliance.
Think the Purchase Through
An amazing new fridge has come out that can make your cocktails and pour them perfectly for you. Do you want it? Probably. Do you NEED it? Unlikely. This is the thing; when we see something new with bells on, we instantly want it. However, when it comes to purchasing a new kitchen appliance, new products with new features come out every month so try not to get caught up in all of the new releases. You must make sure to consider everything that you NEED from a refrigerator kitchen appliance before considering what it is you’d LIKE from one. Similarly, look through the product specifications thoroughly. Ignore any techniques that manufacturers set, such as showing off their 2 year warranty and magical cooling technology, as sometimes they will shout about this and word it differently so to seem like it is a new feature that no other appliance has.
There is nothing worse than spending a lot of money on a new kitchen appliance, only to discover that it requires 5 separate parts for it to work that you need to go out and purchase. To save yourself money, time and effort, make sure that you read the small print of every kitchen appliance that you are considering purchasing to check for any parts that come separately. Similarly, check the fuel type of connections types that the kitchen appliance requires, such as gas connections, as these can be difficult and expensive to install, meaning that you would have been better off purchasing a kitchen appliance of different fuel type or connection. Also, most kitchen appliances come with a manufacturer warranty which covers you and your appliance for any breakages. This warranty can last anywhere from 3 months to 10 years. However, the warranty can sometimes only cover certain parts of your machine, such as an interior light. This is why it might be worth checking that the manufacturer warranty covers major parts of your kitchen appliance and the terms and conditions that they may include.
One major feature that is often forgotten about when purchasing a new kitchen appliance is: How are you going to get the appliance home? This may sound silly and you’d probably think that this isn’t going to be a problem, however, it is becoming increasingly common for people to return their newly purchased kitchen appliance because it didn’t fit under their counter or alongside their cabinets. To stop this happening, we strongly advise measuring your chosen appliance space 3 or 4 times so that you can guarantee your appliance will fit. What’s more is that you must check that the appliance you are thinking of purchasing requires any ventilation space around it to reduce the risk of fire. This ventilation gap can be anywhere from 5cm to 30cm so keep an eye out for this requirement.
Similarly, measure the hallways and door frame that you will need to pass through to get to your appliance’s end destination in your home. This is crucial as if you cannot move the appliance through the corridors or doors of your home, there is no chance of getting it into your room. Use a measuring tape or long block of wood that is the size of your potential new appliance and see whether it can fit through your hallways and doorways without any issue.
Check Your Storage and Usage Capacity Needs
The common rule for appliances is to choose a larger appliance than you require. This is because if you fill a kitchen appliance to its maximum capacity, such as a washing machine or fridge, it will be required to work harder to perform to your required level. A washing machine will have to use more energy to spin as fast as designed, a fridge will need more energy to keep your food (plus the cracks of air around each food item) cold, and a cooker will use more energy to keep the oven hot inside. However, this doesn’t mean that you need to look for the largest capacity kitchen appliance. Our top tip for choosing what capacity appliance you need is to track for a week how much you wash up, or the amount of laundry you wash or the amount of fresh food you purchase and need to store. This can then give you a rough guideline on the capacity size you need. You can then add on a small amount to give you some leeway and get hunting for a kitchen appliance suitable for you!
Another helpful tip is to know that, for laundry appliance such as washing machines, washer dryers and tumble dryers, 1kg in capacity is equal to around 1 outfit that consists of 1 top, 1 pair of trousers/skirt, underwear and socks. In addition, many refrigeration appliances come with removable shelves that, if you remove, will increase your storage capacity and allow you to store larger food items, such as a Christmas turkey!
Consider Cosmetics
Just because kitchen appliances are large and sometimes perceived as being “ugly”, manufacturers are now developing brightly coloured and attractive looking kitchen appliances that you can flaunt in your home and make a statement using. Washing machines are now available in other colours, rather than your bland white or grey so you don’t have to hide them away in your utility rooms any longer! The aesthetics of your kitchen appliance is of high importance to manufacturers, and they are now producing good looking and highly functional kitchen appliances that look good and perform well for you to choose from. If your dream kitchen appliance doesn’t come as an attractive model as you would like, check that it doesn’t come as a built in version. Built-in and integrated kitchen appliances are incredibly versatile and allow you to not sacrifice on appearance when choosing kitchen appliances.
Like any big purchase, we very rarely walk into our closet store and purchase the first one that we see. With purchasing a kitchen appliance, you have a huge number of options and choices of where to purchase your new appliance from. There’s online, local shops, TV shopping and over the phone. Each retailer will have their own unique selling points and offer the appliance to you at “the lowest price”, however, if you hunt around, you will be guaranteed to get the best price plus the best additional services. Online retailers change their prices very frequently so you can never be sure you are really getting the best price. Although, if you are more concerned about the amount of support and level of customer service you receive from an appliance retailer, we recommend choosing a local store. They have experts in store, ready to answer any questions that you have and help you choose the best appliance for you and your requirements. Just remember when you are choosing the perfect kitchen appliance, consider many different options and don’t just purchase one because you are desperately in need of a new one.
Keep an eye out for extra free services that some retailers offer such as delivery, installation and removal of your old appliance. If these aren’t free, it can drastically drag up the price of your appliance. If getting a low price is of high priority to you, don’t be afraid to haggle with the retailer. Many times, you will be able to get a lower price than originally advertised if you are haggling face to face or over the phone. Most online retailers will not move on price so it usually isn’t worthwhile trying to haggle over the internet.
If you’re on the hunt for a new kitchen appliance for your home, whether it be to replace an old appliance or to improve your lifestyle, look no further than Butlers Direct. We offer many options for you to purchase kitchen appliances, such as online, over the phone and in our showroom. We also have a huge variety of appliances from a number of big name manufacturers and can offer a number of aftercare services at affordable prices. Call us today on 01244 823774 or visit us in our showroom in Queensferry for expert advice and low priced kitchen appliances.
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