4 Clever Tricks to Save Up to 50% on Kitchen Appliances

Fridge, stove or dishwasher on the fritz? These tips ensure you won’t drain your bank account getting it repaired or replaced. Read on to…

Pay $250 less on repairs.

The golden rule of appliance repair? Always check your warranty first. Some companies (like Maytag) offer up to 10 years on certain parts. Warranty ran out? Websites like YouTube and RepairClinic.com offer free videos that’ll walk you through a fix, so whether you’re handy or not, you can actually DIY your repair. Want more explicit directions? Visit ApplianceVideo.com, which has hundreds of step-by-step videos you can rent for a week for less than $10. Skip out on paying for just one repair, and you’ll have an extra $250 in the bank.

Save $1,000s by doing this.

Taking a few extra minutes to care for your appliances will extend their life and save you $1,000s in the long run. For example, when a fridge’s coils are dirty, they can’t efficiently release heat, causing the compressor to work harder, shortening the life of your unit. Simply remove and clean the base grill, and vacuum the coils at the bottom or back. For a dishwasher, clean the water jets with a toothpick. This helps the water circulate efficiently so the motor won’t be overtaxed and conk out too soon. For an oven range, clean up spills that can interfere with the igniter or position of the strike plate. This prevents heat loss that causes your stove to work harder and die sooner.

Nab 50% off imperfections.

Sure, you can save up to 15 percent shopping big holiday sales, like on Memorial Day weekend, but you can get brand-new appliances for half off by simply Googling “scratch and dent appliances near me”! You’ll come up with a list of dealers who sell slightly damaged (only cosmetically) appliances at up to 50 percent off. Adrianne Sanchez of Maybrook, New York, got a scratch-and-dent Whirlpool side-by-side refrigerator with digital water and ice-maker from a dealer for $750, including delivery -$700 less than retail! Just know that you won’t always get the manufacturer’s warranty, and you may have to arrange pickup of the item.

Earn cash selling appliances.

Unwanted-but-working appliances can earn you quick cash! Most electric companies will give you money for an old refrigerator (from $25 to $100!) and haul it away for free too! Just call your power company and ask about their recycling programs. Also smart? You can sell appliances on sites like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist or LetGo, where locals come right to your door to pick them up. To unload appliances that don’t work, consider selling them as scrap metal. At press time, one scrap metal company in Nebraska was accepting fridges and stoves for eight cents per pound-a 250-pound refrigerator would yield about $20!

This story originally appeared in our print magazine.