Nothing incites the rage of a consumer more than a faulty household appliance. Those junk TVs, washing machines, and hair dryers do nothing but take up space and are often near-impossible to dispose of. Unfortunately, highly priced models do not always offer the consumer protection their ticket price would appear to assure. So the next time you’re out shopping for a refrigerator, here are a few tips that can help prevent thawed turkeys and frozen orange juice.
- Go to a reputable store
As fun as it is to pretend you’re getting that new hot water heater off the black market, it is much easier to be assured of a quality product if it is purchased from Best Buy or Sears, rather than Uncle Bob’s Hardware Emporium. Emporiums are pretty awesome, just not for appliances.
- Don’t get the floor model
Some stores will offer a discount if you buy the floor model: the appliance that has already been unpacked and sitting in the showroom for days or even weeks. While this may seem like an attractive offer, be warned: floor models encounter all sorts of abuse. Toddlers practicing their shin-kicking technique, moms with runaway strollers, and uncouth night janitors all manage to stamp their mark on floor appliances. Don’t you want the only punishment your appliance receives to be from you?
- Stainless is painless
The next generation of household appliances is those which come encased in a pretty stainless steel exterior. White matte exteriors are clearly on the way out, as are top-loading washing machines and cathode-ray tube televisions. Don’t you want the most high-tech water heater possible?
In conclusion, it is obvious that there are a great many pitfalls in the treacherous world of appliance shopping. Let this article be your Marauder’s map.