Retail prices for major household appliances have stayed flat over the past 15 years even though manufacturing costs and inflation have risen steadily during that time. Manufacturers today continue to offer low prices on their lower quality appliances and then offer their choice lines of appliances at a higher price point.
So, where $400 would buy you a top-quality washer 15 years ago, that same $400 today would only buy you a low-end machine that you’ll be throwing away or repairing every three to four years. What has changed? The difference between the $400 washer of today and yesterday (or the $300 dishwasher, or the $350 oven range, or the $300 dryer, or the $600 refrigerator, etc.) is in the internal components used in the machines.
The lower end machines today are constructed of lower quality materials than similarly-priced machines 15 years ago. In part, this is attributable to the globalization of manufacturing with various internal parts made at different plants all over the world. While this has allowed manufacturers to cap retail prices for low-end machines over the last 15 years, it has also contributed to a degradation of quality. Therefore, the high-quality appliances you’d buy today command a correspondingly higher price tag – realistically reflecting the increased costs of manufacturing for high quality machines. You should expect top-end dishwashers to retail for approximately $900, washers $1,100, dryers $600, etc.
When asking, “How much is a new appliance?” you need to consider both the quality of appliance you can afford as a replacement and the option of having your existing appliance properly repaired by a competent professional. Signature Appliance can diagnose and evaluate your appliance to determine if it’s in your best interest to repair or replace it and make a recommendation accordingly.
Another cost associated with buying a new appliance is the “aggra-dollars.” That is, the aggravation and time spent that goes along with shopping for a new appliance—having it delivered, getting it installed and disposing of your old one. If you’ve experienced this joy recently, you’ll realize that the aggra-dollar factor can be a very significant cost.
On average, a large load of clothes should only take around 45 minutes to dry completely. If you are noticing that your clothes are averaging more than 1 hour to dry, you might want to have your dryer vent system checked.
Softener sheets won’t cause any damage to your dryer, but they can lead to clogged lint filters or the coating of your moisture sensor. If you use them, be sure to periodically clean the screen of your lint filter and wipe off your sensor.
Still have questions? To be connected to your local Signature Appliance service technician call (423) 380-1088.
