There’s not more exciting than when you set out to purchase a new appliance, especially a kitchen appliance that you’ve been eyeing for many months and have thought of many ways you can use it. It’s like buying a new pair of shoes or a new gadget – you just can’t way to have it in your hands and start using it. But before you jump into your car or on an online shop to make your purchase, there are things you have to consider first.
Kitchen appliances are not cheap. Even an entry-level microwave or blender will run you more or less $100, more if you want the high-end stuff. But with proper planning and consideration, you’ll be able to get what you need without spending too much. Continue reading to know more.
Measure, measure, measure
It would be a terribly bad day when you’ve taken the day to go to the home appliance store, pick your preferred appliance, paid for it, arranged for its delivery only for it to arrive and not fit inside your home. That is the fate of the people who refuse to do a little preparation before they go get themselves a new appliance. Before even considering which brand to buy, the model, and what features it comes with, you first have to consider the space where you want that appliance to sit. Take careful measurement of the area, keeping in mind all other furniture or appliances around. Your new appliance should not impede you from opening shelves or using an existing appliance.
Once you’ve taken careful measurement of the area you wish to put the appliance in, next is to measure the doorway where that appliance might enter your home. Too often a lot of us end up selecting a piece of furniture or appliance only to realize that it barely fits into our front door. If your front door is too narrow for a big appliance like a new fridge or washer, consider getting a smaller model. For house owners, they can find alternative ways to get the new appliance into the home – maybe a back entry is more suitable than forcing it through the front door.
And still, on the topic of space, you might want to consider hiring moving personnel to move your new appliance from the truck to inside the house. To save money, people end up doing the heavy lifting. However, if the appliance is too big, moving it on your own can damage it in the process. Better to leave it up to the professional who will not only move it inside safely but can also be tasked to do the installation sometimes free of charge.
Fits your lifestyle
A lot of us take pride in the lifestyle that we live by. Often, we express it through how we act day today. It might reflect in the clothes we wear, hobbies we engage in, and the people we interact with. But when it comes to choosing appliances, we don’t factor in our lifestyle in our selection process.
Before choosing an appliance you want to buy, first, take stock of how you live your life. Notice your daily routine and how that appliance might help make it more efficient or make it better. If you are someone who lives alone and likes to prepare meals at home, choosing a bottom- or top-freezer type instead of a side-by-side or French door might make a lot more sense since you’re not stocking food for a lot of people. For bigger households, bigger fridge space is more practical.
More than your daily routine, the choice in your kitchen appliance might can reflect the lifestyle you’re trying to live by. Take for example environmentally conscious people. You can expect them to own a powerful blender to make smoothies and health drinks. And because they use this daily, it makes much more sense to invest in a good brand. Similarly, someone who only follows strict dietary rules will have a lot of use for a microwave oven since it preserves a lot of the vitamins and minerals in the food instead of cooking it over the fire.
Although kitchen appliances should be first and foremost practical, the wide variety of options makes it possible to factor in our lifestyle in our choice of brand and model.
Price and budget
When people go through websites like BeastSellers Review to check out appliances they are thinking of buying, they usually already have a budget in mind. It’s fairly common for kitchen appliance buyers to research items they wish to purchase since this allows them to see what are their options, that fall within their budget range. They also get the chance to compare prices between different brands and between different vendors. But to do all these, you first have to know how much you are willing to spend on a new appliance.
Contrary to popular belief, buying kitchen appliances doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. There are numerous options available in the market that has all the necessary features at a substantially lower cost than the more popular names. We can thank an improved global trading network for that. Because we now have easy access to different manufacturers coming from all over the world, our choices have vastly expanded. We don’t have to stick to brands we are familiar with and have grown up with when products from overseas offer much of the same at a lower cost.
For those with a more limited budget, there is also the option of buying used or second-hand. This tip, however, has pros and cons. For the pro, kitchen appliances that are used are often already time-tested. If they’ve existed for over a decade of use, chances are it will continue to operate the same way. As for the negative, buying second-hand appliances means the cost-saving is counterbalanced by the cost of repair and maintenance.
The material of the appliance
The high-quality and durable kitchen appliances are usually made of metal, although products made of plastic are slowly catching up. Imagine your refrigerator. It is a necessary kitchen appliance and it is expected that you will use it daily and for a long time, you want it to last for as long as possible. Choosing a fridge made of good material is going to pay off in the long run. When it comes to the best refrigerators in Australia, reviews like this arm you with knowledge.
Similar to your other cooking appliances like range cookers, pots and pans, and microwave oven, if it is made from metals like aluminum, stainless steel, and copper cast iron then they are considered to be of high quality. Keep this in mind when selecting a kitchen appliance to buy.
Buying quality appliances doesn’t immediately mean buying expensive. There are a ton of things in our kitchen that doesn’t cost much but have been known to last for a long time. Think about the good pots and pans, as well as plates and cutlery, that we use every day. There’s a good chance you’ve had these for several years already. Ceramic products, with proper care, have been known to last for many years. And you can find decent ones at antique stores or even the flea market at a fraction of the cost of buying new.
Energy efficiency
With climate change becoming an ever-present threat to humanity, people are doing what they can to help. This includes changing a few aspects of their lives and making them more efficient and environmentally-friendly. Some people choose to commute using public transportation or through bikes to lessen their carbon footprint. Others with a little more means trade their gas-guzzling cars with electric vehicles or hybrids. Homeowners may choose to get new appliances that have been designed to be energy efficient.
Besides cost, energy efficiency is another factor to consider when selecting a new kitchen appliance. Sites like BeastSellers Review have found success in posting product reviews that also include how efficient the product is. People are now looking to get new appliances that not only help save the environment but also save them money over time. In general, it is the new models of kitchen equipment that have been designed to be efficient but older models can also be made to run efficiently.
For one thing, a decent refrigerator will run a lot more efficiently if it is opened less. An induction stove can last for many years before it needs major repair or replacement with proper care and maintenance. This kind of stove also saves the household from having to pay extra for gas. It all comes down to how you use these appliances.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Consider these appliances to be an investment. You don’t normally impulse buy on investment items. You give it some thought, put in a little more effort in the planning and budgeting, and prepare for any added cost such as repair and maintenance down the line. Think about all those mentioned above the next time you find yourself shopping for a new kitchen appliance.
