Energy-Efficient Whirlpool Duet Washer and Dryer: How We Scored a Great Deal

We had been thinking about upgrading to a front-loading, energy-efficient washer and dryer for some time, waiting for the right sale. We expected the best deals to appear around February when new models arrive, but a great opportunity showed up much sooner—actually, the very next day after we first saw the machines.

While walking through Lowe’s on Saturday, we noticed a sign advertising 10% off all appliances. Not a dramatic discount, but enough to tempt us into the appliance section. There we found a Whirlpool Duet front-loading washer and matching dryer displayed as an in-store special: $898 for the pair, marked down from $1,198. That was a solid price for a stacked, energy-efficient set, and we liked the Duet models—they had served us well at our previous house.

We asked a salesperson whether the extra 10% would apply to the $898 in-store sale price. They told us no: the $898 price was already an in-store special and could not be reduced further. Disappointed but curious, we left and went home.

The following morning we received an email announcing a limited-time 20% off promotion on Energy Star washer and matching dryer sets priced over $397 each. Because John had signed up for Lowe’s mailing list, we were able to see the promotion. On the website we discovered the exact same Whirlpool Duet pair was listed at $399 each—that’s $798 for the set—so the 20% email discount would apply and bring the price down substantially.

Rather than ordering online, we preferred to buy from our local store, so we called and explained we wanted the online price of $399 per unit and the additional 20% email discount, for a total of $638 for the pair. At first we were told the in-store special could not be combined with the email discount, but after speaking with a supervisor the store agreed to honor the online price and the 20% offer when we placed the order through them. Retail staff often aim to meet daily sales targets, so stores are frequently willing to match online promotions if it keeps the sale in-store.

In practical terms, that meant we got nearly a 50% savings off the original marked price on a new Whirlpool Duet front-loading washer and dryer. We’ll stack them in our laundry room to replace an older non-front-loading, less energy-efficient set that came with the house. The new units should save water and electricity and offer added capacity and features compared with our previous machines.

According to the Energy Star label, the estimated annual operating cost for the new set is about $15, based on a specific number of loads per week. Our household usually runs fewer cycles than the estimate—about four to five loads weekly including cloth diapers—so our actual annual cost will likely be lower. We prefer Energy Star appliances because they are considerably more efficient than older models, reducing long-term utility costs and environmental impact.

We don’t want to send the older, still-working stacked washer and dryer to a landfill. Since the new dryer will take a week or two to arrive, we plan to list the older set on Craigslist first. If there are no local buyers, we’ll donate them to our local Habitat for Humanity ReStore, which can arrange pick-up. Once the new machines are delivered we’ll share photos of the installation and how they fit in the laundry room.

Have you found after-holiday appliance deals or convinced a store to honor an online promotion? It can be worth calling and speaking with a supervisor—retailers often prefer to keep purchases in-store and can be flexible when shown a legitimate online offer.

Update: A few commenters pointed out that there may be a $75 rebate available from the VA government for purchasing an Energy Star appliance, which would reduce our total further. We plan to investigate that rebate program and apply if we qualify.