We bought nearly $3,800 worth of kitchen appliances this weekend. If you know us at all, you know we love a deal—so here’s how we managed to shave off about $1,400 from that total and end up paying roughly 63% of the original cost.
Before the numbers, a quick explanation: why new appliances? Multiple choice works best:
- A: We prefer stainless steel to the mismatched bisque and black in our current kitchen.
- B: The wall oven has a large burn mark and heats unevenly.
- C: The refrigerator is failing—ice maker broken and uneven cooling.
- D: All of the above.
If you picked D, you’re right. We expected to replace appliances when we bought this house, so we spent the past 10 months saving and researching. We didn’t rush into a full kitchen makeover because we wanted to think through how we use the space and save for the right products. For months we were:
- watching Craigslist for good deals;
- checking thrift and secondhand stores like ReStore;
- visiting the local scratch-and-dent outlet.
None of those options produced the right fit, size, or finish at a price that made sense. Scratch-and-dent prices were often comparable to new appliances at big-box stores, so when we saw a major sale at Lowe’s we decided to act. Lowe’s has been our go-to for appliances—competitive prices, solid service, and price-matching—and we’d had excellent results with the brand we chose in our previous house.
We decided to stick with the same brand that served us well before. Familiarity played a big role: our prior appliances performed reliably for over four years without service issues. We also wanted all appliances to match in stainless finish, so buying the same brand helped ensure a consistent look. We ended up choosing models from that brand’s higher-end line that include a protective coating on the stainless to resist fingerprints—an extra feature we value highly.
After narrowing our choices for function, fit, and price, here’s what we purchased:
- 22.6 cu. ft. Energy Star counter-depth side-by-side refrigerator: We confirmed our current refrigerator was counter-depth, so we opted for a replacement that preserves that profile while offering more usable interior space.
- Electric convection range with quick-boil: Rather than replacing a costly wall oven setup, we moved to a standard range with convection and a quick-boil element. Those features would have cost extra normally, but during the sale they were only marginally more expensive than a basic model.
- Microwave: A straightforward replacement similar to our previous unit that performed well.
- Energy Star dishwasher: We love having a dishwasher—adding one in our first house was game-changing—and choosing an Energy Star model helps lower operating costs.
Even after saving for nearly a year, the sticker prices felt steep. Fortunately, each appliance was already on sale when we shopped. The refrigerator had the largest markdown—$500 off—dropping it into a much more attractive price window. Additional savings stacked on top of those sale prices:
Because the refrigerator and dishwasher were Energy Star certified, they qualified for an additional discount. The range benefited from a separate advertised sale, and we used a store credit card that provides a routine 5% discount on purchases, which the store allowed us to combine with other promotions. Finally, our state was running a tax-free weekend for Energy Star appliances, effectively removing sales tax on the qualified units.
Layering the markdowns, manufacturer or promotional discounts, the 5% card savings, and the tax holiday brought our total to about 63% of the original combined cost—an overall savings of $1,392. Those savings essentially covered the original combined prices of the range and microwave, so it felt like getting those two for free relative to their initial tags. Given that comparable counter-depth refrigerators we considered often exceeded $2,500, we’re thrilled with the bargain we found.
Delivery is included at no extra charge, so we’ll share photos once everything is installed. We plan to donate the old appliances to ReStore, which offers free pick-up, and we may sell a few pieces in better condition on Craigslist. We made solid progress this weekend and have more kitchen updates planned; the project is finally moving forward.
If you live in the same state, check local sale dates—the promotional discounts we used were time-sensitive. And if you’re replacing old appliances with Energy Star models, look into state or federal rebate programs that might apply; some programs offer additional rebates for qualifying refrigerator and dishwasher replacements.
Who else managed to save on a big purchase recently? We’d love to hear your tips or recent finds—smart shopping feels great when big-ticket items come in under budget.