How to Shop for a Large Appliance in 2025

In our 2024 spring survey, Consumer Reports asked 9,721 CR members to report on their experiences shopping for 12,970 major appliances, which they purchased between January 2023 and May 2024.

Only 21 percent of large appliance shoppers haggled for their purchase. When we asked the non-hagglers why they didn’t try to see whether they could pay less, some respondents said they were already satisfied with the price, while others said haggling never occurred to them, or they didn’t know they could haggle.

Yet about two-thirds of those who sought a discount on their major appliance were successful, saving a median of $123. The most common technique was purchasing multiple appliances at once from the same retailer (28 percent). Other popular techniques included simply asking for a better price (24 percent); asking for a specific type of discount, such as those for older people, military personnel, or other group membership (23 percent); or mentioning prices offered by other retailers (22 percent).

"It can’t hurt to try," says Tess Yanisch, who managed CR’s appliance-store survey.

With the Fourth of July approaching, you’ll want to know what sales you can expect. Bryce Tecson, a home appliance analyst for Open Brand, a market-research company, says bargains on appliances are likely to range around 22 percent, slightly higher than discounts offered during Presidents Day and Memorial Day sales. “Black Friday generally offers the largest discount rates, with a 24 percent average discount on promoted products,” he says.

“One trend to monitor is that shelf prices,” or the price before discounts, “of major appliances are slightly higher compared to 2024,” Tecson says. “This means that while discount rates are stable, consumers may end up paying more compared to last year.” He recommends keeping your eyes on large appliances from Samsung and LG because they have continued to offer strong discount rates during Black Friday, around 30 percent in 2023 and 2024.

“Tariffs could impact appliance prices in the second half of the year,” Tecson says. “However, given the expectation of discounts on appliances, the higher-margin, premium models may have more room for discounts compared to low-margin brands that source from high-tariff countries.”

At Repair Clinic, an online parts retailer that also matches consumers with repair pros, the wait for service is currently two to four days, according to Chris Zeisler, the website’s technical services supervisor. And once the summer hits, Zeisler expects that wait time to increase to three to six days.

“The common part supply chain for U.S. manufacturers is much better [than it was during COVID-19],” Zeisler says, “but there is still a significant lag time for control boards, especially for overseas brands like Samsung, LG, and Bosch.” A control board is a central processing unit that manages an appliance’s various functions.

Some refrigerator owners are waiting six to eight months for parts—usually those control boards, Zeisler says; more complex machines can have more than one. “Gone are the days of a simple mechanical timer controlling anything anymore,” Zeisler says. “Even the most basic clothes dryer uses a control board or two.” 

In the interim, he says, those waiting consumers are “probably using the garage or basement fridge, or getting something in the used market.” You might have to compromise by finding a temporary replacement, accepting generic parts, or deciding to buy a new appliance. (Find out which appliance repairs you can do on your own and which require a pro.) 

A final word from Zeisler on repairing vs. replacing: Given cost and availability concerns, he encourages large appliance owners to repair anything less than 6 years old.

To get a better sense of the consumer landscape for large appliances in 2025 and beyond, I spoke to Allie Chilicki, Nish Suvarnakar, and Stacy Canova-Turner, Consumer Reports’ market analysts for laundry appliances, refrigerators, and kitchen appliances, respectively. 

While prices in those categories remain stable compared with previous years, a lack of available new and existing refrigerator models might frustrate consumers, says Suvarnakar. “Manufacturers have been streamlining their portfolios to focus on their most profitable items, while additionally, it’s been a challenge to find the new models because they’re almost immediately out of stock,” he says.

All three analysts mention that the introduction of new models slowed in 2025. “Anecdotally, I am finding that a few manufacturers I’ve spoken to are not expecting many new models until 2026,” Canova-Turner says.

When your refrigerator’s compressor conks out and it’s not worth repairing, you can’t wait for a sale. Here’s how to save money on large appliances if you need a replacement immediately:

Head to an independent dealer first. Independent dealers often can match prices at big-box stores and have a bead on supply that’s at least as good as what the major chains have. And because they typically don’t depend on third-party delivery services, they can often be more exact on when you’ll get your machine.

Independents can also offer perks such as in-house service or a loaner while you wait for your new appliance. “You’ll get similar-to-exact pricing as a big-box store,” says Miele, “but your service is probably going to be better.”

Hone your search on big-box-store websites. If you want to shop at a major chain, take advantage of any search tools that let you quickly find what’s in stock locally and available for delivery now.

Supply chain issues that delayed many appliance deliveries after the pandemic have been resolved. But if you ever find that a model you love is on back-order for a while, here are our recommendations:

Get on an independent dealer’s waiting list. If your appliance model of choice is out of stock, an independent dealer may be willing to call you when it arrives.

Sign up for alerts from big-box stores. Some chains, such as Home Depot and Lowe’s, let you set up notifications that will be sent when your favored model arrives.