How to Shop for Appliances Online [2020 Buying Guide]

Whether your kitchen or laundry appliances are on their way out or you are looking to upgrade your new (or preexisting) home, shopping for appliances can seem like a daunting task. After all, they are what make our world go ’round—from keeping our foods fresh, to heating up meals for the entire family, to cleaning our everyday garments.  

Saving us both time and effort, our appliances are the undisputed MVPs of the home. 

That said, shopping for appliances online is a very convenient option. We know what you’re thinking: You prefer to inspect this kind of merchandise in person before you buy it. To that, we say, digital catalogs are more comprehensive than ever, providing detailed descriptions, thorough specifications (including appliance dimensions and key features), as well as product images from various perspectives. 

In addition, our experts at Aztec Appliance have a few tips to ensure that every online purchase is an informed one—check them out below!

Our most practical tip, optimizing your budget is critical for scoring the most cost-effective appliances for your home. While we can all appreciate a glossy kitchen suite and a shiny washer and dryer set, it is best to ensure your purchase is, above all, functional for your family’s needs and finances.

Aside from the price of an appliance upon initial purchase, be sure to factor in operating costs—for instance, a gas range is typically more expensive than an electric model upon initial purchase, but in the long run, it is less pricey to maintain since the cost of natural gas is generally cheaper than that of electricity.

So, crunch those numbers! This initial step will help filter your search from the jump, narrowing down your selection of appliance features and contending brands, making your journey less overwhelming. All the while, keep in mind that Aztec Appliance has financing options available to help you bring home quality appliances sooner rather than later. 

Before you scroll through our catalog, we recommend assessing your collective household’s lifestyle and habits so that you can avoid settling for less than what you need. 

Depending on the size of your family, a large-capacity laundry pair might be considered a “must.” Or if you lead a busy life from your home office with parenting and housekeeping duties to boot, then you might consider WiFi-enabled appliances you can monitor and control from your smartphone. Or if you’ve got a small kitchen, then you may reap the benefits of an electric oven-microwave combo. 

That said, some “wants” are merited. For instance, if you love to entertain guests, you might consider a double oven so that you can cook foods faster without compromising your three-course menu. And if you prefer to go to bed early, you can literally rest assured that a low-noise quiet dishwasher won’t compel you to stay up after a load is done. 

Relatedly, we are happy to report that the best kitchen appliance brands offer high-end features, as many midlevel ovens are now supplied with convection and air-fry settings, and newer washers are stocked with a sanitize option.

Pictured: Customizable Café™ Professional Collection kitchen package in stainless steel

After you’ve set your budget and authored your wish list, we compel you to do a bit of research. Whether you are overhauling your kitchen and laundry setups or are on the hunt for a singular appliance, it is a good idea to learn about the brands behind these products: what they offer, what they do well, and where they may falter. 

Among the contending brands that cater to your budget, you may also notice signature flairs in their kitchen appliances—whether it’s Café’s chic customizable hardware, Wolf’s red control knobs, Samsung’s Tuscan stainless-steel option, and LG’s energy-saving InstaView glass panels. In short, brand knowledge will help you curate a look that is all your own. 

Whip out that tape measure—it’s time to determine the maximum dimensions for your prospective purchases. We implore you to check and double-check the measurements of the available space you hope to fill with your new cooking appliance, refrigerator, dishwasher, washing machine, or dryer. 

This step will dwindle down your options further, as you can filter for height, width, and depth on our catalog—not to mention, of course, that such forethought prevents buyer’s remorse. Regardless of whether your transaction was handled online or in-store, merchandise returns are always a hassle. 

Bonus tip: Make sure the maximum dimensions you calculated can clear the height and width of your doorways! If not, you may need to adjust your estimated maximums. At this point, we believe it’s a good idea to also map out a delivery path for your new appliance’s arrival. 

As you dive into our Appliances catalog, filtering through brands and product dimensions, we advise that you read descriptions and specifications closely. Is the finish smudge-proof? Is the model built-in or freestanding? Will it fit? Besides preventing an ill-informed purchase, reading product information closely is instrumental in ensuring you confidently made the right investment for your home. 

Since online checkout is meant to sidestep the need to examine the appliance in person, we suggest you view the available information with the same level of scrutiny. Along with studying the product model and image, take a closer look at the description. But don’t just scan those words. Take them in. 

Most of the wariness that comes with online shopping is the fear of receiving something that does not look or perform as advertised. Thankfully, online reviews from shoppers often indicate if a product is a worthwhile investment in terms of construction, reliability, and durability—along with mentioning performance issues and other shortcomings. 

While one bad review shouldn’t necessarily deter you from a purchase, we recommend steering clear of any products with several bad reviews. These one-, two-, and three-star reviews often indicate poor construction and issues with use. 

If available, you should scope out any photos that consumers have uploaded with their reviews since they can give you a pretty good idea of how the appliances will appear in your own home.  

As you finalize your purchase, don’t forget to review your warranty options! Many trustworthy brands offer warranties to cover repairs and replacements for periods as limited as one year (with many starting at three) to as generous as 10 years. 

Warranties are payable online upon checkout; for more information regarding a specific product’s coverage options, check out the manufacturer’s site. 

After you install your new home appliances yourself (or enlist one of our professional technicians to do it for you), give them a spin! As you assess the performance and reliability of your new kitchen and laundry appliances, be wary of return policies, especially if you have as little as 30 days to change your mind. 

If you opted into a warranty plan, feel free to contact our experts to see what we can do for you. 

We hope you feel confident enough to shop for appliances online. Shop with Aztec Appliance to build the home of your dreams!

Our friendly staff is always happy to help you with any appliance-related questions you may have. Call or visit us today! More accessible than ever, our experts are also available via chat.