With cash for clunkers for appliances on the horizon, appliance retailers are looking for Black Friday boost

The recession has slammed the appliance industry. Year-over-year shipments of major appliances, for example, were down 17 percent in September, according to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers.

The $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program is being ballyhooed as one way to unleash pent-up demand for refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, heating and cooling systems, and other major appliances. And though the U.S. Department of Energy will have finalized funding plans for the cash for clunkers for appliances program on November 30, the rebate programs in many states won't take place until 2010.

So appliance retailers are looking to Black Friday to boost their bottom line and kick-start sales throughout the 2009 holiday season. Here's a sneak peek at what some of them have in store:

Best Buy
Good through November 28, Best Buy's Black Friday specials cover large and small appliances, including the Dyson DC17 Animal vacuum for $350. The upright vacuum, which normally retails for as much as $550, was excellent on bare floors and very good on carpet in our tests. At 21 pounds, it’s among the harder vacuums to handle among those we've tested. If you need a new vacuum, check out our free buyer's guide to vacuums.

Home Depot
Home Depot is keeping mum about its holiday sales, but like many retailers and manufacturers this big-box chain encourages you to sign up for e-mail alerts about special promotions.

Lowe's
Black Friday discounts on kitchen and laundry appliances will run through November 30 at Lowe's stores nationwide. One highlight: Save around $400 on a matching Whirlpool Cabrio WTW6340WW high-efficiency washing machine (similar to the tested WTW6300WW washer) and WED6200S[W] electric dryer. Both units did a very good job overall in our tests. If you're in the market for a new laundry gear, check out our free buyer's guides to washing machines and dryers.

Sears
Sears' 15 percent off all appliances deal covers a wide variety of appliances and brands. The offer expires at 9 p.m. on November 27. Our appliances hub has links to our buyer's guides for kitchen and laundry appliances.

While the big-box stores dominate the marketplace, you might want to consider shopping at independent retailers. As covered in our survey-based feature on the best places to buy appliances, independent stores beat out big-box retailers thanks to superior service, easier checkout, and more-knowledgeable staff.

In this turkey trot, TurboChef is faster than Electrolux Wave-Touch range and NuWave oven

As cooking appliances get faster, records continue to fall in our labs. The video (right) shows how the TurboChef 30" Double Wall Speedcook oven, using "Airspeed Technology," cranked out a nicely browned 13-pound turkey in a record 53 minutes. So if time is really of the essence—you'll have to shell out about $8,000 for a TurboChef—this dual oven could be for you.

No oven or range we've tested is as fast as the TurboChef, though the Electrolux Wave-Touch smoothtop electric range wasn't that far off—and costs about $6,000 less. With its Perfect Turkey setting that uses a meat probe to measure the internal temperature and adjust cooking time, it produced a juicy, 13-pound bird in 98 minutes, about half the time of most other electric ranges.

If you're on a much tighter budget, consider the $150 NuWave Pro Infrared Oven. Using direct heating, convection, and infrared cooking, in two hours it made a 10-pound turkey that was tasty and juicy with a moist interior, albeit a little bit overdone toward the outside. The NuWave oven is available with an extender ring that allows you to cook larger turkeys. e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Our recent post on Thanksgiving planning looked at grilling, deep-frying, and smoking turkey. Check out our new report on national brands of turkey stuffings and watch our video on carving a turkey. With Black Friday coming up, stay on top of the shopping deals by reading Tightwad Tod on our Money blog.

Forum Friday: Coffeemaker reviews with unlimited refills!

Recent Forum Fridays have focused on savvy strategies to fix festive dinners and host holiday guests. But if your otherwise perfect Thanksgiving dinner was marred by a poor postprandial pot of coffee, you can turn to our latest report and review of coffeemakers and always active and accessible small-appliance forum to pick a capable model in time for Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa dinners.

Bunn, Mr. Coffee, and Krups coffeemakers have garnered some impressive testimonials in the busy opinions on automatic coffeemakers thread, while dedicated discussions are already under way about the CR Best Buy Hamilton Beach Brew Station 47454 and the Cuisinart Grind and Brew models.

There are some recurring complaints about leakage with the Black & Decker SmartBrew DCM2000, and some forum participants have expressed similar issues with a Hamilton Beach model.

There’s also a spirited discussion of pod coffeemakers, and other members are opining about the possible lead content of plastic coffeemakers. Other discussions center around the advantages of easily replaceable carafes and white-colored coffeemakers and advice for which grinder to buy.

Take a few minutes to brew up an opinion about your current model.

End-of-year deals on top performers

Discounted prices on many home appliances abound at this time of year, but a discount alone doesn't make a product a good deal—you need solid performance, too. The following high-scoring items from our tests are on sale at national retailers:

One of our sharp-eyed market analysts tipped us off to a timely sale on the Kenmore Progressive With Direct Drive 35923 vacuum, similar to the 35922, which sits atop our ratings. This upright is now sale through December 6 at Sears for $230. "That's $120 off its regular retail and the lowest price I've seen on it,” wrote our analyst.

Costco is offering Cyber Monday prices on dozens of products. The Whirlpool Duet front-loading washer and dryer set with pedestals are on sale for $1,750; our reviews of the similar WFW8300S[W] washer and WED8500S[R] dryer (available to subscribers) can help you decide whether this laundry combo is right for you.

Kohl’s is promoting 45 percent off many cookware sets we've reviewed until December 6. And the Cuisinart DCC-1200, which topped our latest report on automatic drip coffeemakers, is marked down to $80.

At the Home Depot, sales continue on cordless drills, gas grills, and ceiling fans.

Essential information: Learn more about vacuums, washing machines, and dryers. Then read our survey-based report on finding the best appliance deals.

Are you ready for some Black Friday shopping?

If you're brave enough to venture in to the wild—er, retail stores—this Black Friday, you have a good shot at bagging bargains. Our Tightwad Tod recently offered some spot-on shopping tips, including insider information on online deals for those who fear of crowds or prefer sleeping in and eating leftovers the day after Thanksgiving.

But what if your refrigerator is on the fritz, the washer shakes while your oven no longer bakes, and your toaster hasn't been the same since the kids cooked up an experiment in it? Tom Aiello, a Sears spokesman, says you'll find good deals on major appliances in January and February but "incredible doorbusters" this holiday season, including package deals.

Sears has added in-store computer terminals in its appliance departments so that you can comparison-shop. The retailer promises to beat the lowest price and offers no interest for 12 months on appliances that cost more than $399 and free haul-away of your old model.

Some other good shopping advice:
• Many retailers claim to beat competitors' prices. Remember, you can often get a refund even if you already bought an appliance and the same model goes on sale at that retailer or another retailer at a lower price within 30 days of your purchase.

• Best Buy has eliminated rebates but is offering interest-free credit for 18 months on purchases of $499 and up and will haul away your appliance at no charge.

• Most retailers are offering free shipping for online purchases, although the amount you need to spend varies, but usually starts at $25 and up.

• Lowe's is giving a sneak peak at its Black Friday specials, including wine cellars, coffeemakers, and cordless drills.

• If you sign up at the Home Depot, you'll get a list of Black Friday specials on Thanksgiving morning.

• Target is offering shipping at no charge on mixers, food processors, and a variety of other items for the home.

• Amazon is having a kitchen and home sale with savings up to 65 percent through December 1.

• Finally, you'll find a community of shoppers on the lookout for good deals all over the Web at places like FatWallet.com.

Happy hunting, er, Thanksgiving.—Kimberly Janeway

Essential Information: Read Tightwad Tod on our Money blog for the latest information on holiday shopping and tips for getting the best deals. And visit our Home Improvement Guide interactive for advice on appliances, tools, and building materials.

Tip of the Day: A shopping strategy for tough times

Not to long ago you might have wondered how to spend your federal economic-stimulus payments. And recently you might have seen your retirement, college fund, or other investment money seemingly shrink before your eyes.

But there are some ways you can stretch the money you’ll spend on your home this holiday season and afterward. Here’s how:

Make the most of ConsumerReports.org. If you subscribe to ConsumerReports.org, you can access our ratings and reviews of hundreds of products and our survey-based brand repair history. The ratings include a shop-online feature, powered by PriceGrabber, that lets you compare prices for a selected product in an ad-free, unbiased way. We also offer plenty of free buying advice for appliances and home and garden products.

Time your purchases. You might have missed clearance sales for some seasonal products, such as lawn gear, but many other items tend to drop in price late in the year, including gas grills. Soon after the holidays, bedding, cookware, linens, and other products tend to go on sale.

Don’t pass on rebates and other incentives. You likely wouldn't turn your back on a no-strings-attached gift of cash. So don’t ignore the rebates and other incentives granted to encourage investment in energy-efficient products and home improvements, rewards you can research in only a few minutes online. We recently detailed the rebates and tax incentives available through the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency. Also check the Web site of your state government and electrical utility. It’s not uncommon for them to offer rebates or incentives for replacing an air conditioner, dishwasher, or other appliance with a new model that qualifies for Energy Star, and many communities sponsor events for swapping a gas lawn mower for an electric model.

Also visit the Web site of the manufacturer of a product you’re considering or of the store where you’ll shop. As early as possible before you’ll actually shop, sign up on the site to get e-mails with coupons and similar promotional offers. Such pitches include rebates, free shipping, and notification of VIP or friends-and-family sales. Combine the offers from manufacturers and retailers whenever you can.

When considering a product with a rebate, before you buy, read and understand requirements, including deadlines. After you carefully fill out and submit the rebate form online or through the mail, make an electronic or hard copy of those materials and keep them in a safe place. This backup will come in handy if the company rejects your claim or loses your submission. Also record the date you expect the rebate so that you know to look for it in the mail—some rebate checks look like junk mail. Should have trouble redeeming a rebate, file a complaint with your state attorney general or the Federal Trade Commission.

Do your own repairs—when you can. Before resigning yourself to buying a new appliance or other home product, if you’re handy you can get some problem appliances back in working order without too much fuss. Refer to your owner’s manual for some relatively easy chores. But for more complicated tasks, say cleaning your dryer ductwork, you might not find the procedure in the back of the manual.

Manufacturer Web sites and places like RepairClinic.com, Easy Appliance Parts, and AP Wagner offer brand-specific troubleshooting guidance with DIY advice. RepairClinic.com and AP Wagner also sell repair manuals geared to a specific brand and product class, and RepairClinic features a list of error codes displayed on appliances with electronic control panels.—Ed Perratore

Essential Information: Read Tightwad Tod on our Money blog for the latest information on holiday shopping and tips for getting the best deals. And visit our Home Improvement Guide interactive for advice on appliances, tools, and building materials.

Manufacturers mum on holiday deals

With the economy reeling and U.S. consumer confidence plummeting, you'd think manufacturers would find ways to stimulate sales this holiday season and into 2009—be it offering rebates, extending warranties, providing free shipping, or other come-ons.

Yet of the dozen or so companies contacted for this story—including makers of large and small appliances, interior paints, power tools, vacuums, home furnishings, and more—only a handful were willing to comment. Some pleaded the Fifth (" . . . wanted to let you know that we will have to pass on this one"), while others insisted that retailers control the incentives. Others fell somewhere in the middle, including the spokesperson for a major appliance manufacturer whose e-mail reply noted that his company "will be stepping up its purchase rebate program to make it easier for consumers to acquire the first in class convenience features and performance." That person wouldn't elaborate when pressed for more details.

Manufacturers weren't able to provide greater details in part because of the speed at which the economy has fallen. "Everything happened so fast this year," says Joseph Cohen, founder and CEO of Snow Joe, which manufactures electric snow blowers sold at Walmart, Sears, and independent retailers nationwide. "It went so bad, so quickly, that we weren't able to react fast enough." Cohen notes that smaller retailers are often better equipped to create incentives for consumers. "It depends on the willingness and ability of the retailer to adapt. It's going to require them to take a salesman off the floor to actually key the process in [to get financing for the customer]," he explains. "For Joe's Hardware in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, it might make sense to do that if it means an $800 sale."

Similarly, large manufacturers with independent dealers seem to be reacting to the economic crunch this holiday season. "We depend on the manufacturer for the financing programs, but then we try to do what we can on the service end," says Clyde Phillips, who manages James River Equipment in Asheboro, North Carolina, which sells outdoor power equipment by John Deere. Phillips says the service end includes free delivery of the product, a tank of gas, or complimentary first-scheduled maintenance checks.

Briggs & Stratton, which make engines for lawn equipment and generators, is also able to fast-track incentives by working with its independent dealers. "We realize that the economy is tough right now, and we want to move equipment to people that have a need," says Troy Blewett, director of dealer-channel marketing. "Ideally it's a win-win kind of thing, where our dealers make money, our customers get good products at a fair price, and we make a little money." Between now and the end of February, Briggs & Stratton is offering zero-down plans through 2010, six-month extended warranties, and $150 to $300 mail-in rebates on select purchases.

Not everyone agrees that the best holiday deals are found through independent dealers and small retailers. "It's often quite the opposite," contends Dan Butler, vice president of retail operations for the National Retail Federation. "National chains have more people, so they can take measures to respond to trends more quickly. A small, independent retailer has to wear so many hats that they can be slow in reacting to a trend, so I don't think they have an advantage over big companies from that standpoint."

What's more, because major retailers move more volume, they can buy in bulk and pass on the savings to consumers. That's how the Home Depot, for example, was able to offer a two-for-one deal on certain Ryobi tools and lifetime service, including parts and batteries, on select Rigid products.

Where does this leave you this holiday season? There are no hard-and-fast best practices, but be aware that deals are out there. "Spend an extra couple minutes researching that item and finding the merchant that has the lowest price and the lowest overall value," says Snow Joe's Cohen. "We're already seeing a savvier consumer this season. I think they need to be. Heck, we all need to be."—Daniel DiClerico

Essential Information: Read Tightwad Tod on our Money blog for the latest information on holiday shopping and tips for getting the best deals. And visit our Home Improvement Guide interactive for advice on appliances, tools, and building materials.

Do microwaves leak radiation?

Microwaves can leak radiation.


True, though it's unlikely. While the Food and Drug Administration does allow for some leakage (at levels far below any known to cause harm), it also requires that microwaves stop producing radiation once the door is opened. Bottom line: Don't operate a microwave if the door is broken.

Does microwave radiation cause cancer?

Microwave radiation can cause cancer.


False. Intense microwave radiation can cause burns, temporary sterility, and cataracts, since it can heat body tissue just as it heats food. But you would have to be exposed to levels that are much higher than the allowable limits for leakage on newer ovens.

Can microwaves affect pacemakers?

Microwaves can affect pacemakers.


Probably false. Since 1980 pacemakers have been manufactured with shielding, which should prevent electronic interference.