If you think the best time to buy appliances is on Black Friday, you're on the right track. But there's more to know!
Sure, Black Friday is marketed as a fantastic time to pick up appliances at bargain prices. (It’s also a great day to stay home and bake Christmas cookies.) But the perfect day to buy the refrigerator, range or TV you need might not be Black Friday after all. Fortunately, the price of appliances changes throughout the year in a fairly predictable pattern. Here’s our guide to the best time to buy appliances:
Refrigerators
Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) through Cyber Monday (the Monday after Thanksgiving) is certainly a sweet spot for great deals on refrigerators, like these high-tech models. But keep your eye out for the previous year’s models on closeout starting in May when the new models launch. July 4th is a hot time to buy refrigerators too, because retailers lower their prices to bring shoppers out of the sun and into their stores.
Look for dishwasher prices to hit their low on Black Friday, which is the proverbial cherry on the ice cream sundae. The average price of a dishwasher actually declines all year long on the way to Black Friday, with significant savings on July 4th and Labor Day.
You’ll start to find great deals on ranges throughout the summer, with the numbers dipping ever lower after July 4th. The exception is pro-style ranges, whose prices tend to remain consistent all year. (Whoa. This is what a $4,500 range looks like.)
Televisions
The price of TVs, on average, will hit rock bottom on Cyber Monday. But if you wait until the New Year to think about buying a new TV, hold off until two weeks before the Super Bowl, which is the next best time to find bargains. From early March through May, you’ll find lots of closeouts on the prior year’s top-selling sets as retailers make way for new models.
Power Tools
You’ll see deals of up to 60% off from October onward, with peak savings from Black Friday through Cyber Monday. But be sure to check out the sales leading up to Father’s Day and Christmas. It looks like woodworking tools tend to go on sale in February and March (when people are still working indoors).
Bonus Black Friday Pro Tips
Start monitoring prices at the end of October because the great deals increasingly appear all through November.
Use price-comparison tools such as Amazon’s barcode scanner (on the Amazon app for Android and iOS), which lets you scan a store barcode and compare it to the price on Amazon. Walmart has a similar tool called the Savings Catcher.
Check out apps that help you find sales, such as PriceGrabber.
Don’t buy an appliance only because it’s on sale. Buy what you need and what you know to be a good product. See our recommendations for the best kitchen appliances of 2018.
Start brunch in the Crockpot before you leave so it’s ready when you come home!
Slow Cooker Brunch Recipes for Black Friday
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Taste of Home
Slow-Cooker Honey Nut Granola
I lightened up a friend's recipe and changed the add-ins to our tastes. This honey nut granola is now a family favorite! You can vary the recipe as you like, changing the nuts, seeds or dried fruits. —Tari Ambler, Shorewood, Illinois
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Slow-Cooker Monkey BreadI often take this slow-cooker monkey bread to church potlucks—children and adults love it! The rum extract is optional. —Lisa Leaper, Worthington, Ohio
Spicy Sausage Hash BrownsI love to develop my own recipes and have people calling for them often. My family members and friends from our church tend to be my favorite and most honest critics. —Angela Sheridan, Opdyke, Illinois
Hot Cocoa for a CrowdThis is a simple, delicious and comforting hot cocoa with a hint of cinnamon. It has just the right amount of sweetness.—Deborah Canaday, Manhattan, Kansas
Overnight Bacon and Swiss BreakfastWhen we have overnight guests, I like to prepare things ahead of time so we can enjoy our company. It often gets crazy when everyone first wakes up, and I like to have food available whenever people are ready to eat. I devised this slow-cooker breakfast recipe when I was feeding 22 people breakfast at a destination wedding! —Donna Gribbins, Shelbyville, Kentucky
Slow-Cooker OatmealWaking up to the wonderful aroma of this cinnamon-sugar Crockpot oatmeal is a great way to start the day! —Brandy Schaefer, Glen Carbon, Illinois
Pot Roast HashI love to cook a Sunday-style pot roast on a weeknight. Make it into pot roast hash for any day of the week. —Gina Jackson, Ogdensburg, New York
Slow-Cooked Breakfast Apple CobblerServe them cobbler on Christmas morning—or any other cold morning. You can peel the apples if you like. —Marietta Slater, Justin, Texas
Slow-Cooker GritsSince moving to the South, I have come to love grits! I also love my slow cooker, and I worked to find a way to make perfect grits without stirring on the stovetop. I knew this slow-cooker grits recipe was a winner when my mother-in-law overheard someone at a church potluck say that "it just wasn't right that a Midwesterner could make such good grits!" —Tacy Fleury, Clinton, South Carolina
Hash Brown Egg BrunchSlow cookers aren't just for making dinner. I make this often if we're having company overnight. With just a little planning and not much work, I can prep it the night before and have a lovely breakfast waiting in the morning. —Barb Keith, Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Cinnamon Roll CasseroleBecause we love cinnamon rolls, I created a slow-cooker recipe to make for a weekend breakfast or brunch. This is a delectable, no-fuss recipe and perfect for company and family. —Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas
Denver Omelet FrittataThis frittata is filled with the classic ingredients of a Denver omelet—peppers, onion and ham—along with potatoes to make it hearty. It’s the perfect brunch dish to serve company after church or another early outing. —Connie Eaton, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Mocha Mint CoffeeThis doctored-up coffee benefits from hints of mint, cocoa and cinnamon. The marshmallows on top are a playful addition that brings out the youngster in anyone. —Mindie Hilton, Susanville, California
Hash Brown Egg BreakfastI love this hearty slow cooker breakfast dish. It's great for potlucks because it's easy to carry and always popular.—Nancy Marion, Frostproof, Florida
Slow-Cooker Sausage & Waffle BakeHere's an easy dish guaranteed to create excitement at the breakfast table! Nothing is missing from this sweet and savory combination. It's so wrong, it's right! —Courtney Lentz, Boston, Massachusetts
Western Omelet CasseroleWe make a Western-style omelet with ham and hash browns using the slow cooker. From youngest to oldest at brunch, everyone devours it. —Kathleen Murphy, Littleton, Colorado
Sweet Kahlua CoffeeI have this beverage brewing in my slow cooker at my annual Christmas open house. I set out the whipped cream and grated chocolate in festive dishes so guests can help themselves to as much Kahlua-flavored coffee as they'd like.—Ruth Gruchow, Yorba Linda, California
Apple Pie Steel-Cut OatmealI absolutely love this slow-cooked oatmeal. The steel-cut oats have so much flavor and texture. My family sprinkles toasted pecans on top whenever possible. —Angela Lively, Conroe, Texas
Slow-Cooker Banana BreadI love to use my slow cooker. I started to experiment with making bread in it so I wouldn’t have to heat up my kitchen by turning on my oven. It’s so easy and simple. I make this slow-cooker banana bread all the time. —Nicole Gackowski, Antioch, California
Slow-Cooked Big BreakfastWe make this during holidays or on mornings when we know we're going to have a busy day. You can substitute whatever vegetables your family prefers. It’s also good with steak. —Delisha Paris, Elizabeth Cty, North Carolina
Orange Spiced CiderEvery time I serve this wonderful hot beverage, someone asks for the recipe. Orange juice adds a bit of sweetness and Red Hots are a fun substitute for traditional cinnamon sticks. —Erika Reinhard, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Brunch BurritosI like to use a second slow cooker to keep the tortillas warm and pliable when I serve these hearty burritos. Just place a clean wet cloth in the bottom, then cover it with foil and add your tortillas.—Beth Osburn, Levelland, Texas
Creamy Hash Brown PotatoesConvenient frozen hash browns are the secret behind the cheesy slow-cooker potatoes I cook up for potlucks and big group gatherings. —Julianne Henson, Streamwood, Illinois
Chili & Cheese Crustless QuicheThis filling Tex-Mex egg casserole is perfect for any meal of the day. I add a salad and dinner is on! —Gail Watkins, Norwalk, Califiornia
Slow-Cooked Fruited Oatmeal with NutsThe beauty of this breakfast is that you can set the slow cooker overnight and, with nothing more than a ladle, spoons and bowls, feed a crowd in
the morning. —Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho
Spiced CoffeeI’ve found that those who aren’t necessarily coffee fans often change their tune when they get a whiff of this chocolaty coffee drink. I like to serve
up a big batch at parties. —Joanne Holt, Bowling Green, Ohio
Hearty Slow-Cooker Breakfast HashThis sweet and savory hash certainly won't leave you hungry—the sausage, veggies and eggs will fill you up. The hint of maple syrup makes it all feel extra cozy. —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia
Slow-Cooker Chorizo Breakfast CasseroleMy kids ask for this hearty slow-cook casserole for breakfast and dinner. I’ve served it with white country gravy or salsa. It’s delightful either way. —Cindy Pruitt, Grove, Oklahoma
Spiced Apple OatmealThese easy apple-y oats let your family have a warm and cozy breakfast no matter how busy you are. —Teri Rasey, Cadillac, Michigan
Slow-Cooker Chai TeaA wonderful sweet and spicy aroma wafts from the slow cooker as this fragrant and flavorful chai tea cooks. —Crystal Jo Burns, Iliff, Colorado
Slow-Cooker Ham & EggsThis dish is a treat any time of the year, but I love serving it on holiday mornings. It's basically a hands-off dish and a fun meal for family. —Andrea Schaak, Jordan, Minnesota
Scalloped Potatoes & HamI adapted an oven recipe to cook itself while I’m away. It’s ready to serve when I get home, making it a real winner in my book! —Joni Hilton, Rocklin, California
Pumpkin Spice OatmealThere's nothing like a bowl of warm oatmeal in the morning, and my spiced version works in a slow cooker. Store leftovers in the fridge. —Jordan Mason, Brookville, Pennsylvania
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Lauren Cahn is a New York-based writer whose work has appeared regularly in The Huffington Post as well as a variety of other publications since 2008 on such topics as life and style, popular culture, law, religion, health, fitness, yoga, entertaining and entertainment. She is also a writer of crime fiction; her first full-length manuscript, The Trust Game, was short-listed for the 2017 CLUE Award for emerging talent in the genre of suspense fiction.
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Updated: Mar. 20, 2019
