Buying Guide: Choosing the Best Kitchen Appliances for your Home Buying Guide - Choosing the Best Kitchen Appliance | Page 12

Mistake #1: Not measuring your space.
The biggest snafu that all of our experts kept coming back to? Not measuring your space. "It
could end up simply not fitting or sticking out if you choose the wrong one," explains Lori
Wood, senior director of product management for Sears' Kenmore Appliances.
You need to know exactly how much room you have to accommodate a new appliance,
including how much room you need for the door to actually open. You also need to be sure
there's a way to get your new appliance into your house. Take careful measurements in all
directions of both where the unit will live as well as any door frames, hallways, or
staircases it must travel through to get there — and don't round up.
Mistake #2: Not knowing your home's hookups.
We're sure you know if your stove is gas or electric, but does your fridge have a water
dispenser or ice maker — and if it doesn't, would you like one?
If there is a water line already in place, it might not be up to code — it's typically required
by law that there be a water shutoff valve installed, to protect against leaks. "If there isn't a
water line, we can install one up to 30 feet from the existing water source," says Dustin
Williams of Best Buy's Geek Squad. (Sears and Lowe's offer the same service.)
Mistake #3: Not doing your research.
With this whole internet thing, it can be both extremely easy and totally overwhelming to
start digging into product reviews and buying guides. But it's pretty important to at least
have a general idea of what you want.
"We have sales associates with tons of training dedicated to explaining what specific
features do and helping you make the right purchase decision for you," Woods says. "But it
helps if consumers come in with an idea of what they want." You don't necessarily need to
know that a 20K BTU burner is an option available on gas ranges, but you should be able to
describe to the salesperson your cooking habits — and complaints about your current
appliance — so she can steer you in the right direction.
At minimum, the pros suggest getting a handle on what's out there and what your budget
will (and won't) get you. For example, the most common styles of fridge are top freezer
(which is probably the image you conjure when someone says "refrigerator"), bottom
freezer (which means you'll stoop less to reach fresh foods but not frozen), side-by-side,
and French door. If you don't know what these are, get thee to the interwebs.
Mistake #4: Not keeping an open mind.