I think in certain instances, it's best to pay more for something, to get a better quality product. I do a lot of research before buying anything, particularly something that costs a lot of money. I will often make a list of the various options, because we each use products differently, so I may not need an option someone else might find essential. How do you determine which appliances to buy? Do you buy top of the line? The bargain product? Do you think a lot of bells and Whistles is a good thing?
I really can't afford high end items, so I usually buy what is the least expensive. This is unless something looks totally cheap and chintzy in which case, I will spend a bit more to get a higher quality item. I also will use Amazon coupons and read reviews. In that case, I will only buy well reviewed items, and the features that I need.
For small kitchen appliances, I determine which ones to purchase based one how much I need it, what type of quality it has, and by price. Even though some brands look more appealing than others, it has no major influence on what type of appliance I buy. I usually purchase the second cheapest product because anything too cheap is not worth the money and of any value to be honest. I would hate to buy something and it breaks down in a limited amount of time. I definitely agree with you get what you pay for which is why I always shop reasonable but not too cheap for small kitchen appliances though sometimes the cheapest item can get the job done.
Because I'm older and cook more often, I plan on spending a little more when I move out next year. The first couple of times, I was under 30 and bought Target's bargain line, as well as IKEA. Some of my friends laughed at me because some items (like the cheese grater) were small enough to fit in the palm of my hand. When a person lives in a one-room (studio/bachelor), size is important.
I totally agree Diane Lane that when it comes to small kitchen appliances - like all things - its certainly worth doing some research beforehand and paying that little bit more for quality, durability and suitability - especially as it generally works out way more cost effective in the long run As for me - my main criteria is generally energy efficiency, quality and durability - as well as multi-purpose - particularly as I don't want too many individual appliances to have to find homes for - together with multiple speeds and a powerful motor - the latter especially when it comes to blenders - as after having found that out the hard way when my mid priced blender kept burning out because it wasn't man enough for the job - it was actually cheaper in the long to buy a more expensive blender - which as its still going strong some 12 -15 years later - was certainly worth the extra cost. Oh and of course whether or not something is easy to clean is equally important too.
Not always - I've been ripped off by a number of Cuisinart appliances for example, which cost more, but performed only as good as, if not worse than their cheaper counterparts. Their coffee makers and bean grinders I've generally been pleased with, but some other items I bought from them and paid a premium for such as their blenders and rotisserie oven, were total duds. The blender, despite being heavy and expensive and bulky, could barely crush ice and was always getting ingredients stuck to the sides of it instead of blending everything together. When I finally ditched it for a sleeker and cheaper Oster blender, I was shocked to see how much better it performed. With the Rotisserie oven, I thought I was getting something better than the Ronco one I had seen so heavily advertised all these years - it looked more substantial and sturdier. Then I realized it was very poorly designed, impossible to keep clean and leaked grease all over the counter. Not to mention the actual cooking capacity inside was smaller than the Ronco model despite the overall dimensions of the unit being bigger than it. I would have been far better off getting the Ronco for like $80 then junking it when it got too dirty, than wasting the $225 that I spent on the Cuisinart model that I ended up throwing out as well.
The last kitchen appliance we bought was the microwave oven because the old one had conked out. It's not the top of the line but not the cheapest either. As per our experience, all our kitchen appliances are worth the money we paid because they mostly last a long time. Even the water dispenser with the coller and heater is now 14 years old because the cooler quit. So now we are poised to buy a new water dispenser but we are waiting for December when sales are abundant and discounts are up to 50%.
I think for big appliance when you buy brand names and you should get what you pay for. I have GE profile appliances in my kitchen, they are over 15 years old and working fine. When I bought them they were quite expensive. I find sometimes for smaller appliances like a cordless kettle you can get away with buying a good brand but not the most expensive. My mother had a Krupp's cordless kettle, which cost over $100. She had gone through 2 of them. Finally she went and bought a cordless Black and Decker kettle for a quarter of the price and it has lasted longer than the two expensive ones combines. If you buy the smaller appliances at Costco, they are really great with warranties and returns.
When it comes to kettles and toasters, I'll always buy the best quality I can afford. These items get used daily and the kettle, in particular, gets a lot of use. Descaling your kettle on a regular basis will help prolong the life of it too.
I agree, I think it is very important to invest in quality kitchen appliances. It will be worth it in the end to buy reputable brand name products as opposed to cheaper poor quality items. I bought a magic bullet thinking I was doing myself a favor by saving money. I personally hated it. I went back to the store a few months later and bought the nutria bullet. It is much better quality and I wasted time and money by not buying it first. Overally, I’m a big fan of Cuisinart. I think their products are affordable and tend to last. You can also find products on sale a lot of the time or use coupons at Bed Bath and Beyond.
I tend to buy mid-range items depending on what they are. Kettles I don't mind budget ones because they serve a simple purpose. Microwaves and oven toasters I base it on the features I will actually use and then keep an eye on the price and try to save up vouchers and codes to get it at the best price. Also it depends on how often you will use it, because things can get dated easily. Look at how microwaves have advanced over the years.
I agree with the Cuisinart items performing worse. I have had a few of those as well, and have been unhappy with the performance. This was one case, where you don't get what you pay for! I doubt I would buy another item from that line.
I do some research on the item before I purchase it. One item that was costly I was ready to purchase read the reviews and decided not to make the purchase. A little disappointed but I am sure I would have been more so had I made the purchase and had to return it.
From what I have noticed, the cheaper appliances that we have here are below $25, like the oven toaster and the electric kettle. The major ones like the gas stove and the ref are not the cheap brands, they're from the established brands. It is a given that you get what you pay for, so if you can afford it then you should buy the branded ones as much as possible.
I usually go for midrange but if it's something that I know will be touching my food and one that I'll be using frequently then I'd probably just opt for the most popular brand because I'll be able to sleep more peacefully knowing that I'm not gambling with what I'm using on my food. I think this is especially true for me when the price difference between the midrange and low range ones isn't too high so I'm not too against paying just a bit more for a lot more peace of mind.
I do attempt to descale my electric kettle on a pretty regular basis, but I'm actually going to see if I can find a more effective way of doing it, now that I've been reminded of the importance. I have several Cuisinart items, but mainly just the coffee related ones, and haven't had issues with them. I got a couple of small appliances for Christmas gifts, and so far they're performing quite well. Both happen to be Hamilton Beach, and both are black and silver. I joked with the givers about whether they'd coordinated, but they hadn't. One is a tall can opener. A friend who has similar hand and wrist issues got it for me because we're always commiserating about the issue, and I've actually never owned an electric can opener. I like the fact that it's tall. He had been through the process of buying a few duds, so knew exactly what to look for, and I was saved that trouble. I love that it has a strong magnet, so I don't have to hold the can while it's opening. Also, the cats don't associated that sound with tuna (at least yet), so I'm not tripping all over them while I open a can, as opposed to when they hear a pull tab or hear me struggling with the manual can opener. The other is a hand mixer, which is a step up from the hand mixer I was using. It's probably mid-range, and even though it has a dough hook, I probably wouldn't attempt to use it for actual bread dough, but maybe I would for something less dense. Thankfully, I have a bread maker, in case I need to knead something for a long period of time.
I have to agree in this case. I mean, yeah, you can buy an electric can opener for like six bucks at Walmart, but expect it to work and last like it cost six bucks. I wouldn't go top of the line either though, on such an item. I'm usually better off when I choose something mid-range, not too high-end, not too low-end. That's generally my strategy. Don't go for the very cheapest or the most expensive, just go for the best value, which is usually somewhere in the middle.
I don't think price is always an indication of quality. You can find mid to lower priced small kitchen appiances that work well but you have to do your research. I look at consumer reviews on several sites before deciding what to buy. I also try to take a look at the item in the store if possible, like checking out an item in person at Walmart then buying it on Amazon.
I don't think that higher end appliances outperforms their smaller brand counterparts as much as other people think. It still depends on the specs of the product, the reviews of people who used the product, and the vision of the company behind the product. If I feel that they're offering a quality appliance and I was able to read positive reviews, then I won't hesitate to buy their offered appliances. Nowadays, bigger companies tend to increase their prices mainly because of their brand's name and not because they're offering a highly superior appliance so I'm not as sold to the their products as before.
Yeah, I get what you guys are saying. For example, I've picked up a cheap coffee maker before for like ten bucks. It worked just fine. There's a difference though. I'm literally talking about a small appliance that cost $6.00. I don't think anyone should expect a lot when it's that cheap. I mean, even the $10.00 one isn't bad, but six? When it's beyond dirt cheap, I question it.
