Kitchen and Home Appliance Types
Ysobel Croix | Improvement Center Columnist | December 13, 2011
Consumer reports recommends that if a broken appliance is more than eight years old, it's typically better to replace, instead of repair. And new appliances are typically listed as one of the do-it-yourself enhancements you can make to increase a home's selling appeal. If you're looking at purchasing all new appliances for a home, you should be prepared for the options and costs of the appliance types you'll be purchasing.
A home tour of appliance types and options
Home appliances have a wide price range:
- Refrigerator/freezer, $400-$3,000
- Range/oven, $400-$5,500
- Dishwasher, $250-$850
- Washer and dryer, $300-$2,000 each
- Water heater, $300-$2,000
- Garbage disposal, $100-$500
- Room air conditioner, $200-$800
Typically, appliances come with standard options:
- Power source, such as gas or electric
- Size
- Color and or finish
Additional options and functions vary by the type of appliance and affect price. The quality of a product and reputation of its manufacturer can also affect price. Some manufacturers offer extended warranties on their products that can help you decrease the long-term cost of your household appliances by making repair a more cost-effective option than replacement.
Energy costs of appliances
The Department of Energy recognizes that 20 percent of a home's energy costs come from your appliance and electronics usage. America has the 7th highest per capita residential energy usage in the world, according to GE. GE has a website that shows different appliance types' energy costs per year within your state. In Virginia, the state with the average cost of utilities in the United States at the end of 2010, these appliances cost nearly $1,800 a year to operate:
- Air conditioning, $456
- Water heater, $382
- Electric furnace, $261
- Freezer, $218
- Refrigerator, $150
- Clothes dryer, $91
- Oven, $76
- Room A/C, $68
- Dishwasher, $61
- Cooking range, $33
Knowing these household appliance types' yearly energy operating costs can help you to purchase new appliances with energy-efficiency in mind and to plan for the long-term cost of your household appliances. Appliances with an ENERGY STAR® label meet governmental standards for energy use and environmental protection. When shopping, compare the information on labels, which estimates the yearly operating cost of an appliance.
Other considerations for new appliances
When you budget for new appliances, don't forget to figure in the cost of appliance installation. Though you might save some money by doing the installation yourself, some vendors will include the cost of delivery and dispose of your old appliances as part of the installation fee.
