Step-by-step guide

Buying appliances on Black Friday for a kitchen remodel: what to check first

Holiday sales can be a good time to buy appliances for a kitchen you are about to remodel, if the appliances are chosen to fit the plan. Buy before the plan is settled and a deal can turn into a cabinet change, an electrical upgrade or a return fight. Black Friday is November 27 this year. Here is what to settle before then.

Buy now only if the layout is final

Appliances drive the kitchen design, not the other way around. Cabinet sizes, countertop cutouts, outlet locations, gas lines, water lines and the range hood all depend on the exact models. If your layout or cabinet order is not final, the safest move is to pick models now and wait to buy, or buy only from sellers whose return policy you have read and can live with.

Good signs you are ready: a final drawing from your designer or contractor, cabinet sizes confirmed, and your contractor has seen the model numbers. See kitchen remodel steps in the right order for where appliance decisions fall.

Download the installation guide before you pay

Every appliance has an installation manual, usually on the manufacturer's website under the model number. It lists what the appliance needs, and it is what your contractor, cabinet maker and electrician will build to. Before you buy, send it to them and ask, "Does this fit what we planned?" Check:

1. Dimensions and clearances

   Width, depth and height, plus any required gaps at the sides, back and top. Check door swing too: a refrigerator door that hits a wall or an island may not open far enough to pull the drawers out.

2. Cutouts

   Cooktops, wall ovens, built-in microwaves and panel-ready dishwashers need exact cabinet or countertop openings. A model a fraction of an inch different can mean new cabinets or a recut counter.

3. Electrical

   Ranges, wall ovens and induction cooktops often need a dedicated circuit with a specific voltage and amperage, listed in the manual. Moving from gas to induction may mean new wiring or a panel upgrade. That is work for a licensed electrician, with a permit where required.

4. Gas

   A gas range needs a properly sized gas line and shutoff in the right place. Gas work belongs with a licensed professional and usually needs a permit.

5. Venting

   Range hoods list a duct size and a recommended way to run the duct outside. A bigger hood or a new duct route can mean cutting through walls, ceilings or the roof, which affects the schedule and may need a permit.

6. Water

   Refrigerators with ice makers and dishwashers need a water supply where the manual says, and dishwashers need a drain connection. Plan these before cabinets go in.

Plan delivery and storage

• Ask the seller whether delivery can be scheduled for later, closer to install, and get the answer in writing. Some sellers will hold an order; others will not.
• If it arrives early, decide where it lives. A dry, heated space out of the work zone, still in the box. Remodel dust and a garage that drops below freezing are not kind to appliances with water lines.
• Inspect on delivery before you sign: dents, scratches, missing parts. Note damage on the paperwork.
• Ask about haul-away of the old appliances and whether there is a fee.

Read the return policy and the warranty

Sale prices sometimes come with different terms. Before you buy, find out the return window, whether there is a restocking fee, and whether opened or installed items can be returned.

The Federal Trade Commission's guide to warranties says that whenever there is a warranty, the law requires it to be available for you to read before you buy, in a store or online. It also suggests saving a copy of the warranty with your receipt, which proves the purchase date, and notes that extended warranties and service contracts cost extra and are not the same as the warranty that comes with the product. If you buy months before installation, ask when the warranty period starts.

Keep the remodel budget and the holiday budget apart

An appliance deal and a stack of holiday gifts can hit the same card in the same weekend. Decide both numbers before the sales start:

• Put the appliances in the remodel budget, with their delivery, installation and any electrical or gas work. The remodel budget calculator adds it up.
• Give holiday spending its own limit, separate from the remodel.
• Read promotional financing offers carefully. Some charge deferred interest back to the purchase date if the balance is not paid in full in time. See how to pay for a remodel.

For the holiday side, our free Holiday Spending Plan (PDF) gives you one page to set the number and split it.

A quick pre-purchase checklist

• Is the kitchen layout final, and has my contractor seen the model numbers?
• Have I checked size, clearances, door swing and cutouts against the installation guide?
• Do I know the electrical, gas, venting and water needs, and who will do that work?
• Can delivery wait, and do I have a dry, heated place to store it if not?
• Do I know the return window, restocking fees and warranty terms?
• Is the purchase inside my remodel budget, separate from holiday spending?

Not remodeling until spring? Use the sales to pick models and gather installation guides, then buy when the plan is final. See how to plan a remodel.

Related: Kitchen remodel steps in the right order · Remodeling before the holidays · How to pay for a remodel