I stick with old advice. Much better service from local shops if you have any.

Thank you, Flo! But service aside, is that true that the same model at HD may have different parts than one bought from a specialized dealer?

I put all high-end appliances in the old house and got used to them, but we had to move, unfortunately. The prices have pretty much doubled since then and as we are going to move in a few years, I do not want to spend a fortune on a high-end model, but do not want to deal with bad performance and repairs either. The Whirlpool the previous owners had in this house has been awful (sometimes, we had to run the same load twice to have it clean). And now it is broken. 🤦‍♀️ I am trying to find a good compromise.

In my area the service from the local appliance store (small family chain) is so far superior to big box stores that I would absolutely wait two weeks. As stated above if the model number is the same the product is the same so go to a big box if you are in a hurry.

We're currently building a house and we have gone with a local appliance dealer and so far they have been great. I had little faith in the level of customer service that the big box stores could provide. And, they didn't have everything we were looking for anyway. Much rather buy it all from one place and be done.

I do think there are some appliances that are made for specific big box stores. Google the model number of the appliance you are looking at from Lowe's and see if it is carried anywhere else. Or, call the manufacturer and ask if it is made specifically for the big box and how ubiquitous the parts are.

For a new dishwasher, I don't think you can go wrong with a Bosch.

Where in the country are you located? I'm on the east coast and while I usually use mom and pop appliance stores, after buying expensive items and getting crap service from a mom and pop, I started using PCRichards. I've gotten excellent service from them.

Strong reccomendation to use the local dealer instead of big box. Not only will they price match, but the delivery process, care, installation, clean-up, follow-up, and personal safety are far superior. Please be sure to read any big box delivery reviews (hint, bad news, even Costco).

The local shop can also advise you on a price/performance point in the budget you have. Best of luck to you!

I always bought from the local shop because in the past they provided good service. Now they send you to the manufacturer anyhow. So check your store's policies first.

"...the appliances sold at HD, Lowes, etc., might look the same but could have inferior parts (e.g., plastic instead metal)."

This is false.

I always bought from the local shop because in the past they provided good service. Now they send you to the manufacturer anyhow. So check your store's policies first.

Yep. Super disappointing that this is starting to happen.

Always good to fully under the local store policies. Go by model number. Almost all products have China parts in them. I have had super highend appliances and sone were a pain. I also have found I don’t use many of the various functions sometimes offered so we just put a new built in oven into our rental home. Our landlord gave us budget target and we got a very nice GE self clean oven. Racks are able to stay in oven when on clean cycle. About $1,100. 30” wide and nice looking. So figured out what functions you really need and then shop hood brand names. You will be fine.

*good brand names”.

Thank you, everyone!

Not long ago, I would not have dreamt of buying from big box stores, but as already mentioned here, the service is going down everywhere. In the past, I remodeled 3 bathrooms almost entirely using local Ferguson and they were great. This time around, I had to tell the sales lady what dishwashers they have on their website, not the other way around...

OK, I will wait 2 weeks. Thanks again!

I can only speak to pricing in the Toronto GTA where the specialty stores are the overwhelming preference of builders. Also, they have much more knowledgeable salespeople.

But then you'd expect that when the price tag for a houseful of Bosch--let alone Gaggenau!--equals a high-end SUV!

Local appliance all the way. It doesnt matter if its the same model or not. Employees of a local place do nothing but sell the appliances over and over and over again every day. They are educated on the appliances. They will know which ones to stay away from and exactly why. The list goes on.

If i buy from a big box store whether it be a home improvement store or a store like Best Buy , I am getting a salesperson who doesnt have the expertience and knowledge of someone who works only in appliances. They can sometimes tell you what the popular model is but rarely what the best model is. I know this first hand.

I wouldn't go to a orthopedic surgeon for plastic surgery. Both surgeons yes, but both stay within their specialty.

Design Interior South: "I wouldn't go to a orthopedic surgeon for plastic surgery. Both surgeons yes, but both stay within their specialty."

Analogizing appliance salesmen to surgeons is silly. Surgery requires knowledge and experience that patients cannot possibly get on their own. One can become knowledgeable enough from reading test reports, reliability surveys, anecdotes (e.g., comments on reseller websites and Houzz), spec sheets, installation instructions, and user guides to choose an appliance. Most appliances aren't even available to view and virtually none to try. At least one can test drive a car.