4 Appliances To Upgrade in Spring

If you’ve been operating under the assumption that Black Friday deals and Christmas sales are the best times to buy new appliances, you should rethink your approach. Depending on what you’re shopping for, spring can be an even better time to upgrade. You’ll find great deals that allow you to spend your hard-earned cash on more exciting things, plus you won’t have to suffer through several more months with outdated or malfunctioning appliances while you're waiting for those end-of-the-year sales to roll around again.

Your Refrigerator

Image via Flickr by John Loo

For a few different reasons, the number one appliance to upgrade in the spring is your refrigerator. Most manufacturers release their new refrigerator models in May so they’re ready for the inevitable refrigerator breakdowns brought on by the summer heat. Around this time, retailers will place old models on clearance to make room for new stock. That means you can snag last year’s models at rock-bottom prices, sometimes up to 50 percent off. If you’d prefer the latest and greatest instead, you can still save money in May by taking advantage of Memorial Day or Mother’s Day discounts.

Small Appliances

May holiday discounts make it the perfect month to buy any small appliances you’ve had your eye on. Most retailers run some kind of sale for Memorial Day, just as they do on other three-day holiday weekends. Mother’s Day typically brings a few deals as well. May is also the peak month for graduation sales. Typically, these sales start in April and run through June. They tend to focus on items that make great gifts for students who will be heading to college in the fall or striking out on their own after college graduation — including small appliances.

HVAC Equipment

Most people don’t give their air conditioning much thought until summer hits, but spring is actually the perfect time to buy an new air conditioner. Give your system a test run on a warm spring day and see how it does. If you’re not happy with its performance, start shopping for a new one immediately. That will give you plenty of time to consider your options and schedule installation before the summer heat sets in.

Your Vacuum

You should also add a new vacuum to your spring shopping list. Thanks to the tradition of spring cleaning, many retailers offer sales on products such as mops, carpet cleaners, and vacuums during this season. You’ll have your choice of several different types of vacuums: upright, canister, stick, handheld, and robotic. Not sure which brand to buy or what type of vacuum will best meet your needs? Search the Consumer Reports website or retailers’ sites for vacuum cleaner buying guides.

You don’t need to brave the Black Friday madness to score great deals on appliances. Holiday promotions and clearance markdowns make it possible to save money any time of the year — but spring is an especially good season thanks to sales for Memorial Day, Mother’s Day, graduation, tax day, spring cleaning, and more. Stretch your money further by using these spring discounts to make new appliances more affordable.