Don’t buy a refrigerator on Black Friday, period. Black Friday fridge deals are a trap dressed up to look like a great way to save money on a home appliance. Shoppers who know how to get the best deal on a fridge know they shouldn’t buy a refrigerator on Black Friday.
In 2015, Black Friday is November 27th. The blowout shopping holiday is expected to set sales records, with more people battling the mob than ever before. While the allure is enticing, don’t fall for it. Smart shoppers who don’t buy a refrigerator on Black Friday will dodge all the trouble below.
| Reasons You Shouldn't Buy a Refrigerator on Black Friday | |
|---|---|
| Cheap brands | Knockoff brands at low prices lure shoppers into stores. Know the good brands before you go. |
| Bad models | Cheap models made by trusted manufacturers fool some shoppers. Check reviews of models before you buy. |
| Bait and switch deals | A few great deals bring in the crowds, then sell out fast. Shoppers are left with junk. |
| Better times of year to buy | Buy in spring or summer when new models hit the stores and prices drop on old ones. Buy online any time of year. |
| Avoid the buying frenzy | Black Friday creates panic buying and bad shopping decisions. It's also dangerous. |
Also see: 7 Reasons You Shouldn’t Buy a TV on Black Friday
1. The Brands are Cheap
Want a great deal? Then don’t buy a refrigerator on Black Friday. The biggest reason is the brands. Consumer Reports singles out 7 brands as the best refrigerator makers in all the land. 8 other brands make their “recommended” list. Chances are excellent that if you get a low price on a refrigerator on Black Friday, you won’t drive home with one of their listed brands. That’s because retailers know the best way to lure people in on Black Friday is to offer too-good-to-be-true prices.
Like your parents told you, if it’s too good to be true, it probably isn’t. Just because it’s Black Friday doesn’t mean the stores have lost their minds. That’s the customer’s job. Don’t want to get fooled by the old bad brand trick? Then don’t buy a refrigerator on Black Friday.
How to Spot a High Quality Fridge
Still determined to brave the crowds and buy a refrigerator on Black Friday? Go in armed by knowing your good brands ahead of time. The list below makes an excellent starting point.
| Best Refrigerator Brands According to Consumer Reports | ||
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Recommended Model | Price |
| Frigidaire | Frigidaire FKCH17F7HW | $770 |
| GE | GE Profile PWE23KMDES | $2,600 |
| Kenmore | Kenmore 78892 | $600 |
| LG | LG LSC22991ST | $2,700 |
| Samsung | Samsung RH29H9000SR | $2,350 |
| Thermador | Thermador Freedom Collection T36BB820SS | $7,400 |
| Whirlpool | Whirlpool Gold GX5FHTXV[Q] | $1,600 |
Also see: 18 Big Ways to Save Money at Amazon
2. The Models are Cheap
So maybe you found a low price on a great brand on Black Friday. Look again before you leap. The “Don’t buy a refrigerator on Black Friday” warning still holds, even for great brands. That’s because makers of great appliances don’t want to get left behind in the Black Friday stampede. Quality manufacturers will often make deals with stores to produce small production runs of lesser quality, cheaper products to be able to compete. Stores also use Black Friday as an excuse to unload unpopular models by great brands at low prices.
So even if you find a great price on a great brand, you still shouldn’t buy a fridge on Black Friday unless you’ve checked that it’s a good model too.
“But it’s a great brand!” A quick search on Amazon can tip shoppers off to bad deals on great brands. Note the 2.5 star rating in the review above.
How to Spot a Good Model Fridge
Planning to ignore our “Don’t buy a refrigerator on Black Friday” advice no matter what? Bring your smartphone along and do a review search on your great deal before you buy. A quick check on Amazon can tip you off to review uh-ohs. If the fridge isn’t listed there, just google the fridge’s make and model and the word “review.”
3. The Deals are Bait and Switch
So you’ve checked the store circular, and you’re sure you found a great Black Friday deal on a great make and model Fridge. It’s not too good to be true, it is true. It’s right there in four colors on your kitchen table. Hold your horses Geronimo. There might be a great deal on a great fridge in the advertising literature, but that doesn’t mean there’s a great deal on a great fridge in the store.
They can’t say it if it isn’t true, right? Yes, but our “Don’t buy a refrigerator on Black Friday” mantra still holds true. That’s because retailers love to use the old Black Friday bait and switch. See where it says, “While supplies last” at the bottom of the ad? “Supplies” might be one or two refrigerators at that great price. Most shoppers will arrive at the store and be confronted by a set of empty shelves. Facing the prospect of going home empty handed, they’ll shell out a lot more than they intended on a more expensive fridge or buy a cheap piece of junk to “save money.” You’d do better staying home and spending the money on a bunch of lottery tickets. Don’t buy a refrigerator on Black Friday if you’d rather not have that experience.
Also see: How to Save Big Money: 107 Ways to Save Money Now
4. There Are Better Times to Buy
Shoppers shouldn’t buy a refrigerator on Black Friday for more reasons than the bad brand, bad model, bait and switch trap. Simply put, there’s a better time to buy a fridge than on Black Friday if you want a deal. Late spring or early summer is the best time of year to buy a new refrigerator. That’s because manufacturers roll out new models in those months. New models means price drops on the old ones, and that means deals on fridges.
Can’t wait ’til summer to buy a new refrigerator? Shop online any time of year. Checking Google Shopping or try Amazon’s open box deals and other ways to save at Amazon. Don’t buy a refrigerator on Black Friday until you’re sure you can’t get a better deal online.
| Better Ways to Buy a Refrigerator Than Black Friday | |
|---|---|
| Method | Details |
| Google Shopping | Visit Google Shopping, type in "refrigerator" choose sorting options: price: low-to-high and check reviews. |
| Amazon Open Box | Amazon has great deals on "open box" items. Click to see. |
| Shop late spring / early summer | New refrigerator models come out in late spring / early summer, which means price drops on old models. |
5. Black Friday is a No-Win Buying Frenzy
Black Friday is designed to get as many shoppers into stores as possible and create a buying frenzy. A very few deals on a few good products are underpinned by lots of cheap junk selling for about what it’s worth. Panic buying and false urgency can make shoppers forget to do their homework. You shouldn’t buy a refrigerator on Black Friday unless you know a good refrigerator from a bad one and a great price from a ripoff.
Aside from not getting a great deal on a refrigerator on Black Friday, many don’t enjoy the experience. 43% of Black Friday shoppers don’t have any fun at all. Beyond that, it’s just plain dangerous. People have been shot, trampled, stabbed, run over by drunk drivers in parking lots, killed in car crashes, pepper sprayed and had lots of other Black Friday mishaps. Need proof? Check out this list of 40 terrible Black Friday tragedies. Though your odds of being killed while buying a refrigerator on Black Friday are low, is getting a cheap, low quality fridge really worth the risk?