Hot deals on cool fridges
From Home Deals: The best deals on refrigerators -- and how to save over $500 on a $1,200 fridge.
Welcome to Home Deals, where we pick out the best deals on things you need for your home, garden and beyond. Like our cousin, the Cheapskate, we'll give you a regular selection of smoking-hot deals, but we'll cover things like refrigerators, washing machines, security cameras and anything else your home or garden requires.
Your refrigerator is one of the key appliances in your kitchen, keeping your food cool until you want it. Why not look out for some cool savings when you are looking for a new one. Here are the chilliest deals we could find on refrigerators.
The GE GTE18GMHES, now available for $585.
On a tight budget? The GE GTE18GMHES is our top bargain refrigerator pick, offering a terrific cooling performance for a low price. It was a bargain at the recommended price of $800, but now it's available for even less. ABT has it for $584, but it does charge $45 for delivery. Home Depot has it for just a dollar more at $585, but it's offering free delivery. It's available in white, bisque and black at that price, but you'll pay a little more for the slate or stainless steel finishes.
There are also a couple of rebates that might sweeten the price even more: ComEd customers in Illinois can get $50 back for buying an efficient appliance and another $50 for recycling an old refrigerator.
If you have a large family (or a house full of visitors) you need a large fridge. This 25-cubic foot Samsung for $998 from Lowes is a pretty sweet deal for a big French-door fridge. That's about $100 off the typical $1,100 price, and Lowes has free delivery as well.
Our pick for the best side-by-side refrigerator is the LG LSXS26326S, which offers excellent performance and a great icemaker in a rather plain exterior. It typically sells for about $1,385, but Costco has it for $1,149. Even better, that includes delivery, installation and hauling away your old fridge, things that many places charge extra for. You do need to be a Costco member to get that price, though, so add on another $55 if you haven't joined them before.
If you need something smaller, like a beer fridge, Walmart has a good deal with an Igloo 4.5 cubic foot refrigerator for $95.20. For even smaller spaces like dorm rooms or garden shed man caves, this Midea 1.6 cubic foot fridge is the Wirecutter/Sweet Home bargain small fridge pick, and is available for $77.50 from Walmart.
Refurb of the week: Save over $500 on a refurb GE Artistry Series
The retro-styled GE Artistry fridge, which Sears Outlet offers as a refurbished model for a big discount.
Refrigerators are one thing that buying refurbished can save you a cool chunk of cash. Take the GE Artistry ABE20EGHWS, for instance: we loved the design and performance of this fridge when we tested it.
CNET's Andrew Gebhart said that the "GE Artistry refrigerator's combination of attractive retro styling and accurate temperature performance makes it a steal at under $1,200."
So, how would one of them for $513 sound? That's what the Sears Outlet is charging for a reconditioned model, but you do need to be cautious and do some research. They post photos of the actual unit on offer that show any dings and dents, but it makes sense to go and see it yourself if possible. These are models that have been sold and returned and which may have been scratched and dented as a result. They still have the same warranty as a new unit, though.
The delivery charge is also important to consider: it varies by distance from the store that has the unit in stock. Still, if you have a Sears outlet nearby or are willing to take a risk, it's a great way to save big.