How long it takes for appliances to be delivered was the central question in 2020-2022.
I wrote this article twice during the pandemic, explaining the futility of everything.
You had to order a year out or, if needed, take whatever was available.
However, 2023 is a brand-new ballgame with a twist.
You will learn how to play the system and save at least 10-35% by following what is written in this article.
Then, you will learn the real challenges because it's not a supply problem anymore.
It's a workforce problem, and you should know about it.
Let’s get started.
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First, the pandemic closed everything.
Then, demand for home goods like appliances skyrocketed.
That stressed the component manufacturers.
Next you had social distancing in factories, followed by ice storms in Texas destroying the insulation factories.
Insulation is the key component in refrigerators.
You had to contend with port issues in LA as well as trucker issues because we lost 300,000 truckers.
I probably missed a few things, but crumbling supply, skyrocketing demand, unforeseen disasters, and tie-ups hindered the home appliance industry.
True Story: I received a thank you note from a customer after waiting 21 months for a Thermador speed oven.
From 2020-2022, you waited one month to 14 months, depending on the brand.
The chart below lists the previous average lead times for each brand and type of appliance.
Previous Appliance Lead Times By Manufacturer
| Refrigeration | Laundry | Cooking | Dishwashers | Microwaves | |
| Beko | 2-4 Weeks | 2-4 Weeks | 2-4 Weeks | 1-2 Months | 2-4 Weeks |
| BlueStar | 3-14 Weeks | N/A* | 3-13 Weeks | N/A | N/A |
| Bosch | 2-12 Weeks | 2-4 Weeks | 3-14 Weeks | 20-22 Weeks | 10-14 Weeks |
| Café Appliances | 2-10 Months | N/A | 2-10 Months | 2-10 Months | 2-10 Months |
| Gaggenau | 4-6 Months | N/A | 4-6 Months | 4-6 Months | 4-6 Months |
| GE Profile | 2-10 Months | 2-10 Months | 2-10 Months | 2-10 Months | 2-10 Months |
| LG | 1-2 Months | 1-2 Months | 1-2 Months | 1-2 Months | 1-2 Months |
| Miele | 8-12 Weeks | 3-8 Months | 1-14 Weeks | 30+ Weeks | N/A |
| Signature Kitchen Suite | 1-2 Months | N/A | 1-2 Months | 1-2 Months | 1-2 Months |
| Thermador | 8-14 Weeks | N/A | 6-14 Weeks | 8-10 Weeks | 2 Weeks |
| True | 2-17 Weeks | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
* N/A indicates the manufacturer does not make that product.
| Refrigeration | Laundry | Cooking | Dishwashers | Microwaves | |
| Beko | 24-48 Hours | 24-48 Hours | 24-48 Hours | 24-48 Hours | 24-48 Hours |
| BlueStar | 24-48 Hours | N/A* | 24-48 Hours | N/A | N/A |
| Bosch | 24-48 Hours | 24-48 Hourss | 24-48 Hours | 24-48 Hours | 24-48 Hours |
| Café Appliances | 24-48 Hours | N/A | 24-48 Hours | 24-48 Hours | 24-48 Hours |
| Gaggenau | 24-48 Hours | N/A | 24-48 Hours | 24-48 Hours | 24-48 Hours |
| GE Profile | 24-48 Hours | 24-48 Hours | 24-48 Hours | 24-48 Hours | 24-48 Hours |
| LG | 24-48 Hours | 24-48 Hours | 24-48 Hours | 24-48 Hours | 24-48 Hours |
| Miele | 24-48 Hours | 24-48 Hours | 24-48 Hours | 24-48 Hours | N/A |
| Signature Kitchen Suite | 24-48 Hours | N/A | 24-48 Hours | 24-48 Hours | 24-48 Hours |
| Thermador | 24-48 Hours | N/A | 24-48 Hours | 24-48 Hours | 24-48 Hours |
| True | 24-48 Hours | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
*N/A indicates the manufacturer does not make that product.
The manufacturers figured out their problems and started to produce to 2021 levels.
However, the recession, revenge travel (I even took a bike trip to Death Valley), and an over-saturated market have significantly dampened demand.
Now you are in charge.
Read the next paragraph to use your newly acquired power against your previous tormentors.
Namely us and everyone else in the appliance business.
Full disclosure: We never took advantage neither did many local dealers.
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Except for induction ranges and Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances, which are anticipated to have shorter waiting times by the year's end, now is your chance to buy any appliance and enjoy immediate delivery.
Special and custom orders from brands like La Cornue, BlueStar, Gaggenau, and True are notable exceptions.
Then again, nobody needs a BlueStar in orange the next day with all due respect to Tennessee and Texas.
So yes, I didn't have a single Miele dishwasher for almost two years. Now you can take your pick of available Miele dishwashers.
Same with Bosch dishwashers. Their new Benchmark and 800 series dishwashers are good.
Buy your appliance during any major holiday to save 10-35%, if not more.
It's hard to miss out on these days:
Presidents’ Day: Now three weeks in February.
Memorial Day and July 4th: Six weeks this year. I think most of the summer was a promotion.
Labor Day: Now three weeks starting in August, ending the second week in September.
Black Friday: Now Halloween to December 1st. No need to stand in line anymore.
The deal will be the same on November 1st and November 29th, for example.
And it's a lot warmer walking casually in a store than freezing your … head off waiting in line in November.
Private Sales
Many appliance stores will have one to preempt Black Friday, which is hard to do now. But these may be worth checking out. We employ this sneaky tactic at Yale.
Warehouse Clearances
With so much inventory sloshing around, this is only a matter of time. You can get a great deal when an appliance is without a box.
Warehousing
Warehousing costs went up 3X over the last few years in the Boston area. With a shortage of space, how long will your store hold your appliances?
Let's say you bought your appliance on July 4th and don't need it immediately.
Will the store hold the appliances? If so, how long?
Workforce Challenges
With low unemployment, good delivery with certified people is a fortunate occurrence, not a given.
You have to Google each store about delivery specifically.
If you live in Boston, and that Sub-Zero finally arrives, who exactly will be the delivery agent for an 800-pound refrigerator?
Find out beforehand.
Ditto with anything connected to water, like a dishwasher or washer.
Water is best left in pipes and drains, not on floors and ceilings.
True Story: My upstairs neighbor flooded me out three times.
Contractors don't want to install appliances anymore for a variety of reasons.
Appliances are more complicated than ever. It takes a ton of time for the average installer to install a kitchen appliances.
They don't want to own the liability anymore.
So make sure you, your appliance store, or contractor can install appliances.
It's not a given, so ask about delivery and installation before you make a purchase.
You can now have that Miele dishwasher delivered on the same day. That's down from 18 months just two years ago.
You have the advantage these days.
Use it by being smart.
Shop during holidays, private sales, and clearance events to save a small fortune on a kitchen of appliances.
But worry about delivery and installation. It's a real concern.
Additional Resources
Have questions on appliances? Read the Yale Appliance Buying Guide with the 10 most frequently asked questions, the best time to buy appliances as well as detailed profiles of all the brands. Well over 1 million people have read a Yale Guide.
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