HANDOUT PHOTO

The Whirlpool Duet, shown in Lunasilver, has a 32-minute wash and dry cycle. The laundry suite retails for $2,548.

Do your homework when appliance shopping

The old adage that you get what you pay for has been devalued by the rise of discount retailers exerting enormous downward pressure on pricing.

The result is that bargain hungry consumers won't always assume what costs more will work better, says Nelson DaSilva, senior brand manager for Whirlpool. But when it comes to appliances, they will pay a premium if the manufacturer can demonstrate how they will make life easier.

"Just telling a consumer that a machine has a steam feature probably won't sway them," says DaSilva, "but if you can explain it will mean fewer trips to the dry cleaner, less ironing or help remove stains without pre-treating, they're more likely to pay more."

Features that save time, such as the 32-minute wash and dry cycle on the Whirlpool Duet laundry suite, which retails for about $2,548, can also convince a consumer to open the wallet wider.

Similarly, extra capacity or smart features can justify an upgrade, as can potential energy savings. LG's Ultra Capacity SteamWasher, for example, has a 4.2 cubic foot drum for large loads, along with a sensor that adjusts cycle length according to water hardness and detergent level. It's also, according to the manufacturer, 110 per cent more efficient than the minimum federal Energy Star standard, and will save 8,000 gallons of water annually compared to traditional, non-Energy Star, top loaders. It sells for about $2,100.

The Duet is supposed to use 74 per cent of the water and 80 per cent of energy compared to a conventional top-loader. One reason consumers may find it difficult to understand what they'll really get at different prices is that several large companies, after having acquired historic brands, now offer several lines.

For example, Whirlpool owns Maytag, Jenn-Air, KitchenAid, Inglis and Amana, the latter two being traditionally considered as entry-level products. Electrolux owns Frigidaire and Eureka, while Bosch owns luxury brand Thermador.

LG and Samsung offer just one brand, but unlike other players, they are also heavily invested in other categories of consumer electronics.

Market convergence makes it hard to compare oranges to oranges, says Steve Brannan, owner of Brannan Appliance Repair and appliance expert on CBC Radio's Ontario Today.

"You might get two machines with two different brands that have the same pump and the same tank – the only difference will be that they'll have different skins," he explains.

"Over the last 10 years mid-price companies have gone one of two ways – either lower to get into large surface retailers where volume drives everything and the mid-end brands began to offer higher-end stuff, looking to try and capture a bit of the top of the market," says David Amiel, vice president for Maroline distributing, which handles luxury brands Sub-Zero and Wolf.

But the taste for premium product is growing, adds Amiel. In the past, only upper-income consumers readily dropped $25,000 or so on a kitchen suite (typically representing about a third of the cost of the kitchen).

Amiel says "we're now being considered by people not in that bracket but who have a distinct knowledge of cuisine or are into the fresh food movement. They will sacrifice other things to get the kitchen they really want."

Amiel adds that education is key to selling premium products. It's why the company has set up a new storefront in downtown Toronto, along the model of the Apple Store.

"If you make people aware that the average annual food spoilage costs between $600 and $800, and get them to start thinking about the purchase over a 10-year period or longer, it begins to make more sense," he says.

A 12-year warranty and expected life span of about 25 years further reinforce the higher price, he adds. But higher-priced product doesn't have the corner on either performance or style, says Tamara Robins Griffith, public relations specialist for Ikea Canada, which has been carrying an exclusive line of Whirlpool-made home appliances since 2006. "Consumers now expect great value at any price point," she insists. "They want the ice-maker, but they don't want to pay an arm and a leg. They also demand great design."

As an example, Robbins Griffith points to Ikea's new line of Nutid fridges, freezers and dishwashers, which feature a flush-mount design and a five-year warranty. A 36-inch, 14 cubic foot side-by-side with an integrated water and ice feature sells for $1,799.

In refrigeration, there's been an explosion of new features, from French doors to bottom-mount freezers, says Cara Yakimik, brand manager for Frigidaire, which has four product lines with different price points.

"People want those features, but they're also really focused on looks," she says.

New this fall is the Gallery collection, intended as an affordable but feature-rich option, with the cost of a kitchen suite running between $3,500 and $5,500. Product comes in a white, black or stainless steel finishes, with chrome accents.