The Best Places To Buy Appliances, According To Consumer Reports

Shopping around for the best prices on appliances is one thing, but how do you find the best store? Sure, some top-selling appliances are a waste of money no matter where you get them, but carefully choosing your retailer is arguably the first step in saving yourself time and money in the future. Luckily for shoppers, Consumer Reports (CR) has conducted multiple reviews of appliance retailer pricing, product selection, service, and other factors in recent years. The independent, non-profit consumer advocacy organization found that Illinois regional retailer, Abt Electronics, might just be the best place in America to buy appliances. The store topped CR's appliance store ratings in general (as per survey data collected between January 2023 and May 2024) as well as 2025 ratings for both large appliance retailers and small appliance retailers.

In the western United States, RC Willey Home Furnishings is another solid choice, coming in right behind Abt in the general store ratings as well as those for large appliance retailers. Costco performed strongly among CR's reviews as well, earning high ratings from consumers for both major and small appliances. However, both Abt and RC Willey outperformed the wholesale club giant in terms of selection, as did some other national and regional retailers. On that note, if you're in the market for a new appliance, it's worth looking at the more specific rating details to learn each store's strengths and weaknesses and find the one that suits your needs best.

National stores Lowe's and Home Depot may account for 80% of the appliance market (per an OpenBrand report), but they both ranked in the lower half of Consumer Reports' appliance store ratings. Instead, it was largely smaller, regional retailers that performed well with customers across most ranking categories. Both Abt and RC Willey are prime examples, topping the list in customer service, in-store atmosphere, home delivery, and installation categories. Abt also nabbed a top rating in selection and was one of only two stores to do so (the other being Nebraska Furniture Mart). Perhaps even more notably for modern shoppers, Abt was the only retailer out of all 42 stores reviewed to receive the top score for website usability. 

On top of all that, Abt also landed on Automated Home Guide's 2025 list of top seven retailers of the best energy-efficient appliances, thanks to its large selection of Energy Star-certified appliances and side-by-side efficiency comparisons. Considering that using an Energy Star dishwasher can actually be cheaper than washing dishes by hand due to its low power and water needs, that's something to consider for long-term energy savings.

Both Abt Electronics and RC Willey are regional stores, with the former serving the Chicago area and the latter operating in California, Utah, Nevada, and Idaho. But if you don't happen to live near one of these stores, you still have plenty of good options for your appliance shopping needs. Independent retailers came in third place on Consumer Reports' large appliance retailer ranking list. Although they ranked lower in the survey results for small appliances, they still placed ahead of Sam's Club, Best Buy, BJ's, Walmart, Lowe's, Home Depot, and multiple other big-box appliance sellers. These smaller retailers' biggest strengths all came down to service. 

Now, choosing the right appliance store doesn't necessarily mean your purchase will last years longer than if you bought it elsewhere. In fact, you can't expect most appliances to last much longer than a decade, per estimates from the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors. But that's why picking a store with excellent customer service (and, for larger appliances, high installation ratings) is so important. Independent retailers collectively earned top scores on CR's survey for both service and installation as well as home delivery. Although larger retailers may offer attractive member-only savings on purchases, the personalized and direct customer service independent and regional stores provide offers a different kind of value you can't get elsewhere.