Luxury appliances are more of an investment than a guilty pleasure

The old adage “You get what you pay for” can certainly apply to major appliances. Luxury brands such as Wolf, Sub-Zero, Thermador and JennAir offer options and features you can’t find on standard models, but experts advise looking past the labels and shopping for your own specific wants and desires.

“Don’t just go for a certain look, or a certain name brand, look for the appliance that will best suit your needs on a daily basis,” said Becca Resch, general sales manager for Orville’s Home Appliances in Buffalo and Rochester. “Just because it is a popular luxury brand does not mean the features and benefits are for everyone. You’re the one that needs to use it every day, so it needs to work best for you and your family.”

Luxury items, a practical splurge

While many luxury purchases can lose their luster quickly, major appliances can last for years or even a decade or more and are constantly in use, making them one of the more practical items to splurge on. Luxury appliances in many cases are designed to last for even longer than their average-priced peers. They also directly affect your day-to-day, giving them an immediate impact on your quality of life. Brands like Sub-Zero, named for its freezers’ ability to cool below zero degrees, sponsor innovative design competitions to ensure they remain on the cutting edge while offering more traditional and contemporary looks as well as giving your home an instant style upgrade upon purchase. Kitchen setups vary and may limit your options, but whether they employ gas, electric or induction heating Wolf and Jenn Air’s cooktops offer classic style and better, more even cooking. Preparing your meals more effectively can be a serious morale booster, for obvious reasons.

There are even some features, such as rotisseries in ovens, built-in refrigeration or built-in grills on range tops that you can only get from luxury brands. Built-in refrigeration encases your refrigerator in cabinetry so that it can blend in seamlessly with the rest of your kitchen. If you decide you need or want these options, you’ll need to opt for the higher-end models. Fortunately, there are several more benefits to buying luxury appliances that could make them worth the higher price if you can afford them.

“In many cases luxury brands do last longer,” Resch said. “They use better parts, and go through more rigorous testing in order to ensure a better performing, and longer lasting product.”

Customer service is part of the luxury experience

And if you do happen to need repairs on your appliances, you may have better luck getting help with troubleshooting. While more common lower-end appliances may have automated support hotlines with long wait times, luxury brands often offer more personalized and immediate responses.

“Most appliance manufacturers have dedicated customer service lines for only their luxury brand appliances,” Resch said. “You will normally find faster service with a luxury brand.”

Luxury appliances are an investment that can also make you money by increasing your home’s resale value. Homes listed with desirable appliance models often sell faster than those with standard brands.

“When selling a home, high-end, well-known brand names on appliances can make a home and a kitchen more desirable,” Resch said.

If you decide you’d like to purchase a luxury appliance, you can see their stylish designs and cutting-edge features in person at one of Orville Home Appliances’ six locations in Buffalo and Rochester, which offer more than 700 different models of appliances. Thanks to their 75,000 square-foot warehouse, which contains more than 10,000 appliances, Orville’s can offer same-day or next-day delivery services seven days a week. Their price-match guarantee assures you will pay the lowest possible amount, even on the highest-end appliances.