Home Appliances

Pick out the right household appliances for your business
By Kim Finn Installing home appliances at your business can help you save money and time on a daily basis. If you located your business in a traditional office building, you may only have a break room, but your employees would still benefit from a microwave oven and full-size refrigerator. These simple home kitchen appliances provide convenience for the employees and also help them better manage their short lunch and break times. If your business fills an old, renovated house or even a new home, you likely have a full kitchen and can consider other home appliances for everyone’s convenience.

You'll discover plenty of household appliances that support your business and save you money in the long run. As you research household appliances and household appliance distributors for your business, consider the following:

1. You get what you pay for—opt for quality and dependability.

2. Natural gas household appliances may cost more initially but can save you money in the long term.

3. The Energy Star label on new home appliances signifies an appliance exceeds the federal energy efficiency minimums and that they're the most energy efficient products in their appliance category.

Help employees become more productive with kitchen appliances in the break room

With only 30 to 45 minutes for lunch, employees may find driving time to restaurants, waiting in line and slow service make eating out and takeout difficult, frustrating and sometimes impossible. You may often end up in the same situation yourself due to a tight schedule, a ton of paperwork that ties you to the office or a need to stay within earshot of the phone. You can incorporate home kitchen appliances like a refrigerator, dishwasher, stove and oven if you have a full kitchen. Even if you only have a break room, you can still reap the same benefits from kitchen appliances like a microwave, refrigerator and a built-in coffee maker.
Try:  You'll find so many options to choose from. If your budget allows, compare prices at NexTag for a built-in coffee maker that will satisfy you, your employees and your guests. Shop Sears or Lowe's for reasonable prices and good selection of all home appliances.

Look for an energy-efficient air conditioner that helps save you money

Nothing affects productivity like an office that's sweltering or one where everyone wears gloves, hats and jackets at their desk, so make sure you buy a sound HVAC system.
Try:  If your office is located in a house, fill out the questionnaire at Carrier to see what kind of unit you need, or look at their commercial options. Also take a look at the home and commercial options that Trane offers.

Shop appliance companies for washer/dryer combinations--save time and money on business laundry task

If you own a hair salon, massage therapy or pet grooming business, you may require access to a laundry room for washing towels, robes or linens. You can either buy from appliance stores online or use the Internet to compare prices and then go shop at home appliance stores in person.
Try:  Start with PriceGrabber to compare prices for washer and dryer combinations. You can also visit HowStuffWorks to compare prices and read reviews of home appliances for sale.

• Before you buy high-dollar home appliances, consider joining Consumer Reports online and see which models get the best reviews.
• Get the right-sized appliances for your needs. Buying large appliances when you don't really need them just wastes money and energy.