Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Budget for big-ticket household appliances

If you're shopping for large household appliance purchases (both in terms of size and cost) you may find your best deals at brick and mortar stores instead of over the Internet, due to constantly rising shipping costs. Expect to pay between $1,000 and $2,000 for a household washer or dryer, with household dishwashers available for under $500, with a few fancier models edging toward $1,000.

I recommend: Shop online for laundry systems through big-box stores like Lowe's and Sears that often offer the lowest shipping prices on big, heavy appliances like washers, dryers and dishwashers. If you visit the stores in person, you may be able to negotiate free delivery as part of the deal, or manage to haul the units yourself to avoid shipping costs all together.

Compare prices on home kitchen appliances

Microwaves, toasters and toaster ovens are by far the most common household appliances you'll find in a business break room, and each is available in a variety of models for $100 or less. You may be surprised by the variety of smaller household appliances--like air purifiers, which cost approximately $100 to $600 per household unit, and clothes irons, which range from about $10 to $150--that come in handy around the office.

I recommend: Find refurbished kitchen appliances through the Kitchen Collection, or purchase a wider variety of new household appliances through GE Housewares.

Factor electricity into the pricing and costs of home appliances for your business

With the rising costs of energy, purchasing appliances that cost more initially but don't require as much energy to run may be more cost-effective than buying cheaper units that use more energy.

I recommend: The Computer Support Group offers an appliance cost calculator that lets you gauge the actual electrical cost of owning and operating appliances. The Energy Star website details what is necessary for a home appliance to qualify for the government energy saving program, and offers a list of qualified appliances by category. You can expect to save up to 50% on electrical costs, and over 50% of water usage, with an Energy Star qualified clothes washer; Energy Star certified room air cleaners are 35% more efficient than their fellows, saving up to 215 kilowatt hours per year.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  While refurbished large home appliances like washers and dryers are not typically available online or through major appliance companies, you may be able to find them through local appliance repair shops; the same applies for smaller appliances, though you might be able to find lower prices for refurbished units online. As a general rule you can expect to pay between one third to one half the cost of new when purchasing a refurbished appliance.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

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.

I recommend: 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.

I recommend: 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.

I recommend: 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.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  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.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Let big appliance companies do your business laundry

If you're looking for a reason to make a business asset out of a home appliance, basics like clean uniforms or well-pressed suits take priority. Clothes washers and dryers are useful to have around when impeccable employee uniforms are a priority, or for busy CEOs who practically live in the office.

I recommend: You can find household clothes washing and drying options--easily transformed into business uniform handling tools--at online vendors like Home Everything or FFEMax, or shop for lower shipping costs at local appliance stores. Regardless of where you get your appliances, you're going to need hot and cold water sources for a clothes washer, a venting system to evacuate condensation and hot air from your clothes dryer and electrical outlets for both machines. You also need enough sound-proofing or unoccupied space between your machines and work spaces to minimize disruptive noise.

Use the right home appliance stores to turn your break room into a kitchen

Bringing a little bit of kitchen convenience into the break room is a sure way to increase employee satisfaction and even employee health, as you encourage them to create their own healthy meals with the tools you make available. Most small appliances need little more than an electrical outlet and, sometimes, a certain amount of clear space to either side to satisfy safety standards.

I recommend: BuyHardwareSupplies.com is the unlikely home to deals on small kitchen appliances, like toasters, that offer relatively hazard-free cooking and heating options. Purchasing a dishwasher, like a Maytag from the Home Depot, requires a bigger investment and is more appropriate for large businesses with a high-traffic break room that's fully stocked with reusable dishes. Dishwashers require a water connection in addition to electrical access.

Turn home appliance distributors into allies for workplace health

Air cleaners are considered a small household appliance, appropriate for making the work environment safer and more comfortable for employees and customers alike. You'll find three types of household air cleaners: air cleaners with reusable filters that you typically rinse and reinsert; replaceable filters (such as HEPA units, for which you'll need to purchase and install new filters every so often) and chemical or allergen filters. Beyond the cost of filters, all you need to install one of these units is a little clear space and an electrical outlet.

I recommend: National Allergy sells the IQAir MultiGas GC air cleaner, designed for use by chemically sensitive individuals. A Honeywell air cleaner from MyAirCleaners is more suitable for small spaces and crowded work environments.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Don't forget that even small home appliances can present fire and safety hazards if they're used incorrectly. Be sure to establish safety protocols for using appliances you install in your business, and make sure that all employees are fully trained.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

BTU

BTU stands for British thermal unit, which measures the amount of heat that it takes to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. Many heating devices measure heat output in BTUs per cubic foot.

I recommend: Find a definition of BTU and BTU conversions factors at the Energy Dictionary, a service of Information Technology Associates.

Slide-in range

A slide-in range, also called a freestanding range or a drop-in range, refers to a cooking unit that sits on the floor, usually between built-in cabinets with countertops. Most contain both a stove and oven. Other types of cooking appliances include a built-in oven, usually mounted into a wall or cabinet, and a cooktop, or a stove, built into a countertop that is separate from an oven unit.

I recommend: Check out a definition of slide-in range among many other appliance terms at Lowe's.

Dual fuel range

A dual fuel range is a freestanding range that has a gas-powered cooktop or stove and an oven powered by electricity, taking advantage of the benefits of both types of power. Another way to achieve the same combination would be to install a gas cooktop and an electric built-in oven, but you would not typically install these one above the other like you do with a range.

I recommend: Hold you cursor over the picture of a dual fuel range at the Sub-Zero website to see a description of that type of range.

Downdraft vents

A downdraft vent removes cooking fumes, but instead of mounting it above the stove like a traditional updraft vent hood, you install a downdraft vent in the base cabinet. You can use this type of vent in an island, eliminating the need for a hood-type vent over the island.

I recommend: Thermador provides a picture and specifications of a downdraft vent.

Top-mount refrigerator

A top-mount refrigerator is the most common type of refrigerator, with a smaller freezer on the top and a refrigerator section that takes up the bottom two-thirds of the unit. A bottom-mount refrigerator has the freezer on the bottom, and the refrigerator section is on top, with one large door or two side-by-side doors. Side-by-side refrigerators have a freezer on one side and a refrigerator section on the other, both doors going all the way from the top to the bottom.

I recommend: Read a description of several styles of refrigerators with their benefits and tips on making a decision between them at Home Depot, a division of Homer TLC.

Limitations on an appliance warranty

Limitations are items or conditions that the manufacturer excludes from a warranty. Read through the warranty carefully to find out what the company covers and what it doesn't.

I recommend: Find a list of home warranty terms and their definitions, including limitations, at Liberty Home Protection.