Not Home Depot Or Lowe's: The Appliance Store With The Best Warranty

Admittedly, you stand to get a better return on investment if you purchase appliances from the most trustworthy and reliable appliance brands. But even if you don't buy all your home devices from these manufacturers, or if you get something from an unreliable appliance brand, having a favorable warranty can go a long way. Certain companies, like Miele, offer a two-year coverage period on most of their domestic appliances. However, products from other popular brands in the U.S., like Samsung and Whirlpool, generally have a warranty of just one year.

Considering you might spend anywhere between $2,100 and $5,400 (or higher if you go for bespoke, smart, or premium models) on home appliances, you want ample coverage to avoid paying out of pocket for repairs and expensive replacements. So, we compared the top appliance stores, including Home Depot, Lowe's, and Costco, to find the one with the best warranty, and Costco came out on top.

While both Home Depot and Lowe's offer plans to extend your warranty on kitchen appliances, you'll have to pay extra for those benefits. But that's not the case with Costco. It automatically provides a blanket warranty of two years on any major appliance you buy for your home. If one of your units starts malfunctioning or breaks down during this time, the retailer's Technical & Warranty Services team will take care of repairs and replacements. At Costco's discretion, your appliance might even be eligible for a refund — up to the amount you paid for purchase.

Costco provides a two-year manufacturer warranty on all major appliances, such as washers, dryers, refrigerators (larger than 10 cubic feet), freezers, ranges, dishwashers, cooktops, over-the-range microwaves, computers (except touchscreen tablets), TVs, and water heaters. It starts from the date of purchase for in-store buys, and from the date of delivery for online purchases. This policy is possible because the retail giant has brokered deals with multiple participating brands like GE, Whirlpool, LG, Frigidaire, Samsung, KitchenAid, Bosch, and more to extend their warranty for an extra year at no additional cost to customers. Moreover, if certain devices or parts are covered for a longer term (like a refrigerator's compressor), that will apply to your unit, too. However, keep in mind that Costco won't honor the two-year warranty if any of your appliances malfunction due to liquid or physical damage. Also, it won't take care of data backup or software replacement for your electronic devices.

If you wish to cover your appliances for a longer period, you can look into Costco's AllState Protection Plans, which you can purchase within 90 days of buying an appliance. To obtain this through the retailer, sign in and go to Orders & Purchases (or the In-Warehouse tab for offline purchases) to pick the units you'd like to secure. Currently, there are 16 plans available on the retailer's website, ranging between $30 and $400. All of them will cover your home gadgets for two or three additional years after the Costco two-year warranty is up. You can select a plan based on the appliance you'd like to protect and its price range. That being said, don't forget to go through each plan's terms and conditions prior to making a purchase.