Buying A Kitchen Appliance From Sears? Here's What You Need To Avoid

Whether you're buying a major kitchen appliance like a refrigerator or a smaller one like a microwave, there's one mistake you should avoid when buying new kitchen appliances, especially if you're buying it from Sears. While Sears was once a retail giant many trusted for all their home needs, today, its number of stores and reputation have sharply declined. And one reason for that is its home warranty service for appliances. Scores of Reddit threads can be found complaining about this issue. Whether it's no-shows for repair appointments or not fixing the appliance issue in the first place, this service has left many customers frustrated with the experience and at their wits' end.

We've all heard the spiel from the salesperson about buying the extended warranty when purchasing a big-ticket item, and most people know that it's not worth it, but some are lured by the promise of a quick and painless appliance repair in an emergency. However, Sears' service fails to live up to its promise. Just look at the average one-star Yelp rating based on hundreds of customers calling it a "ripoff scam." "This plan cost me more than its value, and required me to pay an additional fee to exit the plan," complained one Redditor.

One of the most common complaints is that the repair technicians don't show up to scheduled appointments, forcing some to miss out on several days of work. This process can go on for months, leaving customers without properly working appliances like refrigerators. It's become such a widespread issue that local news teams have done their own in-depth investigations into the problem. So, if your best choice for a kitchen appliance is Sears, it's best to avoid their extended warranty plans at all costs.

You could spend hours combing through the long list of negative reviews about Sears' home warranty plans. It really makes you wonder how the company continues to stay in business. In a statement to ABC 7's investigative team, Sears Home Services brings up its A+ BBB rating and states that repair delays can be due to the availability of parts. That may be, but it's hard to argue with plenty of stories of AC repair delays in the middle of a heat wave or charging hundreds of dollars for equipment that should be under the manufacturer's warranty.

Much of the problem comes from the fact that repair technicians are from outside companies instead of a dedicated Sears team. This can create a frustrating back-and-forth between two companies. And when you do have to contact Sears Home Services, you're left dealing with an unhelpful AI system. Even if you somehow get in contact with a live agent, they promise to take the matter up with a supervisor, but never do. Even servicemen are frustrated by the experience, stating that for a lot of the problems. "If circumstances permitted me, I wouldn't work here," stated another frustrated employee on Reddit. 

While Sears may boast competitive prices compared to other stores, if you get the home warranty plan for appliances, you'll be throwing money down the drain in the long run. When repairs and coverage are this unreliable, paying full price for new appliances becomes difficult to justify. In many cases, shoppers are better off heading to a different retailer altogether, shopping the holiday sales, or opting for refurbished kitchen appliances.