Costco Vs Sam's Club — Which Has Cheaper Kitchen Appliances?

Whether you're moving into a new home, undergoing a kitchen remodel, or it's just time for a new stove, fridge, or coffee maker, at some point we all find ourselves in need of appliances. Those appliances need to be both good and affordable, which is why we count on warehouse brands like Costco and Sam's Club to offer us the best of both worlds — quality products at lower prices. Both offer a great selection of appliances at affordable cost, but which one is cheapest?

Across the board, we did not find one clear winner. Our research shows that both stores shine in different ways. Between the two, Costco has the best deals of refrigerators, while Sam's Club holds that honor when it comes to many of the smaller kitchen appliances. In fact, Sam's Club also boasts a larger variety of products than Costco across some categories.

That said, the specific value can be difficult to assess as you can't see all the prices unless you are a paid member. Thankfully, we have gone through all the clutter and have broken this down aisle by aisle for your convenience. Just check out the categories below to see where you need to head for the cheapest of these kitchen appliances.

When it comes to large appliances, like refrigerators, Sam's Club and Costco both offer free delivery and haul-away services, a two-year manufacturer's warranty, all the parts, and basic installation if needed. So, when you price compare between the stores, you can take that out of the equation. For our comparison, we sought out a variety of sizes and features of popular refrigerator/freezer models that would work for a variety of household sizes. Fortunately, we were able to compare three of these options head-to-head as they are carried by both stores.

The beautiful 23 cubic foot Samsung Bespoke has a top and bottom set of French doors and other special touches like a dedicated beverage station and dual ice maker. The 32 cubic foot LG with top french doors and a pullout freezer has a water dispenser discretely tucked right inside the door, extra-large fresh produce drawers, and an app you can connect to your appliance. Costco beats Sam's Club prices on both — and when it comes to the Samsung traditional 27.4 cubic foot, side-by-side, fridge/freezer, both stores offer the same price. While there may be pros and cons to buying a refrigerator at Costco, if you want those special extras at a great price, it's the place to go.

Espresso, cappuccino, coffee, and tea: If there's a hot drink you're craving, there is a kitchen appliance to aid you in creation. Depending on your level of hot beverage excellence, from at-home barista to drip and go, Sam's Club and Costco both offer a great variety that covers all skill levels and budgets. However, in this case, it's Sam's Club that offers the best savings. From the high-end De'Longhi Magnifica Espresso and Cappuccino Machine to the modest Chefman Fast-Boil Electric Kettle, Sam's Club offers lower prices on both.

For the traditional 12-cup drip drinker, the stores don't carry identical models that we can put side by side to compare. In all actuality, Costco only has one option for a regular drip coffee maker priced under $100. Sam's Club offers quite a few and overall has a wider variety of less expensive coffee makers, including a Capresso 12-Cup Coffee Maker for around $45. The closest (and only) comparable product at Costco was a Cuisinart 14-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker for $20 more. From the most complex cup of coffee to the simplest sip of tea, Sam's Club is the one priced right for your next cup.

For small kitchen appliances like mixers, blenders, and food processors, the prices at both Sam's Club and Costco are incredibly similar, if not identical. For instance, if you are looking for the classic KitchenAid mixer, which is just one vintage-inspired kitchen item worth grabbing, both Sam's Club and Costco offer it in different colors for around $400. The same goes for the gold standard Vitamix blender, which is carried at both stores for about $500.

If you take price out of the equation and start looking at which store carries a better assortment of brand names and products, Sam's Club is where you want to be. In the category of mixers, blenders, and food processors, Costco only carries a small handful of brands across a dozen products. On the other hand, Sam's Club has over twice as many of both. Of course, if you want to see how much those items cost, you are going to need a membership since the majority of these prices are hidden from guests and reserved for members' eyes only.

Both Sam's Club and Costco offer similar dishwashers, which makes it easier to compare the two warehouses in this category. As far as price goes, Sam's Club is the clean and clear winner here. The LG Front Control Dishwasher is over $100 cheaper at Sam's Club than it is at Costco. There is a similar difference when it comes to the Samsung Top Control Smart Dishwasher as well. The LG FlushFit Top Control Dishwasher is also more affordable at Sam's Club, although at a much smaller gap.

In addition to the lower price tag, Sam's Club also has a larger variety of dishwashers that are worth knowing about. The store carries an 18-inch Hamilton Beach portable dishwasher that can be hooked up to any sink and is easy to fit into tight spaces. If your situation needs something even smaller — say for your RV, dorm room, or small apartment — Sam's Club also carries a Hamilton Beach Countertop Dishwasher that can only be described as adorable. Coming with its own 6-liter water tank, this small dishwasher can be placed almost anywhere.

Whether your stove is electric or gas, Sam's Club and Costco both offer great prices and trusted brand name options. Although, it really depends on which brand you choose, what color your desire, and time of year as to which store is going to offer the cheaper price. For instance, the Samsung 6.3 cubic foot Electric Range with Rapid Boil is priced lower at Costco than at Sam's Club as of writing this. At publication, the cheaper model will likely be at Sam's. We saw this happen again with price changes between Sam's Club and Costco with the 6.3 LG Electric Single Smart Oven Range with ProBake Convection. Today Sam's Club has the winning price, but tomorrow Costco takes the lead.

What we will say is that when it comes to this category, you are ultimately the winner. Between Costco and Sam's Club, you are going to find a well-priced, dependable stove that fits your needs. Now, which warehouse best fits your budget is a toss-up depending on holiday sales, additional member savings, and manufacturer promos at the time you're in the market. If you know you'll be looking for a new range soon, start window shopping early. Choose the exact model or two you're looking for before doing a price comparison of your own. From what our research indicates, one will likely be offering a much lower price, even if only for a short amount of time.