Major Presidents Day sales on large appliances

This weekend is a good time to get a great buy on a large appliance. Home improvement and big box stores are offering 10 to 30 percent off some stellar kitchen and laundry appliances. We took a look at the websites of Home Depot, Lowe’s, Sears, and Best Buy and found some top-performers from Consumer Reports’ tests. Here are five top picks from each but you’ll find plenty more at the stores. Remember to ask about free delivery and haul away, which will add to your savings. (Sale prices are from the retailers’ websites.)

Home Depot

Home Depot is offering 10 percent off appliances that cost $396 or more plus featuring special buys that are 20 percent off.

Samsung NX58H9500WS pro-style range, $1,996
This slide-in range is typically priced higher than freestanding models. The Samsung offers super simmering and impressive baking, broiling, and self-cleaning. The oven is big and has convection and a temperature probe. There are five burners including two high-power that deliver fast heat.

KitchenAid KDTM354DSS dishwasher, $808
In addition to stellar washing, drying, and efficient running, this high-performing KitchenAid dishwasher boasts a self-cleaning, ultrafine filter that breaks food particles down throughout the cycle without noisy grinding. And it’s fairly quiet. Other pluses include a soil sensor, stainless-steel interior, ample flatware slots, and an adjustable upper rack and tines. In our tests, a normal cycle took 125 minutes and used only about 4 gallons of water in our tests.

Maytag Maxima MHW5100DW washing machine, $748
Already the least expensive of the top-pick front-loaders in our tests, the Maytag is also the fastest. Normal wash time using the heavy-soil setting is 75 minutes. This washer offers excellent cleaning and energy- and water-efficiency, and is gentle on fabrics. It fits about 22 pounds of our laundry but it's noisy. The matching dryer, the Maytag Maxima MED5100DW, is also on sale.

Maytag Maxima MED5100DW clothes dryer, $748
Superb drying, large capacity, and relatively quiet operation make this a winner. This dryer is Energy Star-qualified. Our test results are based on using the regular cycle. The energy-saving option should provide comparable performance while saving energy, but drying time is significantly longer.

Samsung RF28HDEDBSR 3-door, French-door refrigerator, $2,298
Samsung’s 36-inch-wide French-door bottom-freezer offers a spacious 20 cubic feet of usable capacity, and the space is well organized around several helpful storage features. These include adjustable shelves, gallon door storage, and spill-proof shelfs. The refrigerator delivers superb temperature control and energy efficiency. And its dual evaporators help keep food fresh by maintaining optimal humidity levels.

Lowe's

Lowe’s is offering 10 to 25 percent off major appliances that cost $399 or more.

LG WM8500HVA front-loader washing machine, $1,439
This top-rated front-loader has a jumbo capacity, holding about 24 pounds of laundry. The LG aced our cleaning tests, offers superb water efficiency, and does an excellent job extracting water so dryer time is shortened. But it took 90 minutes in our tests to do a normal wash on the heavy-soil setting; the TurboWash option offers comparable wash performance in less time. The matching dryer, LG DLEX8500V, is also on sale. Note that the washer and dryer are each 29 inches wide—2 more than usual—and available only in a graphite steel finish.

LG DLEX8500V clothes dryer, $1,439
An electric dryer, the LG has a jumbo capacity and is excellent at drying. It's relatively quiet too. Like the matching washer, it’s 29 inches wide—two more than usual, and only available in a graphite steel finish.

Whirlpool WRB322DMBM bottom-freezer refrigerator, $1,259
Whirlpool’s 33-inch-wide conventional bottom-freezer makes our recommended list on the strength of its excellent temperature control and energy efficiency. On the downside, it’s a tad noisier than other top models. Features include split shelves, which make it easy to store tall items, as well gallon door storage and touchpad controls.

KitchenAid KDFE454CSS dishwasher, $1,349
Among the priciest in our tests, this KitchenAid dishwasher delivers some stellar performance. It aced our wash test, which uses a full load of very dirty items, and was among the quietest models during fill, wash, and drain. It was also especially energy- and water-efficient. Pluses include a soil sensor and stainless-steel interior. For flexibility, it has delayed start, ample flatware slots, an adjustable upper rack, and adjustable tines. A normal cycle took 140 minutes and used about 5 gallons of water in our tests.

LG LRE3083SW electric smooth-top range, $800
This top-rated electric smoothtop range was superb at simmering and delivered fast heat. In our tests, baking and self-cleaning were impressive; broiling was superb. The oven has convection and a steam-clean feature for light cleaning. There are four range-top cooking elements, including two high-powered.

Sears

At Sears, they are offering 10 to 30 percent off appliances including their own brand, Kenmore. Here are five Kenmore picks.

Kenmore 22614 canister vacuum cleaner, $250
Impressive cleaning, lots of airflow for tools, and fairly quiet running helped make this bagless canister a top pick. This Kenmore is also a great choice for picking up after cats or dogs. Key features include manual carpet pile-height adjustment (better for matching brush to surface), suction control (protects drapes when using tools), a brush on/off switch (safeguards bare floors and prevents scattered debris), and a retractable cord. But handling this vacuum's 23 pounds took some muscle.

Kenmore 32313 gas cooktop, $1,016
Fast heating and impressive simmering at a relatively low price make this 36-inch gas cooktop a recommended model. Two of its five burners are high-power. The continuous grates let you slide heavy pots across the cooktop rather than lifting them. Stainless trim is a plus for the price.

Kenmore 69313 bottom-freezer refrigerator, $799
If you’re looking for top value in a conventional bottom-freezer, this 30-inch-wide Kenmore is one to consider. And its narrow width is a good fit for smaller kitchens. In terms of performance, it combines superb temperature control, energy efficiency, and quietness. Just don't expect much in the way of convenience features.

Kenmore Elite 12793 dishwasher, $1,050
In addition to top-notch performance, this Kenmore offers an industry first: a motorized spray arm that reverses direction if something inside blocks the arm's rotation. The model's other pluses include a stainless-steel interior. Flexibility options include an upper rack you can adjust with one hand. A normal cycle takes 145 minutes and used about 5 gallons of water in our tests.

Kenmore Elite 41073 front-loader washing machine, $1,199
Offering excellent wash performance and a jumbo capacity, this front-loader holds about 24 pounds of laundry. But the normal wash time, using the heavy soil setting, was 95 minutes in our tests. The Accela-Wash option offers comparable cleaning in less time. We also recommend the matching dryer, the Kenmore Elite 81073, which is on sale for $1,199. The washer and dryer are each 29 inches wide—two inches more than usual.

Best Buy

Best Buy is offering up to 25 percent off major appliances, including this quintet.

Samsung RS25H5121SR side-by-side refrigerator, $1,399
This 36-inch-wide side-by-side from Samsung sits at the top of our Ratings, thanks to its outstanding temperature performance, energy efficiency, and quiet operation. It’s also loaded with features, including an innovative ice and water dispenser and dual evaporators, which should help keep food fresh by maintaining optimal humidity levels.

LG WT5680HVA HE top-loader washing machine, $949
This high-efficiency LG has a jumbo capacity and excels at cleaning. But like many HE top-loaders it wasn't so gentle on fabrics. Normal wash time is 75 minutes on the heavy-soil setting; the TurboWash feature cuts time without affecting performance. Features include a steam option and SmartDiagnosis that lets you transmit washer data by phone to technicians who will try to solve the problem without a housecall. The matching dryer, the LG DLEX5680V, is also impressive.

Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal vacuum cleaner, $399
Overall this bagless model is a capable upright vacuum cleaner. In our tests, it was very good at removing embedded dirt from carpets and when cleaning surfaces such as kitchen and hardwood floors, the Dyson was excellent. At 19 pounds, it handles well and emissions were kept to a minimum. Other models are better at picking up pet hair.

Samsung NX58F5700WS gas range, $1,299
This top-rated gas range is stylish and unlike most gas ranges we tested offers fast cooktop heat and superb baking. Even broiling was impressive—not something most gas ranges ace. There are five burners, including two high power. The oven is large and has a convection feature and gliding oven racks. The warming drawer is a nice touch.

Bosch Ascenta SHX3AR7[5]UC dishwasher, $629
Already a CR Best Buy, this Bosch conventional dishwasher delivers top performance at a competitive price. It aced our wash test, which uses a full load of very dirty items, and was very good at drying plastic items. It was among the quietest models during fill, wash, and drain and was especially energy-efficient. For flexibility, it has delayed start, ample flatware slots, an adjustable upper rack, and adjustable tines. A normal cycle took 95 minutes and used almost 6 gallons of water in our tests. Bosch is among the more reliable dishwasher brands.

—Mary H.J. Farrell (@mhjfarrell on Twitter)

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