The Pros And Cons Of Buying An Oven At Costco

Buying a new oven surely isn't an everyday expense. When you do finally splurge, you want to ensure you're making the best, most informed purchase possible. Costco members would be wise to consider the wholesale store when buying a major appliance like an oven, but that may not be the right move for everyone's home. 

There are tons of brick and mortar stores that sell ovens both in person and online. This means that researching your necessary specifications and nice-to-have amenities is always crucial. To help with that process, we took a look at Costco's selection of ranges along with major competitors like Best Buy, The Home Depot, and Lowe's to see where Costco shined and where it succumbed. Looking at everything from availability to delivery, we've conducted a list of pros and cons of buying an oven at Costco that may help inform your next major purchase. In the end, you'll feel better prepared to shop.

The whole point of Costco is saving money, so why should buying appliances at the big box store be any different? Compared to competitors like Lowe's, The Home Depot, or Best Buy, Costco tends to maintain low prices for similar products. 

For example, Costco sells a 5.3 cubic-foot electric freestanding range from Maytag for $700 full-price, which also includes delivery and installation (more on that later). At the time of writing, the same oven is currently on sale at Best Buy for $730, marked down from the regular $900. The Home Depot also has a sale on the oven for $730, but prices it even higher at $1000 full-price. The same goes for Costco's gas ovens, like the GE range with center oval burner, which costs around $30 less than the next best price from Best Buy. 

The lower prices do come with a caveat: Costco tends to supply higher quality — and therefore higher-priced — items. While you'll find some great ranges at Costco, you'll likely find more mediocre, bargain options elsewhere. Costco also offers Costco Direct Savings, giving further discounts when purchasing multiple appliances. You'll save even more on an oven if you're also buying a refrigerator or other kitchen essentials. 

Costco buys in bulk, so it is typically buying higher quantities of fewer items across all of its departments. From its fish selection to its freezers, you usually won't find as wide of a variety of products at Costco than you will in other competing stores. Take The Home Depot, for example, which currently has over 1000 ranges to choose from in its online catalogue. Lowe's, comparatively, has even more with over 1700 options. Costco, on the other hand, has a measly assortment of around 85 at the time of writing.

The lack of variety could be seen as a major downgrade for those who might need some extra help with picking out a stove, or people who just like having more options. If you're looking for a particular type of oven, there's also not a great chance that you'll find it at Costco. 

Though there are far fewer options at Costco, the wholesale store has a nice balance of various types of stoves, almost perfectly split down the middle with about 40 gas options and 40 electric options. A number of the store's stoves are also labeled "dual fuel," meaning they are powered by some sort of combination of both electric and gas. Also available is a small selection of professional ranges — some with two-door ovens — made for restaurants or chefs.

Delivery doesn't get easier than what Costco offers. All major appliances bought online or in-store include the perk of free delivery, saving you potentially hundreds of dollars in inescapable extra costs. Costco's all-in service includes delivery and installation of your brand new oven for free throughout the continental United States, with extra fees applying for customers in Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico. 

In addition to delivering your new stove, movers will also haul your old appliance away for free. The old device is then recycled, "following strict, environmentally friendly guidelines," according to Costco's appliance guidelines. The free service comes on a one-to-one basis, meaning don't buy an oven and expect the movers to deal with your old refrigerator and bathtub, too. 

Both The Home Depot and Lowe's charge an additional $50 for haul-away services, and neither offer free delivery for large appliances. At The Home Depot, a cheap $650 dollar stove quickly becomes $800 after a $39 appliance delivery charge and a $50 haul away fee. Lowe's is only slightly better with a $29 appliance delivery charge added. 

The most common online complaint surrounding purchasing appliances at Costco actually has nothing to do with Costco directly. The bulk bargain store outsources its delivery to various local third-party companies, which means you never know what — or who — you're going to get in your house. A large collection of people were unhappy with the quality of service they received from delivery and moving companies in their areas — whether that stemmed from shoddy installation or essential parts lost in transit. 

One Reddit user claimed that his Costco appliances were delivered by a company that brought no tools for installation and had to borrow the customer's set. Another claimed that his delivery service consisted of people who were "not really installers, but more like movers." Of course, everyone's experience is circumstantial and will depend on location and luck, for the most part. Costco's customer service team has been known to reimburse customers a portion of their money due to unsatisfactory delivery, but there is no guarantee. 

The most stand-out perk of purchasing from Costco has to be the store's return policy, which blows competitors out of the water. Costco allows you to make returns for 90 days, while other stores have a measly three-day return policy for most major appliances. This gives you time to really test out your stove and make sure that you like it before committing.

This one hits close to home, having regretted purchasing a washer and dryer set from The Home Depot last year that I am now stuck with — despite despising it after a week. Conversely, Costco allows returns of ovens, dishwashers, freezers, cooktops, microwaves, and other major appliances up to three months after the delivery date. Costco also graciously extends the regular manufacturer's warranty of its ranges for two years.

Customers can choose to bring their appliances directly to a Costco warehouse for an immediate refund or schedule at-home pickup. The extended return policy covers any reasons, including if you are just dissatisfied with the product. 

If you thought Costco's online selection of ranges was small, wait until you see what they have in store. You may be out of luck if you were hoping to browse for the right oven in-person, as most of the big box store's appliances are sold as online exclusives. This requires you to do a bit more research instead of just asking a knowledgeable employee roaming the store. 

Of Costco's 85 online oven choices, only one is shown as currently available to view in-store. That one, according to Costco's website, is also currently out of stock at all of the warehouses in New York and the greater Los Angeles area. This means that even some of the most populated Costcos in the country have no ovens available for customers to view before purchasing. Seeing a major appliance in person before buying is an important factor for many shoppers, and Costco's lack of visual merchandise may lead its customers to shop elsewhere. 

Apart from free delivery, Costco also offers installation of any gas, electric, or water supply lines needed for your new purchase. This is especially helpful for someone building or moving into a brand new home that has not had an oven previously installed.  

Call Costco customer support after your purchase — but prior to delivery — to let them know if you will need any shut off valves or supply lines for your gas or electric oven. The company will send someone over to install them before your range comes for a quick and efficient delivery. At Lowe's, customers also get "free installation" of their appliances, but they are expected to pay almost $40 for an "install kit." The Home Depot doesn't offer free installation, with a $70 fee in addition to its additional $40 installation kit. 

Costco offers a great solution for customers who are unfamiliar with the mechanics of major appliances. An oven can be dangerous once it's used if it was set up wrong, so this is something better left to professionals.