{"id":171575,"date":"2024-05-08T14:55:57","date_gmt":"2024-05-08T20:55:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/?p=171575"},"modified":"2024-05-08T14:55:59","modified_gmt":"2024-05-08T20:55:59","slug":"best-appliances-to-raise-property-value","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/best-appliances-to-raise-property-value","title":{"rendered":"The Best Appliances to Boost Your Rental Property’s Value\u2014and Bonus Tips For Saving Money"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Rental properties come in all shapes, sizes, and prices, as do many of the appliances that go in them. Assuming, however, that your rental is not a sprawling Beverly Hills mansion, a luxury condo in Manhattan, or, conversely, a trailer in Ohio, but rather a quality middle-class home or apartment of around 1,000 square feet in a decent neighborhood, choosing the right appliance for the home can be confusing. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some things to bear in mind.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cost<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The appliances in your investment property should suit the rental price. You <\/span>are not going to<\/span> put a $100,000 La Cornue range in a $1,500-per-month rental apartment. The key to choosing the right appliance for any rental is to find one that looks stylish and works well without spending a fortune. All tenants want to see modern stainless steel (or some version of such) appliances in their homes, which means staying away from <\/span>basic<\/span> white or black appliances.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Design Your Kitchen Around Your Range<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The good news is that dozens of cost-efficient appliances fit these criteria. Expect to spend anywhere from $800 to $1,300 for a solid, good-looking range. <\/span>Multiple companies<\/span><\/a> offer these types of standard 30-inch ranges that fit these criteria. GE, Frigidaire, and Whirlpool are among the most popular for rentals. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The <\/span>New York <\/span>Times<\/span><\/em>‘<\/span> Wirecutter is a good, impartial place to <\/span>start researching<\/span> appliances. Although they have links to retailers and receive commissions from sales, the writers themselves\u2014to quote the <\/span>Times<\/span><\/a><\/em>\u2014”are never made aware of any business relationships with retailers, and products <\/span>are recommended<\/span> (or not) independent of all business and financial interests.” <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having written a blog for an appliance retailer in the past, I cannot say that is true for other reviews on the web. I still fondly remember the free meals in a luxury appliance manufacturer’s plush Manhattan showroom\u2014not to mention the closet full of free promo materials!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As your range is the centerpiece of your kitchen, around which the main action occurs, I’ve always found it best to choose my other appliances around it. It’s also cost-effective and easy, and online stores offer appliance packages once you have <\/span>chosen<\/span> one item at deep discounts compared to buying each item individually.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cooktop or range?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Generally speaking, ranges (also called stoves) are cheaper than cooktops, which sit on top of the counter and usually need slabs to <\/span>be cut<\/span> to accommodate them. Slide-in ranges are convenient, cost-effective, and easy to clean, service, and replace for rentals. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gas or electric?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Unless you’re renting to Gordon Ramsay (in which case, congratulations, you’re rich!), having a naked flame in a rental unit is not a good idea. Electric ranges are easy to clean, present far less fire hazard, and are usually reasonably priced. Electric ranges are also better for the environment.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s also worth noting that the world is trying to move away from fossil fuels, and <\/span>some American cities have outlawed gas ranges entirely<\/span><\/a>. Regardless of where you stand politically on the issue, the tide of change is undeniable. In 10 years, electric cars will be the norm, as will fully electric homes (unless you own a wood-heated log cabin). It’s best to save yourself the hassle of buying new appliances and <\/span>get with<\/span> the electric program now.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Induction or not?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When I <\/span>first<\/span> started putting induction ranges in my rental units a few years back, contractors and other investors looked at me as if I had antennae sprouting from my head. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Induction cooktops and ranges look and function like typical glass-top electric models, except they cook via a magnetic field. On most 30-inch induction cooktops, the field <\/span>is concentrated<\/span> into four spots (or elements). <\/span>This<\/span> means they do not emit heat like conventional electric cooktops but rather cook through a magnetic field when a pot or pan with a compliant circular pattern on the bottom (most have them) <\/span>is placed<\/span> on top.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s <\/span>not as complicated as<\/span> it sounds.<\/span> <\/span>They<\/span> cook like with an electric cooktop\u2014just without any heat (you can put your bare hand on an element when it is turned on and not feel a thing). However, in a country often resistant to change, they have <\/span>not taken off in the U.S.<\/span><\/a> to the same extent as they have in Europe, where their use is widespread. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are obvious advantages:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n