How to Save if Tariffs Raise Prices on Tech and Appliances

If the tariffs do persist, there are still ways to save money on electronics and appliances. Here are things to keep in mind as you shop:

Don’t wait to buy items you already planned to purchase. If you were gearing up to buy a new appliance, doing it now makes sense, especially if you have money budgeted for it. Big ticket items have larger margins than inexpensive products, so U.S. companies may be more inclined to absorb the extra costs on those in the short term.

Choose reliable products. Higher prices could persist, so it’s particularly important to choose products that are likely to work well over the long term. CR members can use our ratings to review the most and least reliable brands in many product categories, including central air conditioning systems, dishwashers, dryers, heat pumps, refrigerators, vacuums, and washing machines.

Don’t panic-shop. It’s easy to get caught up in the fear of rising prices, but don’t lose your cool and buy things you otherwise wouldn’t.

Hold off a bit on discretionary purchases. At least until we get a better handle on the impact of the tariffs, it make sense to wait. Who knows? You may find that you don’t really need that item after all. And the government may enact tax breaks and other policies to counter the effects of tariffs on U.S. consumers. Either way, there’s a good chance that you’ll find good deals during promotional events such as Amazon Prime Days and Black Friday, especially if consumers put the brakes on buying earlier in the year.

Shop for older models. TVs, laptops, and smartphones that are a year or two old often remain available at stores after newer models arrive. You can currently buy a 2022 MacBook Air with an M2 processor for as little as $750, for example. It performs almost as well as the new M4 version of the laptop.

Consider a used or refurbished product. While this advice doesn’t work equally well for all product categories, you might find that purchasing a factory-refreshed or gently used appliance, laptop, or phone can save you money. Apple, Best Buy, LG, Samsung, and others certify the products they resell and even offer new warranties. Items sold on eBay typically do not.

Switch to a less expensive brand or model. If prices rise and remain high, you may find that an item with less cachet and fewer bells and whistles suits your needs just fine. Samsung sells a number of well-made Galaxy phones beyond its flagship line, for example. They’re much less expensive but still do virtually everything you want a modern smartphone to do. Consult our ratings for help finding products with a nice balance of price and performance.

Look for U.S.-made options. For many electronics and appliance products, this will be difficult, but you can find headphones and speakers manufactured in this country, for example. OpenBrand economist McLaughlin also suggests looking into alternative options made in countries with lower tariffs.