The best deals on small kitchen appliances like instant pots, air fryers, and blenders happen in winter. Retail data confirms appliance discounts are steepest in January when stores are low on customer traffic, with savings of 25-50% off individual items and additional retailer sales on top. Delaying a purchase until the popular President’s Day sales weekend can yield even deeper category-wide discounts in February too. Watch for open box and refurbished products year-round as well for savings up to 75% for virtually-new quality and longer warranties over used for just an additional 10-20% cost. Plan appliance purchases for winter and save big.

Small kitchen appliances like blenders, coffee makers, and toasters make life more convenient. However, these handy gadgets can get expensive, with some models costing over $500.

The good news is that with a bit of planning, you can score huge savings on small appliances and still get quality items. This comprehensive guide examines the best times throughout the year to shop for discounted countertop appliances.

We’ll go over major seasonal sales periods and recommend exactly which items to target during the various holidays and events.

You’ll get insider tips on finding closeout deals, price matching guarantees, and outlet specials so you can furnish your kitchen without paying full price. Read on to become a smart small appliance shopper and save big all year long.

Early January – Post Holiday Clearance Sales

The first 10 days of January can be a bargain hunter’s paradise. Retailers are eager to clear out leftover seasonal inventory to make room for new spring collections.

Shop end of year clearance sales and you could scoop up small kitchen tools, gadgets, and appliances at deep discounts. Expect to see major price cuts ranging from 40-75% off or more at stores like Target, Walmart, Macy’s, Kohl’s, Amazon, and more.

What to Buy: This is the ideal time to pounce on steeply marked down air fryers, pressure cookers, food processors, personal blenders, single serve coffee makers like Keurig, stand mixers, hand mixers, slow cookers, panini presses, waffle irons, wine openers, toaster ovens, full size coffee machines, and more.

Target and Walmart, in particular, offer Black Friday like prices on small kitchen electrics to lure customers in hopes you’ll fill up your cart.

Tips: Check online and in-store for small appliance deals. Online retailers often extend holiday sales, so keep checking for newly added coupons and promotions on appliances.

Take advantage of discounted gift cards to score extra savings at popular retailers. Use a cash back bonus or rewards credit card when buying heavily marked down items to maximize savings.

February – Early Spring Sales

February delivers deals geared around Valentine’s Day and President’s Day weekend sales. Look for discounts on shiny red and pink appliances as well as bundles and advertiser incentive deals on big ticket appliances. Here are top picks for the month:

What to Buy: Coffee lovers can cash in on promotions for espresso machines, coffee grinders, and high end machines. Chocolate lovers can benefit from sales on fondue makers and chocolate tempering appliances.

February is also an opportunity to save roughly 10-20% on air fryers, multi-cookers, and other convenient gadgets – either individual models or bundled together as a gift set. Given this is not a major clearance period, aim for saving at least 15% off typical pricing.

Tips: KitchenAid offers its classic stand mixer in exclusive seasonal shades every February. Time your purchase right to get the special color you covet at a discount.

JCPenney and Kohl’s are known to run small kitchen electrics deals to incentivize spending around President’s Day weekend. Stack coupons or promo codes for additional savings.

Late May – Memorial Day Deals

Memorial Day sales should not be underestimated. May sees major deals on larger appliances like refrigerators, ovens, dishwashers, etc.

But you can also save big on smaller countertop appliances too, if you know where to look. Watch for these hot offers when shopping appliance sales leading up to and during Memorial Day weekend:

What to Buy: Outdoor cooking gadgets like griddles, panini presses, smokers, pizza ovens will likely be significantly marked down. High end blenders like Vitamix also tend to offer rare sitewide sales during late May.

We also tend to spot good deals on air fryers, pressure cookers, microwave ovens, and specialty appliances like raclette machines around this mid-spring holiday. Expect anywhere from 20-50% or more knocked off select appliances.

Tips: Home improvement stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot run huge appliance promotions and may offer free delivery or installation as an incentive. Take time to register on their websites to have access to member only deals.

Look for bundle deals that package a small and large appliance together at one discount price. This allows you maximize savings on each item.

July – Amazon Prime Day Deals

Amazon Prime Day began in 2015 as a 24 hour flash sale commemorating the ecommerce giant’s anniversary. It has since expanded into a 48+ hour marathon of lightning deals and deep discounts across every category sold on Amazon.

In most cases, the small appliances and kitchen deals match or beat Black Friday and Cyber Monday prices!

What to Buy: While all sorts of gadgets and electronics will be marked down, home and kitchen is one of the hottest areas for deals. Expect especially steep discounts on Amazon branded appliances like the Alexa enabled microwave, smart home devices, the Amazon Basics kitchen suite, and top rated items.

Prime Day 2022 saw crazy deals on air fryers and multi cookers, up to 50% off Vitamix, huge discounts on Keurig coffee machines, 30-50% off Ninja and Instant Pot kitchen tools, 40% or more off luxury stand mixers and espresso machines, and more.

Tips: You must be an Amazon Prime member to access all the Prime exclusive deals. Sign up for their free 30 day trial period to shop sales without restriction.

Even without a membership, many appliances will have general public deals too. Download the Amazon app to conveniently track Prime Day appliance deals and enable mobile deal alerts.

Amazon also partners with other retailers who launch rival anti-Prime Day sales so keep an eye out for price matching guarantees. 

September/October – Labor Day and Early Black Friday Deals 

Appliance manufacturers unveil new models in the fall, making autumn an optimal time to seek out savings on older models. Retailers start trying to clear last season’s merchandise in preparation for holiday shopping madness.

Black Friday preview sales also usually launch in October. Here is what these overlapping events mean for savvy small appliance shoppers:

What to Buy: Late summer and early fall is the time to score previous year models of expensive brands like KitchenAid, Vitamix, Nespresso, and high end espresso machines.

Look for hefty discounts because updated iterations usually have minimal functional changes beyond superficial design tweaks.

New fall releases also see lower prices on air fryers, slow cookers, blenders, stand mixers, food processors, and specialty gadgets that released earlier in the current year. Expect anywhere from 25–60% off or more on these end of model year appliances.

Tips: Sign up for brand newsletters and review the previous year’s catalog of products to understand typical product cycles.

This will clue you in to soon to be discontinued collections that are ripe for deals. Mass retailers like Target, Walmart, Best Buy, Wayfair, etc have Black Friday in October preview sales both online and in stores with major discounts across small kitchen appliances. Create wishlists on their apps and start deal hunting early!

November – Pre and Post Black Friday and Cyber Monday Week

The week leading up to and following Black Friday is arguably the best extended stretch for scoring ridiculous rock bottom pricing across all categories – including kitchen gadgets and small appliances.

Almost all retailers launch promotions guaranteeing Black Friday pricing leading up to Thanksgiving weekend so deals start as early as mid October.

Sales now last into early December at many stores also, giving bargain shoppers an entire month to capitalize on bargains.

What to Buy: If it’s an appliance that belongs on your countertop or stashed in the cupboard, it will likely be on sale in November. We see the absolute lowest prices all year on air fryers, Instant Pots, NutriBullets, Keurig coffee machines, KitchenAid stand mixers, high end blenders, breadmakers, panini presses, waffle makers, soda streams, ice cream machines, fondue pots, raclette machines…

you name it. Look for 50-70% or greater discounts from MSRP. Take this opportunity to splurge on luxury stand mixers from premium brands that rarely see major sales.

Tips: Make an appliance wishlist ahead of the madness and sign up for email alerts from your most coveted stores. Download all your favorite retailers’ apps and enable push notifications – this gives you a jump on flash sales as they pop up and eliminates wasted time browsing.

Don’t settle on Black Friday proper either, sometimes the best discounted stock sells out only to be restocked post holiday with new Cyber Monday promotions attached.

Avoid impulse buys by sticking to planned purchases; Black Friday frenzy intentionally induces overspending.

December – End of Year Clearance Blowouts 

Just as January sees retailers drastically markdown goods post-holidays, some extend their best promotions right up to New Year’s Eve.

Especially online, stores will be anxious to entice last minute shoppers with clearance sales accelerating into late December.

Brick and mortar outlets also get in on the savings to motivate shoppers during an otherwise slow winter shopping period. 

What to Buy: Post holiday sales usually feature smaller leftovers from November sales periods. However, if you missed certain deals before, it is still possible to grab discounted air fryers, specialty small appliances like sous vide machines or ice cream makers, personal blenders, and espresso machines.

Holiday themed appliances and those with typical December use cases like fondue makers also get deeply reduced. Depending on inventory levels at individual retailers, savings could start around 25% but we regularly see up to 65% or more off clearance items during winter product resets. 

Tips: If there is a higher priced small appliance you’ve been eying for awhile, late December clearance sales represent the last call for scoring a major deal before you have to wait until next year’s discount cycles.

Be mindful of return time limitations when purchasing from seasonal sales though, since most retailers impose holiday specific fine print.

The mix of available products can be hit or miss depending on stock so have backup options in case your first choice sells out. Sign up for loyalty rewards programs to gain VIP early access to the best post holiday deals and offers.

Outlet Stores, Open Box Deals, Price Matching, and Price Tracking

Beyond key seasonal sale periods, there are still creative ways to keep costs low when purchasing those desired small kitchen workhorses. Let’s review ongoing opportunities throughout the year that provide additional money saving openings:

Outlet Stores – Dedicated outlet locations from appliance brands like KitchenAid, Vitamix, Jura, and Nespresso. Also check stores like Bed Bath & Beyond, Costco, Sam’s Club, Nordstrom Rack, Crate & Barrel Outlet for appliance deals.

Open Box Savings – Carefully vetted floor models or customer returns resell at hefty discounts on eBay, Amazon Warehouse, WalMart Open Box. Also always ask retailers if they have any open box inventory available. 

Price Matching Policies – Big box stores like Target, Walmart, Best Buy, Bed Bath & Beyond, Kohl’s, Costco, Lowe’s, etc have generous price matching guarantees if you spot the exact same in stock & new item listed for less elsewhere. This includes local competitor pricing and select online retailers. 

CamelCamelCamel and Honey browser extensions – These nifty price watching tools integration let you view historical Amazon pricing data and alert you to discounts on wishlisted items. They also auto apply coupon codes at checkout for instant savings. 

Things To Consider Before Buying

When buying small appliances, there are several factors to consider to ensure you make a wise purchase decision. Here are some tips to help you make an informed decision:

1. Type of Appliance

• Choose the right type of appliance based on your needs and lifestyle, such as a blender, toaster, or coffee maker.

2. Budget

• Set a budget and compare prices of different models to find the best value for your money.

3. Brand Reputation

• Consider purchasing appliances from reputable brands with a history of quality and reliability.

4. Size and Capacity

• Choose an appliance with the right size and capacity for your needs and kitchen space.

5. Ease of Use and Cleaning

• Look for appliances with easy-to-use controls and easy-to-clean surfaces.

6. Energy Efficiency

• Choose appliances with an Energy Star rating to save on energy costs and reduce your carbon footprint.

7. Warranty and Customer Service

• Check the warranty and customer service options for the appliance to ensure you have support if something goes wrong.

By considering these factors, you can choose small appliances that meet your needs and provide a reliable and enjoyable experience.

Conclusion 

Timing is everything when buying appliances. Being strategic with your purchases by shopping seasonal sales cycles throughout the year can help you clock impressive savings. Now that you understand insider tips on scoring deals during every major promotional event, you’ll avoid overspending.

Reference this guide each month as you plan kitchen upgrades and refresh your collection of handy small appliances without breaking the bank.

Taking advantage of the deals outlined here ensures you’ll secure quite the bargain on convection ovens, blenders, slow cookers, Keurigs, and other countertop heroes that make cooking easier.

Just be flexible on color options and act quickly once coveted items go on sale to get your hands on limited discounted stock. Happy deal hunting!