We have been putting this blog off for quite a while know, all in the hopes that things would get better, but as we have seen through every manufacturer and every category the worldwide supply chain issues are not going to end soon. So, what does this mean to you, as a consumer? It likely means that you will be limited in what items that you will be able to choose from if you want them in a timely manner. We hope to give you some insight into what the appliance industry looks like now and what is likely to come.
As you know, this all began last year with the Covid-19 pandemic and the shutdowns in factories that shutdown around the world to protect their employees and families. Now, not only did this happen in America, but this also happened world-wide. While appliances were not being made, neither were the raw materials being mined, the computer chips being made, the glass shelving being manufactured, the hoses, cords and motor equipment being created. When factories began to open again, many freight carriers (ship, truck, or train) were either backlogged with product or did not have the operators to actually deliver the goods. From that point on, raw materials, parts, and products began to stack up at ports.
Prices for all parts and equipment spiked with demand for shipping and trucking causing transportation prices to increase. Adding to this the intermittent factory and port closures worldwide due to outbreaks of Covid-19, production continued to slow and sometimes even stop. For example, in August of 2021, the third largest port in China, Nignbo-Zhushan, partially shut down.
In America, for the first few months of 2020, most of the country was in some type of lockdown. A lot of people transitioned into a work-from-home role, so they were spending unusually long hours in their house, and they wanted to make it as comfortable as possible. With travelling and extra-curricular activities on hold for the foreseeable future, people began to want to upgrade their homes. This meant new kitchen appliances, better washers and dryers (Do I Need Steam in my Washer and Dryer?), an upgraded range (Wolf Dual Fuel Range Update), a larger refrigerator (Choosing a Refrigerator). These appliances all came out o fcurrent inventory, and with no new appliances being made. What was in any appliance store’s stock was all there was. Anything else would be ordered for the customer and the waiting would begin.
At first, the wait was not too bad. There was additional stock in some manufacturer’s warehouses. When factories opened back up appliance production was limited as most municipalities had physical distancing protocols which reduced the number of people that could be on a manufacturing line building products. These protocols have persisted and most factories haven’t been able to reopen at 100%.
So, here we are. We are coming into the last part of 2021 and we have a better idea of what is and what is not available, as well as which manufacturers are reliably sending units out to us, and which are still having production issues.
Now, let’s say you are planning a kitchen remodel or are doing a project that is some time away. Supply constraints will likely not affect you, aside from needing to place your order earlier than you had planned. If your appliance had some crisis and stopped working overnight, well, the current delays in manufacturing and shipping may cause you some headache. In this case, we recommend speaking with one of our Appliance Specialists to see what we have in stock at the moment, or finding an orderable product that will arrive in a timeframe that is acceptable to you.
Let’s investigate some of our most popular brands and where they stand on getting items to us. As you will see, a lot of manufacturers have reduced available items in their catalogs by as much as 50% so as to focus production on their highest demand products:.
Brands:
Whirlpool, which includes Amana, Maytag, KitchenAid and JennAir:
Stock issues persist through all these brands. On average we are seeing delays from 3-4 months through all product categories. Given what we see from some vendors, this does not seem to be so bad.
The following items all have that similar arrival window.
Whirlpool Fingerprint Resistant Quiet Dishwasher with 3rd Rack & Large Capacity (WDTA80SAKZ)
KitchenAid 30” Smart Commercial-Style Dual Fuel Range with 4 Burners in Avocado Cream (KFDC500JAV)
Maytag Front Load Washer with Extra Power and 12-Hr Fresh Spin™ option – 4.5 cu. ft. (MHW5630HW)
Maytag Front Load Electric Dryer with Extra Power and Quick Dry cycle – 7.3 cu. ft. (MED5630HW)
Bosch:
Bosch remains one of the most popular dishwasher manufacturers and their backlog shows that. Currently, as of October 2021, we are seeing any new dishwasher backed out to about 9 months to one year. We expect this issue to be better by the beginning of 2022.
Refrigeration by Bosch is actually looking really good. We are only seeing delays of about a month on them. When looking at electric or induction ranges and cooktops, we are seeing these items delayed until February of 2021.
Bosch 500 Series French Door Bottom Mount Refrigerator 36” in Easy Clean Stainless S teel (B36CD50SNS) – We are seeing this Bosch refrigerator arrive within a month.
Bosch 800 Series Gas Slide-in Range 30” in Stainless Steel (HGI8056UC) – This is the Bosch gas range that you will receive the fastest at around 3 months.
Bosch Dishwasher – The most popular category of appliances from Bosch that we carry, therefore we are seeing the most delays on them as well. A new order with a Bosch dishwasher will arrive within 9-12 months. Our best suggestion on a Bosch dishwasher is to contact a Metropolitan Appliance Appliance Specialist to see what we currently have on order and what is still available on those orders. You would still expect about a 3 month wait time though.
GE which includes Haier, Profile, Café, and Monogram:
GE’s Café brand is the most delayed at 6+ months out.
Gas ranges and cooktops are largely within 3-4 weeks. Top freezer refrigerators are generally available, however, given manufacturing constraints not all top freezer refrigerators are being produced. Your choice on this type of refrigerator may be limited. GE brand dishwashers are generally 2 months out.
GE 23.6 Cu. Ft. French-Door Refrigerator with External Water and Ice (GFE24JSKSS) – Anything with an external dispenser will be about 5+ months out.
GE 28.7 Cu. Ft. Fingerprint Resistant French-Door Refrigerator (GNE29GYNFS) – If you can do without an external water and ice dispenser, you will be looking between 1 and 3 months to wait for your new refrigerator. (This also applies to most GE Profile refrigerators as well)
GE 30″ Free-Standing Gas Convection Range with No Preheat Air Fry (JGB735SPSS) – Ranges from GE are about three months out, and this includes GE Profile. IF you want Café or Monogram, you are looking toward 6 months or more.
GE Top Control with Stainless Steel Interior Dishwasher with Sanitize Cycle & Dry Boost with Fan Assist (GDT665SSNSS) – GE dishwashers will arrive within 1 to 2 months. Considering the other wait times we see, this is a great go to!
LG:
Overall LG appliances are looking really good! Laundry generally comes in within a month while their most popular appliances (electric/gas (not dual fuel) ranges, dishwashers, refrigerators) are all about 1-2 months out. The following items from LG below fall into that arrival window.
LG 23 cu. ft. French Door Counter-Depth Refrigerator (LFCC22426S)
LG Top Control Dishwasher with QuadWash™ and EasyRack™ Plus (LDB4548ST)
SubZero and Wolf:
This is difficult to say. Due to how popular Subzero and Wolf products are, no new orders will be shipped this year. At this point we think SubZero is looking like sometime in April 2022 and Wolf would be sometime in March 2022.
Sub-Zero 36″ Classic Over-and-Under Refrigerator/Freezer with Glass Door (BI36UGSTHRH) – All Sub-Zero are taking 7 months to arrive.
Wolf 30″ Gas Range (GR304LP) – Wolf gas ranges, like this one, are about three months out. If you want dual fuel or induction, your wait will be over 6 months.
Cove 24″ Dishwasher – Panel Ready (DW2450) – Cove dishwasher are at minimum of 4 months out.
ASKO:
ASKO is another situation where their manufacturing capacities have been reduced by 50% or more. ASKO has temporarily halted production on certain items. The dishwashers that are being manufactured are about 1-2 months out.
ASKO Classic Washer – White (W2084W) – Washers are 2 months out.
ASKO Classic Vented Dryer – White (T208VW) – Dryers are also 2 months out.
ASKO Built-in Dishwasher (DBI663IS) – 4 month delay, however you may find one or two witnh a sooner arrival window.
Now, please keep in mind that all of the above are estimates. We do recommend speaking to one of our Appliance Specialists for the most current arrival information. We want to reiterate that the appliance that you have your eye on may not be manufactured at this time, so going into the process with some flexibility in mind will help reduce some of the frustration that you may encounter.
If you are flexible in what you are looking for, we do always have a wide selection of boxed and closeout items that are available for immediate delivery. If your refrigerator has stopped working this might be your best bet. Below we have posted a snapshot of items that we have in stock at the time that we wrote this blog to give you an idea of the range of products that we have.
Frigidaire Gallery 24” Built-In Dishwasher (FGID2466QF)
Samsung StormWash™ Dishwasher with Top Controls in Stainless Steel
While we did not mention all the brands that we carry, these are the most popular brands. The best person to speak with is a Metropolitan Appliance Specialist as they are being continuously updated by each manufacturer on which items are currently being made and what an expected wait time is like for each item.