Australian consumer experts CHOICE have revealed the big-ticket items to avoid buying during the end of financial year sale – including TVs, fridges and mattresses.
Every year, retailers around the country offer huge discounts on a massive range of products in order to get rid of last season’s stock before June 30 arrives.
And while it’s tempting to snap up bargains, the expert testers have rounded up the household gadgets to steer clear of after putting hundreds of products to the test to find the best and worst buys.
CHOICE have revealed the big-ticket items to avoid buying during the end of financial year sale – including a $299 40-inch FFalcon TV, $3,990 Smeg’s fridge, $888 Samsung’s washing machine, $399 Simpson dryer, $549 Omega dishwasher, and a $79 Nescafe coffee machine
FRIDGES
Smeg’s luxury retro-style model FAB38RCRA scored a dismal 22 per cent despite being one of the most expensive fridges on the market, costing an eye-watering $3,990.
While it’s widely considered as one of the must-have gadgets, the experts accused fridge of making food go off faster and costing a fortune to run.
‘This fridge is the worst we’ve ever seen in decades of testing,’ CHOICE fridge expert Ashley Iredale said.
‘You get a 1950s-style aesthetic from this fridge, but you’ll also get ’50s performance to match.’
Smeg’s luxury retro-style model FAB38RCRA scored a dismal 22 per cent despite being one of the most expensive fridges on the market, costing an eye-watering $3,990
The experts said the 510L unit has ‘terrible’ cooling performance after finding conditions inside the fridge fluctuated by 5C and by 10C in the freezer.
This means that if the fridge was set to 3C, the temperature could rise to 8C and perishables, such as a tray of oysters, could go off faster and induce food poisoning.
Other fridge models to avoid at all costs include Beko BBM450W ($1,149) and Smeg FAB32RRDNA1 ($3,490).
WASHING MACHINES
Samsung models – WA85N6750BV ($888)
When it comes to washing machines, the experts said choosing the wrong model will not only fail to clean your clothes, it’ll ‘chew through electricity and water’.
Speed Queen AWNA62SN305AW01, priced at $2,695, scored the lowest score of just 54 per cent after the experts found the top loader failed to clean clothes properly.
The model also had a poor water efficiency, no auto-sensing water level, no selectable spin speed, no time remaining display and no option to wash woollen items.
Other worst performers included two Samsung models – WA85N6750BV ($888) and WA13M8700GV ($1,349).
MATTRESSES
There is one IKEA mattress the experts said you should steer clear of, due to issues with ‘sagging over time, incorrect firmness and a poor sweat repellent score’.
This is the IKEA Hokkåsen, which scored just 61 per cent in testing but costs $599.
The $1,699 SleepMaker Alaska pocket spring mattress also failed the test after scoring just 63 per cent, followed by $1,050 OneBed Mattress with just 64 per cent.
There is one IKEA mattress the experts said you should steer clear of, due to issues with ‘sagging over time, incorrect firmness and a poor sweat repellent score’. This is the IKEA Hokkåsen, which scored just 61 per cent in testing but costs $599
$299 40-inch FFalcon 40F1
TV SCREENS
Anyone looking to upgrade their screens should avoid the $299 40-inch FFalcon 40F1 after it received the lowest score of just 58 per cent.
The experts found the ‘worst of all the scores’ was the $399 Linsar’s 15 per cent for sound quality, which was ‘very poor’ according to the experts.
Other models to avoid included 65-inch Blaupunkt BP650USG9200 ($795) and the 50-inch Bauhn ATV50UHD-1120 ($499).
DISHWASHERS
Omega ODW101W ($549)
After putting more than 50 dishwasher models to the test, Omega ODW101W ($549) received the lowest score of just 58 per cent.
‘Very cheap to run’ was the ‘only good thing’ CHOICE testers could say about the benchtop dishwasher from Omega.
Other models to steer clear of included the $899 Dishlex DSF6106X and the $487 Bellini BDW96W-F.
COFFEE MACHINES
The $79 Nescafe Dolce Gusto Piccolo XS 9781 left a bitter taste after the experts rated the model just 41 per cent.
Other models to avoid buying included the $109 Breville Nescafe Dolce Gusto Genio S Plus and the $299 Sunbeam Café Barista EM5000.
The $399 Simpson SDV457HQWA (left) received the lowest score of just 61 per cent after the experts found ‘no good points to mention’ in the review. The $79 Nescafe Dolce Gusto Piccolo XS 9781 (right) left a bitter taste after the experts rated the model just 41 per cent
DRYERS
When choosing a dryer, the experts suggested finding a model that offers ‘quick drying’ and ‘low energy use’.
The $399 Simpson SDV457HQWA received the lowest score of just 61 per cent after the experts found ‘no good points to mention’ in the review.
Other models to stay away from include Fisher & Paykel DE7060G2 ($829), Haier HDV70E1 ($689) and Beko BDC710W ($929).