I’ve almost made up my mind on replacing all the appliances in my kitchen. So fridge/freezer, oven, combi microwave, cooktop, secondary cooktop, ventilation hood.
Also contemplating replacing the cabinet doors, maybe adding a few new cabinets.
When I last put in a kitchen, 20+ years ago, it was standard to expect a discount of anywhere from 15 to 40% on appliance and cabinet prices.
I was gobsmacked to find that this time around none of the kitchen places or appliance retailers I’ve spoken with offer a discount.
Is this the new normal in 2026?
If you have put in a new kitchen or done a large renovation in the last year or so, I’d be very interested in hearing your experiences.
A lot of German on-line companies offer very good prices but maybe they don’t have the narrower Swiss units if you need those
One word of caution: Do you plan to install them yourself?
If not, you may find the Swiss artisans are reluctant to install equipment they did not supply
Blue collar extortion
But aren’t the discounts usually only given when you are buying a complete kitchen, and the kitchen fitting company’s list prices for appliances are usually getting on for double what you could pay online at a electrical retailer?
The fitters ‘amazing’ discounts only seem to bring the price down to what Netto and others are charging.
This is what I experienced 20+ years ago, and what I had expected to find this time around - that is, the Kuchenbau or appliance store’s list price is waaaaay inflated but the discount generally would bring prices to someting far more reasonable. I could live with paying up a bit, that’s fair to ensure that the appliance actually will fit in the space available and do what I hope it will do.
But what I am finding now is that the retailer’s stratospheric prices seem to be fixed, no discount offered even when buying all the kitchen appliances together. Then add in the Beratung fee, delivery, montage…
Speaking of Beratung, that’s another issue. The salespeople I’ve spoken seem unable (or unwilling?) to tell me about different appliances, let alone make recommendations on suitability. Once I have chosen a specific make and model they can give me a quote, but that’s it. I feel like I am flying blind - and paying up for the privilege.
I think I’ve just run into my first true ‘entshitification’ experience…
Anyway, my primary problem is that the combi microwave (both a microwave and compact or toaster oven, suitable for actual baking) is not a standard size. Nor is the built-in grill, which I had hoped to replace with a small induction cooktop.
I thought I had found a possible replacement for the microwave at Galaxus, only to find that the dimensions listed are wrong. My fear of buying online is that I could end up buying something that doesn’t fit. Or doesn’t do what I expect it to do.
Anyway, if kitchen firms can’t/won’t give me the advice I need, I can’t see any reason to buy at their crazy prices.
Looks like I’ll end up buying online and installing myself…
Tearing my hair out… which is why I’ve put off buying replacements for far too long.
(Note to self: In my next life, no built-in kitchens. )
If the online supplier quotes model name and number then you can probably check the dimensions on line at the manufacturers site.
There’s no right to return online goods in Switzerland but if the dimensions are wrong then you have a good case to return goods but might be an uphill fight
Have any of you any experience with, or even ever heard of, Iventum kitchen appliances? I think it might be a Dutch brand…
If the specs I’ve found online are actually accurate, this might be a replacement for the hard-to-match-my-current-size microwave/compact oven. If so, I’d then buy the standard Backofen from them as well - just so they’d match.
Assuming of course, that this is a decent brand. I’ve not heard of Inventum before, so any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
I may have to give up on the combi appliance and just get a microwave. Which is a shame - I really loved the convenience of having a second compact oven for those meals when timing is key.
And further to my original rant:
Took a road trip to a kitchen Ausstellung, a place which years ago was jam packed with appliances of every kind from every manufacturer, where eager salespeople practically tripped over themselves to help me spend money. Today the Ausstellung is a shadow of its former self, with only a handful of appliances on display - and instead of salespeople, a sign: 'For questions, use the QR code to search online."
So I found a low end Miele oven. Couldn’t believe the price at Galaxus - but it is consistend with the price in Germany. So probably not a fluke…
In 2026, would you buy a low end Miele over a mid range Siemens, Bosh, Electrolux, etc?
Any gotchas to look out for with a low end Miele?
These days it seems that no one, not even the top brands, guarantee anything beyond 5 years. Expected lifespan 8-10 years seems the norm across all brands and quality levels. Parts availability for 8 years. For today’s price of my 20 year old top of the range Gaggenau I could buy a mid range Siemens every year and still come out ahead. I probably have to think of kitchen appliances as semi-disposable items…
I generally ignore the brands and buy on price/function.
I don’t do anything special with the oven so it just needs to heat something up to a temperature. It needs a heating element and temperature control. Hardly rocket science.
I actually went and bought something with all manual controls. None of this electronic settings push-button malarky.
Just this weekend, I replaced the induction hob. I’m glad I bought one the relatively cheap ones off Ikea. My wife dropped a heavy pan on it and smashed it. The replacement went up in price from around 400 to 450.
I’m thinking of these appliances as semi-disposible, or at least subject to breakage/replacement. Esp. with kids around.
I agree. I’m exclusively looking at products with knobs, dials, and buttons - as little computerized as possible. As far as I’m concerned, the more tech the greater chance of breaking soon. And don’t get me started on that ‘connectivity’ nonsense… Nope, going as old school as possible. Which isn’t easy these days.
I think in other threads you mentioned Beko. I’m impressed with their appliances, and would be happy going with them - but unfortunately they don’t make a microwave to fit into the existing cabinet. A shame, but since the microwave will sit on top of the oven I do want them to match if at all possible, if only to avoid the ‘busy-ness’ of differing styles in a small kitchen.