Make your choice at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center

When it's time to shop for appliances, choosing the right brand is an important part of the decision process. In spite of what you may have heard, they're not all made by just a few manufacturers. To sort this out let's first discuss the big brand names. GE, Whirlpool, and Frigidaire are the big 3. These are mega companies, home to a host of other name brands as listed below:

General Electric

• Hotpoint
• GE
• GE Profile
• GE Cafe
• GE Monogram

Whirlpool

• Amana
• Whirlpool
• Maytag
• KitchenAid
• Jenn-Air

Frigidaire

• Frigidaire
• Electrolux (Parent company)
• Electrolux Icon

At the luxury end of the market some of the big names include Wolf SubZero, Viking, Thermador, and Miele. While all the brands referred to above are well-known and well-positioned in their market segments, there are other lesser-known brands that deserve consideration as well. Here are just 2 examples:

1. BlueStar

BlueStar is a brand of high-end cooking products – ranges, oven, and cooktops. The brand is focused on serving the consumer that wants restaurant style appliances for the home. A unique capability of BlueStar is the ability to customize your range. Over 190 colors are available and burners may be configured to your liking. Even though BlueStar is not a household name, their factory in Reading, PA. has been building stoves since 1880.

2. Speed Queen

Speed Queen is a laundry company headquartered in Ripon, Wisconsin. They are a leading manufacturer of washers and dryers in the coin laundry/laundromat industry. Laundry equipment is the only thing Speed Queen makes, and they provide an exclusive three year warranty on their washers and dryers made for your home. Like BlueStar, they may not be a well-known name to consumers, but they've been making washers in Ripon, Wisc. since 1908.

Certainly, it can get confusing when comparing the big name brands to the specialty manufacturers. A good idea would be to seek the advice of appliance specialists such as those at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center.

Two locations to serve you – Calabasas and Studio City:

Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center

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Is it better to pay a little too much for your appliances or to pay not quite enough? Here’s a famous quote from John Ruskin:

It is unwise to pay too much, but it is worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money ….. that is all. When you pay too little you sometimes lose everything, because the thing that you bought was incapable of doing the things it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot …. it cannot be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk that you run. And if you do that you will have enough to pay for the something better’ – John Ruskin (1819 – 1900)

Of course, nobody wants to pay too much!

Here’s a great way to make sure that you get your appliances for a fair price.

1. Pick the right place to shop. Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center (UAKC) is one of the largest independent appliance and plumbing fixture stores in Southern California, and one of the few that has its own fleet of delivery and installation trucks, a fully equipped parts department, and a highly-trained service department.
2. Make a personal visit. UAKC has two beautiful showrooms in Southern California (see below directions), that feature most of the major brands as well as a large selection of specialty products. Many appliances are displayed in live kitchen vignettes. Their experiences sales staff are fully trained and can help you find the best appliances at the lowest prices.
3. Be upfront and sincere. Tell the salesperson what you are looking for. Give him/her some information about yourself that will help identify your needs. Tell him/her that you are going to put your trust in him/her and rely on her to find you the best price for a brand and product that suits your needs, and that you want him/her to “work for you” to make this happen. If you place your trust in them, you will be amazed at how hard the UAKC saleperson will work to help you.

So do your homework, pick the best place to buy your appliances (UAKC), visit their establishment, help the salesperson help you, and you really can’t lose.

Call or visit the experts at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center today. Now, two locations in Southern California to serve you:

 Studio City

View Universal Applainces, 12050 Ventura Blvd in a larger map

Calabasas

View Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center in a larger map

Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center

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Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center (UAKC) can help.

Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center is Southern California's leading retailer of premium major appliances and plumbing fixtures. We have decades of experience, and earned our reputation by making customer satisfaction our number-one priority so that you can have an enjoyable and worry-free shopping experience.

1. Selection. Choose from among the best in major brands as well as a great selection of specialty brands. Here are just a few of the top names:

Amana, Asko, Bosch, Dacor, DCS, Electrolux, Fisher & Paykel, Franke, Frigidaire, Gaggenau, GE, Grohe, Hansa, Hansgrohe, Jenn-Air, KitchenAid, KWC, LG, Marvel, Maytag, Miele, Porcher, Rohl, Samsung, Sub-Zero, Scotsman, Thermador, Toto, U-Line, Viking, Whirlpool, Wolf and many more.

2. Price. Not only does UAKC have enormous purchasing power (member of Nationwide buying group), but they are always searching for specials, closeouts, and discontinued models to save their customers even more. In addition, the professionals at UAKC continually review the many factory rebates, package deals, and other manufacturers' consumer offers to make sure that you get the best value.

3. Delivery and Installation. UAKC delivers locally on their own trucks and has fast, professional installation crews to make sure your new appliances will be properly delivered and installed so that you may begin enjoying them immediately.

4. Service. Unlike many competitors, Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center has its own highly qualified factory-trained service department. In addition to having the best appliance service department in Southern California, UAKC has a large inventory of replacement parts on hand to enable prompt appliance repair.

Now, Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center has a second location conveniently located off the US-101 in Calabasas.

Calabasas

Find out for yourself why our tag line is We bring beauty and comfort to your home. Call or visit us today:

Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center

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Marketers use the term brand equity to describe the worth of a brand. Brands are built over time and firms invest millions in their brand image and reputation. A brand has meaning. It stands for something. A marketing executive once said,

“A brand is a promise.”

When considering appliance brands, the brand tells a story. Major appliance manufacturers segment their brands to fit different buyers.

• For example, some brands are considered value brands. Value brands are built and priced to represent a value to entry level buyers who need performance at a price, i.e. good value on a tight budget.
• At the other extreme of the price spectrum are luxury and super luxury brands. These are the Cadillacs and Bentleys of the appliance industry and they carry a luxury cache' and a luxury price tag as well.
• In the middle are core or mass brands such as Whirlpool and GE that represent a wide range of choices and prices in the broad middle of the consumer market.
• Above the mass brands are premium brands that don't quite fit in the luxury category, but are a step up from the mass brands.

Some marketers refine these brands even more adding for example, super premium brands, brands that are between premium and luxury. In any case, the story brands tell is related to the segment of the population that the brand is trying to represent. Customers sometimes self-select their own market category. Often demographics and income levels influence the customer brand profile.

It's important to choose a brand that suits not only personal preferences, but also a brand that is appropriate for the home. For example, suppose a home is considered a starter home, but the homeowner has an income and a lifestyle to support luxury brands in his or her new kitchen. Installing a collection of luxury brand appliances including a large built-in refrigerator in a 1300 sq. ft. bungalow in a working class neighborhood would be a bad idea from a resale aspect.

However, suppose that neighborhood has become very desirable. Those small, older entry-level bungalows are now selling for about a million dollars. In order to maximize the resale price the homeowner will need to upgrade the kitchen and appliances from the original value brands. Same house and same square footage as before, but an entirely different decision when it comes to selecting the right appliance brand.

To make the right decision for new appliances, it's best to consult professionals. An excellent choice would be to call or visit the experts at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center.

NOW, two locations to serve you – Calabasas and Studio City:

Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center

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