One reason why I've never purchased appliances from Sears is because they are more than other stores in my area, and the prices for their extended warranties are almost double.

At least you got a good deal from them, as most stores will not match on-line prices.

Yes, I agree. Their ext 5 yr warranty was $549.

Did they match the price after taxes or did you still have to pay more because of the sales tax? Also, did they match the price on the extended warranty? I would love to buy from sears to support our local little sears store and to be able to get the no interest financing by using the sears card, but the price of the warranty is keeping me from buying from them.

Which microwave did you get?

I have no comment on GE, but if you need a third-party warranty, you could look at Square Trade. We got an extended warranty on our cooktop from them. We specifically wanted coverage for damage to the ceramic surface - basically breakage if we drop something on it. We have also had an extended warranty on our plasma TV from them, as well as warranties on our cell phones and computers. In the one claim we made, they were fast and efficient.

Cheryl

I've never thought about using them for warranties. I am about to make a claim for a camera, so we shall soon see how easy their service is to use. Thanks for the recommendation.

With the price match plus an additional 10% off it covered the taxes. In my area taxes are 7%. I never thought about asking them to match the ext. warranty. I've never really bought extended warranties as I always thought they were a waste of money. I hope I am right this time. My husband can fix almost anything but I guess that does not include parts. I am going back there tomorrow to see what kind of deal I can get on a dishwasher. That's the only appliance I have left to buy. Thank goodness. One more thing done.

I would not buy any major appliance without a warranty, as I've used them in the past for different items.

I know that Sears out-sources their appliance warranties to a company called A&E, which is also the company that Whirlpool/KitchenAid uses for their manufacturer's warranty. I only had 1 experience with A&E repair over a broke KitchenAid disposal a couple years ago (while it was still under the KA 3 year warranty). It would have been less painful to get a tooth pulled.

For someone as "new" as an induction range, parts are going to be expensive, plus the labor. I'd buy the longest warranty I could get (usually 5 years), and sometimes you can even re-new when the contract is up (but cost more).

On the other hand, these warranties are profit centers for the companies that sell them, because -- overall -- they cost more than the amounts paid out to fix the claims.

These warranties are time limited, with limits set to end before most expensive repairs become necessary (when they are no longer covered).

Buying an appliance warranty can give you peace of mind, and that may be worth the cost. Its a gamble, either way. But, in aggregate, people pay far more for these warranties than the amount they get back in covered repairs.

When I purchased my Kenmore induction range, I negotiated a better price for the 5 year warranty with the salesman. Trying to remember -- he may have knocked 50 or 75 dollars off. It was much higher than for a typical electric range.

Just 10 days after install, my stove kept throwing a fault code. The serviceman (A&E) was clueless, on the phone the whole time and wanted to replace all the electronic boards.

Went back up to Sears, talked to my salesman and got a new stove delivered in three days. My feeling is someone dropped the original stove since the warming drawer glide was bent as well.

Haven't had a problem since (3 years) and haven't had to use the warranty.

If the Kenmore is cheaper than the GE, I highly recommend you look at -- I couldn't be happier with mine.

Jadeite, if you think your warrantee will cover you
dropping something, and cracking the surface of your
cooktop/range, then perhaps you should read the fine
print on your warrantee. I would think that they
would consider that 'negligence or misuse'. I'm not
sure, but one way or another, they will get out of it.

Sears owns A&E and buys many of their appliances without involving the appliance maker in the warranty work so you are stuck with A&E. Anything that is built in small numbers, contains electronics, gets a lot of use, and gets very hot like an induction range is a good candidate for a reasonably priced extended warranty. So are new model regular ranges containing electronics.

Lbpod - we asked about this issue specifically and were assured that it was covered. ST has warranties that cover against owner idiocy, like dropping your cell phone into the bathtub. They apply a deductible, but they will cover it.

Cheryl

My friend dropped something on her older Thermador cooktop and broke it. I think she said her homeowner's insurance covered it - after a deductible, of course, but better than nothing.

I took out the warranty from my appliance store on my KA induction cooktop. It was not much money at all. I mention this only because the salesman said that with cooktops, they often just replace it instead of trying to fix it. Is yours a cooktop or range?

Ginny - I'm not sure if your question is directed at me, but if it is, we have a cooktop. I think the actual ceramic surface can be replaced without a lot of expense, but the induction coils would be expensive if they were damaged.

There are many accounts of "glass top" cooktops breaking on impact, but I don't know if this is the same as the ceramic material. I mentioned in a different thread that Thermador told us over the phone that the ceramic will stand weights up to 200 lbs. I take this with a big dose of salt, but they seemed confident of its strength. Shock is a different matter, of course.

Cheryl

Another case of my writing not being clear, sorry.

One thought, directed at no one in particular, was about the "warranties don't cover breaking" comment, since, apparently, homeowner's insurance will cover breakage even if a particular warranty won't. The fact that my friend's cooktop was Thermador had nothing to do with its breaking, but because it had originally been an expensive cooktop, she got a pretty good check from the insurance.

Unrelated thought on deciding whether one should take out a warranty on induction since it's new technology and probably expensive to fix. Directed mainly at OP, although I see she intends not to get a warranty. I just thought it was interesting that my salesman said that they usually just replace cooktops. Wouldn't apply to a range, though.

chac mool is entirely correct about the warranties - of course they must make money for the seller on average, but they are nice for peace of mind. Last winter, it only snowed 39" instead of 100". It wasn't El Nino or jet stream shifts or anything - it was because we bought a new snowblower at the beginning of the season. I'm counting on my appliance warranties to work the same way. ;-)