If your budget is feeling the squeeze, it can be hard to justify paying more when it's time to buy a new appliance.
While you might be focused on the number on the price tag, there are plenty of other costs – financial and otherwise – that should factor into your purchasing decision.
A cheap appliance might save you money when you buy it, but it's hardly a good deal if it costs a bomb to run, doesn't work well, or breaks down after just a few years (or sooner).
Sometimes buying a more expensive option can save you money, time or effort – or all three
Spending more doesn't always guarantee you'll get a great product, though, and our reviews often reveal reasonably priced gems that deliver better performance than far more expensive models.
But if you choose wisely, sometimes buying a more expensive option can actually save you money, time or effort – or even all three.
If you can afford to pay extra, these five product types are worth splashing out on.
Cleaning
It costs just $58 per year to run three loads a week in this heat pump dryer.
Heat pump clothes dryers
If you're in the market for a clothes dryer, you'll generally have two options, at two price points: a cheaper vented dryer or a more expensive heat pump dryer.
The average recommended retail price (RRP) for a vented dryer is $523; the average RRP for a heat pump dryer is $2012. (Based on available models we've tested as of March 2025.)
Buying the cheaper dryer might seem like a no-brainer if you're trying to save money, but it can come back to haunt you in the form of big power bills – vented dryers are big energy guzzlers.
If you use your dryer frequently, paying more upfront for a heat pump dryer may actually end up costing you less in the long run because it's more energy efficient, so it'll use far less power.
Here's how average running costs for vented dryers stack up against heat pump dryers, if you dry a full load of laundry three times a week:
- A vented dryer will cost nearly $200 per year
- A heat pump dryer will cost just $76 per year
(However, if you don't use your dryer much, the vented dryer is probably the cheaper option in the long run: even if you'll pay more per load, the lower purchase price means you'll pay less over the lifetime of the dryer.)
Expert tester Adrian meticulously tests stick vacs in our lab.
Stick vacuums
You might say that a good stick vac is worth its weight in gold – and some of them certainly seem to be priced accordingly, with some high-end models costing $1500+.
So is it worth spending that kind of money on one of these expensive suckers? In many cases, yes.
Most of the stick vacuums recommended by our experts cost $800 or more, with most costing in excess of $1000.
We don't suggest just buying the most expensive stick vac you can find (there are definitely some overpriced disappointments out there) but you'll be hard-pressed to find a high-performing stick on the cheap.
Buying an inexpensive model that does a terrible job means you'll have to work twice as hard to get things clean, which rather defeats the purpose – stick vacs are meant to be all about convenience.
Is it worth spending more on one of these expensive suckers? In many cases, yes
But value isn't just about price and performance: you want an appliance that'll last the distance.
A stick vac's lifespan usually hinges on its rechargeable battery – if you can replace the battery when it stops working, your stick vac will live to suck another day.
But with most budget models, the battery is often not removable, which means that once the battery is dead, so is the whole appliance. Off to landfill it likely goes.
In most of the pricier models, the battery is replaceable, which will extend the life of your stick vac. And you can even buy a second battery to double your cleaning time.
Once you add up the extra time spent cleaning and a potentially shorter lifespan, a cheaper stick vac may not be as good a deal as it first seemed.
Ready to start researching premium stick vacuum brands? Start here:
Kitchen
Coffee machines
Little treats like a morning cappuccino from your local cafe are the kinds of things that help ease the daily grind.
But when a regular coffee costs $5 (or more) every morning, it can be hard to justify its place in your budget.
Bringing the cafe home to you can save hundreds of dollars a year – and probably even more in years to come, as coffee prices continue to rise.
This is where buying a more expensive manual coffee machine can be a better option than making do with a cheap pod machine.
You can pick up a cheap pod machine for less than $100, but you just won't get the same quality as you can from a manual espresso machine. Our rigorous tests show that manual espresso machines make better coffee than pod machines.
Plus, coffee pods can cost up to $100 a kilo, whereas you can buy coffee beans for anywhere from around $20–30 a kilo from the supermarket (or more for beans from a gourmet roastery). Even if you buy specialty coffee beans, they're still far cheaper per cup than pods.
Yes, you'll pay more for a manual espresso machine to begin with, but over the life of the machine you could end up paying less overall. Plus you'll get far better coffee – and you can't put a price on that!
Induction cooktops
These electromagnetic-powered cooktops offer all the benefits of gas cooking with none of the drawbacks, and they're a superior option to ceramic cooktops, which can be sluggish, imprecise and prone to burnt-on spills.
They are considerably more expensive than gas or ceramic cooktops, however: the models in our latest induction cooktop review start from $599, while ceramic cooktops start at $275 and gas cooktops at $299.
Installation costs can be significant, and you may need to buy new pots and pans if your existing cookware isn't induction-compatible.
Induction cooktops respond instantly when you change the temperature settings, they're super efficient and precise, they have better safety features and they're a cinch to clean
But are they worth it? Our experts say yes.
Induction cooktops respond instantly when you change the temperature settings, they're super efficient and precise, they have better safety features and they're a cinch to clean. Plus they don't produce the contaminants released by gas burning, which can have negative effects on respiratory health, especially in children.
The price of gas is continuing to climb, too, so an induction cooktop will add less to your power bill – and if you have solar you'll be able to run it virtually for free.
Here are five questions to ask yourself before switching to induction cooking.
With so many different cooktops to choose from, it takes a bit of research to figure out which will suit your home kitchen.
Home entertainment
TVs
If you're after a large-screen TV, you might have to think big in terms of budget, not just size.
While it is possible to pick up a 65-inch TV for as little as $699, unfortunately many of the cheaper TVs we've reviewed don't tend to perform well and our list of TVs to avoid buying frequently features budget models.
What you'll save in money you'll likely sacrifice in picture quality, sound and general performance. If you're a movie buff, binge watcher, or just want a better experience overall, you'll need to spend more.
(Of course there are some exxy big-screens that are disappointing, especially for the price, so make sure you check our expert reviews to find the best TVs for your money.)
Buying the right TV size for your room will improve your viewing experience.
And you don't need to go big or go home: buying a TV that's too big for your living room won't give you a great viewing experience, even with a good-quality TV. A 42-inch TV is a far better option for a smaller room – if you go bigger than that it can be uncomfortable to watch and you won't get to enjoy the picture quality.
Here's a handy guide to how to choose the right TV size for your space.
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Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
