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What Appliances Have People Purchased During The Pandemic?

AHAM recently surveyed more than 4,000 U.S. residents to find out what new appliances they purchased during COVID

As restrictions ease and the light at the end of the COVID tunnel gets a little brighter in the U.S., look around your home. Does it look the same as it did when the pandemic started? People in much of the country spent more time at home over the past 14 months, and many took steps to make their space a little more comfortable. That includes changes in habits, like cleaning, cooking or organizing more, as well as home improvements and purchasing new appliances.

The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) recently surveyed more than 4,000 U.S. residents in December 2020 to find out, among other things, what new appliances they purchased during COVID. Two out of five people surveyed said they had purchased at least two more appliances since the start of the pandemic.

So what appliances did people bring into their homes during COVID? Well, despite some respondents noting that they no longer showered daily and stopped going to the salon in lieu of at-home haircuts, they didn’t let themselves go completely. Personal care appliances topped the list of appliances purchased since the start of the pandemic, with 35% of respondents reporting a purchase.

Small kitchen appliances were the second-most common, with 32% of respondents reporting purchases. Those appliances were likely being put to good use, as nearly half (48%) of respondents reported cooking at home more often during the pandemic. Forty-two percent of them expect to continue cooking at home more after COVID passes.

Here’s the full rundown of the types of appliances people in the U.S. reported purchasing since COVID began:

Personal care appliances (35%):  Electric toothbrushes were the most common personal care appliance purchased, followed by hair dryers, hair clipper/shavers, hair straighteners and hair curlers.

Small kitchen appliances (32%): Coffee makers were the most commonly purchased small kitchen appliance, followed by air fryers, toasters, blenders, slow cookers and toaster ovens.

Vacuum or floor care appliances (22%): Respondents turned to a variety of floor care appliances as they stepped up their cleaning efforts. Upright vacuums were the most popular, with corded stick vacuums, robotic vacuums and cordless stick vacuums following. Respondents also reported bringing home spray mops, canister vacuums and surface steam cleaners.

Major home appliances (19%): Refrigerators and clothes washers were the most popular purchases among those who reported buying a major home appliance. Microwave ovens were close behind, followed by clothes dryers, dishwashers, oven/cooktop or range, freezers and wine refrigerators.

Air treatment appliances (16%): Increased interest in indoor air quality put air cleaners at the top of the list of air treatment appliances purchased since the start of the pandemic. Humidifiers were next, followed by portable fans, portable heaters and portable air conditioners.

In addition, 17% reported purchasing a smart appliance, and 6% said they had purchased a central vacuum system.

Many who responded to AHAM’s survey purchased more than one appliance.

At least 1 appliance: 22%

2+ appliances: 38%
3+ appliances 17%
4+ appliances 6%
5+ appliances 2%
6+ appliances 1%

This report originally ran on aham.org and is republished with permission.

See also: Another View: Retail Braces for the Return of the (Digital) Shopper

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