Home Depot Appliance Clearance: Scratch & Dent and Open Box

What Home Depot appliance clearance looks like

Appliance clearance at Home Depot usually falls into four groups:

• Discontinued models making room for new ones.
• Floor models that were on display.
• Open-box units that were returned or opened.
• Scratch-and-dent items with cosmetic damage.

Like all Home Depot clearance, prices are set store by store, so a fridge can be clearance at one store and full price at another.

Scratch and dent and open-box appliances at Home Depot

Scratch-and-dent and open-box appliances are usually kept in the appliance department, often along a back wall or near the appliance desk, and marked with a yellow clearance sticker. Some aren't on display, so ask an appliance associate. Returned units may take a day or two to get tagged.

Online, homedepot.com shows only a few open-box appliances and doesn't always say which store has them, so checking the stores near you is the best way to find them.

Is there a Home Depot outlet store?

Home Depot doesn't list separate outlet stores or a clearance center. Its clearance, open-box and damaged items are sold in regular Home Depot stores, and every store has different stock. Stores with "outlet" in the name that sell home improvement overstock are usually independent liquidators, not Home Depot.

Clearance vs. appliance sales

Home Depot runs appliance sales often, especially around holidays. A sale price is a temporary promotion. A clearance price is for stock the store wants to move out, and it usually only drops. Read Special Buy vs. clearance to tell them apart.

Inspect before you buy

Home Depot's published return policy gives major appliances 48 hours to report problems, much shorter than most items. So:

1. Check it in the store. Open the doors, look for dents, missing shelves, drawers and parts.
2. Ask what's included. Floor models may be missing manuals, cords or hardware.
3. Check the warranty. Ask whether the manufacturer's warranty applies to open-box or floor models.
4. At delivery, inspect with the driver. If something is wrong, you can refuse it.

See can you return clearance items at Home Depot? for the full return rules.

Where to find appliance clearance

• The appliance department floor, where floor models are marked.
• Ask an associate about open-box and scratch-and-dent units, which may not be on display.
• Check several stores. Inventory is very different from store to store.

Which appliances show up on clearance

• Refrigerators, especially discontinued finishes or door styles.
• Washers and dryers when new models launch.
• Ranges, cooktops and wall ovens.
• Dishwashers.
• Microwaves and range hoods.
• Small appliances and accessories, like water filters and connectors.

Large appliances often have only one or two units per store, so availability changes fast.

Questions to ask before you buy a clearance appliance

1. Is this the floor model, an open box or new in box?
2. Is the full manufacturer warranty included?
3. What's missing? Shelves, drawers, racks, manuals, power cords.
4. Can it be delivered and installed, and what does that cost?
5. What's the return window for this item? Major appliances have a very short window.

Is a clearance appliance worth it?

Usually, if the damage is cosmetic and on a side you won't see, like the side of a fridge that sits next to a cabinet. A dent on the front door is a different story. Weigh the discount against how long you'll look at it.

Compare with appliance sales

Before buying clearance, compare with Home Depot's current appliance sale prices on new units. Sometimes a sale on the new model is close to the clearance price on the old one. And if you're not in a rush, the Price Tracker can tell you when the price on the model you want drops.

Find deals without walking every store

PennyLoot scans the Appliances department, and every other department, at the Home Depot stores near your ZIP, with each store's clearance price and stock. If you're waiting on a specific model, add it to the Price Tracker and get an email when the price drops at your stores.

Check your ZIP on the home page to see what's near you.