Your choice of products can only be as good as your brand preferences. Do you have a little list of brands that you consider as reliable, which are your “go-to” brands? While it is not necessary to only make your purchases from these brands, it will certainly help to know standards, make comparisons, and make an informed buying decision.
The question is – how does one go about putting together a list? What parameters need to be considered when compiling a list? Or should one opt for a paid service?
Well, here’s how you can zero in on the most reliable brands for kitchen appliances through information that is publicly available. You really do not have to subscribe to any paid service to put together your own brand reliability index. These simple tips will give you enough information to assess a brand by its actual performance and not by PR or ads.
Brand Age – The Great Heritage
The age of a company does matter. While this may not sound fair to some relatively new companies that have excellent product portfolios, it does give a sense of reassurance to deal with companies that have had long term presence in the market. The company is likely to have continuously improved over the years, developing and improving products in an era of fast-paced technological developments.
Safety Ratings
Have you come across repeated reports of particular brands having safety issues – over-heating, burns, broken handles, sparking or short circuits? This should be a red flag, and if specific problems have not been resolved over a period of time in newer models, then the brand is certainly not a safe choice.
After-Sales Service
Have you come across nightmarish solutions where you are just unable to get any after-sales service for products purchased online? Well, many buyers have experienced this problem, mainly because buyers fell for the tall claims online, and had no idea that they were dealing with a company that had little or no presence in their area. Imagine having to send a product over insane distances for a replacement? Doesn’t work out, right?
Response And Follow Up Action
Grievances of buyers are not uncommon. Even the best product will find users who are not satisfied. However, the difference is in the manner in which buyers’ grievances are handled. A company that swiftly responds to grievances and attempts to fix the problem, values its customers. Companies that do not value customers need to be avoided fully, even if the product appears to be other-worldly and superior.
Area of Specialization
A company that specializes in the manufacture of a particular type of product has a slight edge over companies that have a hand in virtually every product. It is true that major manufacturers have different divisions for different products, with superior portfolios, and can be a good choice.
However, a company that puts all its resources and focus on developing and manufacturing a particular range of products will have a slight advantage. This is a very close call, and should not be a deciding factor, but an additional input in assessing a brand.
Product Specifications For All Categories
A company that offers a flexible choice of specifications to meet requirements of all categories is definitely a good choice. For instance, the difference could be in terms of capacity, power, additional features, and controls.
How to make sense of reviews. Most sites have ratings of products based on reviews on the site. Reviews made by verified purchasers are the only ones that you need to trust, others may not be bonafide. You can distill a lot of information from reviews – about how the company deals with complaints, the quality of the products and the pricing.
The best reviews are the detailed reviews that go into the nitty-gritty of the product, unearthing information that is not available on e-commerce sites. Product specifications on e-commerce sites are always limited to the broad specifications and overall functions/features. For a better insight into the product, it is necessary to check out detailed reviews. This will help you understand and rate brand better.
How To Assign Your Own Scores For A Brand Based On The Above
Now that you know what you need to look for in a brand, let’s learn how to rate the brand – you can create your very own little list of top brands.
Age of Brand
| More than 10 years | 3 |
| 5 to 10 years | 2 |
| Less than 5 years | 1 |
After Sales Service, Response and Follow up action
| Excellent | 3 |
| Good | 2 |
| Average | 1 |
Safety Ratings
| Less complaints | 0 |
| Minor, resolved complaints | -1 |
| Repeated complaints | -2 |
| Unresolved complaints | -3 |
Area of Specialization
| Specialist manufacturer | 3 |
| Broad range
More than 10 years old business |
2 |
| Broad range
Less than 10 years in business |
1 |
Now add these scores for each brand and you will have a score to start with, in your buying decision making process. You can zero in on your choice through a final price filter to get the most suitable product for your needs.
