If your fridge is ten years old and making a new noise, you've probably asked whether to replace it now or hold out for a sale. The answer depends on the calendar, the appliance and how long the old one will last.
The best time to buy appliances in Canada is usually late November through Boxing Week. Black Friday falls on November 27, 2026, and in 2025 major retailers cut promoted fridges, laundry and ranges by about 25% to 28% that week. Boxing Day, December 26, is the second big window. If your appliance has already failed, waiting for either rarely pays off.
Black Friday vs Boxing Day: Which Appliance Sale Is Better?
Both events discount major appliances, but they suit different shoppers.
Black Friday: November 27, 2026
Black Friday comes first. OpenBrand, which tracks appliance pricing at major retailers, found that average discounts on promoted appliances during Black Friday 2025 ran from 24.9% to 28.1% on refrigerators, 25.0% to 27.8% on washers and dryers, and 25.1% to 26.2% on ranges at Lowe's, Best Buy and Home Depot.
Buying in late November also leaves a month before the holidays. A new fridge or range is installed and tested before relatives arrive, not during the week they do.
Boxing Day: December 26, 2026
Boxing Day comes later, after the holiday cooking is done. It suits anyone who got through December on an old appliance and wants to replace it in the new year, or anyone who missed the Black Friday window.
Check store hours before you go. In 2026, December 26 falls on a Saturday. Under Quebec's Act respecting hours and days of admission to commercial establishments, stores may admit the public only from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on December 26 when it falls on a Saturday or Sunday, unless a local exception applies. Expect a short day and a busy afternoon.
Why Appliance Prices Drop in November
Refrigerator prices show the pattern clearly. OpenBrand's price index for refrigerators fell for three straight months starting in September 2025, with the steepest drop in November, down 1.66% from October, as Black Friday promotions took effect.
Retail competition does the rest. Manufacturers such as Whirlpool run their own Black Friday appliance sales in Canada, and retailers compete on the same models in the same week.
A sale price is only a deal if the model fits your space and your hookups. A discounted fridge that won't clear the doorway costs more than one that does.
When Waiting for an Appliance Sale Costs More Than It Saves
A holiday sale makes sense for a planned upgrade. It makes less sense for an emergency.
If the fridge has stopped cooling, every week of waiting means coolers, spoiled food and trips to the grocery store. If the washer has failed, a month of laundromat visits adds up quickly. Those costs can eat into whatever a November discount would have saved.
There's also stock to think about. If you need a specific width, colour or configuration, shopping before the holiday rush gives you more to choose from, and a matched washer and dryer pair narrows the options further.
Open-Box and Refurbished: Discounts That Don't Wait for a Holiday
Holiday sales aren't the only way to pay less. Open-box and refurbished appliances are priced below new all year, which matters when the old unit can't hold out until November.
Open-box units have been unpacked or displayed and are sold as seen, with any cosmetic defects noted when you inspect them in store. The holiday guide to open-box appliances covers what open box means in more detail. Refurbished appliances have been used, then professionally restored: inspected, repaired where needed and tested before going back on sale, at a price below the same model new. That makes them a practical option for a rental unit, a basement fridge or a first apartment.
The Best Time to Buy Each Appliance
Best Time to Buy a Fridge or Freezer
Refrigerators are where Black Friday 2025 discounts ran deepest, up to 28.1% on promoted models in OpenBrand's data, so a planned fridge upgrade is a good fit for late November. If you just need an extra fridge or upright freezer for holiday hosting, open-box refrigerators are priced below new all year, so there's no need to wait for a sale.
Measure the space, then the doorways and stairs on the way in. Note which way the door needs to swing, and leave room at the back for air to circulate.
Best Time to Buy a Washer and Dryer
If you're replacing both machines, buying the pair in one sale keeps the set matched and saves a second trip. If you'd rather avoid the holiday crowds, open-box washer and dryer sets come matched and are discounted year-round.
Confirm the hookups before you compare prices. Most electric dryers need a 240-volt outlet, a vented dryer needs a duct to the outside, and a stacked pair needs the right kit. Hoses and stacking kits aren't included with refurbished laundry at Econoplus, so add them to the budget.
Best Time to Buy a Range
Promoted ranges were discounted by 25.1% to 26.2% at major retailers on Black Friday 2025, according to OpenBrand. Match the width, the fuel type and whether the old range was freestanding or slide-in. An electric range runs on a 240-volt circuit, and a gas range needs a gas line and shut-off valve.
Buying an Appliance as a Holiday Gift
A new washer for a parent or a compact fridge for a student's first apartment is a practical gift, and Black Friday pricing makes it easier on the budget. It also takes more planning than a sweater, because the appliance has to fit the space and the hookups.
Before you buy for someone else, confirm three things:
- The width, depth and height of the space, plus every doorway and stairwell on the way in
- The hookup: gas or electric for a range, and whether a dryer can be vented where it will sit
- Which way the fridge door needs to swing in their kitchen
If the gift is a surprise, ask someone in the household to take the measurements quietly, or to send photos of the space, the outlet and the doorway. A picture of the wall behind an old dryer answers most hookup questions in one shot.
Econoplus offers free layaway and storage, so you can lock in a Black Friday price now and pick up the gift closer to the holidays.
How to Shop Black Friday and Boxing Day at Econoplus
Econoplus groups its Black Friday appliance deals and its Boxing Day appliance sale separately, with new, open-box and refurbished units side by side. A few habits make either event easier.
Reserve Before You Drive
An open-box or refurbished unit you see online can sell before you reach the store. Most product pages have a reserve in-store button, so you can hold the appliance you want and see it before paying.
Inspect It in Person
Open every door and drawer and check the gaskets and seals. A few minutes of checking lets you catch anything that matters to you before you pay.
Bring Your Numbers
Take the measurements of the space and the doorways, the model number of the appliance you're replacing and photos of the outlet and hookups.
Check It at Delivery
If your appliance is delivered, inspect it before the crew leaves. Once a delivery is accepted, Econoplus can't accept a damage claim afterwards.
Ask About Layaway and Storage
Econoplus offers free layaway and storage, which helps when you buy on Black Friday for a gift or a renovation that isn't finished yet.
Econoplus has 13 locations across Quebec and in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The Anjou warehouse is open to the public, with new arrivals every day.
FAQ
When is the best time to buy appliances in Canada?
Late November through Boxing Week is usually the best time. Black Friday usually brings the deepest discounts, with promoted fridges, laundry and ranges often marked down by a quarter or more at major retailers, and Boxing Day is the second major sale. Open-box and refurbished appliances are discounted year-round, so they're the better route when an appliance fails outside the holiday season.
Is it worth waiting for Black Friday to buy an appliance?
It's worth waiting if your current appliance still works and the purchase is planned. If it has already failed, the cost of spoiled food, laundromat trips or eating out can outweigh what a November discount would save.
Which appliances are cheapest on Black Friday?
Refrigerators, washers, dryers and ranges all see deep cuts, with promoted models often marked down by a quarter or more at major retailers. Refrigerators tend to see the biggest discounts.
Do appliances go on sale on Boxing Day in Canada?
Yes. Boxing Day, December 26, is the second big appliance sale window after Black Friday. In Quebec, stores can open only from 1:00 p.m. that day, so reserve the unit online before you go.
