If you see an especially great sale price on a fridge, it may have been opened already. Open-box appliances are often newer models that may have some minor cosmetic damage and therefore can't be sold as brand new in mint condition. Open-box refrigerators aren't used or refurbished, but may include:

• Floor samples used by a refrigerator store
• Refrigerators with a superficial flaw like a dent or scratch
• Returned refrigerators that were purchased, but not used, by other customers
• If you don't mind purchasing an open-box or floor model, you may be able to save as much as 50 percent! Buying an open box refrigerator could allow you to invest in a name-brand model for less, and it may even include the same warranty coverage as a brand-new refrigerator.