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We will be going down soon to furnish the house, will be looking for mid price range appliances and many of the brands are unknown, are there any brand names that we should steer clear of? Any suggestions for the best places to shop in Liberia? We have thought of just doing as much as we can at Pricesmart in San Jose but then we have to find a way to get it all to Arenal area.
Information as always is greatly appreciated.
Ruth
I just came back from a trip to Tilaran/Canas to do exactly the same thing. I was able to find Whirlpool and/or LG appliances, both of which are good brands, for very good prices with good warranties. As an idea, I found a washer, dryer, Refrigerator and stove for about $1800 US. That wasn’t at any specific place, although I can tell you that the same items in Liberia were quite a bit more than they were at some smaller stores in Tilaran and Canas…
Whirlpool, GE, Frigidaire, Samsung and LG, at least, are all available from Importadora Monge which has stores all over the Central Valley. LaArtistica in Pavas, not far from the U.S. Embassy, sells Maytag. PriceSmart’s offerings vary from time to time, but mostly they offer Frigidaire.
All these places can make arrangements for delivery, and distance seems not to be an obstacle.
Know in advance that no electric range or electric dryer comes with the power cord, so you’ll have to provide (and probably install) that for yourself. It must match the outlet on the wall. They’re commonly available at ferreterias.
APPLIANCES & ELECTRICAL THINGS
This is a list I’ve started. It is by NO means complete so if you can enhance any of the listings (websites, phone #s, directions, hours, etc.) – PLEASE forward them to CostaRicaResourceList@gmail.com(in the phone book under “Electrodomesticos”.
MOST of these places you can wheel & deal – ESPECIALLY if you’re buying a LOT &/or paying by cash. Just ask! Note that IF a large appliance comes with a Power Cord [MANY do NOT] – MOST do NOT match the outlets here but you can usually find them at a Ferreteria/Hardware store)
USED APPLIANCES, ETC.
Used major appliances for sale with a 6 month warranty for parts and service Delivered to your home in the Central Valley Washers, dryers, refrigerators, stoves Top brands: Maytag, GE, Whirlpool, Kenmore , more. Also sofas, beds, microwaves, room air conditioning units, Tvs+ – Margie at 282-4205 / retire2cr@yahoo.com
Santa Ana – about 50 mts towards Santa Ana from Pollo Loco, just on your right before getting to the corner where you have to turn right, this place sells appliances in great prices – Hotpoint Dishwasher – $145+, Kitchens – $262+, Fridges with ice maker – $301+, grease extractors – $20+, stackable washer and dryers – $465+, also A/C – $390+There’s a place in San Jose along 2nd Avenue near the CAJA building. actually it’s right across the street from the east side of the CAJA same side of 2nd Avenue still) next door to a chicken restaurant. Second Avenue is the wide one way street that runs west to east through downtown San Jose. The CAJA building is on the south side of 2nd Avenue a block or two past the Gran Hotel Costa Rica. The name of the store is Importadores Miami or Import something Miami. They sell used appliances and usually have a few large TV’s for sale. Each time I’ve been in, the large TV’s have been marked as sold. They get a shipment from the US about once a month and they go quickly.
Bodega de ElectronicoDomesticos (or something like that) – near Carriarri Mall – Refurbished applicances with guarantees of about 2 to 3 months.
Compra y Ventas – Santa Domingo – Used items with NO guarantee.RICARDO CESPEDES – SANTA ANA (Frank says he’s found them to have some of the best prices for this area)
HIPERMAS (www.hipermas.co.cr)
PRICESMART (www.pricesmart.com/Local/Shop/Category.aspx?DepartmentID=10000&CategoryID=10294) (interesting how MUCH prices on many items have JUMPED up from when I looked before – especially the stackable washer/dryer which WAS around $850 & now is $1100).
El GALLO MAS GALLO – in MANY cities. Alajuela – Las Casas – 442-4200 • Heredia (Santo Domingo) – 244-0000 (also own Importadora Monge)
IMPORTADORA MONGE – in MANY cities. Alajuela 442-8686 (also own el Gallo Mas Gallo)
GE – Escazu (San Rafael) where KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) (228-1767 / 223-5281) – Many things lower than GE’s website prices. Ask for a discount (the more you get – the more you’ll get off). These products have some of the best warranty’s around. Harold speaks great English & Sandy says he’s VERY Customer Service oriented. (thanx Sandy)
GOLLO TIENDA – http://www.GolloTienda.com 800-00-46556 – MANY locations throughout San Jose, Alajuela, Cartago, Heredia, Puntarenas, Limon & Guanacaste (though I wasn’t seeing one listed in Escazu but they have one in Santa Ana)
HOGAR FELIZ – http://www.HogarFeliz.com Headquarters – 256-3321. San Jose – Avenida Central – 221-3310 & 222-4514, Avenida Segunda 222-9218 & 258-4525, Avenida Quinta Calle 2y4 248-2363, MultiPlaza-Oeste 201-6321. Alajuela 440-3642 & 431-3447. Escazu 228-1972. San Pedro/Curridabat 234-9000. Heredia Ft.e Banco Nacional 261-7664 & Ave. 2y4, Central 263-3525.
PRODUCTOS LG (Life’s Good!!) – 522-3500
CASA BLANCA – Alajuela – 443-1011
EL VERDUGO – San Jose – 222-7979
LA ARTISTICA – Pavas (near the U.S. Embassy) (http://LaArtistica.net/main.php?producto=productos&id=16&subfamilia=100&pagina=1) – Maytag dealers.
BOSCH / MADISA – German technology/efficiency – Carretera a La Uruca 233-6255 / 256-3750 / madisa@racsa.co.cr
BLACK & DECKER – San Jose – Paseo de los Estudiantes – 221-6100
GOLFITO – Golfito is a Duty-Free Port where you don’t pay Duty/taxes on new goods & can often save 30-40% (even better savings if you wheel & deal them &/or are paying with cash!!), often saving you as much as 1/2 what you would pay in San Jose (let alone in smaller cities though I’m hearing there are MANY places IN the Central Valley that are pretty cheap also & when you add the costs of getting down there, staying overnight, etc. – it might not be worth it unless you’re buying a LOT!!!)!!!!! FYI – it’s at LEAST a hard 7 hour drive on the Southern Pacific side of CR!! They have many private stores that are normally open from around 7:30am till around 6pm. GREAT if you need a BUNCH of things!! HOW IT WORKS: To get the discount you MUST STAY in Golfito for a MINIMUM of 24 hours!! This means arriving at least a day before to get a “Boleto” (proof of when you’ve arrived). You do your shopping, spend your $$ in Golfito, stay the night & the next morning, you retrieve your goodies to get them tax free (showing your Boleto & passport or cedula) & have/hire someone to trolley it out to however you’re getting it back. Anyone can buy up to $500 per person per “semester”? (I believe a “semestre” means Jan.-June or July-Dec. [I’m not clear on if that means just within any 6 month period or within this specific timeframe]. If my perception of this is accúrate – the smartest time of the year to go if you need LOTS of goodies would be to arrive on June 29, shop on June 30, then, on July 1 get a NEW Boleto [staying for another 24 hours] & purchase on July 2 – that way you can get $1,000 per person).
I’ve heard from some people in the past that some local local Indiginous people would sell them their certicate for a greatly discounted rate (I believe they get extra ones). WELL . . . the day after I learned of that AM Costa Rica e- news letter said that the cops are REALLY CRACKING DOWN on that!! Chances are GOOD that the transporter WILL get stopped by the cops along the drive these days & the cops are REALLY checking the serial numbers & comparing them with the numbers specified on the facturas & the items carried by the driver
along the way asking to see your documentation [so make sure to have them handy]). IMPORTANT NOTE: Some local Indiginous folk have made it a business to “sell” their Boleto at a greatly discounted price. The BIG problem with this is now the police are BIG TIME cracking down on this & if you’re stopped, they’re checking. To bring things back – either contract in advance a Cargo Company (that on average is 2-3% of the total cost of what you’re buying)or hire a driver with a BIG van (trailer) or truck.
http://www.golfito-costarica.com/golfito-english.htm
http://depositodegolfito.com/index.htmlTo get your purchase from to to from – I’ve known quite a few people that have hired Frank Chicas is a GOOD option (he has a BIG Tourism Van & can take the seats out to make room for MANY appliances. He’s also AMAZINGLY helpful!! FrankChicasTours@yahoo.com 871-2900. Either way – it ain’t going to be cheap to get it to/fro! (I have not done this myself – I’m just passing on
You are such a mine of information, thank you so very much for taking the time to get all of that info together and putting it out there for all of us, VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.
Ruth
THANX Ruth! I started the list because my good friend is looking for all new appliances & I was trying to find out where to go. We JUST got back from going appliance shopping & I gotta tell ya – we went to 5 places & the QUALITY was LOW!! LOTS of plastic & cheap looking! NOW – anyone have EXPERIENCE with these places? Like what store has the best prices but with QUALITY? How about if price isn’t as much of an issue but quality is? HELP!!! She’s seeking a fridge (even better JUST a fridge – don’t need a freezer since they mainly do raw foods & vegetarian) & washer/dryer. She’s ok with stove/oven. THANX!!
rf2cr,
I thought you are bringing in a container from the US? If you are, I highly recommend that you bring in all the appliances that you already have or simply buy used ones over there. Appliances here are VERY EXPENSIVE EVEN WHEN THEY ARE SECOND HAND. One of the highly recommended shippers here – Barry Wilson, I think, said something that was so true. Bring everything that you can fit into the container.
First, its very costly to replace a lot of household items anyway, so if you already have them – bring them. Second, even if you do end up not using them, simply give them away. Here’s one other item that some have overlooked:
voltage regulators – this would prolong your electronic appliances such computers, tvs, stereos. This is a bit different that surge protectors. However, I use both for my PCs and tv.
Anyway, good luck on your move. We just moved here a few months back and could’ve saved a bit of money had I just brought everything in our house over in the US.
ANOTHER day of appliance shopping & these were even MORE $$$ BUT, they were Maytag (LA ARTISTICA I believe is THE Maytag dealer for CR) so better quality & bells & whistles, BUT – more $$ (how about $1,130 for a washer [that had a BIG tank AND – NO aggitator that sticks up in the middle, wearing your clothes out & a think for bleach, a thing for detergent & a thingie for softner!!] & the dryer was around $850 [but it had a shelf that fit in it where you could put your shoes & they didn’t go flopping around – CHIVA!!] & in black!!).
It’s VERY TRUE – even the used ones are expensive here. So what’s a girl to do.
I TOTALLY second ibarnon about bringing it from the States if you’re bringing a container (a decision I STILL bless EVERY DAY when I look around at MY unique things that I wouldn’t have been able to find here & sure as heck not at the Ross, Homegoods+ prices I paid!!!) as it’s LOTS cheaper for MUCH better quality!! I bought a used stackable washer/dryer at a used appliance store in Tampa for $400. When I first moved here 26 months ago, they were around $850 but now they’re $1,100-$1,800!!! I’ve bought used appliances that have lasted me 6 years (before I sold them to move cross country with nothing).
SO, does anyone know anyone selling some good quality appliances for a 1/2 decent price (new or used)??
I fully concur in the advice to use a shipping container and bring your household items with you, but I have reservations about the advice to bring appliances.
In the U.S., the FTC requires appliance manufacturers to make repair parts available for three years. In the late 1990s, Maytag made a corporate commitment to make parts available for fifteen years. If you bring an elderly appliance here, there’s an excellent chance that you’ll never find parts for it because (1)that model probably was never imported to Costa Rica and (2)even if you were in the U.S. the supply of parts has probably dried up unless it’s a Maytag (including Magic Chef and Jenn-Aire).
It seems to me that one would be better off to buy a new appliance here and have some chance, at least, that it could be repaired, if needed.
From a financial standpoint, its quite ridiculous to spend 2-3X the cost of something simply because you are worried of it breaking down. As with the parts availability, I don’t think they can guarantee availability of any parts here even if you have a distributor. Basically, if they don’t have the parts, just order in the US and arrange for the part to be delivered here, costly maybe but overall still cheaper and quality is by far better.
I had the same misgivings about vehicles and unfortunately I did not bring in my own car. That’s a different topic, but I have the same opinion. Anyway, goodluck on the move.
The products marketed here under the labels of the big five U.S. manufacturers (Maytag, Whirlpool, Amana, Frigidaire, GE (and Kenmore) and their sub-brands) are the same products, from the same sources, produced from the same materials as what you would purchase at Lowes, Best Buy, Home Depot, Sears, etc. The model numbers are the same; the packaging is the same; the components are the same; the materials are the same.
What you will not find here is the selection of models that are available from any manufacturer in the U.S. In the case of Maytag, however, in the past, LaArtistica has been willing to special order an appliance to be included in their next container. Other importers might also be willng to special order something.
If its all the same, then might as well bring down the appliance since its would have the SAME parts over here. Like I said, I’d rather not pay 2-3x more.
Hi to all, I got an interesting discussion going there!
Here is our situation, we are keeping our house here in California as we have ornamental palms planted on our 10 acres and they will not be ready for sale for another 5 to 8 years. Should we sell the property now we would not get anything for palms which will be worth a quarter of a million dollars down the road. In fact have just sold another 10 acres that we have had to discount $125,000 just to generate some interest. SO have decided to ship only 20 or so cases of books, take what “stuff” we can on our various trips and buy locally what we can not take on the plane. I do not believe from what I have seen on Hipermas & Pricesmarts websites that buying locally (in CR), possibly paying a bit more that prices here, will save us the cost of shipping a container. I realize that everyone has different ideas and needs, we plan to create a whole new life and way of living in CR so I am happy to leave all this “stuff” behind and just take the bare necessities (our dogs, art supplies, computer, books & music) and get what we need there. If, in the future, we find we are unhappy without certain things that we can’t find or are too expensive there then we will look at shipping.
Thanks for all your imput, it makes interesting reading.
Ruth
I’m doing the same thing — have brought down those things I can’t live without — artwork, books, good linens, certain pots and pans, pottery — and everything else I needed I bought in Costa Rica. Had all my furniture custom-made — what I have here in Colorado would’ve cost more to ship than what I spent on beautiful hardwood beds, dressers, tables. You can get almost everything in Costa Rica, and some good quality stuff, too. In fact, the people I know who did bring down everything they owned now wish they hadn’t — not everything people have here in the States is suitable for a life in the tropics.
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