Kitchens are often considered the heart of the home, where household members spend a great deal of time, preparing and consuming food, cleaning, socializing, and working.

They also tend to host the largest collection of large household appliances—from ovens and stovetops to refrigerators and dishwashers—and feature prominently in the home improvement market as families look to upgrade this important household space.

While tech-enabled connectivity, energy efficiency, and automation are popular in the large kitchen appliance market, other construction and remodeling trends are also shaping what customers are looking for in terms of product features, as well as how and where they’re shopping.

Latest Trends in Residential Kitchen Appliances

When it comes to shopping for large kitchen appliances, consumer trends are driven by varying lifestyles, priorities, and price concerns. Staying on top of these trends and understanding what influences them can help ensure you are developing and marketing materials that align with customers’ needs and preferences.

Here is a look at some of the current consumer trends impacting the residential kitchen appliance market:

1. Consumer Sentiment is Shifting Regarding Size of Project

As consumer purchasing power shrinks from inflation and confidence wanes, price sensitivity is increasing and consumers are spending less on large ticket home improvement items.

According to findings from our Homeowner Activity Tracker, produced in conjunction with the Home Improvement Research Institute (HIRI), about one-third of homeowners believe it is a good time to start a project that is under $5,000, while only one in five feel the same way about a project in the $5,000 to $25,000 range and a mere 16% feel positive about starting a project in the $25,000-plus range. However, the percentage of homeowners who felt particularly negative about mid- and large-sized projects dropped considerably in the fourth quarter of 2025, compared to the previous three quarters.

Financial Constraints Impact Project Completion

Financial concerns remain the biggest barrier to planned projects over the next year, but approximately one-third of homeowners are planning a home repair and nearly one-quarter are planning a home renovation—the types of projects more likely to include replacing or upgrading large kitchen appliances. Additionally, budget was the reason for postponing or canceling a project for about 55% of projects in Q4 2025, down from 69% in the same quarter in 2024.

Many homeowners still seek to start new projects, but there are some making purchase decisions based on price sensitivity and we’re seeing more optimism surrounding smaller projects.  

2. Consumers are Looking for Wellness-enhancing Features

Although concerns over health and safety have dropped from the spike experienced in 2021—coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic—about one-third of homeowners and renters still have concerns about these issues, according to our recent Healthy & Safe Home and Environmental & Energy Performance Attitudes Report.

This wellness-centric framework shapes their approach to improving and enhancing their indoor spaces, including their large kitchen appliances. There is a heightened awareness and demand for products and features like:

• Improved cooking ventilation
• Steam ovens
• Sous vide capabilities
• Induction cooktops and ranges
• Stainless steel interiors
• Easy-to-use sanitization cycle on dishwashers

Features that help improve indoor air quality (IAQ) are also in demand when it comes to healthy home trends. In particular, upgrading range hoods and exhaust fans is a highly common home improvement project among households who possess health and safety concerns.  

3. Energy Efficient Appliances See Increasing Adoption

In light of government policies and changes in consumers’ personal beliefs, homeowners are also increasingly in search of eco-friendly and sustainable household solutions, which drives certain choices in kitchen appliance purchases. About one-third of homeowners have some level of concern regarding their property’s environmental or energy performance, with their main issues of concern pertaining to energy costs; energy use and waste; quality of indoor temperature and ventilation; and water use and waste.

Energy Efficiency has Unique Appeal in Major Kitchen Appliance Category

As a product category, large kitchen appliances are particularly relevant to energy concerns and solutions in residential spaces. This includes installing an electric stove, cooktop, range or oven and Energy Star-certified refrigerators and dishwashers, which consume less water. In general, we’ve witnessed a growing demand for induction cooking and advanced ranges, driven by a desire for precision and energy efficiency. Homeowners want high-tech ovens and multi-function appliances that cook smarter and dynamically.

Download The Farnsworth Group’s Healthy Home Report for the latest findings on purchase drivers regarding energy efficiency.  

4. Demand is rising for smart and connected appliances

In some ways, smart household appliances go hand in hand with energy efficiency, and it’s another area where we’re witnessing growing demand. Smart kitchen technology bolsters connectivity, convenience and comfort, easing various household chores, such as cooking and cleaning.

With kitchen appliances that are connected to your smart device, you can open doors hands-free; remotely set oven temperature and cooking times; and monitor the temperature of your fridge. For individuals with mobility or health challenges, these conveniences can lead to more independence and a better sense of well-being.

5. Accessibility is an emerging issue

With a significant portion of the population in the United States advancing in age, more and more people are living with some type of physical limitation or health condition.

Home appliance manufacturers must keep accessibility in mind to meet their unique needs. Homeowners are looking for products that can be used by individuals of varying ages and ability levels.  A few examples of in-demand features include side-opening ovens, redundant alerts, the integration of LED lighting, and lower dishwasher drawers—all of which boost safety and convenience.

As families look to undertake projects that support the trends toward multigenerational living, this is likely to affect the types of large kitchen appliances they choose and how they incorporate them into their homes.  

6. Kitchen Appliance consumers prefer in-store purchases

Although online shopping continues to grow in popularity, many people still prefer purchasing their large home appliances from physical stores. While it’s true that digital engagement, including online research and social media, continues to play a bigger role in purchasing decisions, based on findings in the 2025 Building Products Customer Guide, customers rely on sales representatives at household appliance stores to explain product features and help them weigh their options. Individuals want to fully understand a product’s features and visualize how it will fit into their kitchen before making such a significant investment. Often, customers are also looking for discounts or waiting for big sales to make these kinds of major purchases.

7. Brand and Supplier Shifts Continue Trending

Customers—particularly in the DIY segment—have demonstrated an increasing openness to trying new manufacturing brands and suppliers over the past couple of years, motivated by budget, availability and quality.

Consumer Sentiments on Trying New Suppliers

According to our 2025 Building Products Customer Guide, 27% of respondents tried a new supplier in the last year, with availability and better pricing being the main reason for switching. Gen Z shoppers are especially willing to experiment with new brands and suppliers, with 48% having tried a new supplier in the past year. Meanwhile, Baby Boomers demonstrate the strongest loyalty, with only 11% trying a new supplier in 2025.

Consumer Sentiments on Trying New Brands

When it comes to trying a new brand, the most important incentives also vary among age demographics, although high quality is most important to all groups. But availability was a factor for 65% for Gen Z customers, while it was cited as a motivating factor for only 32% of millennials, 39% of Gen X consumers, and 46% of Boomers. Gen Z is also nearly three times as likely to be motivated by sustainability and eco-friendly features as other demographics.

No brand or supplier is immune to these current shifts, even in the kitchen appliance category, so it’s important for manufacturers and distributors to treat purchase an opportunity to build loyalty and trust. Product quality and price are the two factors at the foundation of a strong value proposition.

Custom market research can help you stay up to date with market trends and customer preferences and behaviors, giving your brand deeper insight on how to maintain or grow share in a competitive market across product categories, including large kitchen appliances.  

‍8. Demand for Built-in Appliances and Space-saving Solutions Continues to Rise

Another trend is the steady demand for built-in cooking appliances that allow for more advanced electronic features and also help save space—especially for customers living in compact houses. In light of urbanization and a trend toward smaller living spaces, these types of kitchen products are likely to remain popular in the coming year.

Individuals enjoy the seamless integration of built-in kitchen appliances and how they enhance the function and aesthetics of a cooking area. Additionally, narrower and more compact appliances can better fit into smaller spaces without homeowners having to sacrifice convenience and comfort. Some examples of popular space-saving and multi-purpose appliances are drawer dishwasher, undercounter fridges, and microwave-air-fryer-oven hybrids. This represents opportunities to invest in product development efforts that yield big convenience for homeowners in a smaller size or more integrated manner.

9. Changes in Government Regulations Create Uncertainty

The large kitchen appliance market continues to be influenced by some long-term trends, including rising demand for smart technology, convenience and accessibility, and energy efficiency. However, the market is constantly evolving in response to other external impacts, which creates a less certain future for both consumers and large household appliance manufacturers.

Large Kitchen Appliances are Subject to Government Regulations and Standards

For example, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has established the Appliance and Equipment Standards Program, designed to increase energy efficiency and deliver cost savings to homeowners as a result. They also are meant to help mitigate carbon pollution.

Over the past couple of years, there has been back-and-forth movement on new standards for how refrigeration products are manufactured and what technologies are used to increase energy efficiency, with the current administration working actively to dismantle the energy efficiency program.

In general, changes to rules and regulations by the government can impact the market in various ways, affecting both manufacturing brands and customers. It’s important to stay on top of government regulations, especially as they evolve, and discern how they will factor into your business decision-making.

Diving Deeper into Large Kitchen Appliance Trends

When trying to analyze trends related to consumer behaviors and market sizes for large kitchen appliances, it’s empowering to have access to highly targeted data that gives you the most powerful insights.

The Farnsworth Group uses various means to help you conduct custom research for the home improvement and construction industries, so you can collect the data you need to make strategic decisions to increase market share.