7 Household Items Experts Say to Buy Now Before Tariffs Drive Up Prices
There's a great deal of uncertainty right now about what might happen when tariffs hit hard, with people speculating about which groceries to stockpile, and what to buy. There's no telling how drastic the impact might be on everyday staple goods, but some experts are advising consumers to definitely purchase certain things sooner rather than later, just in case. Here are seven household items to buy now before tariffs make them super-expensive, or even just hard to find.
Smartphones
Smartphones have a current exemption for tariffs, but that could change. "Given all the uncertainty about what tariffs will actually be, I would tell folks only to go forward on purchases for something like a smartphone if they were planning on replacing that phone anyway in the next few months. The same applies with items like laptops," Professor Jason Miller, PhD, with Michigan State University's Eli Broad College of Business, told Forbes.
Refrigerators
The cost of buying a refrigerator could go up between 5-10%, says Ralph McLaughlin, the chief economist at OpenBrand, a market intelligence firm. As retail chains buy new stock to replace the old, the prices will reflect tariffs—so now might be a good time to get a new fridge, if it's something you were planning to do this year.
Video Game Console
Video Game consoles are sure to get more expensive, experts warn. "If you're in the market for a new video game console, now is definitely the time to buy," said Shawn DuBravac, chief economist at the global electronics association IPC, via NorthJersey.com. "If you have a washer or dryer that you think could last another 12 months or 18 months, perhaps you can wait to see how things play out."
Air Fryers
Air Fryers are mostly made in China, which means this affordable kitchen gadget could go up in price. "The tariffs on steel and aluminum that went into effect recently are affecting U.S.-made appliances that contain lots of metal," Simon Kim, CEO and founder at Glassdome, told GoBankingRates. "Additionally, many of these appliances are not made in America and will be affected by the April 2 tariffs, which could lead to price increases."
Microwaves
The majority of microwaves are manufactured in China—and experts recommend buying sooner instead of later due to tariff uncertainty. "Tariffs are changing rapidly — sometimes daily, said Laura Dow, business director at CPG Sourcing. "Will prices be higher or lower in a few months? No one knows. What is certain is that tariffs generally raise costs across the board, contributing to inflation. If your budget is tight, planning purchases now may be the safer bet."
Kitchen and Home Gadgets
Semiconductor chips are currently exempt from tariffs—but that could change, which means several household items could be impacted. "[The] prices of all appliances and devices that have a chip in them, including washers, dryers, kitchen and home gadgets, watches, and others, would increase," Sunderesh Heragu, a professor and senior adviser to the dean of the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology at Oklahoma State University, told Consumer Reports.
Laptops
Laptops could become 50% more expensive because of tariffs. "The uncertainty surrounding tariffs may cause some manufacturers and retailers to hold off and eat some of those costs in the short run," McLaughlin says. "I'd expect to see prices first increase in more nuanced ways, such as fewer or lower discounts. If the tariffs seem more permanent, you'll see manufacturers start to raise suggested retail prices."
