Government inflation numbers baffle me as I watch the price of parts, air conditioning equipment, appliances, and refrigerant skyrocket. For example, we were selling a 30lb cylinder of R410A for $99 in 2019 and today we have to sell it for $488. And it’s the same for all refrigerants! An air conditioner that cost $1100 is now $1559. Appliances, appliance parts, and hvac parts have all pushed multiple price increases through in the past two years- some raising prices 4 or 5 times in 12 months. Add to this the fact that the Federal Reserve is printing money like crazy (which pushes the value of our money down also) and things look very scary!
However, in the middle of this runaway inflation, there is a bright spot. Our aftermarket parts suppliers have managed to keep price increases to a minimum so when there is a generic version available for Whirlpool, Frigidaire, Maytag, LG or Samsung, we are able to stay close to 2019 prices. Companies like Choice Manufacturing, ERP, and Supco have absorbed increases to keep their pricing low and the gap between OEM and generic prices has grown.
If you are in sticker shock over an expensive Whirlpool part and need an alternative, put the part number in our appliance part website and see if there is an aftermarket version available. If you don’t find anything, you can also call us at 1-800-841-0312 to see if there are any other options.
Hopefully this crises will end soon but until it does A-1 Appliance Parts is doing all we can to help with generic solutions.