AIR-CONS
Mitsubishi and Daikin are popular and trusted options for air-cons in Singapore. For BTOs, get them with a bulk buy (See below: Money Saving Tips) or during a sale at a big box retailer (e.g. Best Denki, Gain City). Note that regularly used air-cons should be serviced every 6 months.
Mitsubishi and Daikin are popular and trusted options for air-cons in Singapore. For BTOs, get them with a bulk buy (See below: Money Saving Tips) or during a sale at a big box retailer (e.g. Best Denki, Gain City). Note that regularly used air-cons should be serviced every 6 months.
TELEVISIONS
The most common TV brands are Samsung, LG, or Prism — Each with their pros and cons.
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LG
- Popular models: UHD, Nanocell, OLED.
- Not much difference between UHD and Nanocell. UHD/Nanocell utilizes backlight for pixels. OLED is individual self-lit pixels, which provides vibrant and brighter colours. Most people prefer it, some cannot take it as too bright for eyes.
- OLED TVs each have a Series rating, such as "A", "B", "C", or "G". The TV is better quality as the alphabet letter ascends ("A" is the lowest tier), however we feel the difference is insignificant.
- A downside of OLED is burn-in pixels, when watching a TV channel or show every night (or office screening a program 24/7) — with the same logo/design at the same part of the screen — can cause the pixels there to permanently discolour and go dead.
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Samsung
- Popular models: UHD, QLED.
- QLED tech is same as UHD.
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Sony
- Uses the LG display screen.
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Prism+ is a homegrown brand that launched their line of TVs in late 2019.
- Uses an LG display screen but durability is not as high as LG or Samsung. However, its much cheaper price makes it a very attractive and value for money option for budget seekers.
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TCL is a China brand.
- Little warranty (full replacement may only apply for 1st year, read the T&Cs carefully). However, it is much cheaper than other brands.
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Xiaomi is a China brand.
- Poor software support, no Netflix, no or little warranty. However, it is much cheaper than other brands.
SOUND BARS
LG and Samsung sell good quality soundbars to elevate your home theatre experience. They start from few hundred dollars for a basic soundbar to thousands of dollars for a full set with rear speakers.
- LG SJ2 Sound Bar — $143
- LG SN11RG Sound Bar — $1,700 (2 Rear Speakers Included)
- Samsung HW-N300/XS 2 CH Sound Bar — $279
- Samsung HW-Q950A/XS 11.1.2 CH Sound Bar — $1,598 (2 Rear Speakers Included)
KITCHEN APPLIANCES
Fridges, ovens, dishwashers and other kitchen appliances are discussed in our Kitchen page (See: Kitchen).
WASHING MACHINES
Electrolux and LG provide good quality and durable washing machines. Front-load washing machines are the default options nowadays. While they use less water than top-load (by half) and are good for delicate materials, they consume more electricity than top-load due to longer spin cycles.
- LG Front Load Washer Dryer 8 KG (FV1408H4V) — $820
Most new homes come with an inbuilt drainage floor pipe for front-load washing machines. For top-loaders in older homes, the drainage pipe may be incompatible with your top-loader hose. Purchase a washing machine pipe attachment to fix this issue (See: Laundry Areas).
CEILING DRYING RACKS
Ceiling racks are popular due to space savings, especially for big families or small homes. Some racks are highly automated, others are more manual.
Ensure there is sufficient space to mount it on your ceiling with no blockage. Steigen is the premium brand for hassle-free and quality drying racks. For online purchases, ensure you have the tools to install it.
- Steigen Automated Laundry System — Starting from $799
- LG Global OEM Automatic Drying Rack — $450 (Self-Installation)
ELECTRIC DEHUMIDIFIERS
These portable machines are effective and affordable. They come in all sizes depending on your needs and can be used for bathrooms (after showers) or laundry areas (while hanging clothes to dry).
VENTILATOR FANS
These are another effective and convenient solution to ventilate your bathroom or laundry area to remove moisture and mould, keeping the areas dry and fresh.
Window or wall-mounted fans are more practical and cheaper, yet may block light when placed over your window, and insects such as mosquitoes may be able to pass through these fans. In that case, you can opt for a pricier ceiling ventilator fan.
- KDK 20ALH Window-Mounted Ventilation Exhaust Fan (Includes Installation) — $275
ROBOT VACUUMS
A robot vacuum spares you the added effort of sweeping your home, especially if the floor is at the same level for the entire house. The Xiaomi Robot Vacuum is surprisingly efficient, but we do not use the mop function as it sucks too much battery.
A robot vacuum spares you the added effort of sweeping your home, especially if the floor is at the same level for the entire house. The Xiaomi Robot Vacuum is surprisingly efficient, but we do not use the mop function as it sucks too much battery.
MONEY SAVING TIPS
Save money for any electronic item, especially TVs, by opting for slightly older models (1-2 years old). New and current models are always overpriced and not worth it.
You can also purchase electronic items together during a promotion (e.g. Black Friday, Singles Day) online or at a major retailer (e.g. Courts, Harvey Norman) to get a decent ~15% discount with freebies (such as a good Soundbar) thrown in.
If you have just moved into a BTO or new launch condo, your whole block or project can band together via a Telegram chat group or iCondo app to do a bulk purchase discount of electronic items.
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