A continued strong new-home market and an equally strong remodeling market is keeping the demand for major and small appliances steady, with nearly all categories of large appliances expected to register a minor uptick in units sold. To propel the appliance market into bigger and better times many of the major manufacturers are moving into the very high-end market. GE Appliances, Whirlpool, and others are making a push into an area of the market where price points near $2000 are common for big-ticket durables such as refrigerators, freezers, clothes washers/dryers, and versatile stove/oven/refrigerator combos. Added features in these 'smart appliances' are creating a value that the major appliance makers hope will translate into bigger profits.
The other end of this market is crowded with products in the $500 price range, with entrants from China (Haier) and Korea (LG Electronics) squeezing this end of the market. Competition in the small appliance category isn't much better, with small appliance manufacturing just about nonexistent in the U.S.