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A washer and dryer are essential appliances, and when they need replacing — or you are setting up a laundry room from scratch — a pair can run $900 to $2,500. This guide covers the realistic payment options for laundry appliances, compared honestly.
The big thing to understand: avoid lease-to-own if you can
Laundry appliances are heavily marketed with lease-to-own and rent-to-own offers — “no credit needed,” low weekly payments. They approve almost anyone, and that is exactly the point. The honest math: ride a lease-to-own agreement to the end and you often pay two to three times the appliance’s retail price. If you can possibly use another route, do. If you must use lease-to-own, take any early-purchase buyout the moment you can afford it.
Your options, compared by total cost
| Option | Typical total cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Buy now, pay later | Retail price; short plans often interest-free | Usually a soft credit check |
| Retailer financing | 0% promo to ~30% | Watch for deferred interest |
| Personal loan | Retail + a fixed interest rate | Worth it for a full pair |
| Scratch-and-dent / used | 40%–60% of new, paid outright | A cosmetic dent does not affect washing |
| Lease-to-own | 2x–3x retail price | Last resort only |
The routes worth using
Buy now, pay later at appliance retailers typically uses only a soft credit check, and a short “pay in 4” plan is commonly interest-free — a far better deal than lease-to-own.
Retailer financing sometimes offers promotional 0% — useful if you can clear it before the promo ends; watch for deferred-interest structures.
A personal loan lets you buy the pair outright from any retailer with a fixed rate and payoff date — worth comparing for a full washer-dryer set.
Scratch-and-dent or used is the quiet winner on cost — floor models and lightly used units sell for a steep discount, and a cosmetic flaw has no effect on whether your clothes get clean.
Setting up a laundry room from scratch
If you are building out a laundry room rather than just replacing a broken machine, you have more time — use it. Price scratch-and-dent units, watch for appliance sale events, and consider whether you need the washer and dryer at once or can stage the purchase. Time on your side is what lets you avoid both lease-to-own and rushed decisions.
Choose by total cost, not weekly payment
The single most important habit: rank options by what you pay in total, not by the size of the weekly payment. A $1,200 pair on an interest-free plan costs about $1,200; the same pair on lease-to-own can cost $3,000-plus. The small weekly number is exactly what makes the expensive option feel affordable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest way to finance a washer and dryer?
A short interest-free BNPL plan or a retailer 0% promo you can clear in time — or a scratch-and-dent unit paid outright. All beat lease-to-own dramatically.
Is lease-to-own worth it for laundry appliances?
Only as a genuine last resort. Riding the lease to the end typically costs two to three times retail. Use the early-buyout option as soon as you can.
Can I finance a washer and dryer with bad credit?
Yes — BNPL usually uses only a soft check, and retailer financing serves lower-credit buyers. Lease-to-own will approve almost anyone, but it is the most expensive route by far.
The bottom line
For a washer and dryer, choose by total cost: a short interest-free BNPL plan, a retailer 0% promo, or a scratch-and-dent unit paid outright all beat lease-to-own by a wide margin. If you are setting up a laundry room from scratch, use the time to shop discounts and avoid rushed, expensive decisions.