Shopping for large kitchen appliances is rarely fun. When you visit Lowe's or Best Buy while appliance hunting, you'll find that price is rarely the biggest differentiator. Virtually all stores, from Lowe's to Best Buy to local mom-and-pop shops, will charge the same price for the same model. For example, both Lowe's and Best Buy charge $1,549 for the same Frigidaire Gallery 36-inch side-by-side refrigerator at the time of writing. This is because manufacturers set minimum prices for their appliances, and most small stores belong to national networks that give them the same buying power as the chains.