Major appliances inflation, 1997–2026

Prices are 12.00% lower than in 1997, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Major Appliances Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Major Appliances, 1997-2026 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for major appliances are 12% lower in 2026 versus 1997 (a $2.40 difference in value).

Between 1997 and 2026, Major appliances experienced an average inflation rate of -0.44% per year. In other words, major appliances costing $20 in the year 1997 would cost $17.60 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.54% during this same period, inflation for major appliances was lower.

Price Inflation for Major appliances since 1997

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 2021 (10.77%), 2023 (-8.77%), and 2014 (-6.13%).

The official rate is based on an average household's spending, so your own inflation rate is probably different. The personal inflation calculator works it out from your budget.

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Buying power of $20.00 since 1997

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Major appliances, over time, for $20 beginning in 1997. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1997$20.00-
1998$19.92-0.41%
1999$19.60-1.62%
2000$19.44-0.78%
2001$19.38-0.30%
2002$19.27-0.61%
2003$18.71-2.87%
2004$18.09-3.31%
2005$18.713.40%
2006$19.262.93%
2007$19.993.79%
2008$20.281.46%
2009$20.380.52%
2010$19.51-4.29%
2011$19.23-1.42%
2012$20.295.50%
2013$19.83-2.26%
2014$18.61-6.13%
2015$17.60-5.47%
2016$16.64-5.44%
2017$15.86-4.69%
2018$16.524.20%
2019$16.862.04%
2020$17.644.64%
2021$19.5410.77%
2022$20.635.54%
2023$18.82-8.77%
2024$18.01-4.30%
2025$17.78-1.25%
2026$17.60-1.03%*

* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.

Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Major appliances:

Year199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
CPI100.00099.59297.97597.20896.91796.32593.55890.45893.53396.27599.928101.385101.90997.54196.154101.44799.15193.07587.98383.19579.29082.62184.30988.22397.721103.13794.09190.04188.91387.999

Adjust major appliances prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2026 / CPI in 1997* 1997 USD value = 2026 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Major appliances was 100.000 in the year 1997 and 87.999 in 2026:

87.999 / 100.000* $20 = $17.60

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1997 has the same "purchasing power" as $17.60 in 2026 (in the CPI category of Major appliances).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Major appliances in 1997. In addition to major appliances, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.