Recommended Barcelona electrodomesticos stores?

[libove]

I have just rented a brand new, unfurnished apartment in Barcelona, and now I need to buy all of my electrodomesticos!
Nevera (fridge+freezer)
Microhondas (to fit in the cubby in the wall cabinets above the kitchen counter)
Lavadora y Secadora (separate units in a one-on-top-of-other stack)
Lavavajillas

To avoid the sticker shock of walking in to El Corte Ingles and just buying a bunch of stuff, not to mention the fact that I'm a total Consumer Reports junkie in the USA and I do not know most of the brands and models of appliances available here...

Can you please recommend to me electrodomesticos stores in Barcelona which sell good brands at reasonable prices, and - Hail Mary here - maybe even have knowledgeable sales people who can guide me to an appropriately above-basic (but definitely not luxury) level of quality for my purchases?

Thanks!
Jay in Barcelona

[SteveHall]

Simon Harris is a good friend and has written the best guide to Catalonia/Barcelona I have ever read simonharris@rocketmail.com I am sure he will help. I am meeting Simon for a coffee/chat next Saturday 22 in BCN. You are welcome to meet up with us

[chris(madrid)]

Look for URENDE - MENAJE & HOGAR - MEDIAMARKT - SATURN.

We TEND to use MediaMarkt for stuff. You need to look at the "offers" and ask the saleman why! - Normally all of these buy/sell "end of ranges". But every so often you'll see a promotional item - it's getting more common as folk have less cash.

ime - Buy GERMAN devices. and don't skimp. We had a friend in Germany who sold this sort of stuff. His list went - AEG - BOSCH - SIEMENS. I've a Siemens washing machine that I've had since 1990 and it's still perfect. Siemens are more expensive - but ime have bit more quality and better sound proofing. AEG/BOSCH are good vfm - but a little less luxurious.

We've had Italian stuff - and they've not lasted more than a year or two. Current fridge is Korean (LG) and to date very good. The Spanish swear by NewPol - Our old NewPol (when we married it was my wifes - we kept just the Siemens) still gives service to my sister in law.

Still worth a look in Corte Ingles for offers though - our fridge came from them - was reduced and less than in the big 4 outlets.

[SteveHall]

All good advice from Chris.

AVOID Carrefour like the plague - my local sabio says "If it's got a plug on it, don't buy it from there"

They have an own-brand (BlueSky) I have heard that sometimes the appliances even work when you get them out of the box. Just a rumour.

[libove]

Thanks all. I ended up, largely for reasons of convenience, choice, and lack of time, buying the whole raft of major appliances from the Miró store on Ronda Sant Antoni in Barcelona. I felt that the salesman I dealt with (an older fellow, Florencio) was - if a little biased towards Spanish brands - quite realistic about his guidance. For example, he guided me away from some more expensive items which I was considering, explaining how some of the higher priced features were not really worth the money. He identified the manufacturing groups behind the various brands, with guidance on which ones are easier or more difficult to service locally, etc.

So, on the whole, it felt like a good experience. If anyone is interested, here is the level of appliances I purchased-

1. Edesa Metal-F57 2m x 60cm x 60cm nevera (bottom freezer combination), €719
2. Orbegozo MIG2323EN microondas (900W, grill combo), €159
3. Zanussi ZWG-6120 lavadora (6kg wash load), €399
4. Bosch WTE 86302 EE secadora (condensor, 8kg load), €619
5. Bosch SGS45E08EU lavavajillas, €484

For totaling >€1800 in one purchase, Miró cut 8% off of the whole lot, so take 8% off all of the prices above.

Also, theoretically, I will get back €85 each on several of those appliances from the Generalitat de Catalunya, as they are high efficiency appliances, and the Generality is running a rebate special at the moment... we'll see if I actually manage to get that €340!

And delivery & installation are included in the price.

Jay

[libove]

Follow-up - what a nightmare! My own making (and that of the company which constructed my apartment). I had to return the washer and dryer for different models, because the "standard' 60cm x 60cm space in the kitchen cabinets had the tubo de desagues (water drain line) directly behind the washer, instead of just off to the side ... making the actual available depth for the washer 57cm. ****e!

Florencio at Miró, and the back-office support staff there, were ENORMOUSLY kind and helpful. (Not a word of English spoken, which fortunately is only a mild challenge to me at this point). They were very flexible, bent their own rules a bit about the 15 day return / exchange time limit, did a little fancy math, were knowledgeable about their products, and generous with their time. They never charged me a delivery fee - that's standard for first deliveries, and a very pleasant surprise for when there were two additional trips for returns / exchanges!

I do recommend Miró, the one on Ronda Sant Antoni, and in particular Florencio.

Cheers,
Jay

p.s. My travel schedule made me too late to get the Pla Renove 2008 rebajas, oh well, that sucks, but is totally my fault. Well, and a little bit the Spanish penchant for lots of paper originals and certified post letters and, you know :-}