Review of Poor Installation Experience: Washer, Dryer, and Refrigerator
Costco has always maintained an excellent standard of service for installations and deliveries, which is why I have consistently chosen to purchase my appliances from them. The high level of service has always been a major factor in my decision-making process.
Unfortunately, on December 2, 2025, I experienced my worst appliance delivery from Costco. I made a Black Friday purchase on November 28, 2025, for a washer, dryer, and refrigerator, with delivery scheduled for December 2. While the installation team arrived as planned, this punctuality was the only positive aspect of the experience. From the outset, the driver seemed inclined to leave all three appliances in the middle of my garage rather than complete the installation properly.
Washer and Dryer Installation Issues
When it came to installing the washer and dryer, several problems quickly emerged. The old washer, which was only about a year old, was in an open and accessible location in the garage. We intended to keep these units and opted not to have them hauled away. The driver, who was also in charge of the team, began disconnecting the hose from the washer without first confirming that the water was turned off. He then informed me that the hose was leaking and said I would need a plumber to address the issue. As a result, he claimed he could not proceed with the installation.
However, I knew the hose had not been leaking. Conveniently, a plumber was working at my neighbor's house next door. I asked him to check the hose, and he confirmed that there was no leak. Despite this, the driver left the new washer in the middle of the garage instead of installing and connecting it.
The dryer was hooked up, but the job was incomplete. All tape and packing materials remained in place, and the dryer was never turned on, tested, or leveled. These basic steps were simply overlooked by the installation team.
Refrigerator Installation Problems
The refrigerator installation was even more problematic. The water hose for the refrigerator was located directly below the shut-off valve under the kitchen sink--less than three feet from the refrigerator connection. The driver immediately stated that because the connection was under the sink, he could not touch it and therefore would not install the new refrigerator. He insisted that I would need a plumber to disconnect and reconnect the water hose.
While all my food was temporarily stored elsewhere, I could not wait for another technician to arrive just to get the refrigerator running. I ended up crawling under the sink myself to disconnect the water line. Even then, I had to persuade the driver to remove the old refrigerator and plug in the new one just to allow it to begin cooling. He eventually plugged in the new refrigerator but refused to connect the water line, even though it had been checked for leaks. The exterior wrappings were removed, but all the packing tape and materials inside the refrigerator were left untouched.
To make matters worse, the old refrigerator was scheduled for haul-away, but the driver was prepared to leave both units in my kitchen. The entire experience was incredibly frustrating and stressful.
Customer Service and Follow-Up
After these issues with the installation, I contacted Costco Customer Service for follow-up support. The response I received felt generic and dismissive: a simple acknowledgment of my complaint with no actual follow-up or resolution offered. It seemed as though the problem was written off without any meaningful action.
Conclusion
Overall, my experience with the installation of the washer, dryer, and refrigerator was deeply unsatisfactory. Proper installation is critical for the safe and efficient operation, and the lack of attention to detail and professionalism from the install team was extremely disappointing. I carefully reviewed and complied with all of Costco's service installation limitations, and even had a plumber verify no leaks.
As a 65-year-old disabled veteran, and my 67-year-old husband (also a veteran) recently recovering from shoulder replacement surgery, we were left to move the washer into place, attach the water line, plug it in, remove all the packing materials, and perform the necessary testing and leveling ourselves. It took both of us over an hour to get the refrigerator connected due to our physical limitations. This is precisely why we made sure that installation was included in our purchase.
We felt completely abandoned by Costco. This experience has made me seriously reconsider purchasing appliances from them in the future. While all my previous experiences with their delivery service were excellent, I believe that the true measure of a company is how they handle situations when things go wrong. Costco failed. read more