Open-Box & Scratch-and-Dent FAQ
What our open-box grades mean, what's covered by warranty, and how to decide when the discount is worth it — plain answers from the people who grade the units.
How open-box works at Summit
Every unit on our open-box page is a real, individual machine sitting in our building right now — a floor display, a customer return, a freight-dinged delivery, or a trade-in our shop rebuilt. Each listing shows the serial number, the exact condition, photos of the actual unit, and notes written by whoever inspected it. When it sells, it's gone; there's no "3 more in the back."
What do the grades mean?
- Grade A — like new. Floor displays and never-installed returns. Cosmetically clean; you'd need our paperwork to know it wasn't new.
- Grade B — cosmetic blemishes. A dent or scratches on one or two panels, called out specifically in the notes and photographed. Almost always on a side that faces a wall or cabinet forever.
- Grade C — honest wear. Used trade-ins that our shop has been through mechanically. They look their age and run like they don't.
Every unit is bench-tested before it's listed — full cycles for laundry and dishwashers, 48-hour temperature logs for refrigeration, flame tests for anything gas. The notes tell you exactly what we ran. If a unit didn't pass, you'll never see it; it becomes parts.
Is there a warranty?
Yes, always — the coverage depends on the unit and is stated on every listing:
- Never-installed open-box units carry the full factory warranty, which starts on your delivery date, not the day the box first left the factory.
- Refurbished units carry a 1-year Summit parts-and-labor warranty backed by our own service department.
- Used units carry a 90-day Summit warranty.
Our 3- and 5-year Summit Protection Plans can be added to most open-box units at the same price as new. And because our techs service what we sell, a warranty claim means calling the store you bought it from — not a national call center reading a script.
When is open-box the smart buy?
Honestly: most of the time. The math is simplest when the blemish lives on a panel that faces a wall — a dented dishwasher side disappears into the cabinet cutout on day one and the 30–40% discount stays in your pocket. Floor-model refrigerators with full warranties are the closest thing to free money on our floor.
Think harder when the unit is the centerpiece of a finished kitchen and the blemish is on a visible surface — our photos are honest, but your tolerance is yours. And know the two real trade-offs: rebates usually apply to new units only (some utility rebates do cover open-box — ask, we know which), and there's exactly one of each unit, so sleeping on it sometimes means losing it.
Can I see a unit before buying?
Please do. Every open-box unit is viewable at the store listed on its page, and we'll happily run it while you watch. Bring the listing's serial number and any of our floor staff will walk you to the exact machine — blemish, bench-test log, and all.