• June 23, 2010

Sales of major household appliances -- including refrigerators, washers, dryers, ovens and microwaves -- are showing major gains, reports the NPD Group. From January to May, dollar sales jumped 16%, while units sales gained 12%, compared to the same period a year ago.

"Beginning last August we began to see signs of a recovery for appliances, but the new year confirmed that we're truly on a growth trajectory -- pent-up demand started it, but now we're seeing results driven by consumer confidence and rebate programs augmented by strong retailer promotions," the market research company says in its release.

The largest gains are in sales of dishwashers, refrigerators, clothes dryers, and washing machines, which all registered double-digit growth.