I’m fortunate to have a mom and pop appliance store near me. They’ve been in the business for 45 years. I tell them the features I care about and the price range, they tell me the best unit. So far all their recommendations have been spot on. Plus they generally beat the big box store pricing by about 5% and offer free delivery schedule when convenient for me.

I’d suggest looking for a mom and pop store.

Asking repair shops for recommendations on reliability, especially shops that won't sell you an appliance.

Have you tried the Wirecutter?

https://thewirecutter.com/