When Should You Repair or Replace an Appliance?

Deciding whether to repair or replace an appliance isn’t always obvious. Here’s a straightforward way to think about it.

Consider the age of the appliance

Most major appliances have a typical working life of around 8–15 years, depending on the type and how heavily they’re used. A fault on a two-year-old machine is usually worth fixing. The same fault on a fifteen-year-old machine deserves more thought.

Consider what’s actually broken

Some faults — a belt, a seal, a heating element, a pump — are inexpensive, common, and quick to fix regardless of the appliance’s age. Others, like a failed compressor or a major control board fault, are bigger jobs where the appliance’s age and value matter more.

Weigh the repair cost against a replacement

As a general guide, if a repair costs more than roughly half the price of a comparable new appliance, replacement often makes more sense — though this varies depending on the specific fault and appliance.

Think about what you’d be replacing it with

A well-maintained mid-range or higher-end appliance is often worth repairing over buying a cheaper replacement, since build quality varies significantly between price points.

Get an honest assessment first

The clearest way to decide is to have the appliance properly assessed. We’ll tell you plainly whether a repair makes sense for your appliance, or whether replacement is the better option — see our appliance repair services for the full list of what we cover.