To repair or replace an appliance?

April 12th, 2012

Appliance Questions Appliance Talk

To fix it or nix it? That is the question.

Whether ’tis nobler to repair or wiser to replace…Yes, it’s the appliance industry’s existential question of all time.

We must consider the age of the appliance, the cost of repairing versus the cost of replacement, the urgency of the situation and the environment.

Of course a lot of it boils down to money; both are going to cost a bit of coin, but which option will leave us better off in the long term?

It’s tempting to toss but first check, is your appliance under warranty?

The paperwork from the initial purchase should have all these details. If the appliance is under warranty then give the manufacturer a call to schedule a service with an authorised technician.

Companies such as Fisher & Paykel have an outstanding reputation for this sort of thing, in fact F&P has it’s own branded repair service.

Past warranty: think about how old your appliance is.

Unfortunately appliances aren’t like good wine, they get worse with age, not better.

These days a fridge may last around 15 years, some manufacturers, such as Electrolux, claim that their appliances are made to last at least 20 years. Get an idea of what the realistic life expectancy of your appliance is.

If the appliance is reaching the end of its lifespan then it’s a wise decision to replace it.

Anything older than about eight years is worth replacing. Then again, if it’s a high end favourite, then repairing might be the go.

Consider the repair costs.

If the appliance is not under warranty but costly to repair things get a bit tricky.

If it’s a major repair, say, it costs more than half of what a new appliance would, then chuck it and get a newby.

This way you’ll get a new warranty. It’s not a bad idea to purchase an extended warranty if it’s an option, too.

Reliability equals peace of mind.

Will a bit of elbow grease do the trick?

Labour can be pretty exe so if you can get the parts yourself, perhaps it’s a DIY job.

Take a look inside the dishwasher, for example, to make sure that a fallen utensil hasn’t blocked something, or check the hose connections on a washing machine. Sometimes the problems are minor and can be fixed up without too much sweat.

The internet is another great resource for diagnosing and fixing problems.

How urgent is it?

You have a family of six and the pile of laundry is mounting. By next week, when the repairman is finally available, the washing will be insurmountable. Blow it, get a new one and you can fix the old one and then offload it online.

Environmental considerations.

This one swings both ways: chuck it and there’s another lump of trash in the pile BUT a new appliance will offer lower energy consumption ergo it’s better for the environment.

Ultimately, the sooner we start using energy efficient appliances the sooner the environment will be much better off. And in any case, old appliances will all eventually be thrown out.

Think about how you can responsibly recycle the old appliance instead. Maybe use the washing machine drum for an outdoor fire pit? Or a kettle for a pot plant?