Should I Repair or Replace My Appliances?

We've all had that feeling of dread when an aging appliance suddenly stops working. Perhaps you're unsure whether to repair or replace it. The decision depends on a few factors, including your appliance's age, the repair estimate, and how complex of a fix it'll be. Learn when you should repair an appliance—and when it's time to upgrade to a newer model.

Is It Worth It to Repair Appliances?

It’s often worth it to repair an appliance, but you have to take into account the repair costs, age and condition of the unit, and more. Here’s when to replace or repair an appliance:

Factors to Consider for Repairing or Replacing Appliances

We put together some specific things to think about when deciding whether to repair or replace your appliance.

• Cost: When you’re considering the cost of a replacement appliance, do some research. If you haven’t bought a particular appliance in several years, you may not know the current costs for new models.

• Warranties: If your malfunctioning appliance is still under warranty or extended warranty, you should always repair it, even if you have to pay a trip charge or a small service fee.

• Recalls: If the manufacturer issues a recall on your appliance, the repair should be free.

• Age of appliance: If the appliance’s age is close to the range of its useful life span, you should strongly consider a replacement. An aging appliance is likely to continue to need repairs.

• Energy efficiency: Newer appliances are almost always more energy efficient than models introduced even a few years ago. If energy efficiency is extremely important to you, you should consider replacement.

• Budget: If you want a new appliance, but you don’t have the cost in your budget just yet, you should strongly consider repairing it. Your repair could gain several months or a couple of years of performance out of the aging appliance, giving you time to save up for a replacement.

• Style: Perhaps you believe the appliance that needs repair is out of date with the rest of your kitchen decor. You certainly could purchase a new appliance to update the look, or you could refinish the old appliance after repairing it. In this case, combine the cost of refinishing and repairing the appliance when comparing it to the cost to replace it.

How Long Do Appliances Last?

Knowing the typical useful life span for your home’s appliances can be helpful in deciding whether to repair or replace appliances. Here’s how long common household appliances last:

• Clothes dryer life span: 10–13 years

• Clothes washing machine life span: 10–14 years

• Dishwasher life span: 10–15 years

• Freezer life span: 10–20 years

• Garbage disposal life span: 5–10 years

• Refrigerator life span: 10–15 years

• Stove life span: 10–15 years

• Water heater life span: 8–12 years

• Water softener life span: 10–25 years

Your range could be longer if you follow some tips for extending the life span of the appliance. Perhaps you purchased a high-end brand name when the appliance was new, which should give it a longer life span than a bargain brand. You often receive a longer useful life span than average if you routinely perform maintenance on the appliance.

Cost to Repair Appliances vs. Cost to Replace Appliances

When to Repair Appliances

Beyond the 50% rule, multiple scenarios exist where you should consider repairing the appliance instead of replacing it.

Newer Unit That’s Under Warranty

When your appliance is under warranty, scheduling a repair is always better. The manufacturer should pay for the repair of an appliance under warranty. If it’s under warranty, it’s probably still well within its useful life span.

You’re Receiving Good Performance

If the appliance has been performing well until suddenly needing repair, the unit likely still has a lot of life left in it. The repair should bring the appliance back to optimal performance. 

You Want to Make an Eco-Friendly Decision

If your current appliance gives you good energy efficiency, and if you don’t want to see it end up in the landfill just yet, repairing it is a better choice.

The Appliance Still Has Relevant Features

Some appliances undergo significant technological upgrades every few years, while others rarely change from decade to decade. If your appliance’s features are still relevant, a replacement isn’t going to give you a significant advantage over repairing in terms of the appliance’s usefulness.

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro to Repair

The average appliance repair cost is $180. However, a local appliance repair company may charge you a minimum fee of around $100, even for a quick repair. The fee may depend on how far they have to travel to reach your home. When using the 50% rule, be certain you know about any minimum fees related to repairs.

You could reduce the cost of an appliance repair by doing the work yourself. Understand that it can be difficult to properly DIY certain kinds of repairs. Projects that involve plumbing or rewiring are too dangerous for the average homeowner to handle. However, if you simply need to reset a circuit breaker, swap out an easily accessible part, or clean a filter to make the repair, you can do this yourself.

When to Replace Appliances

Although you may worry about what the cost of a new appliance will do to your budget, multiple scenarios exist where replacement is smarter than repairing.

Older Unit That’s Approaching a Decade in Age

Most appliances will show performance issues around the 10-year mark. Repairs become more frequent after about a decade of use, too. At some point soon, you're likely spending so much on repairs that going with a replacement is cost-effective.

Appliance’s Performance Has Been Waning

If the appliance has not been performing well—like a washing machine that’s not cleaning clothes well without a second cycle—the repair you need may not be related to these issues and won’t fix them. Rather than spending a few hundred dollars on a repair for a machine that’s not performing well, consider putting that money toward an upgrade.

Your Unit’s Energy Efficiency Is Poor

When new model designs are introduced, appliances often receive significant energy efficiency improvements. Rather than repairing an energy-gobbling older appliance, you may be ready to save money on energy bills with a new appliance.

You Want Access to New Features

If a replacement appliance will give you an impressive new feature that you’ll use regularly, it may be worth purchasing a replacement instead of repairing an older unit that doesn’t have this key feature.

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro to Replace

When you are calculating the total cost of purchasing a new replacement appliance, don’t forget to include any appliance installation cost you’ll have. If you can buy a new dishwasher for $300, but have to pay $175 for a pro to install it, you’ll want to use the $475 cost when applying the 50% rule. A local appliance installation company can give you estimates on installation costs.

You could save money by installing it yourself. However, this could potentially void the warranty. Some manufacturers require that a certified pro do the installation to maintain the warranty. If you have your own truck and some help to carry the appliance, you could haul it to your home yourself and save on any delivery charges.