To Repair or Replace

To Replace or Repair?

In the majority of cases it makes the most sense financially to repair your appliance instead of replacing it, and this is what most of our customers choose to have done. However, when the cost of the repair begins approaching 50% of the cost of a new appliance, especially if you’re nearing the end of its expected lifetime, it is often a more economical solution to purchase a new appliance.

Many factors influence whether you should repair or replace the appliance: Was the appliance reliably maintained? Is it known to be a particularly reliable model? Was it very expensive to begin with? In our experience, however, the most important factor to consider is the age of the appliance in relation to its expected lifespan:

Appliance Type High Low Avg
Dishwasher18311
Dryer (electric)15812
Dryer (gas)15812
Freezer16812
Garbage Disposal14912
Microwave12710
Range (electric)191218
Range (gas)221418
Refrigerator161013
Trash Compactor1047
Washing Machine14711

Considering a New Appliance

One factor many may initially overlook is the cost of delivering your new appliance as well as the cost of disposing of your old one. These costs can approach $200. A $400 appliance may end up costing $600 after including the associated taxes as well as delivery and disposal fees.

Also keep in mind that virtually all appliances will require minor repair work prior to reaching the end of their lifespan. Range ignition systems, washing machine intake hoses, dishwasher drain pumps, and refrigerator defrost systems almost always fail sometime within the life of the appliance — and when this happens, choosing to repair is almost always the most economical choice. As a general guideline, when the repair cost is going to be less than 50% of what purchasing a new appliance would cost and you still have a few years before you reach the end of your appliances expected lifespan, we recommend the repair route to our customers.

Still not sure or have some questions? Call us at (214) 974-0630 or e-mail us and we’ll do our best to assist you.

Options for New Appliances

When our customers ask our advice on purchasing new appliances, we recommend simpler appliances with fewer parts, lights, features, functions, and flare. Modern, high-end appliances simply have more parts that can fail. Plain, less complicated appliances will almost invariably cost you less to maintain. The repairs are easier (and so less expensive), the parts are easier to find and generally less expensive as well.

Not many consumers are aware that though there are many different appliance brands, there are only a handful of manufacturers. Below we’ve included a table of the three largest appliance manufactures and the brands associated with them:

ManufacturerBrands / Makes
Whirlpool Acros, Admiral, Amana, Bauknecht, Brastemp, Consul, Estate, Inglis, Jenn-Air, Kirkland, KitchenAid, Maytag, Privileg, Roper, and Whirlpool
Electrolux Frigidaire, Gibson, Kelvinator, Lehel, Tappan, Westinghouse, and White-Westinghouse
General ElectricGeneral Electric and Hotpoint

Another little-known fact is that some brands such as Kenmore are actually used by several appliance manufacturers to refer to their own products: Whirlpool, Panasonic, GE, Bosch, Electrolux, and LG manufacture appliances under the Kenmore brand name! There is also cross-over in the parts department: LG and Samsung, for example, both produce control boards for certain American appliances such as GE products.

The Big Decision

If cost is the most important factor, we advise you to get the most basic models that Whirlpool manufactures. As mentioned above, the more complicated the appliance, and the more features, the more parts it has and the more likely it is that one of them can fail.

If quality is your focus and price is not as important then we recommend something by Thermador, Miele, or Bosch. These appliances are known for a higher quality of build and longer lifespans.

Just like for any new purchase, it is always wise to read reviews first so you can weed out any that have obvious or often-reported quality or functionality issues. Look at many different models before you make your choice. The same manufacturer may produce two models that differ widely in build quality.

If repair is not an option for you and it makes more sense to buy a new appliance, we wish you the best in your search and hope you keep us in mind for your future appliance repair needs!