Repair or Replace Appliances

Should I Repair or Replace Appliances?

The judgement behind the numbers — which faults are worth fixing, and when the brand changes the answer.

The framework gives you five rules. The databases give you the two numbers those rules need — expected lifespan, and repair cost by fault.

This page is the judgement in between. Which faults are actually worth fixing on which appliances, where the brand changes the answer, and the decisions that come up most often.

How to use this page

Each appliance below follows the same structure: the typical lifespan, the repair that usually decides the outcome, the brand differences that matter, and a worked example with real numbers.

If you want the full lifespan table by brand, or the fault-by-fault repair costs, those are on the databases page. This page summarises them and focuses on the decision.

If you already know what’s wrong, the calculator applies all five rules to your own quote in about thirty seconds.

The pattern across every appliance

In almost every category, there’s exactly one repair that costs more than half a new unit — and everything else is cheap.

On a dishwasher it’s the control board. On a fridge it’s the sealed system. On a washing machine it’s the drum bearings. On a TV it’s the panel. On a laptop it’s the motherboard.

Once you know which fault you’re facing, the decision is usually already made. The five rules exist to confirm it — and to catch the cases where the obvious answer is wrong.

Dishwashers

Typical lifespan: 9–13 years, averaging around 10. Bosch and Miele sit at the top of that range; Frigidaire and the budget brands at the bottom.

The decision repair: the control board. At $180–$585 installed against a replacement at $400–$1,500, a board sits between 12% and 146% of replacement cost. On a $600 budget machine that’s a clear bin. On a $1,400 premium machine under five years old it can be worth doing — but that’s the narrow case, not the rule.

Everything else passes comfortably. A door seal at $50–$300 is a fifth of a mid-range replacement. A drain pump at $150–$450 is a third. Those are repairs by any reasonable measure.

Where the brand changes the answer

A twelve-year-old Bosch dishwasher is 100% of its typical life. A twelve-year-old Miele is about 70%. Same age, same category, completely different decision — the Miele has years left, the Bosch is at the end.

On the LG and Samsung machines, expect the control board question to arrive earlier. Their electronics-heavy design means the board and touch panel are the weak points, and both fail at higher rates than on simpler machines.

A worked example

A nine-year-old Bosch, showing E24 and not draining. The filter is clear and the pump impeller is jammed with glass. Part cost $0, or $60 for a replacement pump if the impeller is damaged. Installed quote: $200.

Against a $950 comparable replacement, that’s 21%. Lifespan used: roughly 75%. The cost test passes, the lifespan test says the repair needs a reason — and it has one, because the repair is cheap. Repair.

The same fault on a twelve-year-old Frigidaire with a $200 quote against a $600 replacement: 33%, which passes the cost test, but 100%+ of expected lifespan used. Lean bin, unless the machine is otherwise sound.

Fault guides

Dishwasher Not Draining · Not Cleaning Dishes · Leaking From The Door · Not Heating · Bosch E15 · E24 · E25

For the full fault-by-fault cost comparison, see the Dishwasher Repair vs Replace hub.

Refrigerators

Typical lifespan: 10–18 years, averaging around 14. Sub-Zero and Miele sit well above that; Frigidaire and the budget brands below.

The decision repair: the sealed system — compressor, evaporator, or refrigerant. At $400–$1,000 installed against a replacement at $700–$2,500, that’s 16% to 143%. And the labour risk makes it worse: a sealed system repair requires recovering and recharging refrigerant, and a system that’s leaked once is more likely to leak again.

This is the fault that ends a fridge’s life, and it’s the one case in this whole category where the answer is nearly always replacement. On a premium fridge under eight years old, a $500 compressor against a $2,000 replacement can be worth doing. On anything past ten years, it rarely survives.

Everything else passes. Defrost drains, door seals, fans, and sensors are all $0–$350 installed, and all are comfortably under the 50% line on any machine with years left.

Where the brand changes the answer

LG and Samsung refrigerators built between roughly 2014 and 2021 had significantly higher compressor failure rates than the industry norm — enough that it became a US class action. If you own one of those units and the compressor has failed, check whether it falls under the settlement or an extended warranty before pricing a replacement. It changes the maths entirely.

Ice maker faults are also disproportionately common on both brands, and they’re cheap to fix. Don’t let an ice maker problem convince you the fridge is failing.

A worked example

An eight-year-old Whirlpool, not cooling but the freezer still works. The evaporator fan has failed. Part $60, installed quote $250.

Against a $900 comparable replacement: 28%. Lifespan used: roughly 60%. Repair. The freezer working while the fridge doesn’t is the classic evaporator fan symptom, and it’s one of the cheapest fixes on the appliance.

The same machine with a failed compressor, quote $700 against a $900 replacement: 78%. Bin.

Fault guides

Fridge Leaking Water Inside · Water Dripping From Freezer · Not Cooling · Not Cooling But Freezer Working · Freezer Not Freezing · Compressor Repair

Washing machines

Typical lifespan: 10–13 years. Top-loaders typically outlast front-loaders, and Miele and Speed Queen sit well above the category average.

The decision repair: drum bearings. The part is cheap — $30 to $80 — but the labour dominates, because the drum has to come out and on many front-loaders the bearings are pressed into a sealed outer tub. The installed cost lands at $300–$600, which against a $500–$1,500 replacement is 20% to 120%.

On a front-loader under six years old with a premium brand, a $400 bearing replacement against a $1,200 machine is 33% and worth doing. Past eight years, the bearing failure is usually the beginning of the end — the seal that let water into the bearing is the same seal protecting the rest of the assembly.

Everything else passes. Drain pumps, door seals, belts, and inlet valves are all $120–$300 installed and all comfortably under the line.

Where the brand changes the answer

Whirlpool and Maytag top-loaders are the simplest machines to repair, with the cheapest parts. A $150 drain pump on a twelve-year-old Whirlpool is a reasonable bet because everything else on the machine is also cheap to fix.

On LG and Samsung front-loaders, drum bearing failures are more common than on premium European machines, and the sealed tub design makes the repair more expensive. Expect the bearing question around year seven or eight rather than ten.

A worked example

A five-year-old LG front-loader, drum not spinning and grinding. Diagnosis: worn drum bearings. Installed quote $450.

Against a $1,100 comparable replacement: 41%. Lifespan used: roughly 40–50%. Repair — but check the door seal at the same time, because a failed seal is what let the water into the bearing in the first place.

The same fault on a ten-year-old machine with a $450 quote against a $700 replacement: 64%. Bin.

Fault guides

Leaking Water · Won’t Spin and Drain · Stops Mid Cycle · Not Spinning Clothes Dry · Noisy · Won’t Turn On

Dryers

Typical lifespan: 10–15 years. Electric dryers typically outlast gas. The machines are mechanically simple — a motor, a belt, a drum, and a heat source — and that simplicity is why they last.

The decision repair: the motor on a vented dryer, and the sealed system on a heat pump model. A motor at $250–$450 installed against a $400–$1,200 replacement is 20% to 110%. Heat pump dryers are the exception to the whole category — a sealed system failure out of warranty at $400–$800 on a machine that costs $1,000–$2,000 new is the same calculation as a fridge compressor, and the same answer.

Everything else on a vented dryer is cheap. The thermal fuse, the element, the belt, and the rollers are all under $300 installed, and all pass the 50% test on almost any machine.

Where the brand changes the answer

Whirlpool and Maytag vented dryers are simple, cheap, and repairable. A vented Whirlpool at twelve years with a failed element is still a repair.

On LG and Samsung, control board failures are more common — and the board is the borderline repair. Check the board price before assuming the machine is finished, because some are $150 and some are $400.

A worked example

A nine-year-old Whirlpool vented dryer, runs but won’t heat. Blown thermal fuse caused by a blocked vent. Fuse $12, vent cleaning $0 if DIY. Installed quote if a technician does both: $200.

Against a $650 replacement: 31%. Lifespan used: roughly 60–70%. Repair — and clear the vent, or the new fuse blows again within weeks.

Fault guides

Dryer Not Heating · Dryer Not Spinning · Dryer Repair pillar

Ovens and ranges

Typical lifespan: 13–18 years. The chassis outlasts the components — elements, thermostats, and igniters fail while the body and door remain sound.

The decision repair: the control board. Same pattern as the dishwasher, and the same verdict: on a machine past ten years, a $250–$500 board is the point at which repair stops being obvious.

Everything else passes comfortably. An oven element at $100–$250 against a $500–$2,000 replacement is 5% to 50%. An igniter at $150–$300 is 8% to 60%. Ovens are worth repairing well past ten years because the components that fail are cheap.

Where the brand changes the answer

Gas ovens generally outlast electric because the chassis doesn’t carry the element heat cycle. And the igniter is the most common failure on a gas oven — a weak igniter glows but doesn’t draw enough current to open the gas valve, so the burner never lights and the oven appears dead. It’s a $30–$80 part and one of the most commonly misdiagnosed faults on any appliance.

A worked example

A twelve-year-old electric oven, not heating. Bake element failed. Part $40, installed quote $180.

Against an $800 comparable replacement: 23%. Lifespan used: roughly 70%. Repair. The element is cheap and the chassis has years left.

Fault guides

Oven Not Heating Up · Gas Stove Igniter Keeps Clicking

Microwaves

Typical lifespan: 7–10 years. The magnetron is the limiting component, and it’s usually what ends the machine’s life.

The decision repair: the magnetron — and the answer is usually no. A microwave costs $60 to $500 new. A magnetron replacement at $150–$300 installed fails the 50% test against anything but a premium built-in unit. And the high-voltage circuit carries lethal risk — it’s not a DIY repair, and it isn’t a repair most technicians will do economically.

The exception is the turntable and door switch. Those are cheap, low-voltage, and worth fixing — a $15 coupler on an otherwise sound microwave is a repair by any measure.

Where the brand changes the answer

Countertop microwaves are almost never worth repairing beyond the turntable and door switch. The economics don’t work. Built-in and over-the-range units at $400–$1,500 new change the calculation — a $300 magnetron repair on a machine under eight years old can be worth doing, though the labour and installation cost usually make a like-for-like replacement simpler.

A worked example

A countertop microwave, turntable not spinning. Cracked coupler. Part $10.

At that price it’s worth doing — but a technician will charge $80–$100 to fit it, which against a $100 replacement is a bin. DIY repair, professional bin. That’s the honest answer, and it’s one most repair-or-replace guides won’t give you.

Fault guides

Microwave Not Heating · Turntable Not Spinning

Small kitchen appliances

Air fryers, kettles, toasters, coffee machines, and stand mixers don’t follow the same pattern as the big appliances. They’re cheap enough that the 50% rule rejects most repairs, but simple enough that the cheap faults are genuinely worth fixing.

Air fryers typically last 5–8 years. The thermal fuse ($5–$15) and the heating element ($15–$35) are the two repairs that decide most cases — both are cheap and both are DIY-friendly on most models. A $25 element on a $150 air fryer is an obvious repair.

Kettles last 5–7 years. Element and thermostat faults are common, and replacement is usually cheap enough that repair only wins on premium models.

Stand mixers are the exception. A KitchenAid at $400–$600 new is worth repairing almost indefinitely — the gear train and brushes are serviceable, and the machine is designed to outlast its owner.

For most small appliances, the honest verdict is: repair if the part is under $40 and you can fit it yourself, and replace otherwise.

Fault guides

Air Fryer Not Working · Kettle Not Boiling · KitchenAid Mixer Repair

Not sure where your appliance falls?

The Repair or Bin Framework Calculator applies all five rules to your repair quote in about thirty seconds. Put in the fault, the quote, the machine’s age, and a comparable replacement cost, and it returns a verdict with the reasoning behind it.

If you’d rather work through the rules yourself, the complete framework explains each one with worked examples.

And if you want the full data — lifespan by brand, repair cost by fault, across every category — that’s on the databases page.

Deciding on a TV, laptop or phone instead? Electronics follow a different pattern, so see should I repair or replace my electronics.

Related reading

Should I Repair or Replace It? The Complete Decision Framework
The five rules behind every decision on this page.

Appliance Lifespan and Repair Cost Database
Expected life by brand and repair cost by fault, across every appliance category.

The Repair or Bin Framework Calculator
Apply all five rules to your own repair quote in about thirty seconds.

Dishwasher Repair vs Replace: What Each Really Costs
The fault-by-fault cost comparison for dishwashers specifically.

Dryer Repair: Why It Won’t Heat, Won’t Turn, or Won’t Dry
The dryer pillar — both common faults and the decision framework for each.