We call it the Repair or Replace Calculator and it Tells You Whether to Repair it or Replace It
There are two expensive mistakes you can make when an appliance breaks.
The first is repairing something that should have been replaced. The quote comes in under half the price of a new one, so you say yes — but the machine is twelve years old, and the repair buys six months. Then the next fault arrives, and the next. You spend $600 over two years on a machine worth $200, and you replace it anyway.
The second is replacing something that should have been repaired. The fault looks serious, the machine is old, and the quote is $300 — which feels like a lot for something you’ve had for years. You replace it for $900, when the actual fault was a $30 part and forty minutes of labour.
Both happen constantly. Both are avoidable. And both come from the same cause: the decision was made without the two numbers that actually decide it — how much of the machine’s life has been used, and what the repair costs as a proportion of a comparable replacement.
So we built a tool that does the calculation for you.
What the calculator does
You put in three things: the repair quote, the age of the machine, and what’s wrong with it. The Repair or Bin Framework Calculator applies the same five rules we use across every guide on this site, and returns a verdict — repair, bin, or close call — along with the reasoning behind it.
It takes about thirty seconds. There’s no signup, no email address, and nothing is stored.
What makes it different from the other repair-or-replace calculators you’ll find is that it doesn’t just do a cost ratio. It applies five rules in a fixed order, and it shows you which one decided the outcome. So if the answer surprises you, you can see exactly why.
What you’ll need before you start
Three numbers, and one of them is the one people get wrong.
- The repair quote — the full installed price, not the part price. Include the call-out and diagnostic fee, because that’s the number that decides most close calls.
- The replacement cost — what a comparable new unit would cost, delivered and installed. Not the cheapest one on the market; the one that matches what you have.
- The age of the machine — in years.
- What’s wrong with it — pick the fault from the dropdown, and the calculator handles the rest.
The third one is where people go wrong most often. Applying the rule to the part price instead of the quote is the single most common mistake in repair-or-replace decisions. A $60 part becomes a $250 decision once the diagnostic fee is on the bill — and that’s the number that matters.
A worked example
Here’s how it looks in practice. A ten-year-old Whirlpool dishwasher, not draining. Standing water in the bottom. The filter is clear, the drain hose is clear, and the pump impeller turns freely by hand but the pump doesn’t run during a cycle.
Safety: no burning smell, no scorch marks, no water on electrical components. Safe to proceed.
Obsolescence: the drain pump is available from multiple suppliers at $40 to $90. The model is still supported. Not obsolete.
Cost: the installed quote is $280. A comparable replacement is about $750, plus delivery, installation, and disposal — call it $890. That’s 31%, which passes the 50% rule.
Lifespan: Whirlpool dishwashers typically last 9 to 12 years. At ten years, the machine has used 83% to 111% of its expected life. Past the 75% threshold, which means the repair needs a reason.
Is the reason there? The repair is 31% of replacement, which is above the 25% “cheap bet” threshold. The machine is at the end of its expected life. There’s no particular reason to expect another five years from it.
Reliability: this is the first repair in five years. No pattern.
The verdict: the cost test passes, but the lifespan test doesn’t, and the repair is too expensive to be a cheap bet on an old machine. Replace.
That’s a decision that would take most people an evening of second-guessing. The calculator returns it in thirty seconds, with the reasoning laid out so you can disagree with any part of it.
The five rules, briefly
The calculator applies five rules in a fixed order. The order matters more than any individual rule — a safety fault overrides everything, and an unavailable part ends the decision before cost is even considered.
Rule 1: The 50% Rule
If the repair costs more than about half the price of a comparable replacement, replacement usually wins. The word that does the work is comparable — you’re comparing against a machine with similar capacity, features, and quality, not the cheapest one available.
Rule 2: The Lifespan Rule
If the machine has used most of its expected life, replacement offers better value even when the repair passes the cost test. A $150 repair on a twelve-year-old dishwasher is cheap in absolute terms and still a poor bet, because the machine has no margin left.
Rule 3: The Reliability Rule
Multiple breakdowns in a short period mean replacement, regardless of individual repair costs. Two significant repairs in three years, or three in five, and the machine is telling you something.
Rule 4: The Safety Rule
Anything creating a safety hazard moves strongly toward replacement, whatever the cost. A burning smell, a gas leak, scorch marks, or a swelling battery isn’t a cost decision. The calculator treats these as an override — if you select a safety fault, the verdict is bin regardless of the economics.
Rule 5: The Obsolescence Rule
If the part, the software, or the standard no longer exists, the decision is made for you. A discontinued appliance with no parts supply isn’t repairable at any price.
What the calculator can’t tell you
Two honest limitations, because a tool that pretends to certainty is worse than one that doesn’t.
It can’t price your specific machine. The replacement cost you enter is the one the calculator uses — it doesn’t know what a like-for-like replacement costs in your area this week. If you’re unsure, look up two or three comparable models and use the middle figure.
It can’t predict the next failure. The Lifespan Rule prices the risk of a machine at the end of its life; it doesn’t remove it. A machine that scores “repair” can still fail again in three months. The verdict tells you whether the odds justify the bet, not how the bet will land.
What it can do is stop you making the two expensive mistakes — repairing something that should have been replaced, and replacing something over a $30 part.
Where the rules come from
The framework behind the calculator is set out in full at Should I Repair or Replace It? The Complete Decision Framework — including where the 50% threshold comes from, how lifespan ranges are produced, why the safety rule overrides the rest, and the worked examples that show where the rules give counterintuitive answers.
And the numbers the calculator uses — expected lifespan by brand, repair cost by fault — are in the Appliance Lifespan and Repair Cost Database.
If you’d rather apply the rules yourself, both pages give you everything you need. The calculator is just faster.
FAQ
Is the calculator free?
Yes. No signup, no email address, nothing stored. Enter your numbers and read the result.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. The form is designed for small screens, and the result is readable without pinching and zooming.
What if my appliance isn’t on the list?
The rules apply to any repairable object. Pick the closest category for the lifespan estimate, or use the framework itself and apply the rules manually.
Why did it say “bin” when the repair seems cheap?
Two likely reasons. The machine may be past its expected lifespan, which means the repair is buying very little. Or a previous repair may have triggered the Reliability Rule. The result shows which rule decided it.
Why did it say “repair” on an old machine?
Because the repair was cheap enough to be a bet rather than an investment. A $40 part on a twelve-year-old dishwasher often passes all five rules — the risk is small enough that it’s worth taking.
Does it work outside the US?
Yes. Enter figures in your own currency — the calculator works on ratios between repair cost and replacement cost, not absolute amounts.
Can I share my result?
Yes. The result includes a shareable link that encodes your inputs, so anyone who opens it sees the same verdict. There’s also a copy-as-post option for forums and messages.
Try it
If you’re standing in a kitchen with a quote in your hand, the calculator is the fastest way to a straight answer.
Use the Repair or Bin Framework Calculator →
And if you already know what’s wrong, every fault guide on the site ends with a repair-or-bin verdict specific to that fault:
Related Articles
Should I Repair or Replace It? The Complete Decision Framework
The five rules explained in full, with worked examples across every category.
Appliance Lifespan and Repair Cost Database
Expected life by brand and repair cost by fault, across every major category.
Dishwasher Repair vs Replace: What Each Really Costs
The fault-by-fault cost comparison for dishwashers specifically.
LG TV Problems? The Full Fault Index
Every common LG TV fault in one place, with the diagnosis order for each.
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.
