This is the question we get asked most directly, and it's also the one where being honest costs us business in the short term. We'd still rather tell you plainly than talk you into a repair that doesn't make financial sense.
The half-price rule of thumb
A commonly used guideline: if the repair cost is more than half the price of a new, equivalent appliance, and the current unit is more than half through its expected lifespan, replacement usually wins. It's not a perfect rule, but it's a useful starting filter before getting into the specifics.
How old is the appliance, really
Rough expected lifespans, assuming reasonable use and maintenance:
- Refrigerators: 10–15 years
- Washers and dryers: 10–13 years
- Dishwashers: 9–12 years
- Ranges and ovens: 13–16 years
An appliance well past these ranges is more likely to have a second failure waiting not far behind the first one, which changes the calculation even if today's repair looks affordable on its own.
Is this the first repair, or the third?
A single isolated failure on an otherwise reliable appliance is a very different situation from a machine that's had three separate service calls in two years. Repeated failures, even small ones, usually mean the appliance as a whole is wearing out rather than one part having bad luck.
What's actually failed matters
Some failures are comparatively minor regardless of age — a door seal, a thermostat, an igniter. Others are effectively the heart of the machine — a refrigerator compressor, a washer's main bearing and tub assembly, a range's control board on certain premium models. The second category is where the replace conversation becomes worth having seriously, even on a unit that otherwise seems fine.
Energy efficiency is a real, if secondary, factor
A refrigerator or washer from fifteen years ago can use meaningfully more energy than a current equivalent. It rarely tips the decision on its own, but it's worth factoring in as a secondary point when a repair and a replacement land close in cost.
What we actually do on the visit: we give you the repair quote and let you know honestly where the appliance sits against these factors. The decision is always yours — we're just trying to make sure it's an informed one. See our guide to typical repair costs for the numbers behind the half-price rule above.