All of us want our washing machines, dishwashers and other appliances to last as long as possible, but how long they’re made to last is another story. Consumer Reports put together a list of average lifespans for common household appliances, and some are shorter than you might think.
Image from ooocha.
You can also use these numbers to figure out when you should start saving for a new appliance so you don’t blow your emergency fund on a failed washer. Here are some of the big ones from Consumer Reports’ list:
- Dishwasher: 9 years
- Water heater: 10 years for gas, 11 years for electric and 20+ years for a tankless heater
- Oven: 13 years for electric and 15 years for a gas stove
- Refrigerator: 9 years for a compact fridge and 13 years for a normal one
- Microwave: 9 years
Keep in mind that these numbers are averages and that your appliance may last longer if you buy high quality or maintain them well. Check out the full list at the link below.
By the Numbers: How Long Will Your Appliances Last? It Depends [Consumer Reports]
Comments
7 responses to “Here’s How Long Your Common Household Appliances Should Last”
i just bought all those, i will be back in 9 years to give a follow up
Ha! We owned that very model of Microwave that you see in the above picture. We bought it the same year my son was born, we didn’t have one before but heard they were good at quickly heating bottled baby milk, that was 1989. We still had it until early this year when we tried to give it to St Vinnies. They apparently don’t take electrical goods anymore, so unfortunately, it ended up in the recycle bin. It was more or less retired about five years ago and kept as a spare, just in case. In the mean time, we went through three new machines and we reverted back to the old one to cover the down time. We would still be using it, if it was inverted like the new ones, they are a lot cheaper to run and more efficient when used.
http://www.techlicious.com/review/microwave-ovens-with-inverter-technology-really-cook/
Errr.. What’s your point? Most new microwave ovens are inverted these days.
My point was to add information about what an inverter microwave was. This review notes each type has its advantages. One would expect an old machine to not cook as well as a new one because the magnetron which emits the microwaves is an antenna that also receives them and heats up and wears out over time. I am not sure that they are more efficient but I defer to you on that.
What do you mean by “last”? Is the amount of time the appliance should function without needing a repair, or before it develops a fault beyond economic repair?
For example, an oven: even if all the electrical components in an oven failed, it would still be cheaper to fix it than having it replaced (assuming th parts are still available).
I beg to differ about repair being cheaper than new. Have you tried to get an engineer to look at your dead microwave. £80 just to come and go ooooH need s a complexitron thinggummyjig.