Sometimes we wonder if we should repair our favorite aging appliance that has never seen a repairman or buy a new one. Here are some questions to ask yourself if you find yourself in this position.

Has your appliance been very reliable in the past?

If you’ve been lucky enough to own an appliance for more than a decade before needing repair, it may be wise to invest some money in it to keep it running. Repair is often inexpensive, but remember that, at some point, replacement parts for your appliance may no longer be available. Hopefully after a repair you won’t have to worry for at least another decade. The cost of repairs must be taken into account. In general, it is best to avoid any repair that costs more than half the price of a new product. For those expensive repairs, the added savings of buying an energy efficient appliance will make the most sense. It is wise to ask retailers, local utilities, and local governments about rebates for recycling and energy efficiency products they can offer.

What is the overlooked cost of replacing an older appliance?

The true cost of replacing your appliance should be taken into account when comparing the cost of repair to the cost of repair. replacement cost. Replacing your old appliance generally requires fees for the installation, delivery, and removal and disposal of your old appliances. So before you rush to dispose of your current appliance, ask yourself how much it will cost to remove the existing appliance, install the new appliance, and dispose of the old one. Paying more than a hundred dollars to install an appliance is not unusual.

Are new appliances made of the same quality as my current appliance?

The quality of today’s low-end appliances has degraded compared to similarly priced machines 15 years ago. This is the result of manufacturers’ loss of control over the quality of parts ordered around the world. It seems like they would like us to replace our appliances every few years. You can still buy high-end appliances, but the more bells and whistles that come, the more things can go wrong. High-end appliances can cost a lot of money to repair because they use cutting-edge technology such as smart circuit boards. Too. spending a lot of money on an appliance no longer means more reliability; You are just as likely to need an appliance repair on an expensive top-of-the-line model as you would on a less expensive model. When it comes to top kitchen appliances, Consumer Reports magazine readers rated high-end brands like Viking, Thermador, Dacor and Jenn-Air as the least reliable.

So although there are plenty of good-looking appliances with fancy extras, like a steam function in a clothes washer. Your trusty old trusty washing machine can serve you well if you give it a second chance at life.