Repair or Replace? A Simple Rule for Every Major Appliance

Should you repair or replace a broken appliance? Repair it unless two things are both true: the repair costs more than half the price of a comparable new appliance, and the appliance is already past the middle of its expected life. That is the 50% rule, and it settles most cases. A handful of failures settle the question on their own, in either direction, and those are listed below.

We give the same answer whether it earns us a repair or not. Here is how to work it out yourself.

Quick answer: common failures and what they usually mean

The 50% rule

We use one rule for every appliance: replace it if the repair costs more than 50% of the price of a comparable new unit AND it is past the midpoint of its expected life. If only one of those is true, repair usually wins.

The rule works because it weighs both costs. A big repair on a young appliance buys many more years, so it is worth it. A small repair on an old appliance is cheap insurance, so it is worth it too. Only a big repair on an old appliance is a poor bet, because you are paying a lot for a machine with fewer years left and other aging parts waiting their turn.

Two numbers make it work: the repair quote and the price of a comparable new appliance, meaning the same type, size and features, not the cheapest one on the floor. For a sense of scale, our typical total costs on standard brands, parts and labor included, are:

• Refrigerator: $250–$500
• Washer: $250–$450; tub bearings and transmissions can exceed $500
• Dryer: $230–$380
• Dishwasher: $250–$430
• Range and cooktop: $230–$450
• Wall oven: $330–$550
• Garbage disposal: repairs from $180; a new unit installed typically runs $250–$450

Where the midpoint is

The second half of the test is age, and lifespan estimates are only guidelines. Our guide to how long appliances last lists typical lifespans for each major appliance, drawn from InterNACHI's estimated life-expectancy chart. Find your model's age on its rating plate or in your purchase records, then compare it with the middle of that range.

A decision flow you can follow

Work through these in order and stop at the first one that gives a clear answer:

1. Is it safe to keep using? A sparking microwave, a cracked microwave door, water pooling near an electrical connection or a breaker that trips the moment the appliance starts means stop using it now. If you smell gas, leave the house and call 911 or the gas utility from outside, and have the appliance checked before anyone uses it again.
2. Is it still under warranty? Check the paperwork and the model's warranty terms before you pay anyone, because the manufacturer may owe you the repair.
3. Is it a failure that cannot be repaired? A cracked dishwasher tub, a hole burned through a microwave's cavity wall or discontinued parts with no replacement make the decision for you. Replace it.
4. Get a written repair price. Our $80 diagnostic ($120 for built-in, double and combination ovens) is waived when you approve the repair, and you get a flat-rate quote before any work starts.
5. Price the replacement honestly. Use a comparable model, then add delivery, installation, haul-away and any cabinet or countertop work it needs.
6. Run the 50% test. Is the repair more than half the replacement cost? Is the appliance past its midpoint? Both yes: replace. Anything else: repair.
7. Use the tiebreakers. If it is close, consider fit (built-ins and odd openings favor repair), recent repair history (a second major failure in a short time favors replacement), and running costs (a very old refrigerator or washer favors replacement).

Repair or replace, by appliance

Each major appliance has its own pattern, and we cover the big three in depth:

• Refrigerators. Fans, defrost parts, start relays and water valves are sensible repairs on almost any refrigerator. The compressor and sealed system are where the 50% rule bites. See is it worth repairing a refrigerator.
• Washing machines. Pumps, door locks, lid switches, belts and inlet valves are routine repairs. Worn bearings on an older front-loader are the classic replace case. See is it worth repairing a washing machine.
• Microwaves. The type matters more than the age. See is it worth repairing a microwave.
• Dryers. Dryers are mechanically simple. Belts, rollers, idler pulleys, thermal fuses and heating elements are inexpensive parts, so a dryer that runs well otherwise is almost always worth repairing. Clear the vent at the same time.
• Dishwashers. Pumps, latches, inlet valves, gaskets and heating elements are worth repairing. A cracked tub is not.
• Ranges, cooktops and wall ovens. Elements, sensors, switches and door parts are worth repairing. Wall ovens lean toward repair because a replacement has to fit the cutout.
• Garbage disposals. A jam or a hum is usually a quick fix. For a unit leaking from the bottom, InSinkErator says to first confirm the water is not dripping down from the mounting assembly, and if it is truly the bottom, to contact the company; check your warranty before paying for a new one.

Failures that usually decide it

On a refrigerator, the sealed system (compressor, condenser, evaporator and the tubing between them) is the costly part. Repairing it means opening the system and recharging the refrigerant, and under EPA's Section 608 rules, technicians who service equipment that could release refrigerant must be certified. Before agreeing to a sealed-system repair, ask for a written price and run the 50% test. Fan, relay and defrost problems are a different story, and getting a refrigerator repair quote costs only the diagnostic, which is waived if you go ahead.

On a microwave, KitchenAid frames it as a calculation between the cost of the appliance and the cost of the repair: a compact model may be worth replacing, while an advanced model with features like convection may be worth repairing. That is why over-the-range and built-in microwaves usually get repaired and countertop models usually get replaced.

When running costs tip the decision

Age also shows up on the power bill. ENERGY STAR says an old refrigerator uses about 20% more energy than a certified model, and that refrigerators over 15 years old can cost noticeably more to run. That is no reason to skip a fan repair on a 6-year-old refrigerator, but it is worth weighing on a very old one.

Washers are similar. ENERGY STAR says certified clothes washers use about 20% less energy and about 30% less water than regular washers. If your washer is already near the end of its range and the quote is large, that efficiency is part of the case for replacing.

The hidden costs of replacing

The sticker price is not the whole bill. A new appliance means delivery, installation and haul-away, and sometimes a cabinet or countertop change when the new model does not fit the old opening. Refrigerators with ice and water need a water line connection and a leak check. A new washer needs new supply hoses and, on a front-loader, removal of the shipping bolts. An over-the-range microwave has to be mounted, vented and wired. Newer appliances also carry more electronics, which means more parts that can fail.

How we handle it

At the visit, the technician diagnoses the failure, gives you a written flat-rate price and tells you plainly whether the repair passes the 50% test. If it does not, you pay the diagnostic and nothing else. If you approve the repair, the diagnostic is waived, labor is priced by appliance from $180 plus parts ($250 plus parts on built-in ovens and combos), and the work carries our 60-day parts-and-labor warranty. If you decide to replace, we can install the new appliance and haul the old one away.

Schedule a visit or read about our repair services. Prefer to talk? Call (470) 778-4087.