In the last decades, home appliances have benefited from multiple technological advances. However, these advances make the appliances more sophisticated, thus are a factor of breakeage and “planned obsolescence”. Indeed, in order to stay competitive and gain profits, some companies stop the production of replacement parts of their older models earlier than before (5 years instead of 10 for some companies).
Therefore, repairing your appliance may sometimes become a real headache for you. But how to choose your home appliances? Here are a few tips to take into account, according to our repairer point of view.
Determine a budget before going shopping
The best way to buy something not corresponding to your needs is to go shopping without researching, beforehand, market prices of the appliances that fits your household needs. This way, you will know which brand’s range of product you can afford, and you will avoid wasting time considering products too expensive for your budget.
Read reports from trusted references
Each year, ConsumerReportproduces comparative studies on different household appliances and gives you advices to make the right choice. Take these informations into account to guide your choice, without ruling out alternatives. Simply list which features you are looking for and compare them with the suggested models.
Resist “temptations”
Let’s say one of your appliances breaks down and that the repair cost is over 400$. The logical conclusion would be to have it repaired. However, a knowledgeable seller that offers you multiple rebates will probably know how to make you doubt and make you say “well, we could replace it instead…” and then “since we are replacing this one, let’s replace this other appliance so that they stay coordinated…” and so on, and so on! You will probably just condemn another appliance that is still efficient and that you could of kept longer. Don’t buy on the spur of the moment and keep in mind your criterias and the range of price you can spend.
Choose energy-efficient home appliances
An energy-efficient model, means the appliance requires less energy to function. This way, not only you are helping preserve the environment, but you will also be saving on your energy bill in the long run. Look for the “Energy Star” logo on the appliance (usually in blue).
Ask your seller how many years will the replacement parts be available Is it important to have the option to repair your home appliance (which usually costs less), that can break down after only a few years?
Is it important to have the option to repair your home appliance (which usually costs less), that can break down after only a few years? Of course! However nowadays, some companies reduce the number of years during which replacement parts will be produced : this has an automatic impact on the lifetime of your appliance. Take time to ask this information, either to your seller or to the manufacturer.
Make sure you will have access to a fast repair service in case of a breakdown
Call the repair service center that takes care of the warranty repairs of the brand you’re looking to buy. Ask them when a repairman could come to repair your warm fridge. They answer “1 week”? Could you wait that long? Manufacturers that repair only through their own repair service centers are more inclined to suffer from high-traffic periods, which can cause up to several weeks of delays for a service call.
Remember that your criterias may differ from the others. It is important to know your needs and to not let yourself be charmed by unnecessary and costly features. Take your time to do some research in order to make an informed decision. If you have any additional questions, feel free to give us a call.