Comparison · Cleaning
Repair or replace: when to fix a broken appliance
The median repair costs $277. A new machine costs $910. Here is the math that decides — and the cases where the math lies.
Our pick: If it is past half its life and the repair is under half the replacement, fix it
The default answer
Repair the machine
8.2Median $277
Most repairs on machines younger than their expected lifespan are money well spent.
Pros
- • Median completed repair near $277 — a fraction of replacement
- • A well-built machine with one failed part has years left
- • No delivery, install, or disposal costs
Cons
- • Older units carry repeat-failure risk
- • Parts for discontinued lines can be scarce
The situational answer
Replace the machine
6.8Average $910
The right call when the repair is expensive relative to the machine's remaining life — or the failure is structural.
Pros
- • New efficiency can offset cost over time
- • Warranty resets the risk clock
- • Delivery and haul-away included in most purchases
Cons
- • Average purchase price around $910 and rising
- • New machines carry more electronics that can fail
The repair-or-replace decision has gotten harder as appliances have gotten more complex. A dead timer used to cost $50; today the same failure lives on a control board that costs several hundred to swap. But the underlying economics have not changed as much as the headlines suggest: the median completed repair is about $277, while the average new appliance costs around $910. Most broken machines are worth fixing.
| Appliance | Expected life | Repair makes sense if... |
|---|---|---|
| Gas range | About 15 years | Under 8-10 years old and the repair is a single part |
| Refrigerator | About 13 years | Under 7-8 years, and it is not a sealed-system failure |
| Electric range, dryer | About 13 years | Same rule; heating elements and belts are cheap fixes |
| Freezer | About 11 years | Usually repair — these machines are simple |
| Washer | About 10 years | Under 5-6 years; bearings and boards change the math |
| Dishwasher, microwave | About 9 years | Dishwashers usually repair; microwaves often do not |
The rule that works
Two numbers decide most cases. Is the machine past half its expected lifespan? And does the repair cost more than half of a comparable replacement? If both answers are yes, replace. If either is no, repair. A $277 fix on a seven-year-old refrigerator is excellent money. The same fix on a twelve-year-old dishwasher with rust around the door is a stay of execution.
The cases where the math lies
Three situations deserve different logic. Built-ins and pro-style units have repair costs inflated by access and parts premiums — but replacement costs are inflated even more, so repair usually still wins. Discontinued lines with no parts pipeline should be replaced regardless of the arithmetic, because the next failure will be unfixable. And machines with multiple recent repairs are signaling end of life even if each individual fix was cheap.
When replacement earns its cost
Efficiency is the legitimate replacement argument. A modern heat-pump dryer or an ENERGY STAR refrigerator uses meaningfully less energy than a fifteen-year-old machine, and over the next decade the savings chip away at the purchase price. The stronger argument is reliability: if your machine has failed twice in three years, you are buying yourself the next failure. Replace it, and this time check the service data first.
- Repair: single part, machine under mid-life, parts available.
- Replace: structural failure, discontinued parts, or repair above half the replacement cost on an aging machine.
- Always: get a written estimate before authorizing work, and ask the technician's honest opinion — they see which machines are dying early.
A $277 repair on a machine with years left is not a cost. It is the cheapest appliance you will ever own.
Lab notes, repair economics 2026
The verdict
Default to repair. The median fix is under $300 against a $910 replacement, and most failures are single components on machines with half their life ahead. Replace when the machine is old, the parts are gone, or the failures are becoming a subscription of their own. And when you do replace, buy from our reliability shortlist so the next decade stays quiet.
Questions we get
Is it worth repairing a 10-year-old appliance?
Usually yes, if the repair is a single failed component and the machine is otherwise sound. A 10-year-old refrigerator is near mid-life, a 10-year-old washer is at its expected end — so the answer depends on the category. Use the half-life rule: if the machine is past half its expected lifespan and the repair costs more than half a replacement, replace.
How much does an appliance repair cost?
Industry data puts the median completed repair around $277, though control board failures on complex machines run considerably higher. Diagnostic fees typically run $75-$150, often credited toward the repair. Labor and parts for premium built-ins cost more than for freestanding units.
When should you not repair an appliance?
When the repair costs more than half of a comparable replacement and the machine is past half its expected life. Also when the failure is structural — a cracked drum, a leaking sealed system on an old fridge — or when parts are discontinued and only used components are available.
Should I repair or replace a smart appliance?
The same math applies, with one addition: if the smart features have lost software support, the machine's core functions still count. A refrigerator that keeps food cold is worth repairing even when its app is dead. Only factor the smart layer's value if you actually use it.