How much household appliances should serve
Nowadays, household appliances don’t work for decades as they used to.
Consumers buy dishwashers once in a lifetime, new mobile phones every two years, and cameras every four. However, how long should these and other devices actually serve? The Australian website Choice has released data on how long various home devices should work and at what point it becomes unprofitable to repair, and it is better to replace or upgrade.
The experts explained that there are two factors that users need to consider: the so-called economic life and the estimated life. The economic period is set according to the manufacturer’s recommendations and represents the point after which it is more expedient to replace, rather than repair, the device if some part is broken. Estimated life is how long an appliance should last with proper care and minor repairs.
The economic life of the refrigerator varies from 10 to 20 plus years, and the estimated life is more than 15 years. It is worth replacing damaged thermostats and worn-out sealed door rubber, which will restore the refrigeration capacity. However, if your refrigerator is over 6 years old and is experiencing serious problems such as compressor failure, it is recommended that you replace it as newer models are more efficient and use less energy.
Small devices such as a toaster, kettle or iron are designed to last more than five years, with an economic life span of one to more than 20 years. It is usually not profitable to repair such devices, but you should try to replace it or get your money back if you have used it for a very short time.
Plates should last for decades. Both the economic and the estimated service life for them is from 10 to 20 years. Even old stoves are worth repairing because parts such as thermostats and broken doors can be easily replaced. A new stove will not result in much savings.
The economic and estimated lifespan of TVs is very close – about 12 years. If you have an old TV, then it should not be repaired, but replaced with a new one, since television technology is developing very quickly and significant improvements are made to the devices every year. That is, by replacing your TV after a few years of operation, you will get better picture quality and new features, and it is worth the money spent.
Smartphones should last much longer than some people think. Their estimated service life exceeds 5 years. The economic time depends on what needs to be replaced. For example, batteries can cost 60% of the total price of a phone, making them more worth replacing than repairing. But while manufacturers try to convince consumers that the phone needs to be replaced almost every year, this is not at all the case, since they are intended to last at least two to five years. If your phone starts to run slowly two years after you buy it, or if you can’t resist the demands of a whimsical fashion, update it after about two years. However, some parts are cheap and easy to replace, such as a broken screen.
Only new and expensive cameras are worth repairing. The economic lifespan of a compact camera is three to seven years, and a digital SLR camera is three to 10 years. Both have a design life of five to 10 years. Replacing a lens is often less expensive than repairing a lens.