Low repair bill, otherwise reliable appliance, and no obvious efficiency problem.
Decision page
Repair vs replace an old appliance
Replace is usually the better call when the appliance is unreliable, the repair is a large share of replacement cost, and the old model is noticeably power-hungry. Repair is usually still sensible when the fix is modest, the appliance has years left, and the energy saving from a new model would be small.
Last reviewed: 16 April 2026 - UK-focused estimate page, not a repair quote
High repair bill, repeated faults, or an old appliance that costs far more to run than current equivalents.
When the repair is moderate and the appliance still fits the home well, compare annual energy cost before deciding.
A practical rule of thumb
If the repair bill is approaching half the cost of a decent replacement, and the old appliance is already well into its later years or has started failing more often, replacement usually wins on hassle alone. The answer swings even further towards replace when the old appliance is expensive to run.
| Question | What usually pushes the answer |
|---|---|
| Is the repair cost small? | Small one-off repairs often justify repair, especially on otherwise reliable appliances. |
| Is the appliance old and inefficient? | High running cost makes replacement more attractive because you get some money back over time. |
| Is this the second or third fault? | Repeated faults usually matter more than the headline repair price. |
Worked example
A ten-year-old fridge with a ?180 repair bill is a very different case from a four-year-old washing machine needing a ?65 fix. In the first case, replacement often makes more sense because the appliance is already old, will likely use more electricity than a newer model, and may not be far from the next fault. In the second, repair is often the cleaner answer.
Best use of this page
Use it to structure the decision, then check a dedicated running-cost or savings page if the appliance type has one.
When replacement usually wins
Not every appliance justifies detailed maths. Some situations are strong replacement signals even before you run numbers.
If the repair bill is a large chunk of replacement cost, the remaining-life risk starts to matter a lot more.
Older fridges, freezers and tumble dryers can still make a noticeable difference to annual cost compared with newer models.
One expensive repair can be tolerable. Two or three within a short period usually point the other way.
When repair still makes good sense
- The repair is modest and the appliance is otherwise dependable.
- The appliance is not especially costly to run compared with a current replacement.
- You can avoid the disruption and upfront spend of replacing it now.
Use appliance-specific cost pages where available
Old fridge replacement savingsStrongest next step if the appliance is an ageing fridge or freezer.
Appliance running cost calculatorModel current usage when you know the appliance wattage or cycle cost.
Tumble dryer running costUseful when drying cost is the main reason replacement is being considered.
Should I replace an appliance purely because it is old?
No. Age matters because it affects reliability and likely efficiency, but the better question is whether it is old and either unreliable or expensive to run.
Which appliances are most likely to justify replacement on running cost?
Fridges, freezers, tumble dryers and heavily used older appliances are the stronger cases. Many other appliances do not save enough energy on their own to justify replacement early.
Does this page replace a repair quote?
No. It is a decision framework to help you judge the likely direction of travel, not a diagnosis, repair estimate or guarantee of future reliability.