The 50 Percent Rule
The standard guideline is simple: if the repair costs more than half of what a comparable new unit costs, and the appliance is past the midpoint of its expected lifespan, replace it. Under both thresholds, repair.
It works as a first filter. What it misses is that not all appliances age the same way, and not all repairs are equal. A ten-year-old dryer with a bad thermal fuse is worth fixing. A seven-year-old refrigerator with a failing sealed system often is not.
Age Thresholds That Actually Matter
| Appliance | Usually worth repairing | Usually replace |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | Under 8 years | Over 12 years, or any sealed system failure past 10 |
| Washer | Under 7 years | Over 10 years, especially drum bearing failure |
| Dryer | Under 10 years | Over 14 years, or a failed drum and motor together |
| Dishwasher | Under 6 years | Over 10 years |
| Range or oven | Under 12 years | Over 16 years, or a cracked cooktop on a budget unit |
| Microwave (over-range) | Under 6 years | Magnetron failure past 7 years |
| Garbage disposal | Any age if it is a jam or a switch | Leaking from the body, at any age |
Luxury built-ins run differently. A Sub-Zero or Thermador is built to be serviced for twenty years or more, so the age thresholds above do not apply. Repairing a fifteen-year-old Sub-Zero is often still the right call where the same decision on a builder-grade unit would not be.
Repairs Almost Always Worth Doing
- Thermal fuses, thermostats and igniters: inexpensive parts, quick labor.
- Door seals, gaskets and hinges on any appliance.
- Drain pumps and inlet valves.
- Dryer belts, rollers and idler pulleys.
- Anything on a disposal other than a leaking body.
- Ice maker assemblies on units under about eight years old.
Repairs Where You Should Think Hard
- Compressor or sealed system work on a refrigerator past ten years.
- Washer drum bearings, which require splitting the tub and often approach replacement cost.
- Control boards on budget-brand appliances past the midpoint of their life.
- Cracked glass cooktops on entry-level ranges.
- A second major failure within roughly a year of the first.
The second failure is the real signal. One component failing is normal wear. Two unrelated major components failing within a year usually means the rest of the appliance is at the same point in its life.
What We Do
We diagnose first, then tell you the honest answer, including when that answer is that the repair is not worth your money. You get a written quote before anything starts, so the decision stays yours. If you want the cost side laid out, see the repair cost guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is too old for an appliance repair?
It depends on the appliance and the fault. As a rough guide, most mainstream refrigerators past 12 years, washers past 10 and dishwashers past 10 are replacement candidates. Luxury built-ins are a different calculation entirely.
My appliance broke twice in one year. Repair again?
Usually not, if both were major components. Two unrelated significant failures in a short window normally means the rest of the unit is at the same stage of wear.
Is a cracked glass cooktop repairable?
The glass surface itself is replaced rather than repaired, and on entry-level ranges that part often costs a large share of a new range. On a higher-end unit it is usually worth doing.