Appliance Repair in 2025: When to Fix or Replace Your Home Devices

When your appliance, a device designed to perform a specific household task using electricity or gas. Also known as home appliance, it stops working, you’re not just dealing with inconvenience—you’re facing a money decision. Is it cheaper to fix it? Will it break again next month? Should you just buy new? These aren’t theoretical questions. In November 2025, we looked at real cases from Northampton households to find out what actually works.

Oven, a kitchen appliance used for baking and roasting, typically powered by electricity or gas. Also known as range, it usually lasts 13 to 15 years. But if it’s taking twice as long to preheat, cooking food unevenly, or throwing error codes, that’s not normal wear—it’s a sign the heating element, thermostat, or control board is failing. Repairing an 8-year-old oven often makes sense. At 10 years? It’s a coin toss. Same goes for washing machine, a household appliance that cleans clothes using water and detergent. Also known as laundry machine, it . Most last 10 to 12 years. If the drum’s noisy or it won’t spin, a new pump or belt might fix it for under $150. But if the motor’s gone? You’re spending half the cost of a new one on a temporary fix.

Then there’s the electric hob, a flat cooking surface with electric heating elements, often part of a range or standalone unit. Also known as cooktop, it . When one zone stops working, it’s rarely the whole unit. More often, it’s a faulty connection, a blown fuse, or a broken switch. Resetting the circuit breaker or replacing a single component can save you hundreds. And don’t assume a plumber can fix your boiler, a heating system that generates hot water or steam for home heating. Also known as central heating unit, it . Only certified gas technicians can legally work on gas boilers. Calling the wrong person risks leaks, fines, or worse.

These aren’t isolated issues. They’re part of a bigger pattern: people are tired of being told to replace things too soon. Manufacturers push upgrades, but real life doesn’t always line up with sales pitches. You don’t need a new oven just because it’s 8 years old. You don’t need a new washing machine because it’s making a weird noise. You need to know what’s broken, how much it costs to fix, and whether the fix will last. That’s what this collection gives you—clear, no-fluff answers based on what’s actually happening in homes right now. Below, you’ll find real breakdowns of common appliance failures, repair costs, and when to walk away. No marketing. No guesswork. Just what works.