How long do a washing machine, fridge and dishwasher last?

A washing machine rarely breaks down at a convenient moment. It usually happens in the middle of a busy week, with a drum full of wet laundry, and a new one has to arrive within days. So you buy whatever is in stock, at whatever it costs that week.

That can be avoided. Not by predicting when an appliance will give up, but by knowing how old it is and what a typical lifespan looks like. This article covers what you can expect from white goods, the signs that the end is getting close, and how to plan a replacement instead of being caught out by it.

This short video shows the idea behind Domeaz: one place for every appliance in your home.

What is a normal lifespan?

There are no fixed numbers: lifespan depends on the brand, how often you use the appliance and whether it has been maintained. There are averages you can plan around. The figures below come from the Netherlands, where Domeaz is made; averages in other countries are in the same range.

Appliance	Average lifespan	Source
Washing machine	about 12 years	Consumentenbond (Dutch consumer association)
Fridge	about 13 to 15 years	Consumentenbond
Dishwasher	about 10 years	Consumentenbond

Treat these as guide values. A washing machine that runs every day for a family of five wears out faster than the same machine used twice a week. And a dishwasher whose filter is never rinsed reaches ten years less often.

For other appliances, such as a tumble dryer, oven or freezer, figures vary more by manufacturer and type. Check the manual or the brand’s website, and make a note of what it says.

Heating and energy are left out here. With a boiler, heat pump or solar panels the amounts are much larger, and service contracts and subsidies come into it; that calls for its own assessment.

Technical and economic lifespan

There are two moments at which an appliance can be “finished”.

The technical lifespan ends when the appliance stops working and a repair is no longer possible or costs too much.

The economic lifespan ends when the appliance still works, but uses so much electricity, gas or water that a new one would pay for itself. This matters most for appliances that are always on, such as a fridge or freezer. An old fridge can keep cooling for years while costing you more than necessary every year.

Which of the two weighs more differs per appliance and per household. It helps to know what your biggest appliances use, from the energy label or a plug-in meter, and to include that in your overview of household fixed costs.

How do you tell an appliance is wearing out?

An appliance often gives signals before it stops for good.

• Washing machine: more noise or vibration during the spin, water that does not drain properly, rust spots, or play in the drum.
• Fridge: the motor runs more often or for longer, ice builds up at the back, the door seal no longer closes, or food spoils sooner.
• Dishwasher: dishes that come out dirty or wet although the filter is clean, water left in the bottom after a cycle, or error codes that keep returning.

A single signal does not mean the appliance has to go. Often one part has worn out. But when several signals show up in an appliance that is already getting old, it is sensible to start looking around.

Repair or replace?

A common rule of thumb: if the repair costs more than half the price of a new appliance, and the appliance is past the halfway point of its expected life, replacing is usually the better choice. If it is still in the first half, repairing pays off more often.

When something breaks, always check first whether you are still entitled to a free repair. In the EU you have a legal guarantee of at least two years, and in some countries your rights last longer. How that works, and what you need to be able to show, is covered in our article on the EU legal guarantee for appliances.

How to make an appliance last longer

Most appliances only reach their average lifespan if they are looked after. It is rarely much work.

• Washing machine: clean the lint filter and the detergent drawer a few times a year, and run a hot cycle without laundry now and then.
• Fridge: keep the distance from the wall that the manual gives, clear dust from the grille at the back and check the door seal.
• Dishwasher: rinse the filter regularly, top up salt and rinse aid, and check that the spray arms are not blocked.

A fixed rhythm helps more than good intentions. Our home maintenance schedule lists what is due in each season.

Seeing a replacement coming

If you know the purchase year of every large appliance, you can look ahead. List the appliances with their age and the average lifespan next to it. You will see at a glance what is likely to be due in the next few years.

You can do three things with that:

1. Save. An eleven-year-old washing machine is not an emergency, but it is a reason to start setting money aside now.
2. Choose calmly. If you know the fridge will need replacing within a few years, you can compare models and wait for a good offer, instead of taking the first one available.
3. Spread the cost. If all the kitchen appliances were installed at once when the house was built or renovated, they will also wear out at about the same time. Replacing one earlier keeps everything from landing in the same year.

The same goes when you move. Ask the previous owners for the year of the built-in appliances, or look it up on the rating plate. Our article on the home file covers what else belongs with it.

How Domeaz helps

In Domeaz you record the brand, model, purchase date and warranty for each appliance, with the receipt attached. With Smart Scan you photograph the rating plate and the app fills in the details. That way you know how old every appliance is without digging through folders.

You add maintenance as a recurring task, so you get a reminder when the filter needs cleaning or the dishwasher needs descaling. And before a warranty runs out, you get a heads-up.

Domeaz is free to start, with no ads and your data stored in the EU. See how it works.