Data page / How long appliances last

How long appliances last, and when repair stops paying

Two numbers decide whether an appliance is worth repairing: what it costs to replace, and how much of its expected life is left. This page collects both, for every appliance the site covers. Nothing here is estimated by us — each lifespan and each price band is taken from the guide for that fault, where it is tied to a named source and, where the source publishes one, a sample size.

Lifespan and repair cost by appliance

Appliance	Expected life	Repair band	Replacement	Guides
dishwasher	8-10 years	$130-$514	$600-$1,000	6
garbage disposal	8-10 years	$209-$1,003	$150-$599	2
refrigerator	8-13 years	$150-$956	$700-$3,200	6
dryer	10-13 years	$199-$437	$550-$1,400	5
microwave	10 years	$265-$527	$130-$1,000	2
washing machine	10-11 years	$296-$445	$700-$1,100	8
water heater	10 years	$253-$1,791	$599-$1,120	1
home appliance	12 years	$320-$380	not published	1
central air conditioner	12 years	$279-$849	$3,444-$5,359	1
freezer	12 years	$295-$504	$700-$1,100	3
cooktop	13 years	$255-$530	$700-$2,000	2
oven	15 years	$302-$501	$700-$1,500	3
range hood	15 years	$99-$850	$300-$850	1
toilet	15 years	$264-$565	$375-$625	1
gas stove	16 years	$295-$455	$600-$3,000	1
boiler	25 years	$190-$2,375	$6,000-$12,000	1
commercial dishwasher	not published	$364-$849	not published	1
commercial oven	not published	$463-$1,361	not published	1
commercial washer	not published	$317-$500	not published	1
furnace	not published	$180-$490	not published	1
walk-in cooler	not published	$283-$3,536	not published	1
walk-in freezer	not published	$486-$1,880	not published	1
wine cooler	not published	$281-$577	not published	1

The repair band is the span across this site's guides for that appliance, which is why it is wider than any one fault: a dishwasher can sit at the price of a door gasket and at the price of a control board. The expected life is the planning figure the cited sources use for the replacement decision, not a warranty and not a promise; where the sources publish no life for the machine itself, the column says so instead of guessing.

How long should each appliance last?

The same figures, asked the way owners ask them. Every answer below is the planning life the cited sources use for the replacement decision, the price of a comparable new machine, and the span of completed repairs across this site's guides for that appliance — nothing here is a second estimate, and where a source publishes no life for the machine, the answer says that instead of filling the gap. Owners ask this three ways — how long does a dishwasher last, what is the average life of a dishwasher, how long is its lifespan — and the sources behind this page answer with one number rather than three.

How long does a dishwasher last?

8-10 years. A comparable new unit runs $600-$1,000, and the repair band across the 6 guides here is $130-$514. Every dishwasher fault, side by side.

How long does a garbage disposal last?

8-10 years. A comparable new unit runs $150-$599, and the repair band across the 2 guides here is $209-$1,003. Every garbage disposal fault, side by side.

How long does a refrigerator last?

8-13 years. A comparable new unit runs $700-$3,200, and the repair band across the 6 guides here is $150-$956. Every refrigerator fault, side by side.

How long does a dryer last?

10-13 years. A comparable new unit runs $550-$1,400, and the repair band across the 5 guides here is $199-$437. Every dryer fault, side by side.

How long does a microwave last?

10 years. A comparable new unit runs $130-$1,000, and the repair band across the 2 guides here is $265-$527. Every microwave fault, side by side.

How long does a washing machine last?

10-11 years. A comparable new unit runs $700-$1,100, and the repair band across the 8 guides here is $296-$445. Every washing machine fault, side by side.

How long does a water heater last?

10 years. A comparable new unit runs $599-$1,120, and the repair band across the 1 guide here is $253-$1,791. The guide for this machine.

How long does a home appliance last?

12 years. The 1 guide behind this row carry a repair band of $320-$380. The guide for this machine.

How long does a central air conditioner last?

12 years. A comparable new unit runs $3,444-$5,359, and the repair band across the 1 guide here is $279-$849. The guide for this machine.

How long does a freezer last?

12 years. A comparable new unit runs $700-$1,100, and the repair band across the 3 guides here is $295-$504. Every freezer fault, side by side.

How long does a cooktop last?

13 years. A comparable new unit runs $700-$2,000, and the repair band across the 2 guides here is $255-$530. Every cooktop fault, side by side.

How long does an oven last?

15 years. A comparable new unit runs $700-$1,500, and the repair band across the 3 guides here is $302-$501. Every oven fault, side by side.

How long does a range hood last?

15 years. A comparable new unit runs $300-$850, and the repair band across the 1 guide here is $99-$850. The guide for this machine.

How long does a toilet last?

15 years. A comparable new unit runs $375-$625, and the repair band across the 1 guide here is $264-$565. The guide for this machine.

How long does a gas stove last?

16 years. A comparable new unit runs $600-$3,000, and the repair band across the 1 guide here is $295-$455. The guide for this machine.

How long does a boiler last?

25 years. A comparable new unit runs $6,000-$12,000, and the repair band across the 1 guide here is $190-$2,375. The guide for this machine.

How long does a commercial dishwasher last?

No source cited on this site publishes an expected life for the machine itself, so the table above says so rather than guessing. The 1 guide behind this row carry a repair band of $364-$849. The guide for this machine.

How long does a commercial oven last?

No source cited on this site publishes an expected life for the machine itself, so the table above says so rather than guessing. The 1 guide behind this row carry a repair band of $463-$1,361. The guide for this machine.

How long does a commercial washer last?

No source cited on this site publishes an expected life for the machine itself, so the table above says so rather than guessing. The 1 guide behind this row carry a repair band of $317-$500. The guide for this machine.

How long does a furnace last?

No source cited on this site publishes an expected life for the machine itself, so the table above says so rather than guessing. The 1 guide behind this row carry a repair band of $180-$490. The guide for this machine.

How long does a walk-in cooler last?

No source cited on this site publishes an expected life for the machine itself, so the table above says so rather than guessing. The 1 guide behind this row carry a repair band of $283-$3,536. The guide for this machine.

How long does a walk-in freezer last?

No source cited on this site publishes an expected life for the machine itself, so the table above says so rather than guessing. The 1 guide behind this row carry a repair band of $486-$1,880. The guide for this machine.

How long does a wine cooler last?

No source cited on this site publishes an expected life for the machine itself, so the table above says so rather than guessing. The 1 guide behind this row carry a repair band of $281-$577. The guide for this machine.

Guide by guide

Each row links to the guide it comes from, where the figure is broken down by cause and by source.

Guide	Expected life	Repair band	Replacement
home appliance: an appliance has started making a noise it never made before	12 years	$320–$380	n/a
boiler: the radiators stay cold while the boiler runs	25 years	$190–$2,375	$6,000–$12,000
Bosch dishwasher: standing water at the bottom of the tub	8 years	$130–$360	$600–$1,000
central air conditioner: the house never gets cool	12 years	$279–$849	$3,444–$5,359
commercial dishwasher: a commercial dishwasher whose final rinse will not reach 180F	n/a	$364–$849	n/a
commercial oven: a commercial oven or range that has stopped heating or will not light	n/a	$463–$1,361	n/a
commercial washer: a stacked or shared washer in a building laundry that is leaking	n/a	$317–$500	n/a
cooktop: the glass top of the cooktop is cracked or chipped	13 years	$255–$530	$700–$2,000
cooktop: a cooktop zone that has stopped heating while the surface is intact	13 years	$321–$440	$700–$2,000
dishwasher: water on the floor in front of the dishwasher	10 years	$275–$419	n/a
dishwasher: the machine runs a full cycle and the dishes still come out dirty	10 years	$300–$480	$600–$1,000
dishwasher: the dishes come out wet at the end of the cycle	10 years	$294–$514	n/a
dishwasher: a dishwasher whose cycle runs but never takes water, so the load comes out dry	10 years	$330	$600–$1,000
dishwasher: the dishwasher will not start, and the panel is either dead or lit with nothing happening	10 years	$280–$500	$600–$1,000
dryer: the dryer runs but the drum does not turn	13 years	$322–$338	$550–$1,400
dryer: the clothes come out damp after a full cycle	13 years	$350–$368	$550–$1,400
dryer: the drum turns but the load comes out cold	10 years	$311–$437	$550–$1,400
dryer: the dryer vent has not been cleaned and the run is loading up with lint	13 years	$199–$405	n/a
dryer: the dryer will not turn on at all	13 years	$343	$550–$1,400
freezer: the freezer is warm inside while everything sounds like it is running	12 years	$342–$470	n/a
freezer: frost keeps building up inside the freezer and comes back after defrosting	12 years	$295–$504	n/a
freezer: the freezer runs constantly and nothing in it stays frozen	12 years	$302–$500	$700–$1,100
furnace: the air from the vents never gets warm	n/a	$180–$490	n/a
garbage disposal: the disposal hums but the grinding plate does not turn	10 years	$319–$580	$150–$450
garbage disposal: water under the sink below the disposal	8 years	$209–$1,003	$399–$599
gas stove: the gas burner clicks but will not light	16 years	$295–$455	$600–$3,000
refrigerator: the water dispenser still works but there is no ice	8 years	$297–$489	$700–$3,200
microwave: it runs but the food comes out cold	10 years	$265–$527	$130–$1,000
microwave: the microwave smells of burning or old grease	10 years	$265–$527	$130–$1,000
oven: the oven door glass has cracked or shattered	15 years	$352–$501	n/a
oven: the oven never reaches the temperature you set	15 years	$302–$478	$700–$1,500
oven: the oven cooks unevenly or at the wrong temperature	15 years	$319–$469	$700–$1,500
range hood: the range hood runs but does not clear the air	15 years	$99–$850	$300–$850
refrigerator: the refrigerator runs constantly and never gets cold	13 years	$372–$956	n/a
refrigerator: a water dispenser that gives no water, or only a trickle	13 years	$379	$900–$2,000
refrigerator: the door has stopped sealing and the refrigerator runs constantly	13 years	$332–$629	n/a
refrigerator: a puddle that keeps returning under the refrigerator	13 years	$320–$493	$900–$2,000
refrigerator: a warm fresh-food compartment while the freezer stays cold	12 years	$150–$650	$700–$3,200
toilet: the tank refills every few minutes	15 years	$264–$565	$375–$625
walk-in cooler: a self contained walk-in cooler that will not hold temperature	n/a	$283–$3,536	n/a
walk-in freezer: a self contained walk-in freezer that is icing up and losing temperature	n/a	$486–$1,880	n/a
washing machine: a washing machine whose door is still locked after the cycle ends	11 years	$350–$440	$700–$1,100
washing machine: water on the floor around the washing machine	11 years	$362–$406	$700–$1,100
washing machine: the drum fills but the agitator does not move the clothes	11 years	$307–$427	$700–$1,100
washing machine: a tub full of standing water at the end of the cycle	10 years	$320–$442	$700–$1,100
washing machine: the cycle ends with the clothes soaking wet	11 years	$296–$427	$700–$1,100
washing machine: the washing machine shakes, walks or bangs during the spin	11 years	$367–$372	$700–$1,100
washing machine: a front load washer that smells musty and leaves the smell on clean laundry	11 years	$310–$445	$700–$1,100
washing machine: the washing machine will not start or stalls mid-cycle	11 years	$376	$700–$1,100
water heater: no hot water at all	10 years	$253–$1,791	$599–$1,120
wine cooler: a cabinet that runs but will not hold its temperature	n/a	$281–$577	n/a

How the two numbers decide it

The test the guides apply is the half-of-new-price rule: if the quote for the repair passes roughly half the price of a comparable new machine, the money is better spent on the machine. Two corrections matter more than the rule itself. The first is age — the same repair is worth doing on a five-year-old appliance and not on one already past its expected life, because the next failure is already queued. The second is what is being repaired: a lid switch or a door gasket is a part doing its job at the end of its life, while bearings, a sealed system or a control board on an old machine is the machine telling you it is finished.

What the bands do not cover

Prices are US market figures from the sources, converted to nothing and adjusted for nothing: your quote will differ by market, by brand and by how accessible the appliance is. The repair bands are also for the fault, not for your fault — the guide behind each row splits it by cause, which is the number to compare with a quote. Nothing on this site is a quote or a diagnosis, and the safety notes on each guide are the ones that matter before anything is opened.

Where the figures come from

Every row traces back to a fact record: the symptom variants people actually search for, the causes ranked with their likelihood, the cost and the time for each, the safety conditions, and the age-and-quote rule that settles the decision. Each record cites published price guides and, where they exist, repair companies that publish medians from their own completed work orders together with the number of jobs behind them. When a source publishes no duration for a job, or no part-only price, the record says so rather than filling the gap.

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