The most reliable large appliance brands: new Which? survey results revealed

Choosing a large domestic appliance brand that's less likely to fail is one of the best ways to make your money go further.

In our unique owners' survey*, we asked more than 14,000 people to tell us about the dishwasher, fridge freezer, washing machine, tumble dryer, washer-dryer, hob, oven and cooker brands they own, and the problems they've experienced with them.

We cross-analysed the results of over 39,000 appliances with our testing data covering more than 1,400 products to find the best appliance brands.

As we often discover, spending more on a brand doesn't always guarantee a fault-free appliance. 

Visit the links below for in-depth information on each of the large home appliance brands we investigated, including how many appliances were reported faulty, what went wrong and whether the owners would buy the brand again.

Which? brand survey results by appliance type

You'd be surprised by some of the differences we've found between brands. For example:

Each brand receives a customer score, based on customer satisfaction and likelihood of recommending the brand to a friend. The dishwasher brand with the lowest customer score got 27% less than the highest. 

19% of fridge-freezers from one brand developed a fault within seven years. For another brand, the figure was just 3%. 

20% of washer-dryers from one brand developed a fault within the first two years of use.

1. Research before you buy

Knowing which brands develop the most faults and how quickly they come up, should be an important part of any buying decision.

Our large appliance brand survey analysis takes into account which brands are more susceptible to faults and whether they were serious enough to need to get the appliance repaired, or worse, replaced entirely. This will help you find the very best appliance possible for your budget.

2. Keep appliances clean

It may sound obvious, but keeping your dishwasher, fridge freezer or vacuum cleaner clean can help it to perform better and ward off problems in the long run.

One of the most common problems plaguing dishwashers, for example, is poor drainage. This issue accounted for 8% of reported dishwasher problems in our survey, and can often be remedied simply by giving the dishwasher filters or pump a good clean. 

Similarly, maintaining your vacuum cleaner regularly by cleaning the filters and removing hair and fibre from the brush bar can help to keep it fault-free for longer.

Cleaning and defrost your fridge freezer regularly to make it more energy efficient. Not doing so can lead to ice build-up, to the point that doors won't close and you'll have a difficult time keeping your food at the ideal temperature

Leave your washing machine open in between uses, from time to time, to let it dry out. Of course, only do this if you don't have pets or inquisitive small children. 

Descaling your dishwasher, and keeping it topped up with salt and rinse aid makes a much more significant impact on your dishwasher's performance than most people realise.

3. Follow the instructions

Your appliance instructions, while not the most exciting read, contain important information that will help keep your gadget running for longer. 

When we surveyed 1,195 Which? Connect panel members in 2021, an impressive 94% said that they read some or all of the instructions that come with their appliances. 

Over one in 10 tumble dryer faults related to the drum. Most instruction manuals will warn not to overfill a tumble dryer: giving clothes the space they need to tumble freely inside the machine will help them dry properly and protect the drum. While not all drum problems will have been caused by owners overstuffing them, it's possible that some will have been. 

4. Check whether your appliance can be repaired

If, despite your best efforts, a problem crops up, you might not need to replace your appliance. Investigate a repair first, as this will be better for the environment and save you the hassle of disposing of your old appliance. 

Clearly, some repairs are easier and more cost-effective than others. A costly repair on an inefficient appliance, for example, might not be practical or worthwhile. 

Sussex Oven Cleaning points out that some cleaning companies also offer basic repair services – something many people don't think of. 

So, if you've already employed a company to come round to clean your appliance, ask if they also do repairs. If they are they're already disassembling your appliance to clean it, they can charge less for labour time and you'll save the cost of a separate call out charge. 

 vetted cleaning and repair companies in your local area. 

Appliances: your rights when things go wrong

Dealing with a faulty home appliance is frustrating and some of the most common faults may not be covered by your manufacturer's warranty. So what are your rights when things go wrong?

Here's what to do:

Approach the retailer firstTell them about the problem and ask for your money backKnow your rights.* Survey: 8,992 Which? Connect panel members and 5,559 members of the public, August 2023

source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/best-and-worst-large-appliance-brands-new-which-survey-results-revealed-amGAa8e41VeC