4 go-the-distance small appliance brands that are worth your money

byblognet -8/20/2025 05:50:00 PM

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From making your morning brew to whipping up a quick dinner, small appliances are an everyday staple.

When they fail, it’s not only frustrating, it’s also wasteful and bad for the planet. With living costs continuously rising, choosing a brand that won’t let you down is more important than ever.

Our small appliance reliability survey will help you do just that. This year, we surveyed more than 14,000 owners about the air fryers, coffee machines, kettles, microwaves and toasters they own. We asked them about any problems their products have had, how well they’ve lasted and whether they’d buy the brand again. Crunching through all that data reveals which brands are worth the money, and those more likely to let you down.

Be inspired to make home improvements.

At a glance: appliance faults

How to make your small appliances last longer

Clean regularly

This is one of the simplest and easiest ways to prolong the life of your appliance.

Appliances that use water, such as coffee machines and kettles, are prone to limescale build-up. If you live in a hard water area, keeping on top of descaling will ensure optimal performance. Some small home appliances, such as coffee machines, have an indicator to remind you, but for others, you’ll need to check the manual for advice on how often to descale.

Keeping your toaster crumb-free will not only stop it overheating but also ensures your kitchen doesn’t smell of burnt toast. Overheating can potentially damage your toaster and is a fire risk. Ensure you regularly clean the crumb tray.

To prevent food from building up and sticking to the interior of your microwave, tackle spills straight away. Dried-on mess will be harder to shift.

Keep the manual handy and read it before use

Another seemingly simple one, but a thorough reading of your appliance instructions can reveal tips to help you keep your appliance running without hassle for as long as possible. For example:

Air fryers should be placed at an appropriate distance away from walls and the undersides of cupboards during use. Likewise, the top of freestanding microwaves should not be covered as this can lead to overheating, posing a fire risk.

If it’s been a while since you last used it, run a rinse cycle on your coffee machine.

Often, instruction manuals list things you shouldn't do or risk invalidating your warranty, so at a bare minimum, it's always worth skimming this section before you get started.

Respect their limits

Not only will this help you to extend the life of your appliance, it will mean that the manufacturer is more likely to honour your rights if something goes wrong - as you've used it correctly rather than exhausting it to within an inch of its life.

For example, avoid overfilling your air fryer: too much food can hinder cooking performance or even come into contact with the heating element.

Your rights when things go wrong

Appliance failures can be frustrating, especially if the manufacturer’s warranty doesn’t cover the fault. So what can you do when things go wrong?

1. Contact the retailer where you purchased your appliance

The 2015 Consumer Rights Act states that every product you buy must be as described, fit for purpose and of satisfactory quality.

If any product fails to hit the mark, the retailer must uphold your statutory consumer rights and rectify the problem before it's passed onto the manufacturer.

2. Explain the issue and ask for a refund

If you buy a product that turns out to be faulty, you have a 30-day ‘right to reject’ to claim a refund, repair or replacement.

3. Know your rights

Even if 30 days have passed, you may still be able to ask for a repair or replacement. If you’ve owned the item for less than six months, the retailer must give you a full refund if an attempt at a repair or replacement is unsuccessful.