How long should a fridge, washing machine or heat pump last?

Whiteware is bought to sit in one place for a decade. The Consumer Guarantees Act expects it to behave that way, long after a one or two year manufacturer warranty has run out.

Under $300

2yr

$300 to $1,499

5yr

$1,500 and over

8yr

I Kept It's estimate of reasonable cover for appliances, by price paid. These are our figures, not the law's: the Act sets no number of years.

01There is no fixed number in the law

Neither the New Zealand Consumer Guarantees Act nor the Australian Consumer Law says how many years appliances must last. Both ask what a reasonable person would expect, given what the product is, what it cost and what you were told when you bought it.

That is why the figures above move with price. They are the starting point I Kept It uses for every item you add, and they are deliberately conservative. A retailer, the Disputes Tribunal or a court may reach a different answer for your product.

02What counts

Fridges and freezers
Washing machines and dryers
Dishwashers
Ovens and cooktops
Heat pumps
Rangehoods

03What moves the number

Price. A $2,400 fridge carries a longer expectation than a $450 bar fridge, and the Act takes that into account.
Whether it is a fixed or built-in appliance. Things that cost money to install and remove are expected to last.
How you used it. Normal household use is the test. A domestic washer run in a rental laundromat is a different story.
What the seller told you. "Built to last 15 years" on the shop floor is part of what you bought.

04A worked example

A $3,200 heat pump. The compressor fails in year four. The manufacturer warranty covered parts for two years and labour for one.

At that price I Kept It estimates 8 years of reasonable cover. The manufacturer’s warranty has ended, but the claim against the shop that sold it has not. Put it to the retailer in writing, say it is a claim under the Consumer Guarantees Act, and say what you want: repair, replacement or a refund.

05What you need to make it stick

Proof of purchase, the date, the price, and a short record of what went wrong and when. Most people lose the receipt long before the product fails.

I Kept It keeps that evidence from the moment you buy: snap the receipt and it records the product, price and date, registers the manufacturer warranty, and shows how much of this estimate you have left.