How long should a drill, mower or vacuum last?

Tools are sold on toughness. If a mower or a drill was bought for the house and gives out early, the Act asks what a reasonable person would expect for the money.

Under $300

2yr

$300 to $1,499

5yr

$1,500 and over

8yr

I Kept It's estimate of reasonable cover for tools, 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 tools 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

Drills and drivers
Lawnmowers and line trimmers
Vacuums
Water blasters
Chainsaws
Workshop power tools

03What moves the number

Household or trade. The CGA covers goods bought for personal or household use. Tools bought for a business may be contracted out of it.
Consumables are consumables. Blades, bits, bags, filters and batteries on tools wear out by design.
Servicing. A petrol mower that was never serviced is a weaker claim than one that was.
Brand tiers. The same brand often sells a homeowner range and a trade range; the price tells the Act which one you bought.

04A worked example

A $450 cordless drill kit. The motor burns out at 20 months of weekend use. The warranty was 12 months on the tool and six on the battery.

At that price I Kept It estimates 5 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.