When Should You Get the Extended Warranty for Your Appliances?

I’ve been an appliance repair technician for more than 30 years, and I’ve seen very few times when my customers have benefited from an extended appliance warranty.

The type of repairs covered by extended warranties only pertain to defects from the manufacturer. In the many thousands of appliance repairs I’ve done, almost all were caused by the consumer, and those problems are not covered by these warranties.

Are Extended Warranties on Appliances Worth The Cost?

Generally not, though there are exceptions.

First, here are a few things to keep in mind about the standard warranties that come with all new appliances:

• Fill out and mail in the warranty card. For a limited time, it will protect you for free from manufacturer defects.
• Buy your appliance with a credit card that offers an extended warranty on the purchase for no extra charge.
• See the list below of things you can do to avoid the most common appliance mistakes.

In my experience, most properly-used appliances make it to their 10th year without needing repairs. That’s well beyond the length of most warranties, standard or extended. Some manufacturers, like Miele, actually design their appliances to last up to 20 years.

But in my experience, a few brands often have breakdowns before the fourth year:

• Fisher Paykel;
• GE (especially their dishwashers);
• LG and Samsung (especially their refrigerators);
• Maytag (current models);
• Whirlpool (top-loading washers).

When you go to most big box stores, you’ll tend to find the brands I just listed. They’re inexpensive and come with lots of interesting extra features. The problem is, they’re cheaply made and, in my experience, have the highest incidence of manufacturing defects.

It’s well worth it to spend more on a reliable machine that will give you years of worry-free service. You should get at least 10 years of service from your appliances.

In my experience, these brands that have the fewest breakdowns:

• Bosch (dishwashers);
• Miele;
• Speed Queen (washers and dryers);
• Whirlpool (except the new top-loading washers).

At our house, most of our appliances have lasted more than 20 years. We just replaced our 20-year-old Miele dishwasher with a Bosch. Last year we replaced our 23-year-old Whirlpool top-loading washer with a front-loading Whirlpool. And we’re still using our 25-year-old Whirlpool gas dryer.

When Does Buying an Extended Warranty Make Sense?

If the appliance is expensive and the cost of the warranty is less than 30% of the cost of the appliance, it’s worth considering. But appliance warranty companies often tack on an extra charge for higher end appliances.

Here are a few brands where it might make sense to purchase an extended appliance warranty:

• Miele;
• Sub-Zero;
• Thermador;
• Viking;
• Wolf.

A refrigerator is the only appliance I might buy an extended warranty for. They’re much more prone to breakdowns that involve expensive parts, like a circuit board.

When Is An Extended Warranty Not Worth It?

We’ve already mentioned the biggest reason to avoid extended warranties they don’t cover “user error,” the most common cause of appliance breakdowns. Here are some others:

• Warranty companies may charge a deductible for service: They may also want you to cover the $150 service call fee charged by the technician. This is on top of your monthly fee.
• High monthly costs: These can range for $30 to $40 per month, $350 to $600 per year. Why not just put away $200 each year into a special appliance repair savings account?
• Questionable contractors: I’ve had extended warranty companies cold-call me to go out the same day to do warranty service for them. They hadn’t vetted me, and all they knew was that I was an appliance technician. They didn’t ask me a single question about my work or experience. You have to use whoever they send to your house. In my experience, they haven’t checked the quality of that technician’s work.
• Pushy salespeople: Warranty companies offer large commissions to salespeople who push their products. In most cases, the extended warranty benefits them more than it will you.
• The warranty company could go out of business: Then you’re stuck, with no way to get your money back.

Who Has the Best Appliance Extended Warranty?

American Home Shield is highly rated online. However, I don’t have any direct experience with them.

I think you’re far better off buying a reputable brand appliance, maintaining it properly and putting some money away each year to cover possible repairs.

How To Avoid User-Error Appliance Breakdowns

• Washing machine: Don’t overload it.
• Dryer: Clean the lint filter after each use and clean the vent tube annually.
• Dishwasher: Rinse dishes before loading.
• Refrigerator: Clean the evaporator coils every six months and use a surge protector.
• Stove: Don’t allow boilovers onto the burners.
• Oven: Never use the self-clean feature.

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