Fix it.
Or fold it?
That broken appliance is giving you a choice. We give you the math to make it.
Let's do the math.
Start with our illustrative figures. Change anything that doesn't match your situation.
Replacing costs less per expected year of use. Your inputs—not a blanket rule—drive this result.
Using these assumptions, not a guaranteed saving.
Repair: ($400 + $0) ÷ 4.0 years. Replace: ($900 + $0) ÷ 13.0 years.
For your repair to match the replacement's cost per year, it needs to last at least 5.8 years. You currently expect 4.0 years.
These are editable example assumptions, not verified appliance-specific lifespan predictions, live quotes, or a technician's diagnosis. The model assumes a repair provides 4.0 useful years and a replacement provides 13.0. Future breakdowns, financing, energy use, and inflation are not automatically included. Treat your existing appliance's purchase price as a sunk cost.
Not “is $400 a lot?”
It's “what does $400 buy?”
A $400 repair that lasts four years costs about $100 per year. A $900 replacement that lasts thirteen years costs about $69 per year.
So in this particular example, replacement wins on cost per year—even though its price tag is higher today. But change the expected lifespan, and the answer changes with it.
Know what you've spent.
Keep a simple maintenance history on this device. Stored locally in this browser.
Add a repair or expense
Maintenance record
Start logging repairs to see the true cost of keeping an appliance running.
Before you decide.
Three practical things to check before spending your money.