Consider buying used when replacing appliances

  • By Angie Hicks
  • Tuesday, March 18, 2014 4:29pm
  • Life

What’s the better deal for your pocketbook and the environment: a new major appliance or a refurbished one?

Several consumers who recently replaced washers and dryers told our research team that they bought used because those models might last just as long as new ones and that reusing is a good “green” practice.

One couple said that when their 20-year-old washing machine finally died, they were disappointed when the brand-new replacement lasted only five years.

Instead of taking a chance on another new model, they spent $250 on a used model they figure will last at least as long as a new one.

Another consumer bought a refurbished dryer for $200 rather than spend $1,000 on a unit she believed would last no more than the 10 years she expects her used unit to remain reliable.

To these people, and others like them, buying used saves the green in wallets while eliminating the need to use resources to make a new washer or dryer.

Highly rated appliance repair pros tell our team that new appliances tend to have about half the life span of past models.

Reasons they cite include the use of cheaper raw materials and a greater reliance on computerized systems.

So if it’s time for you to replace a major appliance, particularly a washer or dryer, consider whether a refurbished model might be a good value, and find a local shop that’s gotten good consumer reviews on a trusted online site.

Before you buy new:

Consider a unit’s EPA Energy Star rating, but also how long it’s expected to last.

Research possible features and decide before shopping which ones you actually need.

After you buy, whether new or used:

Avoid overloading a washing machine; heavy or off-balance loads can cause damage. Empty pockets of coins, pens and other items that can damage the machine. Be sure to use the recommended type and amount of soap.

Clean the dryer’s lint screen before every load and periodically have the machine’s workings and vent cleaned. If your dryer takes longer than an hour to dry a standard-sized load, vent cleaning — at $100 or less, usually— could make it run like new.

Don’t neglect appropriate maintenance. Find a reputable appliance repair service through recommendations from family, friends and users of a trusted online review site.

Angie Hicks is the founder of Angie’s List, a resource for local consumer reviews on everything from home repair to health care; www.angieslist.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Brandon Hailey of Cytrus, center, plays the saxophone during a headlining show at Madam Lou’s on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood-based funk octet Cytrus has the juice

Resilience and brotherhood take center stage with ‘friends-first’ band.

FILE - In this April 11, 2014 file photo, Neko Case performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. Fire investigators are looking for the cause of a fire on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017, that heavily damaged Case’s 225-year-old Vermont home. There were no injuries, though a barn was destroyed. It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Singer-songwriter Neko Case, an indie music icon from Tacoma, performs Sunday in Edmonds.

The Moonlight Swing Orchestra will play classic sounds of the Big Band Era on April 21 in Everett. (submitted photo)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Relive the Big Band Era at the Port Gardner Music Society’s final concert of the season in Everett.

2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport AWD (Honda)
2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport AWD

Honda cedes big boy pickup trucks to the likes of Ford, Dodge… Continue reading

Would you want to give something as elaborate as this a name as mundane as “bread box”? A French Provincial piece practically demands the French name panetiere.
A panetiere isn’t your modern bread box. It’s a treasure of French culture

This elaborately carved French antique may be old, but it’s still capable of keeping its leavened contents perfectly fresh.

(Judy Newton / Great Plant Picks)
Great Plant Pick: Mouse plant

What: Arisarum proboscideum, also known as mouse plant, is an herbaceous woodland… Continue reading

Bright green Japanese maple leaves are illuminated by spring sunlight. (Getty Images)
Confessions of a ‘plantophile’: I’m a bit of a junky for Japanese maples

In fact, my addiction to these glorious, all-season specimens seems to be contagious. Fortunately, there’s no known cure.

2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited (Hyundai)
2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited

The 2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited is a sporty, all-electric, all-wheel drive sedan that will quickly win your heart.

The 2024 Dodge Hornet R/T hybrid’s face has the twin red lines signifying the brand’s focus on performance. (Dodge)
2024 Hornet R/T is first electrified performance vehicle from Dodge

The all-new compact SUV travels 32 miles on pure electric power, and up to 360 miles in hybrid mode.

chris elliott.
Vrbo promised to cover her rental bill in Hawaii, so why won’t it?

When Cheryl Mander’s Vrbo rental in Hawaii is uninhabitable, the rental platform agrees to cover her new accommodations. But then it backs out. What happened?

Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli
Tangier’s market boasts piles of fruits, veggies, and olives, countless varieties of bread, and nonperishables, like clothing and electronics.
Rick Steves on the cultural kaleidoscope of Tangier in Morocco

Walking through the city, I think to myself, “How could anyone be in southern Spain — so close — and not hop over to experience this wonderland?”

Don’t blow a bundle on glass supposedly made by the Henry William Stiegel

Why? Faked signatures, reused molds and imitated styles can make it unclear who actually made any given piece of glass.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.