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When an appliance breaks, should you repair it or replace it?
If the repair costs half the price of a new appliance, seriously consider buying new, said Mark Kotkin, director of survey research at Consumer Reports.
According to the magazine’s research, any major household appliance more than 8 years old should be considered for replacement rather than repair. Another generalization from Consumer Reports: Skip the repair and buy new if your appliance costs less than $150. For example, it’s not going to pay to repair an out-of-warranty toaster.
“It’s always a question people have, especially older people who are used to repairing things,” Kotkin said.
Gregory Karp, Chicago Tribune
