CHOICE reliability survey

Our aim is to tell you which brands are built to last and which will cost you in the long run. CHOICE lab testing always rates performance and ease of use for new products, but we usually cannot test their longevity due to time - by the time we finished testing them, they wouldn't be available any longer.

This is where you come in. So, do products in our What to Buy list perform better in the long run? Could a Best Buy mean savings years down the track? And could a bigger purchase price save on repairs in the long run?

Our CHOICE experts weren't surprised by the results - the top-rating brands in our tests generally perform well in the reliability survey. So next time you're buying a new product, combine our test recommendations with our member feedback about long-term reliability.

How we survey

• Every few years, over 10,000 members complete the appliance reliability survey, giving a great response rate. Thanks to everyone who takes part.
• The survey identifies the most and least reliable brands, what are the major problems with newer appliances and which brands members are most and least likely to purchase again.
• Products purchased in the last few years are analysed for the types of problems users experienced and multiple responses are allowed.
• We screen the data – so if your brand isn’t listed here, it’s because we didn’t have a large enough sample size to report on. We do include the results from these samples, you'll find them in the tables listed as 'Other'.
• Where we report on "problems", the percentage is taken from those who said "yes" to experiencing problems in the last 12 months.
• We include calculations in some of the tables on the significance of the statistics we present. This refers to the percentage between brands that is relevant. When you see something along the lines of 'differences or 3% are significant', it means the more disparate the difference - in this case, 3% or more - the more relevant the difference. Keep this in mind when making your decision to buy.

Tips when buying

• Use our reliability results when buying - a bargain isn't a bargain if you're likely to be paying for a lot of repairs.
• Ask about the servicing arrangements - if something goes wrong, will you have to transport the product to get it repaired or will this be organised by the manufacturer?
• If you're buying a product that is manufactured overseas, make sure the brand has parts that are available and/or easy to access in Australia.
• As soon as you bring a new appliance home, staple the docket, warranty and manual together and put them in an 'appliance file'.
• If you're buying an appliance second hand, find out first if the brand is still available. If you purchase a brand that's no longer available (eg: Kleenmaid) parts may be difficult to find if it breaks down.
• Under the Trade Practices Act, if your appliance breaks down shortly after the warranty expires you may still be entitled to statutory warranty (also known as implied warranty). So, if you fork our the money to buy a fridge you would expect it to last. If it breaks down shortly after the written warranty you may be entitled to a refund under this act.

Overall Appliance reliability