If you like to impulse buy, there are plenty of kitchen appliances out there all promising to make your life a little bit easier. But unless you are going to get some serious use out of them, you may find that you are simply wasting your money. So, to help you make the decision as to whether something is useful or not, here are some of the key questions which you can ask yourself.
Return on Value
The return on value essentially refers to how much use you are going to get out of the appliance and how much it is going to add to your daily life. For example, a fridge is in constant use and is always going to be a worthwhile investment. You may find that a slow cooker is a worthwhile purchase because of all the time that you will save in food preparation. And if it comes to resale, are you going to be able to get any of the original cost back again?
Frequency of Use
In many ways, this is the crucial question. Your microwave may be in regular use to reheat food. However, a toasted sandwich machine may not be so worthwhile unless you are cooking toasties on a regular basis. Essentially, you need to be very honest with yourself before buying anything as to whether or not you are going to get enough use out of it to justify the purchase. You should also look to maintain the appliance as well as possible, which is where items like powerful washing machine cleaning tablets can come in and be useful.
Benefit to Your Kitchen
Is the appliance going to revolutionise the way you cook or is it simply going to be an added extra? For example, a blender will save you a huge amount of time in mixing various food items and it could realistically be used on a daily basis. But an ice cream maker is only going to come in handy during the warmer months of the year, so may not provide the same level of usefulness.
Will the Cleaning Process Deter You from Using the Appliance?
One of the most frustrating appliances in the kitchen to clean is the food processor. And while this may prove to be invaluable in some people’s kitchens, the amount of work that you have to put into disassembling it and cleaning each individual part will put others off.
Do You Want it Just For Novelty?
Of course, there is nothing wrong with buying something for novelty every now and again, but if you are jumping on every fad that comes along, this is going to end up getting very expensive. Don’t just get dazzled by the marketing and packaging of the product. And if you do buy it, keep it in a prominent place in the kitchen to make sure that you remember to use it once in a while!
Follow the 50% Rule
The 50% rule is a good rule of thumb in the repair/replace debate. So, if an appliance is over halfway through its lifespan and the cost of repairing it is over 50% of buying another one new, you should replace it rather than trying to repair it. To do this, you will need to know the typical lifespan and an estimate as to what the cost of repair is going to be.
To DIY or Not?
Before you attempt to repair anything yourself, make sure that you know what you are doing so that you don’t risk causing any more damage or putting yourself in danger. YouTube has plenty of repair videos if you have identified what the problem is in the first place. If in doubt, call out a professional.
Appliances tend to have an average useful life and it is worth checking how far along yours is. This will give you a rough guide of whether you should repair or replace. For example, dishwashers tend to last around nine years. If yours is only four years old, it is likely to be worth trying to repair it. However, if it is 11 years old, it may be time for a replacement instead.
Deciding whether to repair or replace an appliance can be a challenging choice, but hopefully, considering these points makes everything that little bit easier. Essentially, you need to work out how long you can expect your appliance to last and what the cost of repair will be in comparison to getting a new one. But first, make sure that it is actually broken and under warranty if it is!
You should now have a much better idea of whether you need an appliance and if it is going to add value to your kitchen.
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