By clicking a retailer link you consent to third-party cookies that track your onward journey. This enables W? to receive an affiliate commission if you make a purchase, which supports our mission to be the UK's consumer champion.
4 go-the-distance small appliance brands that are worth your money
From making your morning brew to whipping up a quick dinner, small appliances are an everyday staple.
When they fail, it’s not only frustrating, it’s also wasteful and bad for the planet. With living costs continuously rising, choosing a brand that won’t let you down is more important than ever.
Our small appliance reliability survey will help you do just that. This year, we surveyed more than 14,000 owners about the air fryers, coffee machines, kettles, microwaves and toasters they own. We asked them about any problems their products have had, how well they’ve lasted and whether they’d buy the brand again. Crunching through all that data reveals which brands are worth the money, and those more likely to let you down.
Be inspired to make home improvements. Sign up for our free monthly Home newsletter
This article is exclusively for Which? members. Which? members can log in to reveal the best and worst small kitchen appliance brands.
At a glance: appliance faults
Our survey reveals what the most common small appliance faults are.
Exclusively for Which? magazine, we also combine our reliability survey data and our test data, to calculate a best overall brand.
| Appliance type | Most common fault | Which? mag best overall brand | Customer score | Brand reliability rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air fryers | Cooking performance deteriorates (24% of faulty products) | |||
| Coffee machines | Problems dispensing coffee (20% of faulty products) | |||
| Kettles | Broken switch (13% of faulty products) | |||
| Microwaves | Rust inside the microwave (10% of faulty products) | |||
| Toasters | Heating element stops working (29% of faulty products) |
Table notes: Based on a July 2025 online survey of 7,643 Which? Connect members and 6,978 members of the public. Customer score based on how happy owners are with the brand and their likelihood of recommending it. Kettle, microwave, and toaster results based on seven years of ownership; air fryer and coffee machine results based on six years.
How to make your small appliances last longer
Clean regularly
This is one of the simplest and easiest ways to prolong the life of your appliance.
- Appliances that use water, such as coffee machines and kettles, are prone to limescale build-up. If you live in a hard water area, keeping on top of descaling will ensure optimal performance. Some small home appliances, such as coffee machines, have an indicator to remind you, but for others, you’ll need to check the manual for advice on how often to descale.
- Keeping your toaster crumb-free will not only stop it overheating but also ensures your kitchen doesn’t smell of burnt toast. Overheating can potentially damage your toaster and is a fire risk. Ensure you regularly clean the crumb tray.
- To prevent food from building up and sticking to the interior of your microwave, tackle spills straight away. Dried-on mess will be harder to shift.
Keep the manual handy and read it before use
Another seemingly simple one, but a thorough reading of your appliance instructions can reveal tips to help you keep your appliance running without hassle for as long as possible. For example:
- Air fryers should be placed at an appropriate distance away from walls and the undersides of cupboards during use. Likewise, the top of freestanding microwaves should not be covered as this can lead to overheating, posing a fire risk.
- If it’s been a while since you last used it, run a rinse cycle on your coffee machine.
Often, instruction manuals list things you shouldn't do or risk invalidating your warranty, so at a bare minimum, it's always worth skimming this section before you get started.
Respect their limits
Not only will this help you to extend the life of your appliance, it will mean that the manufacturer is more likely to honour your rights if something goes wrong - as you've used it correctly rather than exhausting it to within an inch of its life.
For example, avoid overfilling your air fryer: too much food can hinder cooking performance or even come into contact with the heating element.
Your rights when things go wrong
Appliance failures can be frustrating, especially if the manufacturer’s warranty doesn’t cover the fault. So what can you do when things go wrong?
1. Contact the retailer where you purchased your appliance
The 2015 Consumer Rights Act states that every product you buy must be as described, fit for purpose and of satisfactory quality.
If any product fails to hit the mark, the retailer must uphold your statutory consumer rights and rectify the problem before it's passed onto the manufacturer.
2. Explain the issue and ask for a refund
If you buy a product that turns out to be faulty, you have a 30-day ‘right to reject’ to claim a refund, repair or replacement.
If you're unsure where to begin, we have a handy faulty goods complaint tool to help you write a letter of complaint.
3. Know your rights
Even if 30 days have passed, you may still be able to ask for a repair or replacement. If you’ve owned the item for less than six months, the retailer must give you a full refund if an attempt at a repair or replacement is unsuccessful.
Read more: Faulty product? How to get a refund, repair or replacement
Which? member benefits
A Which? subscription gives you access to all our product tests, reviews and recommendations online, plus a host of other perks. Discover:
- 14 brilliant benefits of a Which? membership – from personalised advice to Great Value and eco-friendly recommendations, we've got you covered.
- How to get the most out of your Which? app – put the power of Which? recommendations in your pocket.
- Free Which? tools – dozens of tools to help simplify tricky choices, from financial calculators to consumer rights advice.
- Amazing machines from the Which? labs – get the inside track on our lab tests, as we speak to the scientists who put the rigour into our reviews.
If you're not yet a Which? member, you can join Which?
This article uses insights from the Which? Connect panel, collected from research activities with our members. Find out how to get involved
