The most reliable large appliance brands: new Which? survey results revealed

Choosing a home appliance brand that's less likely to fail is one of the best ways to make your money go further.

In our unique survey*, we asked more than 10,200 people to tell us about the dishwasher, washing machine, tumble dryer, vacuum cleaner, fridge or freezer they own, and any problems they've experienced with it. 

We cross-analysed the results of more than 33,000 appliances with our testing data for more than 1,000 products to find the best large appliance brands.

As we often discover, spending more on a brand doesn't always guarantee a fault-free appliance. Read on to find out more.

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Which brands make the most reliable appliances?

Corded vacuum cleaners

Vacuum cleaners from one of the most reliable brands developed faults in only 8% of cases in the first seven years of ownership. For another brand, that figure was 37%.

Find out which vacuum cleaner brand is the most reliable

Cordless vacuum cleaners

Only one brand earned five out of five stars for reliability. Another brand's reliability was so poor that its cordless vacuum cleaners can no longer earn our Eco Buy recommendation. That's because you'll likely need to replace it sooner than expected, at a cost to you and to the planet. 

Find out which cordless vacuum cleaner brand is the most reliable

Dishwashers

Most owners of dishwashers from one brand (89%) said they would happily go with the same brand again, if they needed to replace their dishwasher tomorrow. For another brand, that figure drops to just one in three. 

Find out which dishwasher brand is the most reliable

Fridges

Some brands earn four or five stars for reliability, but not all of them make models that earn our Best Buy endorsement or have high test scores on average. You want a brand that marries good performance from day one with longevity. 

Find out which fridge brand is the most reliable

Freezers

One famous freezer brand is reliable, with very few (2%) of its products developing faults. But it's also one of the most expensive freezer brands, and its models aren't always among the best in our tests. While reliability matters, a freezer needs to excel at its key task.  

Find out which freezer brand is the most reliable

Fridge freezers

Average prices for the fridge freezers we've tested range from less than £320 for one brand to more than £1,200 for another. Do the more expensive brands go the distance and represent value for money?

Find out which fridge freezer brand is the most reliable

Washing machines

We found that 65% of washing machines from one brand earn our Best Buy accolade, while others make no Best Buys whatsoever. Average test scores across washing machine brands range from 77% to 58%. 

Find out which washing machine brand is the most reliable

Tumble dryers

You can pay less than £300 for a tumble dryer or upwards of £1,000. Going for the pricier brand generally gets you a better, more reliable tumble dryer, but some brands cost a bit less and still perform well. 

Find out which tumble dryer brand is the most reliable

More of the best large appliance brands

Our large appliance surveys are a huge undertaking, so we alternate which appliances we ask people about each year. Last year, we also ran a survey on the following appliances:

Built-in ovens

Reliability really varies across built-in ovens, with a pretty even split of brands earning five, four, three and two stars. Nearly a quarter of models from one brand developed faults over the first seven years. 

Find out which built-in oven brand is the most reliable

Freestanding cookers

Shockingly, no freestanding cooker brand earned more than three stars for reliability. The most common fault across all brands was the oven no longer heating up properly. 

Find out which freestanding cooker brand is the most reliable

Hobs

Almost all (97%) owners of a hob from one brand said it represented good value for money. Customer scores for hob brands ranged from 81% to 61%.

Find out which hob brand is the most reliable

Range cookers

One brand earned such a low reliability rating that it can no longer earn our Eco Buy endorsement. That's because you'll likely need to replace it sooner than expected, at a cost to you and to the planet. 

Find out which range cooker brand is the most reliable

Washer-dryers

Not a single washer-dryer brand earned a five-star reliability score in our survey. The most reliable brands earn just three stars. One brand can no longer earn our Best Buy, Great Value or Eco Buy endorsements on account of how unreliable it is. 

Find out which washer-dryer brand is the most reliable

Visit our appliances hub to find all our news, reviews and advice on everything from toasters to tumble dryers

Easy ways to make your appliances last longer

1. Research before you buy

Knowing which brands develop the most faults and how quickly they come up should be an important part of any buying decision.

Our large appliance survey analysis takes into account which brands are more susceptible to faults and whether they were serious enough to need to get the appliance repaired, or worse, replaced entirely. This will help you find the very best appliance possible for your budget.

Head over to our guide on choosing the best kitchen appliances. 

2. Keep appliances clean

It may sound obvious, but keeping your appliances clean can help them perform better and ward off problems in the long run.

One of the most common problems plaguing dishwashers, for example, is a drop in cleaning performance. This issue accounted for 9% of reported dishwasher problems in our survey and can often be remedied simply by unclogging the filter and spray arm and running a machine clean program. You should aim to do the former about once a month and the latter about every 20 cycles. Keep it topped up with salt and rinse aid - it has a significant impact on your dishwasher's performance.

Failing to defrost your freezer regularly can lead to ice build-up - a common problem that can affect energy efficiency. If it gets to the point that the door doesn't close properly, you'll have a difficult time keeping your food at the ideal temperature.

And when it comes to your vacuum cleaner, clean the filters and remove hair and fibres from the brush bar to help keep it fault-free for longer.

3. Follow the instructions

While your appliance instructions may not be the most exciting read, they contain important information that will help keep your gadget running longer. 

Eight per cent of tumble dryer faults are related to the drum. Most instruction manuals will warn you not to overfill a tumble dryer – clothes need space to tumble freely inside the machine to dry properly, and it also protects the drum. While not all drum problems will have been caused by overfilling, some likely will have been. 

All our appliance maintenance advice is free. Discover:

• how to defrost your fridge freezer
• common washing machine faults and how to fix them
• common dishwasher faults and how to fix them
• how to clean your oven 
• tumble dryer tips and maintenance
• how to fix a vacuum cleaner that's lost suction

4. Check whether your appliance can be repaired

If a problem does crop up, you might not need to replace your appliance. Investigate a repair first, as this will be better for the environment and save you the hassle of disposing of your old appliance. 

Clearly, some repairs are easier and more cost-effective than others. A costly repair on an inefficient appliance, for example, might not be practical or worthwhile. 

If you use an oven cleaning company to clean your oven, ask if they also do repairs. Some do, and if they're already disassembling your cooker to clean it, they can charge less for labour, and you'll save the cost of a separate call-out charge. 

Search Which? Trusted Traders to find vetted cleaning and repair companies in your local area. 

Appliances: your rights when things go wrong

Dealing with a faulty home appliance is frustrating and some of the most common faults may not be covered by your manufacturer's warranty. So what are your rights when things go wrong?

Here's what to do:

• Approach the retailer first before attempting to make a claim via a warranty. A faulty product is likely to be in breach of the Consumer Rights Act of 2015, which states that anything you buy must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described. If that's not the case, your statutory consumer rights must be upheld by the retailer – the company that sold you the product – not the manufacturer.
• Tell them about the problem and ask for your money back Visit our faulty goods complaint tool to generate a ready-to-go complaint letter. You have 30 days 'right to reject', which starts from when you take ownership of the appliance, to claim a refund, repair or replacement if it turns out to be faulty.
• Know your rights. Be aware that even after 30 days you may still be able to ask for a repair or a replacement, and 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.

Faulty product? Discover how to get a refund, repair or replacement

* Online survey of 4,514 Which? Connect panel members and 5,735 members of the public, July 2024