How long should appliances last?

Typical service life runs about 13 to 15 years for a refrigerator or gas range, 10 to 13 for a washer, dryer, or electric range, around 9 to 12 for a dishwasher, and roughly 9 for a microwave. Water heaters are their own category, about 8 to 12 years for a tank model and often 20 for tankless. These are averages, and maintenance moves them meaningfully: cleaning the dryer vent, flushing a water heater, and vacuuming refrigerator coils all add years.

The repair-or-replace decision has a usable rule: if the repair costs more than about half the price of a new comparable unit and the appliance is past half its expected life, replacement usually wins, especially where a newer model cuts energy or water use enough to pay part of the difference. Below that threshold, repair. Worth knowing honestly: many people feel modern appliances fail sooner than the ones they grew up with, and there is something to it, more electronics, more complex parts, and thinner margins, though today's units also use dramatically less energy and water than their indestructible predecessors. Extended warranties are usually a poor bet; the same money set aside covers repairs on average and stays yours if nothing breaks.