Repair, Replace or Retire? Your November 2026 Appliance MOT

November is the month when kitchens start to earn their keep. The nights are darker, the slow cooker comes out, and by the time December arrives the oven is working overtime. Before the festive rush, it is worth spending half an hour giving your main appliances a calm, practical audit. Not a panic-buying spree, just a sensible look at what you have, what it is costing you and what needs to change.

Start with the big four

Ovens, hobs, fridge-freezers and dishwashers do most of the heavy lifting in a UK kitchen. Dig out the model numbers and note the age of each appliance. If you have the paperwork, check the warranty status. If not, the manufacturer’s website can usually tell you when a model was registered or when it was discontinued. Registering an appliance with the manufacturer, if you have not already done so, is also a good way to hear about safety recalls.

Walk around the kitchen with a notebook and write down symptoms rather than guesses. Does the oven take longer to heat? Is the fridge running constantly? Does the dishwasher leave grit on glasses? Is the hob ignition clicking when it should not? These notes will make a repair visit more efficient and help you compare quotes.

Energy-efficiency red flags

Older appliances are not automatically wasteful, but efficiency does drift over time. A fridge with a tired door seal is working harder than it should. An oven with a worn seal loses heat. A dishwasher with a clogged filter uses more water and energy to do the same job. Before you blame the appliance’s age, check the simple things: clean the filters, vacuum the condenser coils at the back of the fridge, and test the door seals with a piece of paper. If the paper slides out easily when the door is closed, the seal may need replacing.

A smart meter or plug-in energy monitor can give you a rough idea of running costs, though appliance ratings are only part of the story. How you use the appliance matters just as much. A smaller oven used sensibly can beat a larger one used for a single jacket potato. If an appliance is more than a decade old, inefficient and starting to fail, it is worth doing the maths rather than waiting for a dramatic breakdown in December.

Repair or replace: the maths

There is no universal rule, but a useful starting point is the 50 per cent test. If a repair costs more than half the price of a comparable new appliance, and the appliance is seven or eight years old, replacement is usually worth considering. If the repair is cheaper and the appliance is otherwise sound, repair often makes sense, especially if it buys you another three or four years.

Get two quotes where you can. Ask about the call-out fee, the cost of parts and whether the repair itself is guaranteed. A local repairer may be more affordable than a manufacturer’s service arm, but check that they can source genuine parts for your model. For built-in appliances, remember that replacement is not just the price of the appliance. You may need to adjust cabinetry, alter ventilation or move a socket. Factor that into the comparison.

Safety and warranty checks

Gas hobs and gas ovens should be checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Do not ignore a smell of gas, a lazy flame or a hob that clicks but will not light. For electrical appliances, check plugs and cables for damage, and make sure your kitchen sockets are protected by an RCD. If an appliance has been recalled, stop using it and follow the manufacturer’s advice.

Extended warranties are a personal choice, but they are rarely good value on older appliances. Your home insurance may already cover accidental damage, and your statutory rights as a UK consumer give you remedies if a product is faulty. Keep receipts and model numbers in one place. If you are planning a kitchen refit, check whether moving or replacing an integrated appliance will affect the warranty.

The festive stress test

Before December, run a proper test. Heat the oven to its highest setting and check that it reaches temperature. Try the grill. Test every hob ring. Check the fridge is running between 0°C and 4°C and the freezer is at around -18°C. Run the dishwasher on a hot cycle with a cleaning product, and clean the filter. If you have a freezer that needs defrosting, do it now rather than on Christmas Eve.

Book any repair visits in November if you can. Engineers get busy in December, and parts can take longer to arrive. If an appliance is on its last legs, decide now whether you are repairing, replacing or retiring it. A working backup plan is much calmer than a frantic phone call when the turkey is already in the oven.

Plan upgrades around a future refit

If a kitchen refit is on the horizon, even in 18 months or two years, avoid buying built-in appliances that will not fit the new layout. Standard sizes help, but cavity dimensions, ventilation and door openings vary. Measure the space, note the electrical supply and think about whether you want to switch from gas to induction in the future. Induction needs a suitable electrical supply, and a new hob may need a dedicated circuit.

Talk to your kitchen designer before you buy. A new integrated fridge may be a false economy if the new kitchen will use a different housing. A freestanding appliance can be a sensible stopgap, but check it will fit the current space and that you are happy to live with it. At Crown Kitchens, we often see homeowners buy appliances too early and then discover the new layout needs a different size, a different door panel or a different ventilation route.

Retire with dignity

When an appliance finally goes, do not just leave it in the garage. Councils offer bulky waste collections, and many retailers will take away your old appliance when they deliver a new one. Working appliances can be donated or sold, and anything with a plug should be recycled through a proper WEEE route. It is a small job, but it keeps the kitchen clear and the process tidy.

A November appliance audit is not about spending money for the sake of it. It is about knowing what you have, what it is telling you and what you want to do next. Do the checks now, and the festive season can get on with being festive.