What to do with broken household appliances

▶ Environmental concerns or budget realities – experts advise people to do their research before making a final decision, writes David Dunn

When a crucial household appliance goes wrong, many of us face a dilemma. Do you replace it or repair it? If it is the former, do you buy new or maybe seek out pre-owned or reconditioned? And if new is the answer, how do you wade through the myriad choices?

“If buying a refurbished product,” says Ian Golding, an international customer experience trainer and adviser, “ensure you have absolute clarity of terms and conditions first – is there a warranty and guarantee?

“What does the warranty and guarantee cover? How can you return an item if you are not comfortable with its condition?”

The latter, naturally, also follows for new items.

For some the decision is driven by budget – for others it is a question of basic domestic economics versus not adding to landfill crowded with retired products; including some that may have been repairable.

In my family’s case, it was the car vacuum cleaner that opened the debate. After four years service, the 1,600-watt Samsung stopped suction.

Surely it could be fixed, since the motor was still working. But herein lay a problem.

In the UK, many towns have a local shop that can diagnose a fault and either repair for a modest fee or harvest for parts, sometimes in exchange for a discounted replacement.

Our enquiries led to a “man that fixes stuff” in Dubai. Without examining the vacuum he quoted Dh150 to Dh200.

Weighed against the cost of new, and of equivalent spec – Dh175 at the time on Souq – the decision was obvious.

This presents its own dilemma for the green-minded, of course, as new products often mean importation and additional carbon footprint; regardless of whether the replacement is more efficient than its predecessor.

Even if you do repair, this may prove a temporary fix, delaying the inevitable day when you have to buy a replacement.

And when buying new, be careful, says Mr Golding.

“If you have any doubt whatsoever, do not buy the product. I would always recommend gathering information first – then leaving the store to consider what you have been given. Give yourself the chance to check what you’ve been told is fair and accurate.

“If you are in store and receiving assistance from a salesperson, make sure you take note of their name – if you have a complaint this makes it easier to investigate.”

Of course, things are generally more reassuring if buying new rather than attempting to repair – or perhaps buying “pre-loved” from a departing expat via Dubizzle.

Mohamad El Yassir, MEA regional managing director of Whirlpool Corporation, a US multinational manufacturer and marketer of home appliances, believes it is down to individual evaluation.

“Whirlpool has proven to manufacture appliances that are durable enough to live up to the expectations of our consumers,” he says. “However, appliances, as [with] any product, have a life cycle after which consumers have the option to either repair or replace, based on preferences, budgets etc.

One rule does not fit all.

“Each consumer, depending on his/ her expectations of the product, will either keep the product and repair it or go for a new one.

“We believe [that] in such a fast moving pace of life, where technologies are evolving every day, consumers tend to replace with new ones that were developed to meet their needs nowadays. It is personal preferences and situations that will determine [whether to] repair or replace.”

One thing UAE retailers usually do well is selling us something new. There are regular deals out there, such as during the annual Dubai Shopping Festival, the 2018 edition of which ended last month. There is often no shortage of in-store advice while scouting big domestic purchases.

While kitting out our apartment amid the Ramadan sales season, we outlined our needs to an enthusiastic salesman at Carrefour who showcased options fitting our criteria of efficiency, reliability and price.

Presented with familiar brands, we checked his recommendations against tests done by UK consumer magazine and website Which? It confirmed the salesman’s good guidance. “Online review websites are vital to getting to the truth of whether a brand is honest and makes things easy for you when things go wrong,” says Mr Golding.

He has a 20-year global career in consulting large brands, training staff to ensure they deliver best possible experience, and was recently in Dubai for the Gulf CX Awards.

“Unfortunately not all UAE retailers feature on the better global review