How long should a washing machine last?
The average washing machine currently lasts just over 7 years. Budget machines frequently fail sooner – sometimes as quickly as 3 to 5 years under heavy use. Machines from premium brands such as Miele are designed and built for around 20 years of average use. The right expectation depends heavily on the brand tier, usage level, and household size.
A generation ago, a washing machine lasting 10 to 20 years was the norm. Today, many fail significantly sooner. Whether this is deliberate design or the inevitable consequence of lower manufacturing costs – or both – has significant implications for how to choose and budget for a washing machine.
What the Data Shows
Approximate average washing machine lifespan based on available industry data
Of machines last 5 years or less, based on user survey data
Of machines last 10 years or more – so longevity is still possible
Miele’s published design lifespan – the only mainstream brand to publish this figure
Are Machines Designed to Fail?
There is credible evidence that components inside modern washing machines are engineered to a specific number of wash cycles rather than to last as long as possible. In some cases the number of cycles equates to as little as 3 years of heavy family use. Manufacturers do not publish these figures, so it is not possible to compare cycle life between models at the point of purchase.
Miele is the only mainstream manufacturer known to publish a design lifespan – approximately 20 years at average household use. This transparency is itself indicative of confidence in their build quality that other brands do not share.
- Motors spot-welded together rather than bolted – cannot be repaired or rebuilt
- Carbon brushes not available as separate parts – entire motor must be replaced
- Drum bearings moulded into the outer tub – cannot be replaced without a full tub swap costing £150 to £250+
- Completely sealed outer drums that cannot be opened even to retrieve a bra wire
- Spare parts priced to make repair uneconomical, driving replacement purchases
- Bolted motors that can be serviced, with carbon brushes available as separate parts
- Drum bearings replaceable without a full tub change
- Spare parts available and realistically priced throughout the machine’s expected life
- Technical documentation available to independent engineers
- Built to a higher components specification from the outset
For a deeper look at why modern machines are built this way, see our guide on why washing machines don’t last as long as they used to.
What Is a Reasonable Lifespan Expectation?
How long a machine should last is not just a function of brand and build quality – usage matters enormously. A machine designed for a certain number of cycles will reach its limit much sooner in a household running three loads a day than in one running two loads a week.
| Machine tier | Typical lifespan (average use) | Typical lifespan (heavy use) |
|---|---|---|
| Budget (Hotpoint, Indesit, Beko) | 5 to 8 years | 3 to 5 years – sometimes less |
| Mid-range (Bosch, AEG, Siemens) | 8 to 12 years | 6 to 9 years |
| Premium (Miele) | 15 to 20+ years | 10 to 15 years |
The figures above are indicative rather than guaranteed. A budget machine run by a couple doing two light loads a week may last longer than the table suggests. A budget machine used by a large family doing three heavy loads a day may fail significantly sooner. The key variable is total wash cycles, not calendar years.
When a Short Lifespan Is Not Necessarily Wrong
Consumer expectations around appliance lifespan need to account for price and usage. A £200 washing machine failing after 3 years of very heavy use – three loads a day for a family of nine – may have delivered entirely adequate value for money. The same machine failing after 3 years for a retired couple doing two light loads a week has clearly underperformed relative to any reasonable expectation.
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 provides a framework for assessing this: goods must be of satisfactory quality taking into account the price paid and all other relevant circumstances. A £500 machine failing after 18 months of normal domestic use is a much stronger case than a £200 machine failing after 3 years of exceptional use. See our guide on consumer rights and faulty appliances and our guide on claiming even after the guarantee has expired.
The True Cost of a Cheap Machine
A budget machine bought at £250 and replaced every 5 years costs £50 per year in purchase price alone – before factoring in repair costs that are often uneconomical to pursue, and any deterioration in energy efficiency over the machine’s shortened life. A £700 Miele lasting 18 years costs under £40 per year – and in that time may never need a repair call-out.
If longevity matters and budget allows, Miele is consistently the only brand that builds to the standard required for a 15 to 20-year lifespan. For households where Miele pricing is out of reach, mid-range brands (AEG, Siemens, Bosch) offer meaningfully better durability than budget brands. For budget machines, set expectations accordingly – and do not pay a premium for features on a budget brand machine since the underlying build quality is the same throughout the range. See our guide on which is the best washing machine to buy.
Related Guides
Why Don’t Washing Machines Last as Long as They Used To?
A deeper look at the design and manufacturing decisions behind shorter appliance lifespans.
Is a More Expensive Washing Machine a Better One?
Why spending more within a brand does not buy better build quality – and what does.
Consumer Rights and Faulty Appliances
Your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 when an appliance fails before its reasonable expected life.
Out of Guarantee – Still Covered?
How to make a claim under consumer rights law even after the manufacturer’s guarantee has expired.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should a washing machine last?
The average is currently just over 7 years, but this masks wide variation. Budget machines under heavy use may fail in 3 to 5 years. A Miele at average use should last 15 to 20 years. The right expectation depends on the brand tier, purchase price, and how heavily the machine is used – the real measure is total wash cycles rather than years.
Are washing machines deliberately designed to fail quickly?
There is credible evidence that components are engineered to a specific cycle count rather than to last as long as possible. Design decisions such as sealed drums, non-replaceable bearings, and unavailable motor parts also effectively write the machine off when certain components fail, rather than enabling repair. Whether this is deliberate planned obsolescence or simply the consequence of building to the lowest possible cost is difficult to definitively prove – but the practical outcome is the same.
Which brand makes the most long-lasting washing machines?
Miele is widely and consistently identified as the only mainstream brand building to a standard that supports a 15 to 20-year lifespan. They are also the only mainstream manufacturer to publish a design lifespan. Mid-range brands such as AEG, Siemens, and Neff offer meaningfully better durability than budget brands, though not at Miele’s level. Most budget brands build all their models – from cheapest to most expensive – to the same quality standard.
Can I claim compensation if my washing machine fails early?
Possibly, depending on the circumstances. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods must be of satisfactory quality taking into account the price paid and all relevant circumstances. A machine failing after 18 months of normal domestic use is likely to have fallen below this standard regardless of the guarantee position. A budget machine failing after 3 years of exceptionally heavy use is a different case. See our consumer rights guides for more detail.
Is it worth repairing an older washing machine?
It depends on the machine’s age, brand, and the cost of the repair relative to a replacement. A general rule of thumb is that repair costs exceeding 50% of a comparable new machine’s price typically make replacement the better economic decision – particularly on budget machines where further faults may follow. On a premium brand like Miele, a repair costing 30 to 40% of a new machine may still be worthwhile given the remaining expected lifespan.
Hi Andy. I’m still using a Candy 137D washing machine from the late 1970s, the only down side, it’s only 400rpm, but do have a separate spin dryer.
The load capacity is extremely small, however, a 60c wash with 5 very deep rinses only take about 1 hour. They certainly don’t make them like that anymore.
I also have a Hoover Twin Tub, from 1969, absolutely love it, if I don’t overload the wash side it doesn’t tangle them up, but wash time is 4 mins, spins at 2300 rpm.
Hi Paul. Thanks for that. It’s quite remarkable. I’m convinced the 400 rpm spin speed played a big part. That’s so gentle it would hardly cause any stress strain or wear. I’ve always said the slower the spin the longer they last.
Ironically the twin tubs spin faster than even any modern front loader, but they hold very little laundry, and their motors don’t have much load due to the side by side design.
Hi.. My 3 year old Hotpoint washing machine (supposed to be nearly silent) costing £350 became extremely noisy recently and has now stopped working altogether. An enginer has been and advised that the drum has collapsed probably because the bearings had gone. I asked whether it seemed reasonable that this should happen within 3 years and he said that anytime after 18 mths could face problems, just depends if you are lucky or not! this is a case of bad luck really for 2 reasons – 1 the drum is sealed unit so whole of the inside of the washing machine needs replacing (over £200 parts only + labour costs) and 2 – i use non-biological powder all the time. this apparently rots the parts and without using a maintenance product once a month, would cause damage to the machine. a hot wash monthly is not enough apparently as use non-bio! I’ve basically got to pay £187 over the next year to get labour and parts free (so cheaper option in this case) for a guarentee plan but I believe that this should not happen after a relatively short time in the lifespan of a washing machine.
This is one of the problems with the top quality appliances Anda. Repairs can be horrifically expensive. It’s a combination of the true cost of making and stocking extra quality spares and lack of competition. Brands like Miele can cost more than a new competitor’s washing machine to replace just one part. They are designed to last much longer than 7 years but the motor appears to have failed a little prematurely unless it’s been really heavily used. In theory the machine should last at least as long again but it’s one of those calls you have to make.
LG aren’t a top quality product, for the same £600 you could have just about bought a Miele but it would have far less features. LG are a mid-price appliance focusing more on features than build quality. You need to complain to the retailer as under the sale of goods act it’s only they who have any responsibility if it has an inherent fault or doesn’t last a reasonable time.
Two of my articles which are relevant are –
Is a more expensive washing machine a better washing machine? | Sale of goods act and appliances
I purchased a £600 LG F 1402FDS, I assumed that buying a top of the range expensive washer would mean years of trouble free service, however exactly 2 years into its use the motor went south, it cost me £191 to repair and even though I sent a copy of the bill to LG they refused to pay, now the washer is 4 years old it is starting to fail again ( it sounds like a concrete mixer ) undoubtedly this is the bearings, I don’t yet know how much the repair will be buy it could mean my total outlay will be close to £1,000 for a washer that is only 4 years old, I could of course had FIVE cheap washers for the same money and if they only lasted 3 years each I would have been better off, once agin though LG simply don’t want to know. I reckon I have a case against LG, what do you think ?
A lot depends on why it’s leaking catherine. It could be something pretty minor, or even to do with the plumbing at the back and not the washer at all. Have you had an engineer actually look at it or have they just made up prices on the phone? Unless you get (hopefully a trustworthy) local engineer out to find out exactly what’s gone wrong you can’t judge the best course of action.
If it is going to cost £120 after 3 years, which is not too far off half the purchase cost you might have a case that it hasn’t lasted a reasonable time but these days they are so cheap to buy that expectations of how long they should last have plummeted. The last figures I have seen say they last on average 7 years but the sale of goods act doesn’t say they shouldn’t break down, only that they should last a reasonable time and be free from inherent faults.
I bought an Ariston washer dryer which has begun leaking all over the kitchen after only two & a half years of use. It cost me £300, & all the repair companies that Iv`e contacted have quoted repair prices of at least £120. I feel that I got a raw deal with my machine, because I expected it to last a decent time before it packed up. I`m wondering if it`s worth repairing, or should i sell it for scrap?