An honest answer,
from the data.
Most “should I repair or replace it?” advice is a guess, or a sales pitch. We built a verdict from the same facts a good, honest technician would weigh — and we show our work.
What goes into a verdict
Parts availability
MeasuredThe catalog of 178,000+ OEM parts behind every model — which parts are still made, which are discontinued, and what they cost. A machine is only repairable while its parts are.
Failure curves
ModeledA model's likely-to-fail parts and a Weibull survival estimate from typical service life, brand quality and parts signals. This is a model, not your specific machine's history.
Recalls
MeasuredCPSC recall records, matched to exact model numbers where the recall names them. A recalled unit usually qualifies for a free manufacturer remedy.
Energy
Measured + modeledENERGY STAR efficiency data and DOE/EnergyGuide vintage curves, priced at your state's electricity rate.
Replacement prices
MeasuredLive retail medians (Google Shopping) for a comparable new unit — equipment only; installation, where it applies, is extra.
Repair costs
ModeledPart prices × your state's labor rates (BLS) with an overhead multiplier. State or metro level — not a shop-specific quote.
What we won't pretend
- ▸Estimates are modeled, not measured on your unit. We label which is which.
- ▸Repair costs are state/metro-level, not a quote from a specific shop — that's why we'll check a quote you've been given against the typical band.
- ▸Where a recall or remaining warranty could make the fix free, we say so before any paid path — always check those first.
- ▸Our troubleshooting guides are professional repair guides, not the manufacturer's own.
How we make money
Some shopping links earn us a commission at no cost to you. They never change a verdict — the grade and the repair-or-replace answer are computed before any link is drawn, and a “replace” verdict is just as likely to point you at a part to keep your machine running. If anything here ever reads like a sales pitch, we've failed.
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