Most major kitchen and laundry appliances last somewhere between 10 and 15 years with normal use and basic maintenance, though the range varies meaningfully by appliance type.
Typical lifespans
- Refrigerators: 10–18 years
- Freezers: 12–20 years
- Washers and dryers: 10–13 years
- Dishwashers: 9–12 years
- Ranges and ovens: 13–18 years
- Microwaves: 7–10 years
What actually shortens it
- Skipping basic maintenance (see our maintenance articles for the safe, simple stuff)
- Hard-water buildup, especially in dishwashers and refrigerator water lines
- Overloading washers and dishwashers regularly
- Heavy daily use running an appliance well past average duty cycles
When it’s worth a second opinion
If an appliance is failing well before these ranges, it’s worth a proper diagnosis rather than assuming it’s just old — sometimes a young appliance has one fixable problem, not a fundamental failure.