10 of the best buy-it-to-last brands that see your money go further

Appliance breakdowns are costly, stressful, and inconvenient. But in a throwaway culture, it's reassuring to know some brands still build products that last.

As part of our appliance reliability survey, we spoke to 10,249 people to find out if, when and how their last products broke down. Combined with data from our lab tests, our experts can recommend the best brand for each type of appliance, based on its reliability rating, customer score and product performance.

An expensive product that quickly breaks down is undoubtedly a rip-off, while a ‘bargain’ with a short lifespan isn’t a bargain at all. But Which? can help.

This article is exclusively for Which? members. Which? members can log in to reveal the best and worst large appliance brands.

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At a glance: appliance faults

Appliance maintenance tips

A well-maintained appliance is less likely to break down, which is money saved that you can spend on holidays, home upgrades, or anything you actually enjoy.

Check in with our quick tips and keep your appliances running smoothly for longer:

• Fridges Check for damage around hinges and seals as these could be letting in warm air. Clean the condenser coils if you can access them. Food packed to the back of the fridge can also stop cool air circulating. Read our piece on 5 reasons your fridge smells and check our guide to the best fridges.
• Freezers Torn or warped door seals could be letting in warm air and causing ice build-up. Try replacing them if damaged. For regular maintenance, we have advice on how to defrost your freezer and find how our independent tests uncovered the best freezers.
• Washing machines Overloading the drum can damage the bearings during the spin cycle. However, small loads waste energy, so filling your washing machine to three quarters full is ideal. We've investigated common washing machine problems and how to fix them and see our list of lab tested best washing machines.
• Tumble dryers Overfilling your dryer can affect how the drum rotates. Leave enough space so that items can tumble freely and dry evenly. For more on this, read our advice on tumble dryer maintenance and find the best tumble dryers, according to our tests.
• Dishwashers Try to unclog the filter and spray arm once a month and run a machine-clean program every 20 cycles. Read our expert guide on how to clean a dishwasher and also check out the best dishwashers.
• Cordless vacs All lithium-ion batteries will eventually lose power, but most cordless vacs have replaceable batteries. You can filter our cordless vac reviews to show which do have a replaceable battery, and find our lab tested best cordless vacuum cleaners.
• Corded vacs If your vac loses suction, this could be down to a full dust container or blockages. Try declogging the filter, hose and floor head. Most manufacturers advise rinsing the filter in cold water once a month and allowing it to dry for up to 48 hours on a windowsill. Washing a filter with warm water, or not letting it dry properly could damage the filtration system, letting fine dust particles escape as you clean (see also: best vacuum cleaners).

Which? member benefits

A Which? subscription gives you access to all our product tests, reviews and recommendations online, plus a host of other perks. Discover:

• 14 brilliant benefits of a Which? membership – from personalised advice to Great Value and eco-friendly recommendations, we've got you covered.
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• Free Which? tools – dozens of tools to help simplify tricky choices, from financial calculators to consumer rights advice.
• Amazing machines from the Which? labs – get the inside track on our lab tests, as we speak to the scientists that put the rigour into our reviews.

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