After moving house, buy the appliance that provides a daily function your new home doesn’t already offer: keeping food fresh, cooking or washing clothes. Check what’s already installed and what alternatives are available before deciding between new, second-hand or buying later. If an appliance you can use isn’t working properly, get the fault checked before deciding to replace it. This approach is in line with ADEME’s advice on home appliances and repairs.
If you don’t have a practical way to keep food fresh, cook or wash clothes, start with the function you’re actually missing. Then consider the appliance’s capacity and format, based on how you’ll use it and the space available.
If you’re considering second-hand or refurbished appliances, or waiting to buy, distinguish between what you need as soon as you move in and what can wait. For second-hand appliances, whether you buy from a business or a private seller affects your rights in France, as the Ministry of the Economy explains.
If your kitchen or bathroom is already fitted, measure the space and check which appliances are installed before choosing a format. If you can wash your clothes elsewhere, you may also be able to wait before buying a washing machine for your home.
First, take stock of the functions already available, then check the space and how often you’ll use the appliance. Once you’ve done that, the choice between buying new or second-hand, keeping an existing appliance or waiting to buy becomes clearer.
| Priority | What to check | What consumers are looking for |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday essentials | Check what’s already available for keeping food fresh, cooking and washing clothes; identify any function without a practical solution. | When I move in without an everyday essential, I want to be able to manage daily tasks before adding other appliances. Around 33% of consumers would put this immediate need first. |
| Second-hand appliances and your rights | Find out who the seller is, the appliance’s model number, its condition and whether you can test it. In France, the Ministry of the Economy states that the legal guarantee of conformity applies to sales by businesses, including second-hand and refurbished goods, but not to private sales. | If I choose a second-hand appliance, I want to understand its condition and what rights I have if something goes wrong. This would be the priority for around 27% of consumers. |
| Space and use | Measure the space, access routes and clearance needed to open the appliance. When comparing appliances of the same type, compare capacity and the information on the energy label that’s relevant to your needs; ADEME says a 7 kg washing machine is sufficient in most cases. | In a small home, or if I’m not sure how often I’ll use it, I’d rather avoid an appliance that takes up too much space. Around 20% of consumers would make finding the right fit their priority. |
| Appliance already available | If the appliance isn’t working properly, note down its model number and the symptoms, then check the manual or ask for a diagnosis before considering a replacement. | If there’s already an appliance in the home, I want to know whether I can still use it rather than buying another one straight away. Around 20% of consumers would put keeping or repairing an appliance first. |
An appliance that’s already installed, or an option available outside the home, may already meet one of your needs. A fixed shopping list could lead you to buy things you don’t need.
Make separate lists of what you need from day one, what can wait a few weeks and what you don’t expect to use.
According to the Ministry of the Economy, a refurbished item is a second-hand item whose functions have been tested. The legal guarantee of conformity applies to sales from a business to a consumer, but not to private sales.
Ask what checks have been carried out and confirm the seller’s status. For a private sale, you may be able to claim for a hidden defect, provided certain conditions are met — including that the defect was hidden, existed before the sale and was serious enough.
These details don’t tell you whether the appliance will fit in your home or whether its capacity suits the amount you’ll usually use.
Measure the available space and compare the information shown for appliances of the same type and under comparable conditions.
A maintenance issue and a fault that needs repairing don’t call for the same decision. ADEME recommends finding out what caused the problem before deciding to replace the appliance.
Check the manual for the right maintenance steps. If the fault persists or could affect safety, ask for a diagnosis rather than continuing to use the appliance.
These brands offer ranges or services worth exploring, depending on what you’re looking for. Their inclusion here doesn’t mean that every specific model will be right for you.
Worth exploring if you’d like to compare washing, refrigeration and cooking appliances from the same brand.
Worth exploring if the type of appliance and how it fits into your home are key to your comparison.
Worth exploring if you want to look into maintenance and repair options for a cooking, washing or refrigeration appliance.
These models cover keeping food fresh and washing clothes at home. Choose the function your home is missing before comparing capacities, formats and installation requirements.
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Worth considering if you need to equip your home for washing clothes. This model is listed with a 1,400 rpm spin speed and an A energy rating. Check it will fit and that the necessary connections are available in your home.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for a top-loading washing machine for use at home. The model title lists 1,200 rpm, an A energy rating, steam and Wi-Fi. Make sure there’s enough clearance to open the lid in the space you have in mind.
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Worth considering if your home needs both a fridge and a freezer. The model is listed with a 153 L fridge compartment, a 74 L freezer compartment, a width of 54 cm, a reversible door and an E energy rating. Also measure the height and the clearance needed around the appliance.
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Worth comparing if you’re looking for a front-loading washing machine for everyday household laundry. The model is listed with an A energy rating, 1,200 rpm, 16 programmes and a 530 mm drum. Check its external dimensions and connections before deciding where to put it.
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Worth considering if you have enough laundry to justify a 9 kg capacity rather than a smaller appliance. The model is listed with a 1,600 rpm spin speed and SteamCare, SmartSelect and Connected features. Measure the space and check the connections you’ll need.
Start with the appliance that provides an everyday function your household is missing and has no practical alternative for: keeping food fresh, cooking or washing clothes. Check what’s already installed and what other options are available to you before deciding what to buy first.
Yes, in France, when a business sells the second-hand appliance to a consumer. The Ministry of the Economy explains that this guarantee also covers new and refurbished goods sold by a business. It doesn’t apply to private sales, although you may be able to claim for hidden defects if the relevant conditions are met.
For a washing machine covered by this rating in France, check the score and the details behind it rather than relying on the overall figure alone. The Ministry of the Economy states that the durability rating considers factors including repairability and reliability. Then compare the capacity and other features that suit the way you’ll use it.