First, check which appliances are already in place and working, then prioritise any needs that aren’t covered: keeping food fresh, cooking and doing the laundry. Choose each appliance to suit your space, connections and how often you’ll use it. A dishwasher can wait if its capacity or installation doesn’t meet a specific need.
Start by identifying the needs that aren’t covered, then divide your budget between refrigeration, cooking and laundry. The ADEME–EDF R&D study published in 2024 looks at appliance ownership among households in mainland France. These figures don’t determine what you should buy first for your home.
Make an inventory of the appliances provided, check their condition and consider shared use and the space available. For furnished rentals covered by the relevant decree, certain kitchen appliances must be provided. ANIL also distinguishes between repairs depending on their cause.
You already have the essentials and are wondering whether to add a dishwasher or replace an appliance. ADEME recommends looking at energy use and durability, as well as whether an appliance suits your needs.
For people equipping or getting a home back up and running in mainland France, priorities depend on which appliances are already available. Each row covers a main reason for buying.
| Priority | What to check | Who this matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Keeping food fresh | Whether an appliance is already provided; usable capacity, dimensions and door opening; the model’s stated energy use. | If there’s no usable appliance for keeping food fresh, I’ll prioritise refrigeration and the capacity I actually need. Around 26% of consumers put keeping food fresh first. |
| Preparing meals | Whether a hob, oven or microwave is already in place; the space, power supply and installation dimensions. | If there’s no working way to prepare meals, I want to be able to cook as soon as I move in. Cooking is the top priority for around 21% of consumers. |
| Doing the laundry | Whether a washing machine is already provided; dimensions, connections, capacity, stated energy use and noise level. | If I need to do the laundry at home, I’m looking for an appliance suited to my usual loads. Around 21% of consumers prioritise doing the laundry. |
| Space and washing up | Available space and connections; place settings, noise and energy use for the reference cycle. | In a home where space is at a premium, I want to know whether a dishwasher meets a real need before setting aside room for one. Around 16% of consumers prioritise how well the space available suits their washing-up needs. |
| Cost and length of use | Energy use and repairability; the product’s condition, stated testing and the seller’s identity for a refurbished appliance. | To avoid buying an unsuitable appliance or replacing it too soon, I compare its condition and how I’ll use it, not just the purchase price. Around 16% of consumers prioritise the total cost and how long they’ll use an appliance. |
An appliance being missing and one that’s broken don’t necessarily call for the same decision. For furnished rentals covered by Decree No. 2015-981, the statutory list includes cooking appliances and a fridge with a freezer or suitable compartment.
Make a list of the appliances already there and check they work before planning a purchase. If something is broken, discuss the situation with your landlord.
Buying a duplicate takes up space and uses part of your budget.
Stated energy use is based on reference cycles. Capacity, noise and available space also matter in everyday use.
Compare appliances with the same function, and check their energy-use figures, capacity, noise level and dimensions. ADEME, for example, gives washing energy use in kWh per 100 reference cycles.
A refurbished appliance should have been tested before being put back on sale. The product’s condition, the information provided by the seller and your options if something goes wrong can vary depending on the item and seller.
Before comparing offers, ask for a clear description of the product’s condition, details of any tests, the seller’s identity and what options you have if something goes wrong. The DGCCRF also explains that the rules for proving a fault existed before purchase differ for new and second-hand goods.
A range of fridge-freezers and dishwashers in different sizes to compare, depending on which appliance you’re missing and how much space you have.
The brand offers refrigeration, laundry and cooking appliances to consider based on what your home is missing.
A gas hob may be worth considering if this type of fuel supply is suitable for your home.
The brand’s guides cover a range of functions and sizes to help you compare appliances to suit your household’s needs.
This selection covers laundry, food refrigeration and a portable cooking option. First check what’s already provided, then measure the space before choosing an appliance.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if you want to do the laundry at home and have limited depth available.
Stated capacity: 8 kg; depth: 47 cm; energy rating A.
The water supply and waste pipes must be connected correctly.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if you need space for both chilled and frozen food.
Stated total capacity: 485 L, including 336 L for refrigeration and 149 L for freezing; Total No Frost technology; energy rating E; stated noise level of 38 dB.
Allow enough ventilation and space for the doors to open.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if you’re looking for a freestanding appliance to keep fresh and frozen food.
Stated net capacity: 461 L; width: 70 cm; energy rating E; Total No Frost technology.
Stated dimensions: 72,5 × 70 × 184,5 cm; measure the available space before installation.
Image unavailable
Worth considering as a portable cooking option if it suits the meals you prepare and the appliances you already have.
Stated maximum power: 2 000 W; 8 power levels and 7 preset programmes.
Compatible with cookware with a flat magnetic base measuring 12 to 26 cm in diameter.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if a stated capacity of 9 kg suits your household’s usual laundry loads.
Energy rating A; 44 kWh per 100 cycles and 50 L per cycle according to the product page; stated maximum spin speed of 1 400 rpm.
Listed dimensions: 60 × 85 × 55 cm, with a depth of 63 cm including the door. Check the available space.
Start by listing the appliances provided and checking that they work. For a furnished home covered by Decree No. 2015-981, the list includes a hob, an oven or microwave, and a fridge with a freezer or a compartment that can reach a temperature of −6 °C or lower. This requirement applies to the landlord’s provision of appliances; it doesn’t mean every household has to buy them.
Don’t assume you need to buy a replacement straight away. For appliances listed in the tenancy agreement, ANIL distinguishes between routine maintenance, damage caused by abnormal use and repairs due to wear and tear. Look into what caused the fault and let your landlord know.
Anses recommends a temperature between 0 and +4 °C at the coldest point. You can check it with a thermometer. Avoid overfilling the appliance and clean it regularly, too.
Yes. When a professional sells it to an individual, the legal guarantee of conformity also applies to refurbished and second-hand goods. However, the DGCCRF states that the presumption that a fault existed before purchase applies for one year for second-hand goods, compared with two years for new goods.
Compare energy use on a like-for-like basis: annually for the relevant fridges, or per reference cycle for laundry appliances. Also check with the seller what’s included in delivery, installation and removal of your old appliance. A calculation based on a particular electricity tariff won’t guarantee the amount of your bill.