If your washing machine, dishwasher or vacuum cleaner breaks down, first ask for a repair quote and a timescale that meets your needs. If you’re considering a replacement instead, compare appliances that will fit your installation and check the information for the specific new or refurbished model. An index alone won’t help you decide what to do about the current fault.
An itemised quote helps you compare a repair with a suitable replacement. For some appliances and faults, the Repair Bonus can reduce the bill if the eligibility criteria are met, according to the Ministry of the Economy.
If being without a washing machine, dishwasher or vacuum cleaner is disrupting your everyday life, ask when the diagnosis, parts and repair can actually take place before deciding what to do.
If you replace the appliance, look at information for its category and the specific model, as well as maintenance requirements and parts availability. This can help you choose without promising that the appliance will never break down.
For a washing machine, dishwasher or vacuum cleaner, start by checking whether a repair is possible and how long it will take. Then check the terms for any replacement you’re considering.
| What matters | What to check | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of the repair | Ask for an itemised quote and check whether the appliance, fault and repairer meet the Repair Bonus eligibility criteria. | If I can wait for a repair, I want to know what it will actually cost before ruling out a replacement. Around 33% of consumers put this financial trade-off first. |
| Getting the appliance working again | Check that the part is available for your exact model and confirm the proposed repair date. | When I rely on the appliance every day, I want to know how long it’s likely to be out of action before I commit. For around 27% of consumers, getting their appliance back quickly comes first. |
| Choosing your next appliance | For a new model, check the index that applies to its category and look at the information about parts and maintenance. | If I need to replace the appliance, I look for practical information to compare models, rather than treating a rating as a guarantee of lifespan. This matters most to around 27% of consumers. |
| Buying a refurbished replacement | Check the seller’s status, the exact model, its stated condition, the tests carried out and the accessories included. | I’m interested in a refurbished appliance if I can clearly understand what I’m buying and who I’m buying it from. Around 13% of consumers put these buying conditions at the heart of their decision. |
Your decision should also take into account the diagnosis, parts and repair work and, if you replace the appliance, any delivery and installation you need. A repairability or durability index doesn’t put a price on these things.
Ask for an itemised quote, then compare it with a replacement that fits your installation and is available within an acceptable timeframe.
According to the Ministry of the Economy and ecosystem, the discount depends on several factors, including whether the appliance is out of warranty, whether the repairer is certified and whether the fault is eligible. Not all repairs are covered.
Check whether your appliance and fault meet the criteria before factoring the bonus into your decision.
The indices published by the ministry responsible for the ecological transition provide information about set criteria for the relevant categories. They don’t confirm that a part for your broken appliance is available straight away.
Use the index to compare eligible new models, then separately ask whether the part for your current appliance is available and how long the repair will take.
The Ministry of the Economy describes a refurbished product as a second-hand item whose functions have been fully tested. The seller’s status also affects the protections that apply to your purchase.
Before comparing the offer with a new appliance, check who the seller is, the stated condition, the tests carried out, the accessories included and the exact model.
These Joybuy models are options if you’re replacing a vacuum cleaner with a cordless model. If your washing machine or dishwasher has broken down, you’ll still need to consider the repair and replacement criteria outlined above for that appliance category.
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Worth considering if you’re replacing a vacuum cleaner with a cordless model that has an automatic emptying station. The product title states a suction power of 220 AW and six-stage filtration. Check how these figures were measured if they’re important to your choice. Also confirm the product’s status, warranty and parts availability for the exact model.
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Worth a look if you want a cordless vacuum cleaner with automatic dust collection. The title claims up to 70 minutes of run time and an anti-tangle brush; actual run time depends on how you use it. Before choosing this replacement, check the product’s status, warranty and parts availability.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for a cordless vacuum cleaner with an automatic suction station. The title states a suction power of 170 AW, up to 80 minutes of run time and an anti-tangle brush; these figures alone can’t tell you how it will perform in your home. Check the warranty terms and parts availability for the model on offer.
No. According to the Ministry of the Economy and ecosystem, the appliance must meet certain conditions, including being out of warranty; the repair must be carried out by a certified repairer, and the fault must be eligible. Check that your appliance meets these criteria before relying on the discount.
In France, the ministry responsible for the ecological transition says that the durability index has applied to new washing machines since 8 April 2025, while the repairability index applies to dishwashers and vacuum cleaners, among other products. Compare models in the relevant category, but don’t use their ratings to diagnose your current appliance.
No. The guidance from the ministry responsible for the ecological transition states that the requirement to calculate and display the repairability index doesn’t apply to refurbished equipment. Instead, check the condition of the specific item on offer, the tests carried out, its accessories and the exact model.
Ask for an itemised quote, the reference of the part needed, whether it’s available and the proposed repair timescale. This will help you compare getting the appliance repaired with replacing it with a compatible model, without assuming the part is immediately available.
First, find out whether the seller is a business. Then check the model, the stated condition, the functional tests carried out and the accessories included. The Ministry of the Economy distinguishes between the protections that apply when buying from a business and those that apply to a sale between private individuals.