If your appliance has broken down, first check whether it’s covered by a warranty and whether it can be repaired. For eligible appliances that are no longer covered by a warranty or insurance, the Repair Bonus may be deducted from the bill by a QualiRépar repairer, according to ecosystem. A refurbished appliance sold by a professional is worth considering if its condition and tested functions are clearly described. If the appliance no longer meets your needs, or its energy use is prompting you to replace it, compare new models in the same category, taking your usage and the appliance’s capacity and energy label information into account, as recommended by ADEME.
Before ordering a replacement, check the warranty, ask whether a repair is possible and find out which parts are needed. According to ecosystem, eligibility for the Repair Bonus depends on factors including the appliance and the fault, and on whether it is covered by a warranty or insurance.
Relate the information on the energy label to how often you use the appliance and the capacity you need. ADEME points out that fridges and freezers run continuously, and that choosing a larger capacity than you need can increase energy use.
Check the stated condition, the functions tested and who the seller is. The French Ministry of the Economy distinguishes refurbished products, whose functions have been tested, from simple second-hand listings. The legal guarantee of conformity applies when a professional sells to an individual, but not to private sales between individuals.
Consider this: if a professional can diagnose the fault and source the necessary parts.
Bear in mind: the Repair Bonus, offered by ecosystem, only applies to eligible appliances and faults, where the appliance is not covered by an applicable warranty or insurance.
Consider this: if a professional seller provides clear details about the appliance, the tests it has undergone and its condition.
Know the difference: a private sale between individuals does not come with the legal guarantee of conformity that applies to sales from a professional to an individual, according to the French Ministry of the Economy.
Consider this: if a repair isn’t practical, or your old appliance’s capacity and features no longer suit your household’s needs.
Compare: an energy rating alone doesn’t tell you how much energy an appliance will use based on your usage, or how easy it will be to repair in the future.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Getting it working again | Check whether it’s covered by a warranty or insurance, then ask for details about the fault and parts availability. For the Repair Bonus, ecosystem requires, among other things, that the household appliance was bought in France, has an eligible fault and is repaired by a QualiRépar repairer while not covered by applicable insurance or a warranty. | My appliance has broken down: I want to find out whether it can be repaired before choosing another one. |
| Energy use and capacity | Compare appliances in the same category. For a washing machine or dishwasher, ADEME recommends checking information including kWh per 100 standard cycles, water per cycle, capacity, Eco programme duration and noise. For a fridge or freezer, check its annual energy use and capacity. | I’m looking for a capacity that suits my usual laundry loads or storage needs, without choosing a larger appliance just for extra features. |
| Future repairs | Check which index applies to the category and find out about parts for the model. According to ADEME, the durability index applies to certain washing machines; the French Ministry of the Economy presents the repairability index for categories including dishwashers. | If I replace my appliance, I want to be able to assess how repairable it is without assuming that the same index applies to every category. |
| Condition of refurbished appliances | Check who the seller is, which functions have been tested, any defects disclosed and which accessories are included. The French Ministry of the Economy states that the legal guarantee of conformity covers refurbished goods sold by a professional to an individual. | When buying a refurbished appliance, I need to know exactly what will be delivered and who to contact if it doesn’t conform to the description. |
A fault doesn’t necessarily mean the appliance needs replacing. According to ecosystem, the Repair Bonus is deducted from the bill by a QualiRépar repairer only when the eligibility requirements are met.
First check any applicable warranties and insurance, then ask for a diagnosis, confirmation that parts are available and a repair quote.
The rating letter doesn’t tell you everything about usable capacity, water consumption, noise or programme duration. ADEME says this information is shown on the labels of relevant appliances.
Compare appliances in the same category and relate the figures for the standard programme to how often you use the appliance.
These indexes don’t apply to the same appliance categories. ADEME gives the durability index for relevant washing machines, while the French Ministry of the Economy presents the repairability index for categories including dishwashers.
Look for the index that applies to your chosen category and ask about parts availability for the specific model.
A second-hand listing doesn’t prove that all the appliance’s functions have been tested. According to the French Ministry of the Economy, the legal guarantee of conformity that applies when a professional sells to an individual does not apply to private sales between individuals.
Check the seller’s status, the condition described, the tests carried out and the documents supplied with the appliance.
These washing machines, tumble dryers and fridge-freezers are options to consider if you’re thinking of buying a new replacement. They won’t, on their own, help you decide whether to repair, buy refurbished or buy new to replace your appliance.
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If you’re replacing a tumble dryer, consider whether its 8 kg capacity suits your usual laundry loads. The product information lists it as class C; check the energy label for the exact model to compare energy use, and check the installation requirements and parts availability.
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Before replacing your washing machine, consider whether its stated 10 kg capacity suits your usual laundry loads. Also compare the information on the energy label and the durability index applicable to the model.
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As a fridge-freezer runs continuously, check whether its stated 360 L capacity suits your storage needs. The product information lists it as class E; compare the annual energy use on the label for the exact model, along with its dimensions and parts availability.
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Its stated 8 kg capacity makes it easy to compare with your usual laundry loads. Before comparing it with another tumble dryer, check the energy label for the exact model, along with its installation requirements and parts availability.
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Consider whether the stated 444 L capacity suits the space available and your actual storage needs. The product information lists it as class E and 40 dB; check the energy label for the exact model and find out about parts availability before choosing.
First check what cover applies. According to the French Ministry of the Economy, if an individual bought an item from a professional and it has a fault covered by the legal guarantee of conformity, they should contact the seller. The Repair Bonus offered by ecosystem, by contrast, is for appliances that are no longer covered by an applicable warranty or insurance.
According to ecosystem, it covers certain categories of household appliances bought in France, including washing machines, dishwashers and fridges, when the fault is eligible and the appliance is no longer covered by an applicable warranty or insurance. The repair must be carried out by a QualiRépar-certified professional. Check that your appliance and its fault are eligible before the repair.
No. According to the French Ministry of the Economy, the legal guarantee of conformity applies to refurbished or second-hand goods sold by a professional to an individual, but not to private sales between individuals. So check who is selling the appliance and ask for clear details about its condition and the functions tested.
Compare appliances in the same category, looking at the energy rating, kWh per 100 standard cycles, water use per cycle, capacity, Eco programme duration and noise. ADEME lists this information on energy labels; consider how the figures relate to your laundry loads and how often you use the appliance.
No. According to ADEME, the durability index applies to certain washing machines, while the French Ministry of the Economy presents a repairability index for categories including dishwashers. For each model you’re considering, check which index applies to its category and find out about stated parts availability.