We’ve compiled a list below of the most popular whiteware appliances, and how long you would expect each of them to last for on average.

How Long Should Your Whiteware Appliances Last?

Although these are just averages, we’ve all had a friend with a washing machine that has broken down within 12 months of purchase, or an aunty that’s has the same freezer for the last 30 years.

Historically, whiteware appliances were built to last a long time, but the downwards trend in the prices for new models has meant that some appliances don’t last as long as they used to. While there are a lot of factors to take into account, such as who the manufacturer is, whether the product is low-end or high-end, and whether it is a high-maintenance appliance or not, most appliances can be expected to last longer than people realise.

What do you think – have you had appliances that have lasted much longer (or shorter!) than these averages?

The post How Long Should Your Whiteware Appliances Last? appeared first on Cares Appliances.

1. The Price Tag

Often one of the main reasons that consumers look to second hand items is the price tag. A new fridge or washing machine is relatively expensive compared with a used model, and it’s common to be able to find a second hand appliance for less than 1/3 of the cost of a brand new model. Who wouldn’t want to save a fortune and still get an appliance that does the job well?

2. It’s Environmentally-Friendly

When you buy second hand appliances, you are actively reducing the impact to the environment in several ways. Not only are you preventing the appliance ending up in a landfill somewhere, you are also preventing valuable resources from being used in the production of a new model. Our team at Cares are fiercely supportive of reducing environmental waste, and we aim to recycle as many appliances and parts as possible to minimise the impact on the environment in New Zealand.

3. Your Money Stays Locally

Buying new appliances can often mean that your hard-earned dollars can flow offshore to international manufacturing firms. With the exception of great NZ companies like Fisher & Paykel, buying new products can take money out of the local economy and into the coffers of other countries. Purchasing second hand appliances means your dollars stay in the local economy, and benefit your community!

4. You Can Research The Make & Model Easily

When a company releases a new model of fridge, washing machine or oven, it can take a while for this product to gain a track record of it’s performance. With older appliances, it can be much easier to identify the best makes and models because they have longer track records (especially in the form of online reviews). Would you rather own a brand new appliance with no idea of its lifespan, or a 2-year old appliance that you know is going to last you a long time? A great example is the Gentle Annie range of washing machines – many of these washing machines last in excess of 20 years, and are very popular as second hand machines.

5. Bigger Ranges Available

Second hand stores typically have a much bigger range of brands and models compared with retail stores selling brand new machines. It can be a lot easier to find the perfect second hand appliance for your needs with a larger range to inspect!

At Cares Appliances in Christchurch, we are firm believers in the value offered by second hand appliances, and always have a huge range of second hand fridges, freezers, washing machines and dryers on hand for you to inspect. Come and visit us anytime, and see the benefits of quality second hand appliances for yourself!

The post 5 Great Reasons To Buy Second Hand Appliances appeared first on Cares Appliances.

Pop in and say hello, get some expert advice, or find yourself a bargain with our huge range of Quality New, as New and Reconditioned Whiteware .

We have fantastic savings in-store!!

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Although there are hundreds different brands and models of washing machines on the market today, the most common model in New Zealand would be the Fisher & Paykel Smart Drive. The most common problem our customers experience is when the washing machine gets to the rinse cycle or the end cycle and won’t spin out because the bowl is still half full of water.

Firstly, prevention is better than the cure. Always remove all items from clothing pockets before you add them to the wash.

Often this is due to a pump blockage or because the pump has actually burnt out or overheated. In that case the best solution is to call the Cares Workshop for our Appliance Repair service.

Another common reason is due to a blockage by a foreign object, stopping the waste pump from emptying the machine.

How to unblock your washing machine waste pump

Here is a simple step by step guide on how to check if that lost hair clip, stray coin or lint has lodged in your waste pump, preventing the pump impeller from spinning. Generally removal of foreign objects will allow your washing machine to drain correctly and proceed to the next cycle.

1. UNPLUG THE MACHINE FROM THE POWER SUPPLY, and turn off the washing machine fill taps at the sink.
2. Remove the fabric softener dispenser from the top of the agitator.
3. Insert your hand down the middle of the agitator and undo (anticlockwise) the plastic wing nut that is holding it in place, and remove the agitator from the washing machine.
4. Using a small bowl, empty as much water as possible into your laundry sink. When you have emptied it as much as possible, pull the washing out from the wall and tilt it on an angle, leaning it against the wall. Then scoop as much remaining water that you can from the back of the bowl. (This is an important step to minimise the amount of water that will flow out when you remove the pump). Having old towels handy will prevent possible flooding.
5. Using a torch, lay down on the floor and at the front of the machine underneath you will see the waste pump (it has a black plastic fan attached to an electric motor).
6. Place a bowl directly under the pump with a towel to catch the small amount of water that will drain out (in step 8).
7. Unplug the two small plugs from the pump by gently pulling them outwards, noting where they go. Commonly, one is white and brown, and the other is a green/yellow earth wire.
8. Located on the metal plate that the pump is locked into is a white crescent-shaped locking tab. You need to hold this out of the way whilst turning the whole pump anti-clockwise to remove it from the metal plate.
9. Place your finger carefully up the hole where the pump has come from, feeling for any obstructions, if you can find nothing obvious, feel for hair clips or cotton threads that have trapped lint, causing the pump to jam:
10. Dry off any water on the pump housing and plugs if needed, and simply reverse the above procedure to refit the pump. Make sure when refitting the pump you locate it in the metal plate correctly or it will leak on first filling.

Let us help you!

The best solution for your Appliance Repairs is to call Cares Appliances on 03 374 5666 for an in house service by one of our highly skilled techs.

The post How to Drain a Washing Machine That Won’t Empty appeared first on Cares Appliances.

To clear the blockage obtain a piece of plastic coated curtain wire approximately a metre long (the wire used to hang net curtains).

Simply gently insert in the drain hole located at the back wall of the fridge and keep this going down until you feel it touch the evaporating tray on top of the motor/compressor at the back.

After you have cleared the blockage use a little baking soda mixed with warm water and carefully pour it down the drain this will help clear the drain tube.

Let us help you!

For other possible faults call the Cares Service Team on 0800 922 737 for an assessment.

The post How to stop water collecting in your fridge appeared first on Cares Appliances.

The green ethos that drives Matthew’s conviction and career is a direct contrast to the ‘throwaway mentality’ adopted by many in our increasingly careless world. People who willingly buy used motor vehicles often adopt a similar standard with household appliances of updating needlessly on an increasingly regular basis. They inadvertently buy into and promote the building of new models that are virtually identical to their predecessors, albeit with wasteful built-in redundancy.

This mentality is extremely costly and further feeds the notion that appliances are throwaway items. There is a further cost to New Zealand, with jobs lost in the manufacturing sector and also in the whiteware repair and parts industries. It is unfortunate, but even the Government is buying into this throwaway mentality by actively sponsoring the sale of inferior whiteware to beneficiaries. This policy of pandering to the Chinese buyers of Fisher and Paykel has a very high cost in adding junk to the waste stream, and a loss of jobs for Kiwi workers.

Many Asian manufacturers are relentlessly building whiteware with a short life expectancy to the point that much of what is available is virtually rubbish before it is even out of the box. This policy is very costly to the planet and our environment, wasting energy and resources, as the values of long-life models and reliability are lost. Remembering times when appliances lasted 20 years or more, it is tragic to witness the unfettered flood of nasty inferior products into the New Zealand whiteware market. Conserving all resources ethically and sustainably is the first consideration at Cares Appliances. In reconditioning and recycling perfectly usable used whiteware, and bringing an ‘At Cares We Care’ policy of delivering excellence, we ensure our customers are confident that as they save money, they also save the planet.

Cares Appliances currently has 2 stores in Christchurch, enabling them to save thousands of quality used appliances from the rubbish tip, and turn them in to exceptional deals for you.

Save the Planet!

Buy reconditioned used whiteware from Cares Appliances to save money and the environment.

The post Used Whiteware Eco-Policy – A Dollar Saved Is A Dollar Earned appeared first on Cares Appliances.