Fix it, replace it, or make a warranty pay for it — we rate warranty companies, parts stores and repair services the way a good technician talks: plainly, with the numbers on the table. Sometimes the answer is a $40 part, and we’ll say so.
Re-verified August 2026How we rateWe earn affiliate commissionsDisclosure
Broadest coverage menu in the industry (42+ add-ons), available in all 50 states, and the strongest review scores of any warranty we rate.
Know the catch: $2,000 per-item caps and a BBB pattern note we disclose in full.
BBB A+ and Trustpilot 3.9 across 1,184 reviews, with the company actually answering them. The complaints that land are about waiting for a technician, not about claims being denied.
Know the catch: Dispatch can run 1.5+ weeks, and plan pricing isn't published.
The only warranty we rate that covers unknown pre-existing conditions and rust or corrosion — the two clauses that sink claims on an aging kitchen. Repairs are guaranteed for 180 days, six times the industry norm.
Know the catch: $100-$150 per visit — the highest service-call fee of anything we rank.
OEM parts with a right-part guarantee, 365-day returns, and 10,000+ free repair videos. For a lot of breakdowns, this beats both the warranty and the service call.
Know the catch: Prices run a bit above marketplace sellers — you're paying for the guarantee.
We may earn a commission through the links above. It never changes a score — our formula is public at /methodology. See how we make money.
The 50% rule in one line: replace only when the appliance is past half its expected lifespan and the repair quote is more than half the cost of a new one — one condition alone isn’t enough.
Pre-filled with the typical mid-range price ($800–$2,000, NAHB-era retail data).
Enter your repair quote and the verdict computes instantly — no submit button.
NAHB expected lifespans. Where yours sits changes the whole answer — full lifespan chart · decision guide
A sealed-system quote on a standard fridge is the classic “replace it instead” number. We flag it automatically above.
Every ApplianceWatchDog warranty review shows the company’s BBB complaint count and what those complaints actually say. When a regulator acts, we lead with it — and it changes our rankings, no matter what a brand pays affiliates. Most ranking sites still list Choice Home Warranty as a top pick. That’s the difference here.
Arizona consumer-fraud settlement, February 2026, over manipulated claim denials — which is why it’s excluded from our rankings, no matter what it pays affiliates.
A BBB letter grade measures paperwork. A Trustpilot star count measures how a company treats you — billing, scheduling, and whether claims actually pay. We publish both on every warranty review, starting with our #1 pick, Liberty Home Guard.
The dual-score system, explained →The letter grade measures paperwork; the stars measure how it treats you. Both are real. The dual-score system, explained →
Each guide gives you a 60-second triage, the likely part and its price, and an honest read on when to call a pro. All symptom guides →
Sealed-system work runs $1,400–$2,800 — that quote is usually a replace verdict. Typical national average: $275–$350. Service call fee: $70–$130, usually credited to the repair.
A drain pump or heating element is often a $40–$80 part and an afternoon. Two stores make it hard to get wrong: RepairClinic (right-part guarantee, 365-day returns, free repair videos) and Sears PartsDirect (OEM parts with free repair guides). Either way, you keep the $70–$130 a pro charges just to show up.
Recalls, closures and regulator actions at the companies we rate — with the filings linked.
Warranty companies, parts stores, marketplaces, on-demand repair — scored on the same public formula, complaint files and all.
