Fridge, washing machine, microwave… Few households today do not have these tools, which are invaluable on a daily basis.

In France, millions of ovens, refrigerators and washing machines are sold each year.

“The vast majority of French households in France now have a washing machine, a color television, a freezer, a microwave oven and a car. On the other hand, just over six out of ten households only have a dishwasher, a product which is experiencing a slower but regular distribution”, also noted INSEE in 2018.

In a study, the statistical institute noted the following data, for the year 2016:

If they are very practical on a daily basis, household appliances, small or large, are not infallible. And when they are flat, we often find ourselves very annoyed… These breakdowns also raise the thorny problem of planned obsolescence, a commercial technique that would push us to constantly buy devices because they are designed to not last.

In 2019, the UFC Que Choisir association launched a consumer observatory to this effect. The report, 3,500 contributions later, showed the devices that most often break down. Here is the list:

Planned obsolescence has been considered a crime since 2015.

To preserve your household appliances, there is nothing like regular maintenance. But to maximize their potential, and increase their efficiency, there are also many tricks, sometimes very unexpected, requiring accessories that are unusual to say the least. In our slideshow, discover the 10 things you should really put in your fridges, washing machine, dishwasher and microwave…