Rex says
Everyday utility math — the kind you'd otherwise pull up four browser tabs for. I keep it to one clean answer.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Repair cost per year
$107
New unit cost per year
$47
Repair minus new (per year)
$60
Repair as % of new price
29%
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One click, a permanent link with your numbers baked in.
How to use this
- 1Enter repair quote ($).
- 2Enter years the repair buys.
- 3Enter new appliance price ($).
- 4Enter new unit expected life (yr).
- 5Enter annual energy savings if new ($).
- 6Read your repair cost per year on the right — it updates as you type.
- 7Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
The 50% rule is a decent heuristic but ignores energy savings and remaining lifespan. This compares annualized cost of repairing against buying new.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Repair quote: 320 $
- Years the repair buys: 3
- New appliance price: 1100 $
- New unit expected life: 12 yr
- Annual energy savings if new: 45 $
Results
- Repair cost per year: $107
- New unit cost per year: $47
- Repair minus new (per year): $60
- Repair as % of new price: 29%
What each field means
Inputs
- Repair quote ($)
- The repair quote used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 320 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Years the repair buys
- The years the repair buys used in the calculation. Starts at 3 so you have a working example on load.
- New appliance price ($)
- The new appliance price used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 1100 $ so you have a working example on load.
- New unit expected life (yr)
- The new unit expected life used in the calculation, measured in yr. Starts at 12 yr so you have a working example on load.
- Annual energy savings if new ($)
- The annual energy savings if new used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 45 $ so you have a working example on load.
Results
- Repair cost per year
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- New unit cost per year
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Repair minus new (per year)
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Repair as % of new price
- Returned as a percentage. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
What's the 50% rule?
If the repair costs more than half a new unit and the appliance is past half its expected life, replace it. This calculator refines that with energy costs.
Does a negative delta mean repair?
Yes — a negative number means repairing is the cheaper annualized path.
Accuracy and limitations
- Estimates assume standard, average conditions — local rules, pricing, and materials vary.
- Results are rounded for readability; add a buffer before ordering, booking, or committing.
- Double-check anything with a real cost attached against a local quote.
Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). Repair vs Replace Appliance Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/appliance-replace-vs-repair
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/appliance-replace-vs-repair" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Repair vs Replace Appliance Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [Repair vs Replace Appliance Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/appliance-replace-vs-repair) (2026).