When Microwave Ovens Stop Working Is It Practical to Repair Them?

Degree of Damage

• Probably the most important consideration to weigh when deciding if it is economically efficient to repair a broken microwave is the extent to which the microwave is damaged. The degree of damage will of course determine the costs of repairing the microwave. If the microwave has stopped working altogether, you will need to perform some troubleshooting on your own to try and determine the source of the malfunction which will, in turn, help you get an idea of the costs. For instance, repair costs could vary tremendously depending on if the microwave's failure to work is due to a bad power cord, a blown transformer or a magnetron in need of replacement. If you can determine to the best of your abilities the source of the malfunction, you can garner several quotes for the costs of repairing your microwave.

Costs of Replacement

• Once you have estimates of how much it will cost to repair your microwave, you can weigh these costs against the costs of replacing the microwave altogether. Microwaves, like all appliances, range in price depending primarily on the additional features that are included with the microwave. So first consider what options you want or need in a microwave, and shop around to obtain several prices on microwave ovens that provide all of those features. You can then compare these prices to the costs of repairing your old microwave.

Additional Costs

• Like all other appliances, there are actually two costs involved with buying a new microwave oven. There is of course the initial, up-front cost of buying the microwave. But consider also the longterm maintenance and repair costs associated with using the microwave. If you repair an older, broken microwave only for that microwave to break again a few months later, you will likely spend more money in the longterm than if you had simply bought a new microwave. For this reason, it may be more cost-efficient to replace the microwave when it has broken.

Energy Efficiency

• A final consideration to make when assessing the cost effectiveness of replacing or repairing a microwave is one of energy efficiency. A newer microwave will tend to be much more energy efficient than an older model. Therefore, even if repairing a microwave is less expensive than replacing it, consider the longterm energy cost savings that would be conferred by replacing your broken microwave with a new one. All these considerations taken together can go a long way in helping inform the decision of whether to repair or replace your broken microwave.