How Hard is it to Repair ‘Smart’ Home Appliances?

Smart home devices are increasingly commonplace here in Australia, including alarm systems, keyless entry, and even our refrigerators and other household appliances. While only a few short years ago, these devices were a relative novelty, the smart home market is expected to reach at least $53 billion by 2022 (that’s over $70 billion Down Under Dollars) worldwide.

But as we’ve seen with many technologies in recent years that have gone ‘smart’ such as agricultural equipment, lock and key systems, and most new cars, consumers often complain about the complexity of repairs – and whether or not it’s even worth repairing vs buying anew.

Planned Obsolescence?

In a previous blog post, we discussed planned obsolescence in home appliances and whether or not manufacturers are engaging in this behaviour. To some extent, it is not a conspiracy theory but rather a fact for many smart devices. In the US, Right to Repair laws are gaining traction amongst policymakers and proponents in the EU are also zeroing in on ‘smart’ device manufacturers.

When it comes to smart home appliances, it’s always best to read plenty of consumer reports and reviews before spending your hard-earned cash on a fancy new smart refrigerator or kitchen range.

Manufacturers sell you the benefits, such as fun touch-screen refrigerators that let you listen to Spotify whilst monitoring the freshness of your fruit and veg, but they’ll never be upfront and tell you the downsides. If your device isn’t working properly and it’s out of warranty, your only two options are essentially to toss it out or to have it repaired.

Who Can Repair Smart Appliances?

In many sectors, technicians and repair personnel have had to up their game to keep up with rapid advances in technology. An auto mechanic today performs very different functions than a traditional auto mechanic of yesteryear. Locksmiths must also be familiar with keyless entry systems and car key fob reprogramming, for example, in addition to traditional key cutting and tumbler lock repairs.

Similarly, home appliance repair technicians either have to get with the times or be left catering to old appliances only. Seeing how the market is shifting towards smart appliances, there’s an incentive to provide these more technically advanced services.

Perhaps the best thing you can do as a homeowner is to carefully review service providers in your area. In Australia, there are many qualified appliance repair technicians that can work with smart appliances, but which ones are reputable and reliable? The team at Domestic Appliance Repair have a wealth of experience when it comes to most popular makes and models of refrigerators, ranges, dishwashers, and other white goods.

How Hard is it to Repair Smart Appliances?

Unfortunately, there’s no clear, cut, and dry answer to this question – it depends. It depends on the manufacturer and the model of the appliance, and of course the nature of the problem that you’re facing. A malfunctioning ice box, for example, may not necessarily need to involve any complex work but rather traditional repair methods may work just fine.

A malfunctioning touchscreen display, however, requires a vastly different skillset and thus your best bet is to rely on a reputable appliance repair company near you that has experience with this type of repair.

Domestic Appliance Repair

If you own a smart appliance and need repairs, don’t despair! Call us today at Domestic Appliance Repair.

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