Washing machine lifespan: what to expect

The Quebec government is set to establish minimum durability periods for various goods under its durability and reparability law, a move that is unique among countries worldwide. However, the proposed guarantee periods for appliances and electronic devices have sparked debate, with some arguing they are much shorter than the reasonable lifespans determined by the Small Claims Court.

According to the draft regulation attached to the Consumer Protection Act, set to come into effect in October 2026, fixed minimum lifetimes are specified for devices such as washing machines, kitchen stoves, and laptops. The aim is to ensure product durability and reparability, but the exact runtime durations in years for these devices are not provided in the available search results.

Jean-Sébastien Bigras, an expert in the field, states that the useful life of a laptop computer is typically between 5 to 7 years. Alexandre Plourde notes that tablets, due to their design, are not devices designed to last very long. On the other hand, the average reasonable lifespans for a refrigerator, washing machine, and television are 12.9, 9.7, and 9.9 years, respectively, according to Small Claims Court judgments. For a stove, the reasonable lifespan is estimated to be between 12 to 15 years, while for a refrigerator, the reasonable lifespan ranges from 7 to 17 years.

Option consommateurs and Équiterre share the opinion that the government has set guarantee periods that are shorter than what is reasonable. They argue that the proposed guarantee periods for appliances, such as six years for a stove and three years for a computer, may be less useful for consumers who value the durability of goods. Many problems encountered by consumers occur during the first years of use, and these shorter guarantee periods may not adequately address their needs.

The legal guarantee for a product is that it should serve a normal use for a reasonable duration, with the reasonable duration defined by the court in case of a dispute. In most European countries, the minimum duration of the legal guarantee of conformity is two years, but some countries have longer durations (three years in Sweden, five years in Iceland and Norway).

The Small Claims Court in Quebec has established reasonable lifespans for various appliances and electronic devices in various judgments. If a malfunction of an appliance is detected during the period of good functioning guarantee, the consumer can contact the manufacturer and/or the merchant for a free repair. The government is specifying the duration of the guarantee of good functioning, which will facilitate consumer procedures.

The Quebec model is unique, as it establishes minimum durability periods for various goods, unlike other countries where legal guarantees have set durations. This move is aimed at reducing electronic waste and promoting repairability, but the debate continues over the reasonable lifespans of appliances and electronic devices.