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What Temperature Should My Fridge Be? In °F!

A thermometer showing the different temperatures to store groceries in degrees fahrenheit

When it comes to setting the temperature for your fridge, the general consensus is colder than 41°F for optimal food safety. However, the reality is a bit more nuanced. Most domestic fridges allow you to adjust temperatures between 34°F and 48°F in the fridge and 14°F to -4°F in the freezer. So, why the range?

A thermometer showing the different temperatures to store groceries in degrees fahrenheit

How Cold Should a Fridge Be?

Ideal Temperature: Less than 41°F

Real-world Recommendation: 37°F

Food Standards Australia New Zealand recommends keeping your fridge below 41°F for optimum food safety and to prevent the growth of food-poisoning bacteria. However, due to factors like varying temperatures within the fridge and fluctuations, setting it to around 37°F on the top shelf is usually the sweet spot.

Temperature Fluctuations

The fridge is not a static environment; it maintains an average temperature, not a precise one. Rather than consistently holding a specific temperature like 37°F, it might fluctuate between 34°F and 41°F.

Hot Air Rises


Another compounding factor is the simple fact that hot air rises and cold air sinks. So while the temperature of the fridge is dynamic, it is also usually warmer on the top shelf and colder on the bottom shelf. So while the top shelf may be varying between 34-41 degrees, the vegetable crisper might be 32-39 degrees, or worse 30-37°F. So your nice lettuce is freezing and thawing several times a day into a soggy mess. It’s good advice to store the perishable groceries like meat, fish, juice, and dairy closer to the bottom of the fridge, with condiments and non-perishables closer to the top. 37°F on the top shelf should mean the top shelf never goes above 41°F while the contents of the vegetable crisper don’t freeze.

You Get What You Pay For!

Fridge temperature fluctuation is influenced by factors such as the frequency of door openings, how loaded it is, external temperature, and the capacity of the fridge’s cooling system. Better fridges have less fluctuation, and often you get what you pay for. Fisher and Paykel fridges, for example, can, and often do, run their fans independently of the compressor to circulate the air for a more consistent and stable temperature throughout. A cheaper fridge won’t do this. A better fridge would be expected to have 34°F or less of fluctuation from the average, and less than 34°F of difference between the top and bottom shelf, while a cheaper fridge could expect to see 35.6°F or more of fluctuation.

Pro tip - Put a glass of water in the fridge on the top shelf and leave it there for 24 hours. Measure the temperature of the glass of water instead of the air temperature inside of the compartment. The glass of water will reflect the average temperature in the cabinet and is more reliable.

Why the Range?

If there’s really only one correct temperature for your fridge, then why do manufacturers bother to give you the ability to adjust it? Wouldn’t it be better if there was no need for you to have to Google this dumb information and your fridge was just set at the correct, safe, temperature already? Honestly yes, but it’s not practical. Other sources will give you bad answers – wanting to save energy or storing cold-sensitive items at a warmer temperature.

The real reason is that over time, thermostats and sensors go out of their factory range. The same setting on one would be a slightly different temperature to another, and with time and entropy, as springs lose their tension, and corrosion creeps in, things go out of whack. The setting that used to be 37°F is now 39°F or 36°F, and without the ability to make an adjustment, your fridge isn’t running where it should be, significantly reducing its service life.

How Cold Should a Freezer Be?

Ideal Temperature: 0°F or colder

The freezer’s primary role is to keep food frozen, preserving it for extended periods.  The ideal temperature for the freezer compartment is 0°F or lower. This temperature is cold enough to prevent the growth of bacteria, yeast, and mould, ensuring the long-term preservation of your frozen goods.  Setting the temperature at 0°F or colder helps maintain the quality, texture, and flavour of the frozen items.  Food is less prone to freezer burn, and less subject to degradation caused by enzymes in the food.  On the downside running your freezer this cold will mean it costs more to run, and will have a shorter service life than if you ran it hotter, simply due to wear and tear on the mechanical systems being on longer.

Adjusting for Practicality

Having adjustability in the freezer makes more sense because it really depends on how an individual user wants to go about things. A classic example is ice cream. If you want to store the ice cream, the right temperature is colder than 0°F. But ice cream that cold is not fun to eat; it is rock hard. Your spoon has bent trying to scoop it out of the container, and then you have to wait 10 minutes for it to thaw out enough to eat. But the thing is it doesn’t thaw consistently; the outside melts while the inside stays a frozen solid core. If you just bought ice cream, you plan on eating it in the next week, and you want it to be nice and creamy and delicious all the way through, you want your freezer set at around -12°C (10°F), the perfect ice cream eating temperature.

You might also want to save some money, and running your freezer warmer will save you money. Do you want to eat that spaghetti bolognese you made in the next three weeks or the next 3 months? If you want to store your food longer, you want to keep it colder. But if nothing stays in your freezer for more than a few weeks, you don’t need it very cold. The general consensus seems to be that if you keep your freezer at or below -18°C (0°F), it will be safe to eat indefinitely, but after 3-12 months depending on what it is, the flavor and texture will begin to suffer.

Freezer Size Matters

If you have a fridge with a smaller freezer, like the 248L Fisher and Paykel, generally, you need to run the freezer colder. Most domestic fridges max out at -4°F in the freezer. As a general rule, I’d say anything below 300L total capacity should be run pretty cold in the freezer. This is because during the defrost cycle, where a heater turns on in the back of every frost-free fridge for about 20 minutes every 1-2 days, the contents of a little freezer just don’t have the thermal mass to stay frozen, especially if it’s pretty empty. If they’re not very frozen at the start of the defrost cycle, there’s a good chance they will have thawed out by the end of it. One of the most common symptoms of this is ice cream that has melted and then frozen solid like an ice block.

Pro tip - If you don’t keep much in your fridge or freezer you can help stabilise the temperature and prevent temperature fluctuations by filling water or soft drink bottles with water and placing them inside.

Final Considerations

A couple of other considerations are the fridge quality and how often the freezer door will be opened. If it’s a cheap appliance from an unknown brand you might expect more temperature fluctuations and to make sure it’s not getting too warm, you need to set it colder. If you have kids constantly opening the freezer door in the middle of Summer to get to the icy poles again, better to set it colder as the more the door is opened, especially on a hot day the more the freezer temperature will fluctuate. If you’re worried about the power going out setting your freezer colder makes sense as well since the colder it is when the power goes out, the more likely it is you will make it through the blackout with the contents of your freezer still frozen.

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What Temperature Should My Fridge Be? In °C!

A thermometer showing the different temperatures to store groceries in degrees celcius

When it comes to setting the temperature for your fridge, the general consensus is colder than 5°C for optimal food safety. However, the reality is a bit more nuanced. Most domestic fridges allow you to adjust temperatures between 1°C and 9°C in the fridge and -10°C to -20°C in the freezer. So, why the range?

A thermometer showing the different temperatures to store groceries in degrees celcius

How Cold Should a Fridge Be?

Best Fridge Temperature: Less than 5°C

Real world Recommendation: 3°C

Food Standards Australia New Zealand recommends keeping your fridge below 5°C for optimum food safety and to prevent the growth of food-poisoning bacteria. However, due to factors like varying temperatures within the fridge and fluctuations, setting it to around 3°C on the top shelf is usually the sweet spot.

Temperature Fluctuations

The fridge is not a static environment; it maintains an average temperature not a precise one. Rather than consistently holding a specific temperature like 3°C, it might fluctuate between 1°C and 5°C.

Hot Air Rises

Another compounding factor is the simple fact that hot air rises and cold air sinks. So while the temperature of the fridge is dynamic, it is also usually warmer on the top shelf and colder on the bottom shelf. So while the top shelf may be varying between 1-5 degrees, the vegetable crisper might be 0-4 degrees, or worse -1-3°C. So your nice lettuce is freezing and thawing several times a day into a soggy mess. It’s good advice to store the perishable groceries like meat, fish, juice and dairy closer to the bottom of the fridge, with condiments and non-perishables closer to the top. 3°C on the top shelf should mean the top shelf never goes above 5°C while the contents of the vegetable crisper don’t freeze.

You Get What You Pay For!

Fridge temperature fluctuation is influenced by factors such as the frequency of door openings, how loaded it is, external temperature, and the capacity of the fridge’s cooling system.  Better fridges have less fluctuation and often you get what you pay for.  Fisher and Paykel fridges for example can, and often do, run their fans independently of the compressor to circulate the air for a more consistent and stable temperature throughout.  A cheaper fridge won’t do this.  A better fridge would be expected to have 1°C or less of fluctuation from the average, and less than 1°C of difference between the top and bottom shelf, while a cheaper fridge could expect to see 2°C or more of fluctuation.

Pro tip - Put a glass of water in the fridge on the top shelf and leave it there for 24 hours. Measure the temperature of the glass of water instead of the air temperature inside of the compartment. The glass of water will reflect the average temperature in the cabinet and is more reliable.

Why Have an Adjustable Control if There is Only One Best Fridge Temperature?

If there’s really only one best fridge temperature, then why do manufacturers bother to give you the ability to adjust it? Wouldn’t it be better if there was no need for you to have to google this dumb information and your fridge was just set at the correct, safe, temperature already?  Honestly yes, but it’s not practical.  Other sources will give you bad answers – wanting to save energy, or storing cold sensitive items at a warmer temperature.

The real reason is that over time thermostats and sensors, go out of their factory range. The same setting on one would be a slightly different temperature to another, and with time and entropy, as springs lose their tension, and corrosion creeps in things go out of whack. The setting that used to be 3°C is now 4°C or 2°C, and without the ability to make an adjustment your fridge isn’t running where it should be, significantly reducing its service life.

How Cold Should a Freezer Be?

Ideal Temperature: -18°C or colder

The freezer’s primary role is to keep food frozen, preserving it for extended periods.  The ideal temperature for the freezer compartment is -18°C or lower. This temperature is cold enough to prevent the growth of bacteria, yeast, and mould, ensuring the long-term preservation of your frozen goods.  Setting the temperature at -18°C or colder helps maintain the quality, texture, and flavour of the frozen items.  Food is less prone to freezer burn, and less subject to degradation caused by enzymes in the food.  On the downside running your freezer this cold will mean it costs more to run, and will have a shorter service life than if you ran it hotter, simply due to wear and tear on the mechanical systems being on longer.

Adjusting for Practicality

Having adjustability in the freezer makes more sense, because it really depends on how an individual user wants to go about things. A classic example is ice cream. If you want to store the ice cream the right temperature is colder than -18°C. But ice cream that cold is not fun to eat, it is rock hard. Your spoon has bent trying to scoop it out of the punnet, and then you have to wait 10 minutes for it to thaw out enough to eat. But the thing is it doesn’t thaw consistently, the outside melts while the inside stays a frozen solid core. If you just bought icecream, you plan on eating it in the next week and you want it to be nice and creamy and delicious all the way through, you want your freezer set at around -12°C, the perfect ice cream eating temperature.

You might also want to save some money, and running your freezer warmer will save you money. Do you want to eat that spaghetti bolognaise you made in the next three weeks or the next 3 months? If you want to store your food longer, you want to keep it colder. But if nothing stays in your freezer for more than a few weeks, you don’t need it very cold. The general consensus seems to be that if you keep your freezer at or below -18°C it will be safe to eat indefinitely, but after 3-12 months depending on what it is, the flavour and texture will begin to suffer.

Freezer Size Matters

If you have a fridge with a smaller freezer, like the 248L Fisher and Paykel, generally you need to run the freezer colder. Most domestic fridges I’ve seen max out at -20°C in the freezer. As a general rule I’d say anything below 300L total capacity should be run pretty cold in the freezer. This is because during the defrost cycle, where a heater turns on in the back of every frost free fridge for about 20 minutes every 1-2 days, the contents of a little freezer just don’t have the thermal mass to stay frozen, especially if its pretty empty. If they’re not very frozen at the start of the defrost cycle, there’s a good chance they will have thawed out by the end of it. One of the most common symptoms of this is ice cream that has melted and then frozen solid like an ice block.

Pro tip - If you don’t keep much in your fridge or freezer you can help stabilise the temperature and prevent temperature fluctuations by filling water or soft drink bottles with water and placing them inside.

Final Considerations

A couple of other considerations are the fridge quality and how often the freezer door will be opened. If it’s a cheap appliance from an unknown brand you might expect more temperature fluctuations and to make sure it’s not getting too warm, you need to set it colder. If you have kids constantly opening the freezer door in the middle of Summer to get to the icy poles again, better to set it colder as the more the door is opened, especially on a hot day the more the freezer temperature will fluctuate. If you’re worried about the power going out setting your freezer colder makes sense as well since the colder it is when the power goes out, the more likely it is you will make it through the blackout with the contents of your freezer still frozen.

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5 Things International Students Should Consider When Moving

Moving abroad is an exciting and terrifying prospect. It’s tempting to rush into it without giving yourself time to think about what you might need as a student, but doing so could end up costing you money in the long run. You’re going to be living in a new country for at least six months and maybe even longer, which means making sure that your move will be smooth and enjoyable is key. Here are five tips on how to make sure your international student experience goes smoothly:

The Country

  • The country you move to is important.

  • The country you move to will have a big impact on your life.

  • The country you move to should be somewhere that makes sense for you, and where people can be happy with their lives and get what they need out of it.

Weather and Travel
Weather can be a big factor in where you live. It’s important to know what kind of weather you’re getting into before making a decision, so do some research on the area and read up on their weather patterns.
Travelling can also be expensive, stressful and fun all at once! If this is something that interests you then make sure it’s worth the money spent on travel expenses (and don’t forget about your student loans). Be sure that whatever country or continent you end up living in has good public transportation systems which will help keep costs down while still allowing for convenience and ease of access throughout your daily routine as an international student living abroad.

Housing

  • Renting is often the best way to go for international students. However, it’s important to note that you may pay a premium for renting in your new city.

  • You may be surprised by how much space you need and what kind of furniture you need. Expect to spend more money than if you were living with roommates at home!

  • If possible, try looking at apartments before renting one of them; this will help make sure that everything works out like it should. It will also give you an idea of where things are located so that when moving day comes around (and there will be many), everything doesn’t feel like a huge ordeal!

Entertainment

  • Find a way to stay entertained.
  • Meet people, and make new friends.
  • Stay connected with family and friends back home.
  • If you’re going to be studying in a foreign country, it’s important that you learn some basic phrases in your host country’s language so that you can communicate with the locals when needed (like ordering food or asking for directions). This will also help keep up-to-date on local events and news—which might have changed since your last visit!

Food

Food is a huge part of the culture shock you’re going to experience when moving abroad. But don’t worry—it’s not as bad as it sounds! Here are a few things you can expect to eat in your new country:
  • French fries and burgers. These are staples for Americans and Canadians, but they’re also popular in other countries around the world (including Singapore). If you’re craving something salty and greasy, try ordering some deep-fried fish or chicken wings at your local restaurant instead of ordering pizza or pasta.
  • Curry rice with chicken/pork/bacon/chicken feet (if available). Many people enjoy Asian foods like this one when they visit their home countries; however, they might find them less familiar than their native fare because there aren’t many places where these types of dishes are readily available outside Asia itself (unless someone happens upon an Indian place while travelling abroad). However, even if there aren’t any such places nearby ,you can still try finding some authentic ones near where you live!

When you move abroad, it’s pretty hard to change things. Make sure you’re moving somewhere you know you’ll be happy!

  • You won’t be able to change things. This may sound obvious, but this is often overlooked when planning your move abroad. Try not to stress out over the fact that your life will be different once you leave home and start a new chapter of life in another country—you’ll have more freedom than ever before and can make decisions about where and how to live based on what feels right for yourself instead of someone else’s expectations of how things should be done. Plus, research shows that people who embrace change tend toward being happier than those who don’t (1). So if there were ever any doubt: yes—changing everything can lead towards greater happiness!
  • You should prepare for the worst case scenario by making sure all necessary documents are ready beforehand so nothing gets lost during the move itself (2). Then again…if something does happen along the route such as theft or loss…don’t worry; there are resources available online like PackingGuide which provides tips on packing safely while avoiding common mistakes people make when moving abroad (3).


In conclusion, moving abroad is a great opportunity for students to experience something new. It can be hard to adapt to a new culture and environment, but you can do it!

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Your old appliance is worth more than you think- before you throw it, consider selling it.

 
Whether you’re looking to replace an old appliance or just looking for a way to get rid of the one that’s been sitting in the garage since you moved in, there are plenty of options. And while it may seem like an overwhelming task at first glance, it doesn’t have to be! In fact, selling and replacing your appliances is actually easier than you might think—and it could save you some cash along the way.
 
Your dishwasher is worth more than you think.
  • Your dishwasher is worth more than you think.
     
  • Appliance buyback programs: If your appliance is still under warranty, it’s worth contacting the manufacturer to see if they’ll take it back. You may be able to trade your old appliance in for a new one at an attractive price—or even get cash back!
     
  • Appliance rental programs: Many people use their newer appliances as rental property because they don’t have room for them at home. But if this isn’t working out for you and there are no other options available (like selling), then consider renting out your old appliances through these companies so others can enjoy them instead of cluttering up space in their homes or garages. This way, everyone wins!
     
 
Do some research.
Before you sell your old appliance, do some research. You want to make sure that you’re getting the best price for it. Check out local classifieds and online sales sites like eBay and Craigslist. Make sure that any buyer can see the item in person so they can make an informed decision about its condition before buying it.
 
If you have an old appliance sitting in storage or outside somewhere, consider selling it—but only after doing some research on what kind of money people are willing to pay for similar items at that time period (if there’s an antique market).
 
Check to see if your appliance has a buy back or exchange program.
  • Check if your appliance has a buy back or exchange program. This is offered by the manufacturer, and it’s typically not available at all retailers. It may require you to send in your old appliance, so make sure you have proof of purchase if this is something that concerns you.
     
  • Consider renting an appliance instead of buying one new (especially if it’s just for a short period). Renting can be cheaper than buying new and it lets you try out different models before making a commitment on one model over another.
     
  • Wanting to buy some updated appliance units while not having enough cash? Trade-ins are your way to go. There are stores who would offer value to used goods and have this service arrangement to their valued customers in partnership with brands.
     
 
Try selling it yourself.
 If you’re not sure what to do with your old appliance, try selling it yourself. You can often find a buyer online or via classified ads in newspapers and on Craigslist. Check out Amazon and Ebay too — they usually have plenty of people looking for used appliances at good prices. Local appliance stores may also be willing to buy your old appliance if they know about its value as well as how much money you’d get from selling it (and whether or not they’d pay more than the store).
If none of these options work out for you, consider finding a repair shop that will buy your old machine—they’ll probably give you an estimate first before buying anything so that they know what kind of deal they’re getting themselves into!
 
Consider donating your old appliance and getting the tax benefit.
If you’re considering donating your appliance, here are some things to keep in mind:
  • You will have to pay extra for shipping. This can add up quickly if you need to ship several items at once and it will cost more than just sending it home yourself.
     
  • You may not get a tax deduction for the full value of the item (it depends on the type of donation). The IRS says that they only allow deductions up to $500 per item, but many charities give much more than that as part of their program.
     
  • If there’s any chance that someone could use this old appliance again someday (say, if it was donated by someone who moved away), then they should probably keep it around because they never know when they might need something like this again!

      
Selling and replacing home appliances isn’t as hard as it seems.
There are many ways to get rid of your old appliances. You can sell them, donate them, rent them out or give them away to someone who needs one.
If you’re looking at selling your appliance online and want to get the most money possible, there are several websites that offer free listings on their sites. These include Gazelle and OfferUp (which was recently purchased by Facebook).
If you don’t have time or energy enough to clean out your entire home before selling it off completely with an open house or yard sale—or even just a few rooms—you might want something more hands-on than just listing items in a virtual store front; this is where Craigslist comes in handy again!
 
There are many ways to get rid of your old appliances and make some money in the process. If you’re tired of trying to figure out what needs to be done but don’t have the time or energy, consider selling them through an online auction site like eBay or Craigslist. You’ll get a lot more than just a new appliance when you do this though because it’s also possible to sell your used ones for even more money! The next step is making sure that everything stays safe until after your auction date so that no one breaks into our house and steals any valuables from inside before we go shopping for replacements tomorrow morning 🙂
 
 
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5 Questions to Ask About Appliance Ownership Before Buying a New Appliance

If you’re thinking about taking the plunge into new appliance ownership and buying a new appliance for your home, there are a lot of questions that go through your mind. Is the brand reliable? How much does it cost? Can I get financing? What’s the warranty like? And what if something breaks down after the warranty runs out?
In this article, we’ll answer these questions and help walk you through some other considerations like renting versus buying.

 

Some well known reliable appliance brands include Fisher and Paykel, LG, Samsung, Electrolux, Simpson, Miele, and Asko.  If the brand isn’t well known its reliability is less certain, and it will usually be cheaper, but also more cheaply built, and generally less reliable.  This doesn’t always hold true though, new brands coming onto the market who want to build long term trust with their customers will often offer their appliances cheaply even though they are well built to encourage customers to buy therm.  Haier is a relatively new Chinese brand that can offer good value as its relatively cheap, but mostly uses the same expensive components as more expensive appliance brands like Fisher and Paykel.
Appliance ownership is as much a right as buying a home or having a child.  Customers should have a right to appliance ownership, but for many consumers it is simply not a good fit.  With the appliance ownership model you’re not just paying for the new appliance; you’re also paying for all the maintenance and replacement costs that come with it.   
The initial purchase price of a new appliance can cost anywhere from several hundred to thousands of dollars, so it’s worth doing your research to find an appliance to fit your needs and budget. Miele and Asko are very expensive but have a reputation for reliability, parts availability, and long warranties.  Fisher and Paykel, LG, Samsung, Electrolux, Simpson, and Haier are also great brands, which cost much less than Miele or Asko, but are still relatively expensive. You can expect parts availability for around 5 years at least, and they come with 2-5 year warranties. Then there are the cheaper brands which have OK warranties, and unknown reliability, usually good for at least a few years, with spotty parts availability.  Finally, there are the ALDI and Kogan specials – they are usually very cheap with reasonable reliability.  The downside here is that if a part breaks out of warranty, in most cases there is no parts availability – at least in this authors experience.  The way these businesses typically deals with a warranty repair is either to swap out the appliances, or more often, issuing a refund.  So once your warranty is done, if a minor part breaks, you need to bodge it or throw it away, and buy a new appliance.  If you’re keen on sustainable appliance ownership, you want to stick with the reliable brands with parts availability and good build quality, otherwise odds are the appliance will have a shorter life and be irreparable if anything breaks.
For older buyers who have had a chance to build a good credit rating finance options may be available or purchasing with a credit card.  For younger buyers purchasing on finance the only options may be buy now pay later services such as AfterPay, Zip or Klarna.  If you’re considering purchasing an appliance on credit, you should consider renting versus buying, especially if you’re considering either the top end or bottom end of the market, or only need the new appliance for a relatively short amount of time.
 
Renting vs Buying

 

Traditional appliance rental is usually a much worse deal than just buying the appliance on credit.  It’s usually a contract of 2-3 years over which time you pay double to triple what the new appliance would have been to just buy new.  Now let’s compare buying new and renting versus the world of subscription appliances

 

The world of subscription appliances distinguishes itself against appliance rental and new appliances in two key ways.  Firstly, the appliances are fully serviced.  If there’s ever any problem you make a call and swap out appliances for functional ones at no cost.  No more worries about warranties, unlike appliance ownership you never have to deal with repairs or warranties, you effectively have a lifetime warranty.  Secondly, there’s no lock in contracts.  Once you’re finished with the appliances so is your financial commitment.  Another great benefit is being able to swap out appliances as often as you like. If an appliance isn’t meeting your needs, swap out appliances for a different model or downgrade to a smaller model.  While renting a new appliance is very similar to subscribing to a new appliance, there are some key differences which make the world of subscription appliances a totally different value proposition and a great way to save money.
We hope this article has given you some insight into key factors to consider when buying a new appliance as well as the world of subscription appliances. The best way to make an informed decision is by doing your research and talking to professionals in the industry who specialize in rental equipment. We wish you all the best of luck with your decisions!
 
 
 
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Renting, leasing, or subscribing to an appliance? How does everything work?

There are several ways Australian homes can access appliances or the advantages of using an appliance for a set length of time, each with its own special features and advantages. These include renting, renting-to-own, leasing, laundromatting,  and subscribing.

 

What are some typical Australian motivations for leasing, renting, or purchasing an appliance?

 

  • To try out an item not previously used or  infrequently used, like a condenser dryer or heat pump dryer for a few months before deciding whether to buy it. (Try before purchasing!)
  • Only subscription services often provide premium appliance repair, replacement, or warranty options.
  • With long-term leases or subscriptions, one may obtain high-value appliances without incurring significant up-front costs.
  • Many users in Australia use rental appliances to control their cash flow.   Renting and subscribing to refrigeration and washing appliances fits perfectly.
  • Upgrading to the newest technology is popular in Australia, where customers frequently seek out the latest on trend appliances from air purifiers to robot vacuums. The ‘Upgrade anytime’ desire is  well satisfied by rentals and subscription services.
  • Younger generation: There is a generational transition; GenZ and Millennials seek to receive or experience advantages rather than possess them. This change is seen across all industries. As an illustration, one may get more value from a shared washing machine while only contributing what they really use.
  • Universities, hostels, AirBnb’s, co-living spaces, worker dorms, service flats, and co-living spaces frequently rent, lease, or subscribe to appliances for their tenants.
  • For landlords or tenants, renting or subscribing to equipment that corresponds to the length of a residential lease can be very convenien



Want to subscribe to an appliance with Whybuy?

 

1. Choose a Product

Choose the most up-to-date appliance that meets your requirements for superior performance, usability, and energy savings.

2. Subscribe

Choose a monthly membership plan with a set cost!

3. Supply and setup

Within 5 days*, you may have your goods delivered and installed! Our staff will set up your new appliance and offer advice on how to make the most of its capabilities. Additionally, we will remove your old appliance completely free!

4. Total tranquility of mind

Our hassle-free guarantee, which covers your product for the whole term of your subscription, gives you complete peace of mind. If, on the off chance, there is a problem with your appliance that cannot be fixed remotely in a matter of minutes, we will provide you a like-for-like replacement within 48 hours.

 

Please check out our FAQ section if you have any other queries regarding our subscriptions.

 

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Whybuy: A sustainable platform for appliance subscriptions: Making Life Simple

Consumers want more sustainable appliances but manufacturers are not keeping up Today’s global market for home appliances is expected to satisfy a variety of customer needs, with sustainability usually being an afterthought, behind price, and features.  There has been a definite shift in consumer preferences when it comes to selecting home appliances as a result of the digitisation of the globe, as well as a growing middle class and greater consumer spending.


90% of customers are prepared to pay extra for a company that gives back to society, and two thirds of global consumers are now willing to pay more for sustainable products. Nearly 75 percent of worldwide consumers now believe that it is more crucial for businesses to act sustainably than they did prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, proving that the epidemic has undoubtedly hastened this trend. The same percentage of people think it is their duty to lessen their own carbon impact. These shifts offer considerable potential for manufacturers, and will eventually force them to make more substantive investments in innovation and scale efficiencies.

 

Are appliance rentals and subscriptions part of the solution?

It is not a novel idea for consumers to rent or subscribe to appliances as a service rather than purchasing them.  Appliance rental has been dominated in recent years by business models that are more akin to high interest loans to those with poor credit who cannot afford to buy what they need.  Its poor rate of acceptance, may also be partially explained by customers’ conditioning to replace rather than repair, persists even now.   Repair carries too many risks in markets with high labor costs and often costs more than the replacement value of the appliance.  The use of more widely available components in appliances is also a need for producers if they want to increase the possibility of repair. parts that are simple to get and seldom go out of production (even years after an appliance has been purchased).

 Since this is an issue that affects the whole industry, Whybuy recognized an opportunity to study how a circular business model, which is nearly the exact opposite of its existing operating strategy, may be successful. 

 

Redefining ownership in relation to customers and appliances

By providing customers with a completely flexible end-to-end appliance subscription service that includes setup, delivery, servicing, damage cover, and a 48-hour guaranteed like-for-like replacement policy, Whybuy flips the appliance ownership paradigm on its head. Whybuy offers total peace of mind to its consumers while also sparing them the hefty up-front fees of purchasing an appliance brand new, or the inherent risk of being scammed  when buying used.

 

Home equipment including fridges, TVs, microwaves , and washing machines may be rented at Whybuy. Customers may easily have the appliance picked up and delivered when they are done using it; this service is included in the cost. In order to ensure that more appliances are handled and disposed of properly at the end of their lives to lessen their impact on the environment, Whybuy also provides its customers with the option to have home appliances collected and disposed of responsibly.

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The Three Most Important Appliance Success Factors for Satisfaction when Acquiring Appliances 

The appliance market is booming, and it’s no surprise that there are so many brands vying for your attention – some with deep cash discounts. But what is the right choice? How do you know which one is right for your needs? In this post we’ll explore the three most important factors for success in subscription appliances: brand, model and method of acquisition.

Brand
Brand is the first of the appliance success factors we will cover when choosing an appliance. For an appliance brand to be successful, it must deliver on its brand promise.  A brand promise is an expectation of quality and service that you have when dealing with a particular business or person. If the brand itself promises good quality products at affordable prices and meets the customers expectations in a previous sale, then customers will trust those promises more than ones made by other businesses who may offer cash discounts  and cheaper options.
Different brands have different promises. Electrolux, LG, Bosch, Fisher and Paykel, Samsung, Miele, and Asko all have their brand promises.  Fisher and Paykel is a relatively expensive brand, with the promise that it will last a long time and parts will be available for many years.   Miele and Asko are very expensive brands which come with extra prestige, with the promise of the highest quality, some confusing buttons which will mean no one but you can use it, and very long parts availability.  If you are considering buying one of these expensive brands, especially if you will be buying on finance and making monthly payments, you really ought to consider the subscription appliance market or subscription services instead.  Subscription services lets you to subscribe to an appliance usually with monthly payments instead of owning it outright, meaning you essentially have a lifetime warranty on the subscription appliance.  More on the subscription appliance market later.
 
Model
Model is the second most important of the three appliance success factors to consider.  There are two main things to watch out for in model.  First try and avoid buying a fresh brand new design, and this can be a bit difficult.  The fresh designs will usually be the most fashionable and often have cash discounts – but they come with a problem.  When a new model type first hits the market it often has design flaws – and you won’t know about them because there won’t be any reviews to go off yet – all you can do is trust the brand.  These design flaws often cannot be fixed, they’re just lemons.  Some brands are constantly updating their models – Samsung and LG are notorious for releasing a new design seemingly every 5 minutes.  Other brands like Fisher and Paykel tend to make incremental changes.  For example Fisher and Paykel fridges have the same basic design they have had for the last 30 years, and their frontloader washers for the last 6 years.  They don’t risk releasing a lemon and wasting time on gimmicky addons, but the downside is they might not seem as cutting edge and fashionable as other brands. 
The second consideration here we’ve already touched on – check out the customer reviews for the model online.  In fairness these are usually skewed to the negative, as customers who are dissatisfied about their appliance from a big business are much more likely to vent their negative experience than a positive experience.  A rating of 3 stars out of 5 or higher would be acceptable, but make sure to read the reviews and see if there’s a common theme.  For a good example try googling “Samsung SRF890SWLS reviews”.  
Method of Acquisition
The final of the three appliance success factors is how will you get the appliance.  Your choices are buying outright, buying on finance or credit card (with monthly payments), traditional rental, or the up-and-coming subscription appliance market and subscription services.  Depending on how you acquire the appliances 
Buying outright is pretty straightforward.  You have the cash, you buy it – you might even be able to get cash discounts.  Alternatively if you cannot afford to buy the appliance outright you use a credit card and pay for the appliance with monthly repayments.  Traditional rental is very similar to buying with a loan or credit card.  You rent the appliance and there’s usually a buy it for $1 clause at the end of the term.  Essentially though you end up paying a very high interest rate and get all the unwanted obligations of ownership as well.  For example once the warranty has run out, if the appliance breaks, too bad – that’s on you.  If you send it to rubbish you still have to pay out the rest of your term, and if you repair it, you’re responsible for the cost of repairs – and guess who pays for the cost of any damage like spoilt food or a flooded apartment – Hooray you do!
Subscription services for appliances is not just appliance rental by another name.  There are what appear to be small differences, but they compound to result in a completely different experience.  Subscription appliances are the more sustainable option helping to close the loop, and they’re also often the more economic option.  In the subscription appliance market customers usually make weekly or monthly payments, with no lock in contracts, so the subscription services can be cancelled anytime, and the appliances returned without further weekly or monthly payments.  With subscription appliances, the subscription services provider is responsible for the appliance working, you’re not actually paying to have a fridge or washing machine, you’re paying to have cold food, or clean clothes.  And if there’s a problem they will usually have customer protections, so you’re not out of pocket if anything goes wrong.  Whether you’re looking for a cheap appliance or an expensive one subscription appliances often makes more sense.  For example, if you are looking at buying an expensive washing machine it usually works out cheaper to subscribe, because you effectively have a lifetime warranty, and cash compensation for damage caused by flooding in many cases.  If you’re buying an expensive appliance for a long warranty, the subscription appliance market can generally offer a better option to suit you. If you’re buying a cheap, poorly built appliance with a short warranty – again the subscription appliance market generally has you covered,  A cheap washing machine is more likely to fail and ruin your clothes and flood your house, a cheap fridge more likely to fail and take your food with it.  Make sure you consider these risks when you’re buying.  A cheap appliance is much more likely to have a shorter service life than an expensive one as well.  Once all things have been considered it often makes more sense to go with more reliable, better quality appliances offered with subscription services.  Businesses in the subscription appliance market have a strong incentive to provide good quality appliances that are well looked after to avoid maintenance issues or compensation pay-outs under their protections.  So for the buyer looking at a cheaper machine, subscription services means they get a better quality machine, at a lower price once all things have been considered and with far greater flexibility to upgrade or downgrade their appliances as their life circumstances change – such as adding a member to their family, or downsizing from a house to an apartment.
We hope that after reading this article, you feel more confident about your chances of finding the right appliance for your needs. If you need any help with acquiring a subscription appliance, contact us today!
 
 
 
 
 
 
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The Modern Phenomenon of Peer to Peer and Subscription-Based Models – Good or Bad?  Should the Appliance Industry Take Note?

peer to peer, melbourne neighborhood
peer to peer, melbourne neighborhood

In the past few years, it has become increasingly clear that subscription-based business models are becoming a popular trend with business owners and customers. For business owners this is driven by better customer retention, and stable long-term profits.  For customers, subscription-based business models are becoming more popular for a few reasons.   Why would a customer want to subscribe or rent instead of own?  There are several reasons, some good, others bad. Lets dive into those reasons deeper.

 

 

1. Convenience and value
A good reason.  Some examples include entertainment subscription-based models like Netflix and Spotify.  In exchange for a weekly fee users are granted access to a library of tens of thousands of titles that would otherwise cost a fortune to buy.  The convenience and value offered here is obvious.  Another example is Car share services like Carnextdoor, Uber Carshare, Flexicar, Popcar and GoGet.  These are for the most part not subscription-based business models, but peer to peer or one time access services, where your neighbour has a car next door, and when you want to use it you book it out.  But they do work on the same principle that when you want the good, you rent it for the time you need.  There’s a lot of fixed costs involved in owning a car and if you don’t need to use one often, these services can save you a lot of money.  It also puts idle cars to work, meaning fewer cars are needed on our roads, reducing the embodied energy and sustainability of vehicles.

 

2. Ability to access something they could otherwise not afford.
A good or bad reason depending on the context.  All people should have access to all life’s luxuries, regardless of their age and income – even if only for a short while, and rental or subscription-based business models can provide this access.  But if someone is using a subscription-based business model to access something that is closer to a human right – like appliancesthat are important to sanitary living conditions like a washing machine or refrigerator – because they could not otherwise afford to buy those appliances, well that’s not good.  Perhaps the question here is, do we believe that people have a right to true ownership of certain property?

Housing is increasingly becoming unaffordable for people to buy, and most would consider it to be a true right for a hardworking person to have – A place to call their own, where they can settle down for the long run and do what they will without fear of repercussion or eviction.  In Melbourne City, Australia, most could never afford to live within the inner suburbs.  Places like Melbourne CBD, Carnegie, Toorak, and Caulfield and Maribyrnong are completely out of reach for most Australians, all they could hope to do is find a rental house or apartment for rent.  At the same time we need rental property for those who haven’t accumulated enough savings to buy a house or apartment, or are just temporary inhabitants who do not want to stay long term.  We need subscription or rental housing – but we need true ownership to be reasonably on the table.

 

3. No choice – or at least no reasonable choice
The worst outcome of subscription-based business models, and obviously a bad reason.  It should be noted though it is hard to simply categorise subscription-based business models into three distinct categories, and whether we may determine if they are good or bad based on this categorisation – It is highly dependent on context.  For example a person who works 40 hours per week for 10 years and has not managed to save for a home deposit in an average neighbourhood, despite being responsible with their money and their best intentions – Well we could say that person had no choice but to continue subscribing to housing instead of owning.

The most obvious example where a customer has no choice is some Software as a Service (SaaS) products.  If you want a copy of Photoshop now, your only choice is to subscribe to it.  And there’s plenty of other examples of software where your only choice is to subscribe to it.  Now you might say “sure, but there’s other software you can use”, and that’s true, but the fact is that Adobe Photoshop is the industry standard.  One of the reasons it is the industry standard is that Adobe actively encourages students with cheap access, so that’s what they learn, and when they go to get a job, they expect their employer to continue offering them this access, now at a much higher price.  Not all SaaS is a case of no choice – but when you are offered no realistic alternative and no option for true ownership, which ends up costing you more, that’s not fair.

 

4. The reasons for subscription-based model popularity to appliance manufacturers and appliance retailers.
The big driver for a subscription-based model to businesses is driven by better customer retention, and stable long-term profits.  When subscription-based models are done well, a business can turn a one time purchase into a lifelong income stream – and while there is plenty of scope for it to be at the customers detriment, it needn’t be at all.  Subscription-based models done well give customers more freedom and flexibility as well as lower lifetime costs.  For example marketing costs and cash flow management costs are significantly reduced for the business, allowing it to spend more on customer service and retention, and reduce prices, while building a more reliable product.  

 

5. Lessons for appliance manufacturers, the appliance industry and the future of appliance sales.
The appliance industry has long been set in its ways, and the time may be coming for disruption.  As consumers become more educated about their homes and how they use appliances, appliance manufacturers might be realising that there could be a better way to do business than simply convincing customers to buy the latest model appliance. Will we witness a shift in consumer behaviour to subscription appliances given a choice between true ownership and a subscription-based model? Or would it just be a cynical attempt by appliance manufacturers and the appliance industry as a whole to make more appliance sales and profits?  Well, it could be either.  Done well it could be a revolution for the appliance industry.  Done badly, a shameless money grab.  

 

6. Done well Done well subscription appliances makes a lot of sense.  For appliance manufacturers it could mean long term reliable income.  With a risk reversal, no lock in contract, or return anytime subscription-based model, for customers there could be a choice between buying the appliance outright, or subscribing to either a brand-new model, or a refurbished model.  Customers no longer need to worry about appliance breakdowns and appliance repairs, appliances not fitting when they move, or outgrowing their appliance.  Upsizing, downsizing, easy and straightforward.  No more worries about how to move big heavy appliances from place to place.  Or what to do when the appliance needs repairs.  From a sustainability perspective a subscription-based model makes far more sense than the current buying outright model.  If the appliance manufacturers own the appliances they are highly incentivised to build reliable, repairable models – even easily upgradeable models – which has the potential to substantially reduce waste and align the appliance industry with reduce, reuse, recycle philosophy much more closely.

 A subscription-based model done well could see the return of appliance repair.  The unfortunate truth is that in many countries, like Australia, the cost of labour is very high.  While it might be a sustainable practice to have your appliance repaired it is not the economic choice.  To get a repairer out to look at the appliance, you have to pay a call out fee (even if the appliance is irreparable) you need to pay for the repair – and if it’s not fixed, you’re right back where you started.  This problem in the appliance industry causes flow on effects – consumers buy cheaper, cheaply built brands, knowing that if the appliance breaks they will not repair it, rather throw it out and buy another.  A subscription-based model can change all of this and align the appliance industry with the reduce, reuse, recycle philosophy.  For an appliance manufacturer who has access to parts at cost price and specialises in repairing and refreshing appliances, with control over the quality and repairability of the appliances in the first place, this is not expensive at all.  Replacing a dented fridge door makes a big difference to its appeal and its about a 5 minute job and $5 of steel and plastic.  Trying to replace a fridge door as a consumer – if you’re lucky enough the part isn’t NLA – no longer available – it’s at least $100 a door, sometimes upwards of $400, and you still need to pay the technician to come out and do the job!

To do it well though, the “set in its ways” appliance industry may be too rigid to adapt, certainly most players will be.  Giving customers the option to subscribe to not new – second hand or used appliances – refurbished appliances – means a pivot away from manufacturing, to refurbishing, repairing, testing, servicing and cleaning.  It doesn’t sound difficult but let’s look at it.  The appliance manufacturer designs the appliance.  They make it in China, or another country with cheap labour.  Then they ship it around the world to their warehouses.  From their warehouses it goes to appliance retailers through what are often cartel like structures called buying groups, which have exclusive membership.  If the appliance manufacturer sells to anyone outside of the appliance buying group, then the appliance buying group boycotts them.  Once with the appliance retailer, the appliances are sold and delivered to the customer by the appliance retailer.

From this state of affairs appliance manufacturers need to continuing to import the goods from overseas to their local warehouses, and setup operations for repair, testing, servicing, cleaning and refurbishment.  This will certainly upset the appliance buying group cartels – so for the appliance manufacturer, they are risking everything to make the change to a subscription-based model, at least not without their cut.  But, lets say they did take the risk, or find a way to appease the cartels – A big corporation would need to make a big pivot to substantially more local staff and a whole new set of skills in refurbishment, cleaning, testing and repair.  They don’t know how to do this or have the facilities.  It’s a lot of risk for the risk averse appliance industry.

7. Done badly

Done badly subscription appliances offered by an appliance manufacturer would just be a money grab.  It could go a few ways.  Perhaps appliance manufacturers in cooperation with existing appliance retailers would offer a subscription fridge, which was really just the same as you paying it off over a few years at high interest rates with an option to buy the appliance for $1 at the end of the term – like traditional appliance rental. Or maybe you could subscribe to only a new fridge, and if there was any fault the appliance manufacturer or appliance retailer just took the fridge away and crushed it.  Subscription appliances done badly would just be a money grab – It could start with the best of intentions, but as reality set in, a watered-down version would just be a cynical money grab.

Should the Appliance Industry Take Note? 

Yes.  It seems likely that if the appliance industry does nothing that inevitably a plucky start-up will get the jump on them catching them short as a whole and scrambling to catch up.  But entrenched  ways of doing business and cartel behaviour from appliance retailers make it hard to see how the appliance industry could pivot to a subscription-based model in anything but a cynical money grab, which would likely be doomed to failure.

 

 

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4 Ways Subscription Appliances Reduce Waste

During the pandemic, everybody is working from home now and everybody this time is discouraged from going out. If not to shop for essentials, people are asked to stay home. Community has been shut down as well closing down our go to  establishments such as restaurants, laundromat, and cinemas which heightened the need for appliances which birthed the business model of subscription appliances.

Today, we will not be elaborating the basic functionality of the Subscription Appliance business model but we will be covering the advantages of Subscription Appliance, its contribution to the environment and how it would best make the service a better option than buying.
 

Subscription appliances significantly reduce landfill waste and associated carbon emissions.  This is for one simple reason. The interests of a subscription appliance business is aligned with sustainable outcomes.  

 

1. Subscription Appliances Means Appliance Users Don’t Send Appliances to Waste.

 

Subscribing appliances can help reduce landfill waste by reusing and recycling appliances so end users don’t need to continually buy appliances new and repeat the wasteful cycle.  Subscription appliances are part of an answer to closing the loop.  When you own or rent appliances the traditional way, they don’t receive the proper care or servicing they need.  Often people lament that appliances just aren’t built to last anymore.  That just isn’t true.  What is true is that people don’t look after their appliances anymore, and this is usually because the cost of labour, the cost of parts, and the risk of unsuccessful repair means that appliances aren’t economical to repair.

 

 

 

If the cost of labour was cheaper we might see a manufacturer conspiracy to less repairability to encourage more sales, but they just don’t have that incentive. The way things are now an appliance manufacturer wants to have serviceable and repairable appliances, because when it breaks the blame is shifted to the consumer for not getting the risky and expensive repair undertaken. The appliance could be repaired, it is the consumer choosing not to, because choosing to repair them usually involves acting against their best economic interests. Neither are appliances periodically serviced like they might once have been.  Just like your car, your appliances need periodic checking by a professional to identify if anything is on the way out and needing replacement.  Belts, bearings, pulleys, heaters, fans, all easily replaceable failure points. 

Imagine driving your car for several years without a service and throwing it away to buy a new one when it breaks down, and complaining that cars just aren’t built like they used to be!  Appliances have only got more reliable, the advent of the computer age has allowed a myriad of analogue and mechanical switches to be replaced with a solid state computer, vastly reducing failure points.  We expect appliances to last longer while looking after them less.

Subscription services changes this dynamic from unsustainable to sustainable products within the reduce, reuse, recycle, philosophy – that is – sustainable practices supporting sustainable living.  A subscribing appliances model means the customer simply returns a non-working appliance for a working one – they’re never in a position to need to dispose of an appliance. 


2. The Subscription Appliance Business Model Encourages Appliance Owners to Maintain Their Appliances Instead of Sending Them to Waste.

With subscription services, the customer no longer owns the machine, and is no longer responsible for its care and uptake.  Instead the subscribing appliances business is responsible, and the customer expects working appliances at all times.  For the subscribing services business, they want appliances that are easily repairable with long service lives, and they want to avoid breakdowns at customers houses because its bad for customer experience, its much harder to deal with than in the warehouse or factory, and it might require multiple visits to resolve.  So a subscribing appliance business services their appliances.  The subscribing appliances business also has an economic interest in getting the longest life out of an appliance, and repairing it.  In fact they’re usually going to specialise in repairing their appliances, its much more cost effective for the subscribing appliances business to repair and service their appliances and pass the saving s onto customers, than continually buy appliances, and throw broken appliances away which only need minor service.

Subscribing appliances turns the economics of repairing appliances around, signficantly reducing waste through reuse and longer service lives. The economic interest of the subscribing appliances business is aligned with sustainable practices and sustainable products and through that sustainable living – there’s no need for anyone to do the right thing, the structure itself aligns the economic interest of the appliance owner with the reduce reuse recycle principles.   

3. The Subscription Appliance Business Model Creates an Economic Incentive to Salvage Parts.

When an appliance has come to the end of its service life, its reusable parts can be salvaged for use in another appliance, further reducing waste and improving sustainable living.  While there are service parts that wear out, there are many that have no service life, or have very long service lives and will continue to last in good condition.  For example a washing machine door, or a fridge shelf.  This also combats another problem with the sustainable practices of the appliance industry, the dreaded NLA – no longer available.  Depending on the brand and model of appliance you buy, parts may never be available to buy.  For quality brands like Fisher Paykel, Electrolux, LG, Miele and Asko parts are usually available, but for how long varies wildly.  Sometimes you won’t be able to get a part after just one year  (or less), sometimes parts can be available after 20 years or longer.  Usually the more you pay for the appliance initially, the longer parts will be available but there’s no guarantees.  And even for a specific model some parts might be NLA after just a few years, while others are available a few decades later.  A good example of this is Fisher and Paykel refrigerators.  For many of their models the doors are no longer available, so if a door is damaged, it needs to be repaired, or if its too bad another door needs to be found from an appliance that is otherwise beyond repair.  For the same fridge, most of the other parts are still readily available, as they’re used on more current models and you can even get parts for a fridge thats 30 years old in many cases, just frustratingly, not the doors.  

For the subscription appliance business owner, because they own hundreds of the same model of appliance, they can convert anything that is beyond repair into parts, and now those parts that are no longer availalble – they are available!  That fridge that would have been put out on the nature strip as waste, now gets a chance to breathe new life into several of its brothers and sisters.  Traditionally when you rent appliances or buy appliances many of these parts would be ewaste, with subscribing appliances they’re kept as valuable parts.

4. The Subscription Appliance Business Model encourages manufacturers to build more repairable appliances.

The final reason subscription appliances reduce waste is by encouraging appliance manufacturers to adopt more sustainable practices and design and build more repairable and sustainable products.  It is simple supply and demand.  As the demand grows for subscription appliances, the business owners will have a strong preference for repairable appliances, and pay a premium for them.  There will be higher demand for those repairable appliances and therefore the manufacturer can command a higher price, while those less repairable or with poor parts availability will be less attractive and won’t be as valuable.   This can make better appliances availalble to all and support more sustainable living.

There, we have compiled them all together. True to this writing the services we offer here at Whybuy is over the top. Minimum effort with maximum result for us, our customers and the environment. We have only started with suggesting a more sustainable lifestyle to our customers and we will continue to do more and add more services that would aid the idea of sustainability at its best functionality. 

Stay tuned to know more about Whybuys journey.