Step-by-step solutions for an oven that doesn't heat up and a clothes dryer that doesn't heat up. Most repairs take less than an hour and save the expense of a service call. We show solutions for electric and gas ovens and dryers. There are three types of small appliances, portable or household appliances.
Some appliances, such as toasters and coffee machines, heat up something. Other appliances, such as food processors and vacuum cleaners, move something. Some appliances, such as hair dryers, do both. Once you have learned how to troubleshoot and repair the most popular heating appliances, it will be easy to repair any of them.
This is a guide that will help you decide when it's worth repairing a small appliance and when it's best to throw out the broken device and replace it. Repairs to freezers and refrigerators usually peak in July, when it's hot and these appliances work overtime to keep food fresh. See “What's Broken” in each section below and A Big Break for the repairs you hope your appliance will never need. Reliability should not only reflect the likelihood that an appliance will need to be repaired, but also the ease and cost of the typical repair.
At least a quarter of all appliance repair calls are resolved with obvious solutions, such as pressing a button or activating a circuit breaker. A Professional's Perspective “Correct any squeaks or taps as soon as possible,” says Wayne Archer, technical expert at Sears Home Services, which performs more than 7 million appliance repairs a year. If your ice machine stops working or even starts producing gray ice, you don't need to call the best appliance repair service. Find out how small appliances work and what to do when they don't work with free repair help from the Fix-It Club.
