Furniture’s shelf-life is shorter than advice suggests

We are changing our furniture and white goods more regularly than guidelines suggest, according to new research.

The study by home furnishing firm AHF has uncovered a large gap in the amount of time we keep our furniture, compared to the lifespan recommended by watchdog guidelines.

Items of furniture and appliances last on 6.52 years less than stated by consumer advice, researchers found when quizzing Brits on their sofas, bedframes, mattresses, washing machines, fridges, freezers, dining table, boilers, ovens and dishwashers.

While many experts and watchdogs state a freezer should be replaced every 16 years, it was found that they are actually lasting an average of 6.63 years, meaning a difference of 9.37 years between consumer advice and the reality for homeowners.

In further findings, although instructions commonly suggest changing a washing machine every 12 years, the average lifespan of a washing machine in Britain is 6.21 years, which is 5.79 years less than the guidelines.

More differences were recorded in fridges (7.48 years), dining tables (7.54 years), boilers (7.54 years), ovens (8.97 years), dishwashers (5.50 years) and sofas (1.38).

The research – which took lifespan averages from advice offered by consumer sites and industry experts such as GoCompare, MrAppliance and The Sleep Council – also showed that furniture and appliances last six months less in flats as opposed to houses, likely due to wear and tear caused by a higher turnover of residents.

Jonathan Gregory, ecommerce manager at AHF, said: “It is clear that the guidelines given by the experts have not taken into account the everyday effect that busy homes, with children and pets, can have on our items and with research stating that Brits spent nearly £14 billion on new furniture in 2014, it’s important that we ensure no money is lost by having to replace items sooner than expected.”