| Home appliance | |
|---|---|
 Home appliances may be used in kitchens | |
| Industry | Food and beverages, health care |
| Application | Kitchens andlaundry rooms |
| Wheels | In some cases |
| Examples | Refrigerator,toaster,kettle,microwave,blender |
Ahome appliance, also referred to as adomestic appliance, anelectric appliance or ahousehold appliance,[1] is a machine which assists inhousehold functions[2] such ascooking,cleaning andfood preservation.
The domestic application attached to home appliance is tied to the definition of appliance as "an instrument or device designed for a particular use or function".[3]Collins English Dictionary defines "home appliance" as: "devices or machines, usually electrical, that are in your home and which you use to do jobs such as cleaning or cooking".[4] The broad usage allows for nearly any device intended for domestic use to be a home appliance, includingconsumer electronics as well asstoves,[5]refrigerators,toasters[5] andair conditioners.
The development of self-contained electric and gas-powered appliances, an American innovation, emerged in the early 20th century. This evolution is linked to the decline of full-time domesticservants and desire to reduce household chores, allowing for more leisure time[citation needed]. Early appliances includedwashing machines,water heaters, refrigerators, andsewing machines. The industry saw significant growth post-World War II, with the introduction ofdishwashers andclothes dryers. By the 1980s, the appliance industry was booming, leading to mergers and antitrust legislation. The USNational Appliance Energy Conservation Act of 1987 mandated a 25% reduction in energy consumption every five years. By the 1990s, five companies dominated over 90% of the market.
Major appliances, often calledwhite goods, include items like refrigerators and washing machines, whilesmall appliances encompass items such astoasters andcoffee makers.[6] Product design shifted in the 1960s, embracing new materials and colors.Consumer electronics, often referred to asbrown goods, include items like TVs and computers.[7] There is a growing trend towards home automation and internet-connected appliances.Recycling of home appliances involves dismantling and recovering materials.
While many appliances have existed for centuries, the self-contained electric or gas powered appliances are a uniquely American innovation that emerged in the early twentieth century. The development of these appliances is tied to the disappearance of full-timedomestic servants and the desire to reduce the time-consuming activities in pursuit of more recreational time. In the early 1900s, electric and gas appliances includedwashing machines,water heaters, refrigerators,kettles andsewing machines. The invention of Earl Richardson's small electricclothes iron in 1903 gave a small initial boost to the home appliance industry. In thePost–World War II economic expansion, the domestic use ofdishwashers, andclothes dryers were part of a shift for convenience. Increasingdiscretionary income was reflected by a rise in miscellaneous home appliances.[8][9][self-published source]
In America during the 1980s, the industry shipped $1.5 billion worth of goods each year and employed over 14,000 workers, with revenues doubling between 1982 and 1990 to $3.3 billion. Throughout this period, companies merged and acquired one another to reduce research and production costs and eliminate competitors, resulting inantitrust legislation.
TheUnited States Department of Energy reviews compliance with theNational Appliance Energy Conservation Act of 1987, which required manufacturers to reduce the energy consumption of the appliances by 25% every five years.[8]
In the 1990s, the appliance industry was very consolidated, with over 90% of the products being sold by just five companies. For example, in 1991, dishwasher manufacturing market share was split betweenGeneral Electric with 40% market share,Whirlpool with 31%,Electrolux with 20%,Maytag with 7% andThermador with just 2%.[8]
Major appliances, also known as white goods, comprise major household appliances and may include: air conditioners,[10] dishwashers,[10] clothes dryers,drying cabinets,freezers, refrigerators,[10]kitchen stoves, water heaters,[10] washing machines,[10]trash compactors,microwave ovens, andinduction cookers. White goods were typically painted orenameled white, and many of them still are.[11]
Small appliances are typically small household electrical machines, also very useful and easily carried and installed. Yet another category is used in the kitchen, including:juicers,electric mixers,meat grinders,coffee grinders,deep fryers,herb grinders,food processors,[12]electric kettles,waffle irons,coffee makers,blenders,[12]rice cookers,[5] toasters andexhaust hoods.
In the 1960s theproduct design for appliances such aswashing machines,refrigerators, andelectric toasters shifted away fromStreamline Moderne and embraced technological advances in the fabrication ofsheet metal. A choice in color, as well asfashionable accessory, could be offered to themass market without increasingproduction cost. Home appliances were sold as space-saving ensembles.[13]
Consumer electronics (or home electronics)[10] areelectronic (analog ordigital) equipment intended for everyday use, typically in private homes. Consumer electronics include devices used forentertainment,communications andrecreation. In British English, they are often called "brown goods" by producers and sellers, to distinguish them from "white goods" which are meant forhousekeeping tasks, such as washing machines and refrigerators, although nowadays, these could be considered brown goods, some of these being connected to the Internet.[14][n 1] Some such appliances were traditionally finished with genuine or imitation wood, hence the name. This has become rare but the name has stuck, even for goods that are unlikely ever to have had a wooden case (e.g. camcorders). In the 2010s, this distinction is absent in largebig boxconsumer electronics stores, which sell both entertainment, communication, and home office devices and kitchen appliances such as refrigerators. The highest selling consumer electronics products arecompact discs.[16] Examples are: home electronics,radio receivers,TV sets,[5]VCRs,CD andDVD players,[5]digital cameras,camcorders,still cameras,clocks,alarm clocks,computers,video game consoles,HiFi andhome cinema,telephones andanswering machines.
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A survey conducted in 2020 of more than thirteen thousand people in the UK revealed how long appliance owners had their appliances before needing to replace them due to a fault, deteriorating performance, or the age of the appliance.
| Appliance | Longest average estimated lifespan | Shortest average estimated lifespan |
|---|---|---|
| Washing machine | 21 years | 13 years |
| Tumble dryer | 24 years | 17 years |
| Dishwasher | 22 years | 13 years |
| Built-in oven | 29 years | 23 years |
| Fridge freezer | 24 years | 14 years |
| Fridge | 29 years | 18 years |
There is a trend of networking home appliances together, and combining their controls and key functions.[18] For instance, energy distribution could be managed more evenly so that when a washing machine is on, anoven can go into a delayed start mode, or vice versa. Or, a washing machine and clothes dryer could share information about load characteristics (gentle/normal, light/full), and synchronize their finish times so the wet laundry does not have to wait before being put in the dryer.
Additionally, some manufacturers of home appliances are quickly beginning to place hardware that enablesInternet connectivity in home appliances to allow forremote control, automation, communication with other home appliances, and more functionality enabling connected cooking.[18][19][20][21] Internet-connected home appliances were especially prevalent during recentConsumer Electronics Show events.[22]
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Appliance recycling consists of dismantling waste home appliances andscrapping their parts for reuse. The main types of appliances that are recycled are T.V.s, refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines, and computers. It involves disassembly, removal of hazardous components and destruction of the equipment to recover materials, generally by shredding, sorting and grading.[23]
