What appliance repair actually costs — and which ones break most

Appliance repair is a bigger business than it feels from the kitchen — This Old House pegs it at a $6.5 billion industry, citing IBISWorld.

The economics start before any part is touched. A service call typically runs $75 to $125 just for the visit, per a 2025 home-warranty survey, and homeowner satisfaction drops sharply once fees climb past $150. Refrigerators are the most-repaired appliance at 54% of jobs, followed by ovens and ranges.

Those flat trip fees are why a misdiagnosis or a repeat visit hurts so much — you can pay the show-up charge twice before anything is actually fixed.

OwnWise is built for that moment of decision. It estimates the likely fault and a fair price to fix it, weighs that against your appliance’s age and expected lifespan, and checks for any warranty or recall coverage — so you spend the service fee once, on a repair that is worth making.