They might be small, but when it comes to all their moving parts, many countertop appliances are anything but simple. Consumer Reports has tested food processors and juicers with more than 20 separate components, many of them tiny enough to easily go missing, whether lost during a move or accidentally tossed into the trash. Other parts are prone to breakage—think glass coffee carafes and the blade assembly on a blender. In those cases, the loss of the part could render the machine unusable.
That got us thinking: How easy is it to get replacement parts for small appliances? The question takes on added urgency during the holiday season, when you want to have all your small appliances in working order to help with the flurry of cooking, baking, pureeing, blending, and more. With that in mind, we decided to run a nonscientific experiment to learn more about the replacement-part process.
The setup was simple. We selected food processors that have been on the market for at least six months from five major brands: Breville, Cuisinart, Hamilton Beach, KitchenAid, and Oster. On the same day, we contacted each company to order a replacement for each model's "pusher," that little cylindrical widget you use to push food down into the processor. In each case, we tried to order the part two ways—by phone and online.
As the chart below shows, there was a good deal of variation, enough for us to draw several basic conclusions. Despite the small sample size, we think the findings could save you time and money (and maybe your famous holiday soufflé or homemade eggnog) the next time a vital small appliance part is lost.
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| Model and Price | Duration of Call | Total Cost | Days to Delivery | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breville Sous Chef BFP660SIL $300 |
Phone | 9 min. (including 2 min. on hold) |
$4.68 | 7 |
| Online | 1 min. | N/A | N/A | |
| Cuisinart FP-12BCN $200 |
Phone | 27 min. (including 12 min. on hold) |
$16.45 | 4 |
| Online | 3 min. | $17.33 | 4 | |
| Hamilton Beach 70725A $60 |
Phone | 15 min. (including 10 min. on hold) |
$10.79 | 7 |
| Online | 4 min. | $19.78 | 4 | |
| KitchenAid KFP1466CU $350 |
Phone | 11 min. (including 3 min. on hold) |
$0.00 | 10 |
| Online | 8 min. | $12.37 | 7 | |
| Oster FPSTFP1355 $50 |
Phone | 11 min. (including 5 min. on hold) |
N/A | N/A |
| Online | 5 min. | N/A | N/A |
Lessons Learned
Ordering by phone can save money, if not time. The 73 minutes we spent calling the five customer service centers (including 32 minutes on hold) was no one's idea of a good time. But on average, we saved about $7 compared with the online approach. Consider KitchenAid. The Tennessee-based representative who took our call was not only pleasant, but also she waived the cost of the pusher and the shipping fee. Though ordering online took 3 fewer minutes, it cost us $12.37 (with none of the pleasantries!). In the case of Breville, the pusher wasn't even available on its website, whereas by phone, the Australian manufacturer won top prize for quickest service call and the cost was reasonable.
Give it at least a week. All of the replacement parts arrived within 10 days of ordering. Cuisinart was the fastest overall, with both parts arriving in four days. But manufacturers tell us that there could be some seasonality at play here (the holidays are particularly tough on food processors and stand mixers, while summer sees a surge in demand for blender parts). So you might want to leave a little more time during those periods. In a pinch, you can also opt for faster delivery, though the costs get excessive in a hurry. For example, next-day delivery of our $5 Hamilton Beach pusher would have been $57.34, up from $19.78 for standard ground delivery.
It's worth noting that a handful of larger small appliance parts are sold at stores. For example, Bed, Bath, & Beyond sells certain thermal carafes for Cuisinart coffeemakers, while Target carries some KitchenAid stand mixer bowls. Start by doing a quick Google search of the brand and model number, which should be stamped clearly on the main body of the appliance.
Failure could be an option. Our 11-minute call to Oster was all for naught when the representative failed to locate our replacement part in the system. She suggested we check back in 4 to 6 weeks. She also recommended we try the website www.ereplacement.com, which bills itself as a sustainable provider of aftermarket replacement parts that might otherwise end up in the landfill. The site trades more in electronics and large appliances, including items like laptop batteries and dishwasher control boards. Good to know about, but not for our Oster pusher.
Of course, the best advice of all is to keep your small appliances organized and in good working order. Storing them in a dedicated cabinet or drawer will help prevent parts from wandering away. In terms of care and maintenance, be sure to check the owners' manual. You might find that some parts are dishwasher safe, while others could come out of the machine warped and damaged—perhaps just when you need it most.
How to Make Appliances Last
Want to keep your household appliances in tip-top shape? On the "Consumer 101" TV show, Consumer Reports expert Eric Hagerman explains the most important thing you can do to keep these machines working properly.
