Posted: Monday 20 January 2025, 00:00
Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service is supporting Register My Appliance Week (20 – 26 January 2025) and is urging everyone to register their appliances, large or small so that brands can get in touch should a safety concern arise.
Households could be missing out on important safety information because they have yet to register over 40 million large appliances in use in their homes. Unregistered appliances can pose serious safety risks.
With an estimated 133 million fridges, washing machines and ovens in use in UK homes[1], nearly a third of households have never or rarely registered their large appliances[2], making them extremely hard to trace if a safety repair is ever needed.
Though, as a nation we are all clearly dependent on our appliances, there are surprising generational divides on priorities. A new survey by OnePoll[3] for the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances (AMDEA) found that, a resounding two thirds (68%) of baby boomers said they could not live without their washing machine, closely followed by Gen X (67%). Millennials differed, however, with 56% valuing equally their washer and fridge.
Agreement across different age groups was shown over the impact washing machines had on domestic life with more than half (58%) agreeing it was significant. High regard was also shown for vacuum cleaners, dishwashers, fridges and freezers.
And a quarter of women surveyed particularly praised the cheeky appliance newbie – the air fryer – for having improved life in the kitchen.
Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service is supporting Register My Appliance Week (20 -26 January 2025) and urging all households to register their appliances, small or large, to ensure brands know where to find them if a safety concern is raised. Whether appliances are newly-purchased, long-installed, have been acquired ‘nearly-new’ or second-hand, registration is vital to help ensure the longest possible safe lifespan.
Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service Group Manager David Diggins said: “We all value how appliances have changed our lives and are excited by how smart and efficient tech makes household tasks easier. However, it’s important to ensure the appliances we use every day are registered so if a recall is made, or a safety notice is issued, brands are able to contact owners.
“In Derbyshire last year there were 374 accidental dwelling fires, 31% (117) being attributed to electrical and white goods fires[4]; it is therefore important we raise awareness of the importance of registering appliances so if there is a potential safety concern, owners can be contacted, and the problem resolved.
“Registering an appliance is a really quick and absolutely free and means you will be the first to know if a safety repair is ever needed. Just a few minutes well spent to help you, and your loved ones live safely without the risk of fire in your home.”
The mentioned OnePoll survey revealed products once considered luxury items are now regarded as everyday necessities by younger generations. Two thirds of Gen Z considered hair tongs, tumble dryers and air fryers as necessities rather than luxury items. By contrast, however, nearly half (47%) of Gen X (just two ‘generations’ older) consider the trusty tumble dryer an extravagance.
Gen Xers are particularly excited by smart tech and are more than five times more likely than their parents to view it as an important feature when buying a new appliance.
Satisfyingly, everybody regardless of age is switched on to the benefits of energy efficiency in appliances. A whopping 80% of all adults said energy efficiency was an important factor when buying a new appliance, with 65% checking its green credentials before parting with their cash.
However, even though attitudes are evolving in how we regard our appliances, people are still behind the curve – and so demonstrate a need to change their ways – when it comes to the bonus safety aspect provided by registering. Recalls on home appliances are rare but issues with the equipment can develop over time and a simple, free in-home adjustment by a qualified engineer can ensure a longer and safer life for machines. But, unlike our cars for which logging details is mandatory, a vast number of these valuable possessions are still untraceable because they are unregistered.
AMDEA’s Register My Appliance portal provides a quick and easy remedy offering online access to more than 70 leading brands, with most accepting registration of both new and older appliances.
*Note to editors/reports:
[1] UK government figures: Energy Consumption in the UK (ECUK): Final Energy Consumption Tables. Figures used are for cold, wet (including old washer dryer numbers), electric hobs and electric ovens.
[2] YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2096 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 20-21 December 2023. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).
[3] OnePoll. Total sample size was 2000 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 18th-23rd December 2024. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative (on the basis of age/gender/region) of all UK adults (aged 18+).
[4] Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service incident reporting data. Accidental dwelling fires recorded between 01/01/2024 and 31/12/2024.