Guide · Heating, cooling and cleaning

How long should an iron last in Australia?

An iron bought for around $80 should last about 4 years or more.

An iron that leaks, spits brown water or stops heating early is usually a fault. Keep the receipt or a bank statement.

That’s our guide, and plenty last longer. CHOICE’s lifespan research puts it at about 4 years.

The law doesn’t set a fixed number. Goods have to last as long as a reasonable person would expect, given what they are and what you paid. If it fails sooner through no fault of yours, the shop that sold it has to put it right, even when the maker’s warranty has run out.

Check yours

Takes a minute. It works out where you stand and what to say.

Is mine still covered?

Our guide to how long an iron should last, by price:

Price paid	Should last about
Up to $40	2 years
$40 to $100	4 years
$100 to $250	5 years
$250 to $500	7 years
Over $500	8 years

For one bought around $80:

Under 2 years: very likely covered.
2 years to 4 years: borderline, so worth asking.
Over 4 years: harder, but it isn’t a cut-off.

If it failed before the typical lifespan CHOICE gives, say so when you ask.

These are guides, not law.

Signs it’s a fault

It leaks, spits brown water or the steam stops
The soleplate stops heating or heats unevenly
The cord, switch or auto shut-off fails

What usually isn’t covered

Hard water scale from never descaling it
A scratched or melted soleplate from something on the fabric
A change of mind, misuse, or a fault you knew about when you bought it.

What to do

Find your proof of purchase. The receipt is best. A bank or card statement, an order email or a warranty registration also works.
Go back to the shop you bought it from. Not the maker. The shop is responsible, and it can’t send you to the manufacturer instead.
Say what’s wrong and what you want. For a minor problem, the shop can choose to repair it first. For a major one (it’s unsafe, or you wouldn’t have bought it if you’d known), you choose a refund or a replacement.
If they say no, go up a step. Ask again politely, in writing if you can, and keep copies. Then contact your state or territory consumer protection agency. If you need to, your state tribunal is the next step.

What to say at the counter

“I bought an iron here on [date]. [What’s wrong.] It hasn’t lasted as long as I’d reasonably expect for what I paid, so it isn’t of acceptable quality under the Australian Consumer Law. I’d like it repaired, replaced or refunded.”

A tip for an iron

Brown spit on a good shirt isn’t wear and tear. Keep the shirt as evidence if you can.

Check yours

It's Stuffed works out where you stand, helps you find your proof of purchase and writes what to say. It also keeps your receipts and warranties in one place, so you’re not hunting for them next time.

Check yours

Common questions

How long should an iron last?

By our guide, an iron bought for around $80 should last about 4 years or more, and plenty last longer. The law doesn’t set a fixed number. Goods have to last as long as a reasonable person would expect, given what they are and what you paid.

Does the consumer guarantee still apply to an iron after the warranty ends?

Yes. They’re separate from the maker’s warranty and from any extended warranty, and they don’t have an end date. What matters is whether it lasted as long as a reasonable person would expect for what it was and what it cost.

Who do I go to if an iron fails, the shop or the maker?

The shop that sold it. The shop is responsible for putting it right under the consumer guarantees, and it can’t send you to the manufacturer instead.

Is it worth the bother if an iron was cheap?

Yes. Cheap things are covered too, with no minimum price. A quick, polite ask at the service desk is usually the way to go. You’ll still need proof you bought it. A receipt, a bank or card statement or an order email will do.

More guides

Where this comes from

ACCC: consumer rights and guarantees · CHOICE: how long should your appliances last