Paying more for a household appliance doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be happier with what you’ve bought as some of Australia’s cheapest retailers have beaten far more expensive rivals in a survey of the appliance and technology brands consumers rate most highly.
More than 50,000 Australians took part in Finder’s 2026 Customer Satisfaction Awards, rating brands they currently own or use across measures including value, reliability, performance, ease of use and whether they would recommend them to others.
While familiar names including Bosch, KitchenAid, Samsung and Fisher & Paykel feature heavily among the winners, there are some results that might make you think twice before automatically reaching for the premium brand.
Perhaps the biggest surprises came from three names better known for keeping prices down. ALDI was rated top value and most recommended for kettles, while Big W took the same two honours for rice cookers. Kmart’s Anko was rated top value for irons, while Kmart itself won top value for slow cookers.
Kogan produced another upset in robot vacuums, taking both most loved and top value in a category that includes specialist brands Roborock and Dreame.
Finder personal finance specialist Taylor Blackburn said the findings showed price and customer satisfaction didn’t necessarily go hand in hand.
“You don’t have to spend big to get a quality appliance,” Blackburn said. “Stores like ALDI, Kmart and Big W are beating brands that cost several times as much on the things people actually care about.”
The established heavyweights certainly weren’t pushed aside.
Bosch collected 35 awards across 10 categories and won six of the seven awards available for ovens. KitchenAid wasn’t far behind with 34 wins, including being named the overall most loved brand for small kitchen appliances.
In fact, 10 brands managed to win every award available within a particular category.
Bosch swept stick vacuum cleaners, Panasonic did the same with microwaves, Fisher & Paykel dominated washing machines and Rinnai swept gas heaters.
KitchenAid achieved the feat in three categories — small appliances, hand blenders and stand mixers.
For anyone staring at a fridge that’s making an ominous noise or a washing machine that’s beginning to shake its way across the laundry, the individual results are perhaps the most useful part.
Bosch was named the most loved fridge brand, while Samsung took top value and most recommended.
For washing machines, Fisher & Paykel achieved the rare clean sweep, taking top value, most loved and most recommended. Bosch was most loved and most recommended for front loaders, with Fisher & Paykel taking top value.
Miele was both most loved and most recommended for traditional vacuum cleaners, while Shark took the value crown.
In the kitchen, Breville was most loved and most recommended for coffee machines, Ninja was top value and most loved for air fryers, and Bosch swept top value, most loved and most recommended for ovens.
Panasonic managed the same clean sweep with microwaves.
There’s plenty of loyalty remaining in the lounge room, too.
Samsung was named Australia’s most loved television brand for the seventh consecutive year and was also the most recommended.
But it didn’t take the value crown. That went to Blaupunkt.
Apple remained a favourite in personal technology, named most loved for both laptops and tablets, while Alienware took top value and most recommended for laptops. Acer was top value and most recommended for tablets.
One of the more interesting results came in air treatment.
Australian brand Arovec collected 12 awards across three categories, sweeping the dehumidifier category.
It also beat Dyson for top value, most reliable and most recommended in air purifiers, although Dyson retained the title of most loved air purifier brand.
“Arovec knocking off a powerhouse like Dyson on value and reliability in air purifiers is exactly the kind of result that makes people stop and reconsider what’s in their shopping cart,” Blackburn said.
The results don’t mean the cheapest appliance will necessarily be the best purchase for every household.
But they do challenge the assumption that a premium badge and premium price automatically deliver happier customers.
Finder says its awards are based on an independent survey conducted through Dynata, with respondents rating brands they currently own or use rather than products they had simply heard about.
That makes some of the budget results particularly interesting.
When a $20 or $30 appliance from ALDI, Kmart or Big W can sit alongside Bosch, KitchenAid and Fisher & Paykel among the brands Australians are recommending, it might be worth looking beyond the badge next time something at home finally gives up.
Comments 0
Join the conversation. Comments are reviewed before they appear.
Be the first to comment.
Join the conversation
Tell us who you are to post a comment. We'll remember you next time.