How to Spot a Quality Product Before You Buy: 5 Signals That Actually Work

Why certifications are unreliable

On the box of a washing machine you will find an average of four to seven eco logos. The EU energy label, Energy Star, the EU Ecolabel, a proprietary "Eco Mode" badge, and several others. The problem: none of them say anything about how long the machine will last.

Certifications focus either on energy efficiency (what the product consumes per hour) or on the absence of hazardous substances — not on proven longevity. A manufacturer can receive the highest energy rating for a model whose drum breaks after three years.

IKOR has therefore developed its own evaluation methodology, centred on expected lifespan as the primary criterion. It has not yet been applied to the full product database — that is the goal for 2026. But the principles it is built on can be used by any consumer today.

Signal 1: Warranty length on key components

Manufacturers who trust the quality of their products offer longer warranties — not because the law requires it, but because they can afford to.

The standard statutory warranty period in the EU is two years. A quality manufacturer offers:

• Washing machine or dishwasher motor: 10 years (Miele, Bosch higher ranges)
• Fridge compressor: 5–10 years
• Laptop battery: 2 charge cycles (average) vs. 1,000+ cycles on premium models

If a manufacturer buries the warranty terms or makes them harder to find than the technical specifications — that is a bad sign.

Signal 2: Spare parts availability and price

Before buying, search for: [model name] spare parts.

A healthy product has:

• Parts available from multiple distributors (not just the manufacturer)
• Key component prices (pump, motor, display) below 30% of the new product price
• An iFixit repairability score of 7+/10 for electronics

If spare parts do not exist, or cost more than half the price of a new unit, plan to discard the product the first time something goes wrong.

Signal 3: Weight and material

This is one of the simplest physical tests: pick the product up.

Higher-quality products tend to be heavier — not always, but as a rule of thumb this works well for:

• Power tools (more copper in the motor)
• Kitchen appliances (thicker casing, metal components instead of plastic)
• Speakers (larger drivers, more solid enclosure)

A plastic cover that flexes when pressed signals thinner walls — and a shorter lifespan.

Signal 4: Reviews from specialist communities, not e-shops

Ratings on Amazon, major e-commerce sites or price-comparison platforms are systematically skewed:

• Manufacturers buy positive reviews
• Negative reviews are deleted or hidden
• New customers are incentivised to rate products before they have had time to fail

More reliable sources:

• User forums (for appliances: Reddit's r/appliancerepair, specialist appliance forums)
• iFixit community — reports real-world failures from repair experience
• Consumer Reports (USA) — independent testing with over 50 years of history
• Stiftung Warentest (Germany) — Europe's most rigorous consumer testing

The key question: how does the product perform after 3–5 years? Look for reviews that are at least two years old.

Signal 5: Service network and manufacturer transparency

The final signal is how a manufacturer communicates about after-sales matters.

Ask or check:

• How many certified service centres exist in your country? (fewer than 5 is a warning sign)
• Does the manufacturer publish service manuals? (Miele does; most Chinese manufacturers do not)
• Is there active customer support in your language?

A manufacturer that has invested in service infrastructure expects its products to be repaired. That is a strong indirect signal about expected lifespan.

The one number that is still missing

All of these criteria are proxy indicators. What is genuinely missing is a single number: the average proven lifespan of a product in real-world use, comparable across brands and categories.

That is exactly what IKOR is building — starting with the Czech market, with a view to Central European comparison. The Repairability Index and Quality Database, launching in 2026, will centralise this information and make it available to every consumer before they buy.

Until then, the combination of the five signals described above is the best available approach.

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Have a product experience that surprised you — positively or negatively? Write to us at info@durability.institute. Real-world stories form part of our research database.