Leave the extended warranty on the shelf this Christmas

Breakdown cover on electrical goods can cost more than half the price of the appliance itself and is often unnecessary, says consumer website which.co.uk.

When which.co.uk investigated warranties on electrical goods, it found a Kenwood smoothie maker, for example, being sold for £17.50, and the three-year extended warranty for it cost almost as much at £14.

Argos was selling a Sony DVD player for £45, and the three-year cover cost more than half the cost of the player at £25.

Stores sell policies as 'peace of mind', but a replacement item could cost little more than the warranty, and with product reliability improving people are less likely to need cover in the first place.

Shoppers also have statutory rights which mean that in some cases, stores should repair faulty goods even after 12 months, when extended warranty cover would start. Shoppers can find out more at which.co.uk/shoppersrights

£900 million worth of extended warranties are sold to consumers each year.

Malcolm Coles, Editor, which.co.uk, says: “Expensive warranties that cost nearly as much as the product itself just aren’t worth it. If you pick a reliable brand in the first place – with a bit of help from which.co.uk - then you shouldn’t have any need for one of these policies.

Peter McCarthy, Senior Lawyer, Which? Legal Service, adds: “Don’t let a seller have you believe that your legal rights end with the guarantee. The seller will be liable if the goods it sold you aren’t of satisfactory quality.”