A major appliance is a non-portable or semi-portable
machine
A machine is a physical system that uses power to apply forces and control movement to perform an action. The term is commonly applied to artificial devices, such as those employing engines or motors, but also to natural biological macromol ...
used for routine
housekeeping
Housekeeping is the management and routine support activities of running and maintaining an organized physical institution occupied or used by people, like a house, ship, hospital or factory, such as cleaning, tidying/organizing, cooking, shopp ...
tasks such as
cooking
Cooking, also known as cookery or professionally as the culinary arts, is the art, science and craft of using heat to make food more palatable, digestible, nutritious, or Food safety, safe. Cooking techniques and ingredients vary widely, from ...
, washing
laundry, or
food preservation
Food preservation includes processes that make food more resistant to microorganism growth and slow the redox, oxidation of fats. This slows down the decomposition and rancidification process. Food preservation may also include processes that in ...
. Such appliances are sometimes collectively known as white goods, as the products were traditionally white in color, although a variety of colors are now available. An appliance is different from a
plumbing fixture
A plumbing fixture is an exchangeable device which can be connected to a plumbing system to deliver and drain water.
Common fixtures Supply
The most common plumbing fixtures are:
*Bathtubs
* Bidets
* Channel drains
* Drinking fountains
* Showe ...
because it uses
electricity
Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter possessing an electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described by Maxwel ...
or
fuel
A fuel is any material that can be made to react with other substances so that it releases energy as thermal energy or to be used for work (physics), work. The concept was originally applied solely to those materials capable of releasing chem ...
.
Major appliances differ from
small appliance
A small domestic appliance, also known as a small electric appliance or minor appliance or simply a small appliance, small domestic or small electric, is a portable or semi-portable machine, generally used on table-tops, counter-tops or oth ...
s because they are bigger and not portable. They are often considered
fixtures and part of
real estate and as such they are often supplied to tenants as part of otherwise unfurnished rental properties. Major appliances may have special electrical connections, connections to gas supplies, or special plumbing and ventilation arrangements that may be permanently connected to the appliance. This limits where they can be placed in a home.
Since major appliances in a home consume a significant amount of energy, they have become the objectives of programs to improve their
energy efficiency in many countries. Increasing energy efficiency is often described as an important element of
climate change mitigation
Climate change mitigation (or decarbonisation) is action to limit the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that cause climate change. Climate change mitigation actions include energy conservation, conserving energy and Fossil fuel phase-out, repl ...
alongside other improvements like
retrofitting buildings to increase
building performance.
Energy efficiency improvements may require changes in construction of the appliances, or improved control systems.
Terminology
They are also known as a large domestic appliance or large electric appliance or simply a large appliance, large domestic, or large electric.
Brands

In the early days of
electrification
Electrification is the process of powering by electricity and, in many contexts, the introduction of such power by changing over from an earlier power source. In the context of history of technology and economic development, electrification refe ...
, many major consumer appliances were made by the same companies that made the generation and distribution equipment. While some of these brand names persist to the present day, even if only as licensed use of old popular brand names, today many major appliances are manufactured by companies or divisions of companies that specialize in particular appliances.
Types

Major appliances may be roughly divided as follows:
*
Refrigeration
Refrigeration is any of various types of cooling of a space, substance, or system to lower and/or maintain its temperature below the ambient one (while the removed heat is ejected to a place of higher temperature).IIR International Dictionary of ...
equipment
**
Freezer
**
Refrigerator
A refrigerator, commonly shortened to fridge, is a commercial and home appliance consisting of a thermal insulation, thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump (mechanical, electronic or chemical) that transfers heat from its inside to ...
**
Water cooler
**
Ice maker
*
Cooking
Cooking, also known as cookery or professionally as the culinary arts, is the art, science and craft of using heat to make food more palatable, digestible, nutritious, or Food safety, safe. Cooking techniques and ingredients vary widely, from ...
**
Kitchen stove, also known as a range, cooker, oven, cooking plate, or cooktop
**
Wall oven
*
Washing
Washing is a method of cleaning, usually with water and soap or detergent. Regularly washing and then rinsing both body and clothing is an essential part of good hygiene and health.
Often people use soaps and detergents to assist in the emulsific ...
and
drying equipment
**
Washing machine
A washing machine (laundry machine, clothes washer, washer, or simply wash) is a machine designed to laundry, launder clothing. The term is mostly applied to machines that use water. Other ways of doing laundry include dry cleaning (which uses ...
**
Clothes dryer
A clothes dryer (tumble dryer, drying machine, drying device, or simply dryer) is a powered Home appliance, household appliance that is used to remove moisture from a load of clothing, bedding and other textiles, usually after they are washed in ...
**
Drying cabinet
**
Dishwasher
A dishwasher is a machine that is used to clean dishware, cookware, and cutlery automatically. Unlike dishwashing, manual dishwashing, which relies on physical scrubbing to remove soiling, the mechanical dishwasher cleans by spraying hot wat ...
*Heating and cooling
**
Air conditioner
**
Furnace
**
Water heater
**
Central heating system
Efficiency
See also
*
Small appliance
A small domestic appliance, also known as a small electric appliance or minor appliance or simply a small appliance, small domestic or small electric, is a portable or semi-portable machine, generally used on table-tops, counter-tops or oth ...
s
*
Domestic technology
*
Home automation (domotics)
*
E-waste
*
Household chore
*
List of cooking appliances
*
List of home appliances
*
List of stoves
*
Yellow, red and orange goods
*
Black goods
References
External links
*
*
{{Authority control
Electromechanical engineering
Consumer goods
Hardlines (retail)
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