{{Short description|Large machine which accomplishes routine housekeeping}} {{broader|Home appliance}}
[[File:HK Central 豐澤電器 Fortress shop 萬邦行 Melbourne Plaza March 2019 SSG 03.jpg|thumb|A selection of major appliances at Fortress department store at Melbourne Plaza, Hong Kong in March 2019]]
A '''major appliance''' is a non-portable or semi-portable machine used for routine housekeeping tasks such as cooking, washing laundry, or food preservation. 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 because it uses electricity or fuel.
Major appliances differ from small appliances 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 alongside other improvements like retrofitting buildings to increase building performance.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-02-06 |title=Building Retrofitting |url=https://drawdown.org/solutions/building-retrofitting |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209003500/https://drawdown.org/solutions/building-retrofitting |archive-date=2021-02-09 |access-date=2021-02-27 |website=Project Drawdown |language=en}}</ref> 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== [[File:Cosmo Appliances Gas Range.jpg|thumb|A modern gas stove]] In the early days of electrification, many major consumer appliances were made by the same companies that made the generation and distribution equipment.{{cn|date=October 2016}} 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== [[File:LGwashingmachine.jpg|thumb|A modern front-loading washing machine]] [[Image:Drying cupboard 002.JPG|thumb|A drying cabinet]]
Major appliances may be roughly divided as follows: *Refrigeration equipment **Freezer **Refrigerator **Water cooler **Ice maker *Cooking **Kitchen stove, also known as a range, cooker, oven, cooking plate, or cooktop **Wall oven *Washing and drying equipment **Washing machine **Clothes dryer **Drying cabinet **Dishwasher *Heating and cooling **Air conditioner **Furnace **Water heater **Central heating system == Efficiency == {{Excerpt|Efficient energy use|Appliances}}
==See also== {{div col|colwidth=30em}} * Small appliances * 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 {{div col end}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Commonscatinline|Major appliances}} *{{Wiktionary-inline|appliance}}
{{Electronic systems}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Electromechanical engineering Category:Home appliances Category:Consumer goods Category:Hardlines (retail)