Although payment for shipping your purchased appliance part is required, it's just a click of a mouse. Unlike at your local hardware store, where they may not have your part in stock, so you still have to go to another store, and another, and so on. You will waste so much time and effort just to be able to get the appliance parts you need. Using the Internet means you can effortlessly purchase the appliance parts you need.

"Unfortunately, by the time this is explained to customers it is too late and they have little choice but to take out the hire company's excess cover for peace of mind, unaware they could have bought more comprehensive cover online for considerably less," says Stephen Ebbett, of specialist online insurer Protect Your Bubble.

Price: $454 to $1,035
Warranty: Seven years
Vitamix