Scooters, Smart Rings & Co.: These products fail during the warranty period
E-scooters, smart rings, hoverboards, but also coffee machines and robot hoovers are currently breaking down particularly often during the warranty or guarantee period. Galaxus and Digitec reveal the figures - and explain the background.
Every warranty claim is a disappointment. Whether it's a household appliance, an item of clothing or a sports article - you've spent money on it and expect the product to reliably fulfil its purpose. Even if the manufacturer or retailer solves the problem without any problems, there is often a bitter aftertaste. For example, because of the time involved or because you have to do without the item during the statutory warranty or the additional guarantee.
Galaxus and Digitec have therefore been disclosing the rates for warranty and guarantee cases for their range since the beginning of 2023.
An analysis of the data from February 2023 to March 2025 now shows that, on average, just under 1 in 200 products purchased from Galaxus or Digitec becomes a warranty case within the two-year period. In figures: 0.48 per cent. However, not all product categories break down equally often under warranty: household appliances cause trouble particularly frequently - one in every hundred appliances is affected. This is followed by mobile phones and other mobile devices such as smart watches or tablets, as well as consumer electronics and IT products. They each have warranty scores of a good 0.8 per cent.
A simple pattern emerges: the more technology is built into a product, the more prone it is to faults. Contact with liquids and moving parts also increase the warranty score. It is therefore logical that a packet of jelly babies, a biro, a lipstick or a book are unlikely to become a warranty claim.
In contrast, almost 7 out of 100 e-scooters become a warranty claim within two years, as do 6 out of 100 smart rings and 5 out of 100 hoverboards. High up on the flop list are also coffee machines (fully automatic machines and portafilters), whirlpools and 3D printers.
E-scooters: death by paving stone
Bonke Bruhn explains the high warranty scores of e-scooters and hoverboards primarily by the fact that they are used on roads for which they were not developed: "Gravel roads, cobblestones, mud, meadows or sand are deadly for e-scooters and hoverboards," says Bonke, who is responsible for the e-mobility range at Galaxus and Digitec. "I therefore don't think the warranty scores will ever fall. These are products with a lot of technology that are exposed to the weather and also have a lot of wearing parts."
Furthermore, only a few people know how to maintain the devices properly. "And on top of that, many people ride them as if they were playing Mario Kart with the little star." E-scooters are often used by two people, although the maximum rider weight is usually between 100 and 120 kilograms. "If this weight is exceeded, the motor, frame and suspension suffer." Although this would invalidate the warranty, it is almost impossible to prove. This is why manufacturers are usually accommodating.
Smart Rings: teething troubles with the first generation
Smart rings are the second most common warranty claim. Smart rings have sensors with which they measure heart rate, step count or sleep quality, for example. Some models can also be used to make contactless payments in the same way as a smartphone.
"When we talk about smart rings, we're talking about first-generation products," says Andrea Fricke, who is responsible for the mobile range at Galaxus. "We've had them in our range since May 2024." Andrea expects the picture to change soon: "The Ultrahuman brand rings had problems with the battery and Bluetooth connection to the smartphone until last December. According to the manufacturer, these have been resolved, so the warranty score should now improve." The fourth generation of Oura rings from the most established manufacturer is now also available from Galaxus and Digitec.
Coffee machines: limescale is the biggest enemy
According to Category Development Manager Dominic Espinoza Yengle, limescale is the main villain when it comes to coffee machines: "Without descaling and rinsing, less and less coffee comes out of fully automatic machines and portafilter machines over time." This can also change the flavour of the coffee. Here, too, user error is often the reason for the high warranty score, but manufacturers and their service centres often turn a blind eye. "However, this is by no means always the case: if you send in a calcified machine as a warranty claim, you have to expect that the repair will cost something."
Coffee machines are also often used every day, sometimes several times a day. This leads to a high level of wear on pumps, valves and grinders. Cheaper models also contain parts with a shorter service life.
Whirlpool: bubbling out due to leaks
Whirlpools have a high warranty score, partly due to the heavy load: water and air jet pumps run at high pressure and often for long periods of time. Whirlpools also consist of many connection points (hoses, pipes, jets) that can quickly become porous or leaky due to water, heat and chemicals, says Portfolio Development Manager Irina Ignatova. And in inflatable and correspondingly inexpensive hot tubs, the plastic can become brittle and crack due to the constant stress and sunlight.
In electronic controls and displays, the constant moisture also causes short circuits or malfunctions from time to time. And as with coffee machines, hard water leads to limescale deposits in the pipes, pumps and heating systems, which shortens their service life.
3D printers: defective due to no-name filaments
3D printers are also tricky: 4.46 per cent of all devices break during the two-year warranty period. "The more technology there is in a device, the more can break," says Category Business Manager Tom Cikursch. "3D printers have a lot of moving parts, they have to withstand strong temperature fluctuations and vibrations, plus the filament can clog - especially if cheap no-name material is used."
Robot hoover: swallowed by the hair
The number one fault with robot hoovers is the lack of cleaning, as Galaxus editor Simon Balissat found out during a visit to iRobot's Swiss service centre. He found that hair wrapped around the brush or wheels and poorly cleaned contacts on the robot or charging station account for the majority of warranty claims. If a contact is dirty, the robot will not charge. And if brushes or wheels are blocked, the motor can be damaged.
Although apps and manuals point out these weak points, customers often ignore them, according to iRobot. This was also confirmed on request by a representative of Dreame, currently the largest brand of robot hoovers. Nevertheless, the manufacturers and service centres are usually accommodating, even if defects are due to incorrect operation.
And then, of course, there are also cases where the robot's technology breaks down. "Robot hoovers are complex devices with lidar or camera sensors and highly intelligent software. As a result, they are many times more prone to errors than classic hoovers," says Sina Milanesi, who is responsible for the hoover range at Galaxus and Digitec, among other things. The warranty score for robot vacuum cleaners with a water tank is particularly high because limescale clogs the nozzles.
Conclusion: Technology is vulnerable - and maintenance is crucial
The data shows: The more technology there is in a product, the more likely it is to break down during the warranty or guarantee period. Devices with many moving parts, electronics and liquids are particularly affected.
However, it is not always due to the quality of the products themselves. It is often incorrect use, lack of maintenance or unrealistic expectations that shorten the service life. Limescale clogs coffee machines, e-scooters suffer from gravel roads and robot hoovers choke on hair. At the same time, there are also product categories such as smart rings that are still proving to be immature and where warranty scores will hopefully improve with the next generation.
For consumers, this means that a conscious approach to technology can prevent many problems. And for manufacturers and retailers, it is a challenge to make products more robust - or at least to better educate users about care and correct use. After all, every warranty claim is not only annoying for customers, but also an ecological and economic loss.
Header image: Shutterstock
2 people like this article
Alex Hämmerli
Senior Public Relations Manager
Alex.Haemmerli@digitecgalaxus.chAt digitec and Galaxus, I’m in charge of communication with journalists and bloggers. Good stories are my passion – I am always up to date.
1 comment
later