There are a few different types of appliances which fall under the term ‘portable appliance’. These could be anything from an electric whisk to a fridge freezer, one is intended to be moved whilst in use and the other is intended to remain stationary but can be moved if necessary.
To make things easier to understand, it is usual to define things into categories:
Moveable appliances; Items in this category are usually less that 18kg and are not fixed in any one position and can sometimes be on wheels.
Hand held appliances; appliances in this category include things which have been designed to be held whilst in use, e.g. electric mixer.
Stationary appliances; appliances in this section are usually heavier than 18kg and are much more difficult to move, e.g. washing machine.
Fixed equipment; this type of appliance is usually fixed in a specific location, e.g. bathroom heater.
Built-in appliances; equipment of this type is usually installed into specific locations, e.g. built-in oven and dishwasher.
IT appliances; appliances in this category are not limited to computers, but also include fax machines, photocopiers, printers, franking machines, etc.
The vast amount of appliances used on a daily basis by all of us is staggering when you consider that each of these categories come with a substantial list of appliances coming under that particular group.
Written by Sara Thomson
