How to find the model number on any appliance

The model number is the thing every parts supplier, engineer and warranty claim asks for first, and it is almost never on the front of the appliance where the brand name is.

It is on a data plate, usually somewhere you have to open, tilt or crouch to see. Below is where each type keeps it.

Where to look, by appliance

Fridge or freezer
Where the plate usually is
Inside, on the side wall near the salad drawer, or behind the lower grille
Washing machine
Where the plate usually is
Around the inside rim of the door opening, or on the rear panel
Tumble dryer
Where the plate usually is
Inside the door opening, or behind the lint filter housing
Dishwasher
Where the plate usually is
On the edge of the door, visible only with the door open
Oven or cooker
Where the plate usually is
On the frame behind the door, or under a warming drawer
Microwave
Where the plate usually is
On the back, or inside the door frame
Boiler or furnace
Where the plate usually is
Inside the front cover, usually facing you once opened
Water heater
Where the plate usually is
A large label on the outer casing near the top
Air conditioning
Where the plate usually is
On the outdoor unit, on a plate often facing the wall
Extractor hood
Where the plate usually is
Under the filters, which lift out

Appliance	Where the plate usually is
Fridge or freezer	Inside, on the side wall near the salad drawer, or behind the lower grille
Washing machine	Around the inside rim of the door opening, or on the rear panel
Tumble dryer	Inside the door opening, or behind the lint filter housing
Dishwasher	On the edge of the door, visible only with the door open
Oven or cooker	On the frame behind the door, or under a warming drawer
Microwave	On the back, or inside the door frame
Boiler or furnace	Inside the front cover, usually facing you once opened
Water heater	A large label on the outer casing near the top
Air conditioning	On the outdoor unit, on a plate often facing the wall
Extractor hood	Under the filters, which lift out

Model, serial and product number are different things

The plate usually carries several codes and they do different jobs. The model number identifies which product it is, and is what a parts supplier needs. The serial number identifies your specific unit, and is what a manufacturer needs for warranty and recalls.

Some brands also print a product or E number, which is what their own service system searches on. If in doubt, photograph the whole plate rather than choosing which code to write down.

Reading the age out of a serial number

Many manufacturers encode the manufacture date into the serial, often as a week and year. The format differs by brand, and searching for the brand plus how to read the serial number usually finds it.

This is worth doing once, because knowing an appliance is twelve years old changes how you think about repairing it versus replacing it.

When the label is gone

Worn, painted over, or peeled off. Several fallbacks usually work.

5 things to do

The original receipt or order confirmation email, searched for the brand name.
The manual, if it survived, which usually lists the model on the cover.
A previous repair invoice, which almost always records the model.
A photograph of the appliance sent to the manufacturer's support, who can often identify it by sight.
The installation certificate, for boilers and electrical work, which records the equipment fitted.

Ticks are for this visit only. Nothing here is saved anywhere.

Photograph it now rather than later

The moment to do this is while the appliance is working and accessible, not when it has failed and been pulled out into the middle of a kitchen.

What else is worth capturing at the same time is in what to record about an appliance.