Classification as a domestic appliance is based primarily on the product's design characteristics and the type of consumer it is marketed to, not solely on where it ends up being used. A countertop mixer designed and sized for household kitchens is classified as domestic even if a small restaurant purchases it. Heavy-duty, continuous-duty machines designed for commercial food service operations are generally directed to industrial equipment headings.

Combination appliances are generally classified by their principal function. If the primary marketed function is blending or mixing, the unit typically falls here. When functions are genuinely equal, classification rules direct the product to the heading that appears last in the schedule. A licensed customs broker can assist in applying the General Rules of Interpretation to specific multi-function units.