What happened to appliances?

[HermanMerman]

We bought a whirlpool fridge when we moved into this house ten years ago. It wasn’t two years later and it quit making ice and quit dispensing water. We bought a GE gas range and within 18 months the biggest burner stopped working. We bought a Maytag washing machine and it died within four years. Now I have a GE dishwasher that’s two years old that keeps throwing a low water error…just got done replacing the water inlet valve so fingers crossed that works.

Meanwhile, we have a Westinghouse fridge at deer camp that is easily 60 years old. You walk in, flip on the power, and within 15 minutes it is freezing cold…they don’t make them like they used to.

 

[Core Lokt]

I agree. We have Samsung kitchen appliances (5 yrs old) and the dishwasher was super quiet for the first year or so. Now you have to turn the TV up when it runs. Fridge has been worked on under warranty 4 times.

We bought a used upright Kenmore freezer 25 years ago for $75, runs and freezes like it was new.

 

[Stang]

Thats why we've had the same washer and dryer for 40 years this year! Old school Maytag...

 

[4HAND]

My wife's Granny bought us a washer & dryer when we got married almost 27 years ago.
We're still using them both.
And yes, I'm knocking on wood as I type this.

 

[Stob]

 

[ucfireman]

^
Plus manufacturers used to make things that last, then they figured out they need to make things break so you will buy again.
Its in everything that we purchase, cars, tvs, cellphones, anything plastic.
very irritating.

 

[basstrkr]

My wife has an iron that may last forever!

 

[coolbreezeroho]

If it isn't broke......You won't buy another one... So they make them to break real soon now

 

[Mars]

They call it planned obsolescence

 

[Redbow]

The last refrigerator we bought 2 years ago was a Whirlpool. It did not even come with a warranty we had to buy the warranty,, 100 bucks for 2 years. Absolutely crazy what these people who design and make appliances are doing to the public. We have a freezer it has to be 35 years old now and still working fine.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I remember my grandpa talking about this same topic in the early 90s.

Apparently what was crappy back then is the good stuff today.

On another note, and I know most of us may not care because we just want things to work but I wonder how much power those old school appliances use compared to the junk of today?

 

[ditchdoc24]

My mother in law's dishwasher broke about 2 years after she bought it. She had an appliance repairman come look at it and he told her it MAY be the motor which would cost $150 to replace and MAY fix it. She decided to order a new one and it took 3 months for Lowe's to get it in. I installed it 2 weeks ago and she's happy again.

 

[specialk]

Ive got a fridgeaire freezer made by General Motors back in the late 80s we bought used out of the Atlanta Journal classifieds....still keeping food frozen...

 

[dwhee87]

I miss my GE Profile 'over-under' fridge that I bought in 1994. Was our primary fridge for nearly 20 years, then garage fridge for another 10. We moved it 6 times. I left if for the GF's daughter in OKC when we moved back. Still running like a top.

 

[ryanh487]

How are they supposed to keep making money if their customers only buy once every 60 years. Everything breaks on purpose.

 

[snookdoctor]

My aunt and uncle had a big Admiral chest freezer that was 50+ years old when they died a couple years ago. Still working unless my cousin broke it.

 

[elfiii]

We got 14 years out of our Samsung fridge. Just had to buy a new one and the salesman was shocked we got that much life out of the Samsung. Then I told him about the 60 year old Kenmore freezer that's still going strong.

 

[BriarPatch99]

My Wife has a Samsung clothes washer the has had six sets of bearings and seals in three years...it is almost a complete tear down to put them in...

I may buy another piece of junk...but it won't have Samsung on the name plate..

 

[Tight Lines]

It's not China. Most of the Made in America items are the worst. I used to be in a tangential industry, there is not a great manufacturer in the US for the most part.

Best ones are Samsung and LG. Koreans make some good stuff for the most part.

Whirlpool, Maytag, GE, etc. that used to be good are the cheapest they can make them. Appliances have become disposable, every time a house flips they want new appliances. And just like cars the manufacturers need to keep selling and they won't if they last forever.

If you afford it, Bosch makes the best dishwasher. Sub-Zero and Thermador make good appliances but super expensive.

It's nuts what they cost and how long they last...

 

[DannyW]

If you afford it, Bosch makes the best dishwasher.

Our 12 YO Bosch dishwasher crapped out on me a couple weeks ago. Bought a new water inlet valve for $24 on eBay, easy install. Hoping it lasts another 12 years. With a family of 5, for many years it was washing 6-7 loads a week.

It's a good'un.