What is it with appliances these days?

[TCowner]

My mom will be 92 years old later this month (still lives in her home) and has a fully functioning Philco refrigerator that she bought in 1954. It is in the basement and is used mostly for beverages which it keeps ice cold. She realizes that it uses more electricity than the new ones but refuses to give up on it. We are talking of something that has lasted 60 years and still going. I told her I want it when she is done with it just to see how long it will go.

No refrigerator built today will be working 60 years from now.

 

[downsizingnow48]

I'm starting to feel lucky. In our town place we replaced all the appliances 3 years ago - GE glass top stove, Samsung dishwasher, Samsung fridge, LG side load washer and dryer. The ice maker in the fridge stopped working within a few months, I replaced it and the new one also stopped working, so we just buy ice when needed. $1300 machine. I since learned it is a common problem and Samsung just doesn't care. Other than that no problems. We leave the washer door open a crack to avoid mold/mildew. All the appliances at the country place are pre-electronics which is just as well given the unreliable electricity. So we will just continue to use them as long as possible.

 

[s219]

My mom will be 92 years old later this month (still lives in her home) and has a fully functioning Philco refrigerator that she bought in 1954. It is in the basement and is used mostly for beverages which it keeps ice cold. She realizes that it uses more electricity than the new ones but refuses to give up on it. We are talking of something that has lasted 60 years and still going. I told her I want it when she is done with it just to see how long it will go.

No refrigerator built today will be working 60 years from now.

That is the truth. We have several ancient fridges in my extended family that keep on ticking. The comical thing is how small they are on the inside compared to the outside, which I assume is due to less efficient design/packaging/insuation back then. But you can't argue with the reliability at all.

My mother in law wants to get a new fridge to replace her ancient fridge from the 1960s, and I have warned her repeatedly not to mess with a good thing.

 

[JimRB]

We built our house in 1987. GE microwave, Kenmore fridge, ceramic top range and dishwasher. Range had the control board die this year. I think it was less than $150 for a new board. I vacuum the fridge coils when I think about it. In th egood old days the coil was behind the fridge less likely to get clogged up with dust and dog hair. The washing machine and dryer are used Whirlpools I got from a friend who raised a few babies before the timer gave out on the washing machine. Less than $100 part. I guess the laundry equipment is 25 years old or so. The washing machine sometimes does not drain well. It is noisy now and someday will be replaced. I believe all the equipment we own was made when people said "Not made like they used to." Granted not quite as much Chinese labor back then.

I do have a whole house surge protector that I think is still working. I do have 2 ground rods spaced 10 feet apart in always damp soil providing earth to my house. Granted a good ground and surge protection does nothing for incorrect hose clamps or a bad paint job but maybe it helps with controls not dieing. On the other hand the best electrical system will not help with a poorly designed circuit board or bad capacitors.

 

[PILOON]

The only good appliances are those that ONLY have an OFF-ON switch. LOL!
But try to find one.

 

[DABSGT]

My mom will be 92 years old later this month (still lives in her home) and has a fully functioning Philco refrigerator that she bought in 1954. It is in the basement and is used mostly for beverages which it keeps ice cold. She realizes that it uses more electricity than the new ones but refuses to give up on it. We are talking of something that has lasted 60 years and still going. I told her I want it when she is done with it just to see how long it will go. No refrigerator built today will be working 60 years from now.

My mom also has a refrigerator from the mid 50's a GE Mid 80's mom and dad remodeled the kitchen, new stove and dishwasher couldn't sell her a refrigerator and it just keeps on going.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I have an old upright freezer(1984ish) that I got from my aunt and uncle that refuses to die. Guess I'd better keep it.

The jist that I get from this thread as that almost all new appliances are cheeeeeply built. Hard to believe in these days with modern CNC machinery, injection molded machines, etc. Could Chinese content or manufacture be a culprit? I've known about planned obsolescence but this is ridiculous. The manufacturers are in collusion?

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I just repaired my electric dryer (10 years old). Needed a new element. Easy job. $37 amazon.

Safety tip: please open up your dryer by taking off the lid, removing the drum, and vacuum out the lint from the bottom. Also remove the cover of the fan and clean it out. We had a fire in the making. Reduced air flow due to cloggage caused the element to burn out IMO. They have caught fire many a time.

Guess I'll continue to patch my old stuff as long as possible.

Remember the old maytag commercials with the bored repairman? What a joke that is nowadays.

 

[sseelhoff]

I just repaired my electric dryer (10 years old). Needed a new element. Easy job. $37 amazon.

Safety tip: please open up your dryer by taking off the lid, removing the drum, and vacuum out the lint from the bottom. Also remove the cover of the fan and clean it out. We had a fire in the making. Reduced air flow due to cloggage caused the element to burn out IMO. They have caught fire many a time.

Guess I'll continue to patch my old stuff as long as possible.

Remember the old maytag commercials with the bored repairman? What a joke that is nowadays.

You notice in the new commercials, the new guy is having to serve as the appliance. Guess the only way to get a Maytag to work is to keep the repairman in your kitchen?

 

[DFB]

I just repaired my electric dryer (10 years old). Needed a new element. Easy job. $37 amazon.

Guess I'll continue to patch my old stuff as long as possible.

Remember the old maytag commercials with the bored repairman? What a joke that is nowadays.

I did the same with my washing machine, A Whirlpool...the controller went. Neither Sears or any dealer could get "the whirlpool part # anymore" I contacted numerous places hoping maybe someone had one on the shelf. In frustration I pulled the controller out found a manufacturer part # on the OEM part and with some internet diligence located the manufacturer who had a warehouse full of inventory and my part included...$65 bucks + shipping I was back in business. Happy, happy, happy!