What is it with appliances these days?

[3930dave]

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

Some of the recent fridges barely survive past the warranty; 6 years is more like it.

My HVAC contractor neighbour explained the general problem in refrigeration/cooling today this way:

1) Because of govt mandates, compressors were downsized (lower HP). To compensate, their rpm was raised.

2) The newer versions of refrigerant run at much higher pressures.

3) To hit the efficiency targets (again, govt mandated) for heat transfer, they had to go to thin-wall refrigerant tubing.

Higher speed, down-sized compressors pushing much higher pressures through wall-thickness reduced tubing..... you don't need a Masters in Mech. Engineering to predict what is going to happen to the failure rates.....

Rgds, D.

 

[SPIKER]

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?

hahah yep I guess so, the 2.5 year old maytag washing machine has bearing or something in gearbox going out. It sounds like heck trying to spin the load out, seems to always have unbalanced load issues as well & won't reset once it gets stuck in UL so have to unplug it to try & clear it.

Been keeping an eye on CL for OLD (free is best) equipment and grab it, fix it for spares in 20 years.

Mark

 

[DABSGT]

Some of the recent fridges barely survive past the warranty; 6 years is more like it. My HVAC contractor neighbour explained the general problem in refrigeration/cooling today this way: 1) Because of govt mandates, compressors were downsized (lower HP). To compensate, their rpm was raised. 2) The newer versions of refrigerant run at much higher pressures. 3) To hit the efficiency targets (again, govt mandated) for heat transfer, they had to go to thin-wall refrigerant tubing. Higher speed, down-sized compressors pushing much higher pressures through wall-thickness reduced tubing..... you don't need a Masters in Mech. Engineering to predict what is going to happen to the failure rates..... Rgds, D.

Yep all the government mandates to keep us "GREEN" are really filling up the dump and recycling centers!

 

[Mace Canute]

Knock on wood...my four major appliances haven't given me any trouble since I bought them in 1981. Even my furnace (1973) is still going strong . The only thing I have had to replace is the water heater...twice now actually.

 

[ztrjim]

unfortunately it seems so much stuff today is just "throw away" But I will say my appliances have lasted well.... I bought my house in March of 2008, all new GE appliances, in Jan 2014 we bought a rental and moved all of our GE stuff into our rental condo and bought all new Frigidaire stuff for our house. All of our GE stuff is 6 years old now and have had zero issues!

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Knock on wood...my four major appliances haven't given me any trouble since I bought them in 1981. Even my furnace (1973) is still going strong . The only thing I have had to replace is the water heater...twice now actually.

You got the last good set.
If we pool our collective data, maybe we establish a timeline of when stuff went to pot. Then we need to do a little research and determine which company bought which to see which board of directors were in who's back pocket to make this green crap. It's not very green if it saves you a few bucks for a few years and then has to go to the dump because it's not worth fixing.

The one good thing nowadays are the youtube videos that show you how to fix your own stuff. If they don't have circuit boards, most are easily repaired.

 

[sseelhoff]

You got the last good set.
If we pool our collective data, maybe we establish a timeline of when stuff went to pot. Then we need to do a little research and determine which company bought which to see which board of directors were in who's back pocket to make this green crap. It's not very green if it saves you a few bucks for a few years and then has to go to the dump because it's not worth fixing.

The one good thing nowadays are the youtube videos that show you how to fix your own stuff. If they don't have circuit boards, most are easily repaired.

I think you are focusing on the wrong meaning "green." The appliance companies have figured out how to make appliances that generate plenty of green.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I think you are focusing on the wrong meaning "green." The appliance companies have figured out how to make appliances that generate plenty of green.

They are making too much green. I personally know of Sears lack of concern over lawnmowers way back when. Had bad valves and they'd charge the customers about 1/2 to 2/3 of new price to repair. Everybody hated chunking their year old $400 lawnmower in the trash.

Usually capitalism takes care of those who build inferior product. Problems are all across the board on these appliance manufacturers.

 

[SPIKER]

The fact is that about 70% of the major name brands are all made in same factories & by same company, up in North West Ohio (Clyde & Findley)

ApplianceMagazine.com | Clyde, OH: Achieving Quality and Quantity - Whirlpool Special Section

Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Estate, Roper, and Kenmore brands (for Sears), as well as Whirlpool's Canadian brand Inglis. It also produces the appliances on an OEM basis for Crosley, Kirkland, and GE, and exports about 12-15 percent of its production outside of the U.S.

From that article they say production/capacity has increased by 60% (in last 14 years) from the Clyde factory.

& From Wiki
The company markets Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Gladiator GarageWorks, Inglis, Estate, Brastemp, Bauknecht and Consul. After acquiring the Maytag Corporation on March 31, 2006, the Whirlpool Corporation surpassed Electrolux to become "the largest home appliance maker in the world."[5]

SO looks like we can point our fingers at who the culprit might be for making total C R aP appliances as one maker has bought out the majors to consolidate into a 70,000 employee maker of low dollar engineered to fail products.

Appliance411 The Purchase: Who Makes What?

chart that leads back to what I can tell amounts to most all fo the brands bought out and produced under umbrella of Whirlpool and or Electro-lux. Couple others in mix such as Samsung & LG are produced mostly outside USA. so maybe better quality ??? Only know the rest is NOT very cost effective or quality...

Mark

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I was watching the infomercial on Wolfgang Puck's low pressure oven that sells for about $300.

Great idea, but Chinese made and no parts available to repair. Have a horrible review rating on Amazon.

Too bad for a few dollars more they couldn't have made something better. Like the original Amana radarange. It they weren't' so ugly, there would probably still be a large percentage of the original one's in kitchens today.