They just don’t make them like they used to!
The dishwasher is fixed. Hopefully for a long time. However….
While the repair guy was there I was foolish enough to do a load of laundry. (Tons of towels from cleaning up the dishwasher flood!)
His ears perked up like Dr. Spock’s. “What’s that noise?”
The washing machine has been making a banging sound for a couple of months. I was thinking it was as unbalanced as its owner. Since it doesn’t effect the owner much I didn’t give it a second thought.
The bearings are shot. The prognosis is that one day (fairly soon according to the intensity of the noise) it would flood the laundry room.
We are getting used to internal floods. We use Jake’s old towels to clean up the water. It’s almost a non-event. Mild grumbling, no really bad words.
That doesn’t mean we like it though. The beloved husband looked at me after the guy left and said “Let’s go shopping.”
A few google searches; some price checks; and we were in the car. We found what we need at the first stop. I’m a simple washing person. High, low, hot, cold, long, short – that’s about it. Don’t need delayed start or steam setting or any of the other ones that I don’t know what they do.
We got the same thing we have but the bottom level. It washes clothes but doesn’t make a cappuccino. That will work for me (although a nice cappuccino….).
However….while we were there I fell in love with a range hood. (Yes, I need to get my hormones checked! Whatever happened to coveting Tom Cruise?) Still checking that out. This maybe our all-time high appliance week ever!
Author’s note: For perspective our home is 13 years old. We have replaced all our appliances at least once. This is our third washer although the first one was the old one from our other house. Seriously, they don’t make them like they used to. My Mom replaced her appliances when they got way too ugly after two decades!
Views and Mews by Coffee Kat 
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They really do NOT make them to last. When we replaced our last refrigerator the salesperson made it known that industry standards were seven years! I remember when our first refrigerator after we were married was a “cast off” from my grandmother, who’d probably had it for 20 years. On top of the obvious cost of replacing these appliances, what in the world happens to all those parts? Land fills? We are such wasteful people…but on the other, I, too, love the look of bright and shiny new appliances, and I am really almost waiting for my washer to act up. There are some beautiful water-saving, very energy efficient washers I’m been eye-ing. 🙂
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Seven years is exactly what I was told about refrigerators and ours was an overachiever croaking at age 6. I was also told that it’s the changes made to adhere to environmental concerns that are causing the early demise as the newer components aren’t as good as the old ones that weren’t good for the environment. Somewhere there must be a spot as big as Texas with defunct appliances. Then again maybe they recycle?
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“Whatever happened to coveting Tom Cruise?”
Uh, I think TOM CRUISE happened to coveting Tom Cruise. Stick with the non-scientologist oven ranges and refrigerators that won’t jump on your couch, and I’d say you’re doing just fine!
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Ah yes. How can a relationship that has you jumping on sofas on TV goes so bad? That’s a rhetorical question!
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I have replaced my furnace and air conditioner, the old ones were here when I moved in and they were ancient. The service guys had never seen or heard of them before. Of course, the service guys were younger than some of my t-shirts. The only other thing I have repaced is the water heater twice. Stove and refrigerator still doing their thing and it’s been 20 years. I talk nice to them every day so they know they are appreciated.
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Sure hope you don’t have to replace them because new ones don’t last that long.
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Appliances today are made like crap. Not an ounce of love or longevity in the process. When I got married I considered having the washer & dryer in the bridal party….they were a part of my life for so long I felt it was a good choice. They were still around after the divorce, remarriage and children! Today appliances come and go.
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Appliances rarely outlast anything — relationships, pets, etc.
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I have a refrigerator that’s 43 years old and just got rid of our thirty year old refrig. Our washer and dryer replaced at 28 years. But you’re right, they’ve told me that none of the newer appliances will last more than 10-12 years. Of course that’s not reflected I. The prices but hey….
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It’s frustrating when you get a big bill so frequently. Our upscale high-end refrigerator was toast after 6 years. I threw a hissy fit. Everyone just rolled their eyes. Now I just take it in stride. Oh yes we also had to change out our heating system after 10 years. Keep the old stuff as long as you can.
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We replaced our heating/cooling system about five years ago. When I saw the price I asked how long I should expect it to last. I got the 10-12 year answer. Must be the answer they all learned in sales appliance school.
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The prices are the same AND they want to sell you “maintenance” contracts. Even THEY have no faith in their appliances!
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🙂
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Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?
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When we got married 30 years ago, we bought a used washer and dryer. We have since replaced the washer, but the dryer is still there. Hubby has fixed it three times (at least) and I have sworn that the next time it dies I am getting a new dryer! This one is avocado green. Yuck! Sometimes I think you can be too frugal….
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Avocado green? That is a collector’s item!
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Paint it or try a large piece of pretty contact paper?
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By the time we slowly replace all the worn out black appliances in the kitchen with stainless, a new color trend will emerge (I’m sure it probably has already… just don’t tell me) and I’ll have to start over again. The planned obsolescence of modern appliances is so discouraging.
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I am not a fan of stainless so I keep buying black (or bisque my favorite) if it’s available. There are new options. There is black stainless which looks….black and another finish that looks like stainless but doesn’t get the fingerprints and streaks stainless is notorious for. My washer is white. It’s in the laundry room and white works wonderful there with no color upcharge. The good news is that all the colors are more neutral than the avocado and harvest gold of years gone by.
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When we first moved into our late-50s-era home, our kitchen appliances were pink. When the neighborhood homes were built, every one had either pink, light green, teal, or yellow appliances. I was happy to change those out even though they may have had several more years of use in them.
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I remember the pink years. I bought a house with a pink bathroom. Was glad to see that go! Fortunately the kitchen appliances were white.
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It never fails. Appliances are like 2 yeear olds haviing tantrums when one gets too much attention. (And I am crossing fingers with our washer….My mom had 3 in her entire life – and I think we pamper machines much more now – they live in AC instead of the garage! Ungrateful.)
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That’s a good way of describing it. My garbage disposal has been watching all the attention the dishwasher got…..hmmmm. I think my Mom had 2. One was a wringer and the other was a new fandangled washer with a drum on the side that “spin dried” the clothes. You had to put the sopping wet clothes out of the washer into the “spin dryer.” Good thing it was in the porch. Water on the floor for sure.
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We had a wringer (and a long wooden spoon used to poke clothes down into the water) on the back porch of the farm – stuff froze stiff in winter on the clothes line. Talk about red washer women’s hands…
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Oh yes. My mother never had a dryer until she was in her 50s. During the bitter winter the clothes were hung indoors in the upstairs hallway. You could hang yourself if you didn’t watch. If she could though, she’d hang outside. I am so spoiled!
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8 to 10 how pathetic! I think we are on our 3rd refrigerator in 25 years! Sad! And I hate my stove.. (the oven in particular)…
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I replaced my range before it went completely bad. There were some things about it…like the big burner didn’t heat right. I suppose I could have changed that out but there was no love. Gotta have love for your stove.
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Ours is small and old – over 25 years – and the oven temp is a guessing game – BUT it works! I have a bad feeling a new stove would be made of PLASTIC.
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They are made just like the old Easy Bake toy that kids have.
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Is 13 years the life of an appliance now? Ugh. I always buy the extended warranty. One repair trip and it was worth it. 🙂
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I got an extended warranty for our range. it’s induction and I didn’t know if it would be more problematic. As it turns out, the motherboard was replaced after a year but since it’s been good. The warranty is good until the end of the 6th year so I expect it will go immediately after that.
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Appliances always all go out at once. I think it’s a law. And most of them have an accompanying flood. Those water things in the door are one of the main problems with a refrigerator. The manufacturers know it, but put them in anyway because of customer demand. Guess what my new refrigerator doesn’t have? And you are absolutely right about extra features. The more bells and whistles, the more there is to go wrong. Try to buy a stove without electronic stuff on it. You can’t do it. Now they are making talking refrigerators. Are you kidding me?
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If I get a talking appliance I want one with an male Australian accent who tells me how gorgeous I am. Other than that, I can get my own drinks.
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It tells you when you need groceries, are out of milk, etc. Seems like a nag to me.
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Like we are all in need on yet one more avenue of information being forced in our faces every minute of the day … uhmmm, no thanks 🙂
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I get tired of my microwave beeping that it’s done. I yell at it, “I know, I know! Be patient!” Cannot be trusted with a nagging fridge.
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Maybe it would call while you are at the grocery and remind you, “Don’t forget the milk.”
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No, it would scold you when you got back because you didn’t get the thought through telepathy!
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As far as I know, my Mum is still using the Morphy Richards hairdryer I won in a competition in 1967! Oh yes, those were the days. Now we are a throwaway society and my Mr Fix-it-if-it’s-got-a-plug is considered a dinosaur.
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Replacement parts seem to come in “units.” That means you can’t replace the part that’s gone bad. You have to replace the “complete unit” it’s a part of. The ball bearing failure would have required an extensive replacement, along with labor would have equaled what we paid for the new one. It doesn’t make any sense. Yes, keep your Mr. Fixit!
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Funny, that’s what my friend said way back in 1989!
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We found that out with the washer. The repairman said that you had to get the whole unit, not just the whatever. When I went on line a diy-er complained that the part used to be $60 now it was several hundred because you had to replace all sorts of parts that weren’t broke.
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I can believe it.
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In our last house, ALL the appliances were geriatric. We replaced the stove, microhood, dishwasher, washer, dryer, and refrigerator in one fell swoop . . . using lottery proceeds that hadn’t yet materialized.
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I like your positivity! I have used my lottery proceeds many times over!
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We’ve discovered, the more bells and whistles an appliance has, the shorter it’s life span. I prefer the basics.
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Depends on the appliance although I’m getting more basics these days. I find I don’t use bells and whistles (except for the cold water spigot on the fridge). My old washer did things that I didn’t know what they are. We are two people, relatively old (but well preserved). You won’t find super dirty clothes here. Really what would I do with steam setting? While at the appliance center I did fondle espresso machines. Holy moly, I’d need to cash in my 401(k) for that puppy.
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I just bought a refrigerator that’s got to be over 65 years old and it works perfectly. I was able to get it cheap and while it is small and probably not terribly efficient – it WORKS! I remember my folks having the same model refrigerator when I was itty bitty. The seller says it’s a 1938 model and it may be. Anyway, it’s a great place to keep a box of wine and the bottles of apple ale out in the garage.
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Apple ale? That sounds yummy! We had an old one like that but got rid of it when we moved. They work forever!
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Redd’s Apple Ale – good stuff.
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You must think, “What’s next?”
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I worry about the refrigerator. Our first one went at 6 years. The dealer said 8 to 10 was normal. We are at 8 now. That is a super big ticket item because of size requirements.
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