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But at least you could buy devices that would last for decades and decades. Try finding a washing machine these days, that will last for more than 5 years or s
by KozmoNau7 9y ago
But at least you could buy devices that would last for decades and decades.
Try finding a washing machine these days, that will last for more than 5 years or so before something breaks and renders the machine useless.
You may be able to find an industrial machine, made for hotels or laundries. But it will be very expensive and likely be huge and it will need 3-phase power. It will also likely not have a spin cycle, so you'll have to either air dry your clothes for ages or buy a separate clothes spinner (most driers need the clothes to have been spin dried first).
Whether I buy a cheap Whirlpool or an expensive Miele/AEG/Bosch or whatever, the quality and longevity is universally shit.
- Tomte 9y agoOnly people with broken machines complain. That's why they seem "universally shit". I've had my Bosch washing machine now for over ten years and there have been no repairs whatsoever, so far.
- MrFantastic 9y agoBosch is a great brand but it comes at a premium ( mine was $1200 ). I had to replace a $650 Frigidaire washing after 4 years.
- mido22 9y agoReminds me of 'Boots' theory of socioeconomic unfairness in Discworld.
- aiCeivi9 9y agoReal world finally fixed that issue. While selecting cheapest product still gets you the worst one, spending money on more expensive one doesn't guarantee it will be any better.
- antisthenes 9y agoI have a Frigidaire unit that's on its 10th year and works almost as new as far as I can tell. For every vocal person with a broken unit, there are multiple people with working ones. These planned obsolescence debates are mostly pointless without actual data (case in point: arguing about WD vs Seagate before BackBlaze started publishing their data)
- lb1lf 9y agoThe plural of anecdote is not data, but around here (Scandinavia) I've seen lots and lots of Miele and ASKO appliances which are way, way beyond 10 years old. My 13 year old Miele washer and 9 year old ASKO dryer are still going strong without any signs of their age - and they are being run hard, what with three small kids in the house an'all.
- KozmoNau7 9y agoOlder Miele washers are generally good quality, but universally anything you buy today is pretty much junk. And this is coming from an acquaintance of mine, who has installed and serviced white goods for over 30 years.
- SmellyGeekBoy 9y agoThis "everything was better in the good old days" attitude explains a lot that's going on in the world at the moment. Shame it's demonstrably wrong on many levels.
- KozmoNau7 9y agoShame you couldn't be bothered to do so. Consumer gear of all kinds is crap. You have to go where the pros go, and that isn't even a sure thing.
- chrisbennet 9y agoI’m keeping my old washer and dryer for that reason. “They Used To Last 50 Years” https://medium.com/@ryanfinlay/they-used-to-last-50-years-c3383ff28a8e https://medium.com/@ryanfinlay/they-used-to-last-50-years-c3...
- w0m 9y agoThat riles me up, it's comparing ~2500usd (adjusted) appliances with ~200usd appliances while glossing over actual cost to consumer or equivalent priced quality.
- chrisbennet 9y agoWe bought our washer and drier used/refurbished in 1991. I finally replaced the one of them [with another used one] a couple of years ago.
- taeric 9y agoMeanwhile, I'll use mine that costs an astounding amount less to run. Gets clothes cleaner, to boot.
- rsynnott 9y ago> Miele/AEG/Bosch These aren't comparable; Miele is on a different level. In particular, Miele washing machines are properly repairable. Of course, they're also far more expensive. EDIT: Missed AEG. These are essentially three tiers of product. AEG is Electrolux's "premium" branding. In most cases, the same washing machine with different plastic will be available as Electrolux and Zanussi. Very much mid-range; better than Whirlpool/Hotpoint/Indesit, but that's not saying much. Should not be expected to be super-long-lasting. Bosch (and Siemens, Neff; again, just different branding for the same thing) are definitely a step up. Some though not all machines are very repairable. And Miele is a huge step up again. All machines should be properly repairable.