5 ms·

The difference in cost cutting and planned obsolescence seems to be semantics. If you go the cheapest route its obvious you arent planning on the product lastin

by geggam 7y ago

The difference in cost cutting and planned obsolescence seems to be semantics. If you go the cheapest route its obvious you arent planning on the product lasting and you will get to sell another to replace it.

j2bax 7y ago
I have no doubt that both are large factors in the boardroom. Easy sale, easy repeat sale. It would be un-capitalistic to do anything else?! Consumers will probably choose the cheap option for the few jobs they have. Professionals will choose the high end option. How else would Harbor Freight exist?! I think a good system of borrowing high end equipment within your local community would be far more environmentally friendly, but that doesn’t really fit the macho all American DIY persona very well.
- wool_gather 7y ago
  FWIW, these exist in some places: https://localtools.org/find/ https://localtools.org/find/ Though they don't necessarily have high-end stuff; the one here has mostly middle-of-the-road items.
Kluny 7y ago
It still doesn't make sense though. You buy a spatula, it breaks immediately, and you go out and buy the same one again? Nah, I don't think so. You buy a better one, or if you're poor, you buy one from a charity shop. Not many people will be repeat customers of stuff that breaks.
- pbhjpbhj 7y ago
  First time you use it, sure you'll get a different one. Only lasts two years instead of a lifetime ... people just think "oh things break" and buy whatever the supermarket has. Actually a spatula is one of my growing list of "there's no way that wasn't designed to break". Wooden-handled spatula with silicon head, the spatula handle looked like it went in to the silicon and provided a strong head. But instead the silicon was designed to look as if the wood continued in to it, but instead there was a very narrow wooden extension a couple of millimetres thick. This was an expensive branded spatula from a specialist store. The spatula snapped at the interface of the head and handle; you could make it much stronger _and_ use less material. It wasn't this one, https://cdn.cutleryandmore.com/products/large/35515.jpg https://cdn.cutleryandmore.com/products/large/35515.jpg, but same exterior appearance where the handle appears to extend in to the silicone.
  - seandougall 7y ago
    I'm convinced that type of spatula isn't designed to last anyway. Even if they don't break, moisture gets into the joint between the wood and the spatula and develops mold. Sometimes I've discovered this when the mold spreads to the visible part of the handle; other times it's only been apparent when the moisture weakens the adhesive and the moldy black handle pulls out in the middle of being used. It's just a lousy design to begin with.
    - pbhjpbhj 7y ago
      >that type of spatula isn't designed to last anyway Hmm, same amount of material constructed in an equally difficult manner will last decades (until the silicone degrades) or last a couple of years if the wooden handle is designed with a super narrow breakable section conveniently hidden in the head ... I'm happy if the survive long enough to need scrubbing with bleach and putting in the microwave for a minute to kill any bacteria/mold on them.
- geggam 7y ago
  I have a cast iron skillet that was my great grandmothers. I imagine a small herd of cows has been cooked on it as well as a large flock of chickens / eggs. I have paid for and thrown away several cheaper skillets during my lifetime. You tell me the difference in cheap and planned obsolescence ?

by geggam 7y ago

j2bax 7y ago

I have no doubt that both are large factors in the boardroom. Easy sale, easy repeat sale. It would be un-capitalistic to do anything else?! Consumers will probably choose the cheap option for the few jobs they have. Professionals will choose the high end option. How else would Harbor Freight exist?! I think a good system of borrowing high end equipment within your local community would be far more environmentally friendly, but that doesn’t really fit the macho all American DIY persona very well.

wool_gather 7y ago
FWIW, these exist in some places: https://localtools.org/find/ https://localtools.org/find/ Though they don't necessarily have high-end stuff; the one here has mostly middle-of-the-road items.

Kluny 7y ago

It still doesn't make sense though. You buy a spatula, it breaks immediately, and you go out and buy the same one again? Nah, I don't think so. You buy a better one, or if you're poor, you buy one from a charity shop. Not many people will be repeat customers of stuff that breaks.

pbhjpbhj 7y ago
First time you use it, sure you'll get a different one. Only lasts two years instead of a lifetime ... people just think "oh things break" and buy whatever the supermarket has. Actually a spatula is one of my growing list of "there's no way that wasn't designed to break". Wooden-handled spatula with silicon head, the spatula handle looked like it went in to the silicon and provided a strong head. But instead the silicon was designed to look as if the wood continued in to it, but instead there was a very narrow wooden extension a couple of millimetres thick. This was an expensive branded spatula from a specialist store. The spatula snapped at the interface of the head and handle; you could make it much stronger _and_ use less material. It wasn't this one, https://cdn.cutleryandmore.com/products/large/35515.jpg https://cdn.cutleryandmore.com/products/large/35515.jpg, but same exterior appearance where the handle appears to extend in to the silicone.
- seandougall 7y ago
  I'm convinced that type of spatula isn't designed to last anyway. Even if they don't break, moisture gets into the joint between the wood and the spatula and develops mold. Sometimes I've discovered this when the mold spreads to the visible part of the handle; other times it's only been apparent when the moisture weakens the adhesive and the moldy black handle pulls out in the middle of being used. It's just a lousy design to begin with.
  - pbhjpbhj 7y ago
    >that type of spatula isn't designed to last anyway Hmm, same amount of material constructed in an equally difficult manner will last decades (until the silicone degrades) or last a couple of years if the wooden handle is designed with a super narrow breakable section conveniently hidden in the head ... I'm happy if the survive long enough to need scrubbing with bleach and putting in the microwave for a minute to kill any bacteria/mold on them.
geggam 7y ago
I have a cast iron skillet that was my great grandmothers. I imagine a small herd of cows has been cooked on it as well as a large flock of chickens / eggs. I have paid for and thrown away several cheaper skillets during my lifetime. You tell me the difference in cheap and planned obsolescence ?