That's funny. Since it's just the wife and I, that's all we use. And I'll use mine for a couple of days, unless I let the puppies clean them off, only because she won't let me keep using it longer
The Lifespan of Large Appliances Is Shrinking
- Thread starter Chris
- Start date
That's funny. Since it's just the wife and I, that's all we use. And I'll use mine for a couple of days, unless I let the puppies clean them off, only because she won't let me keep using it longer
My 1984 vintage beer refrigerator keeps plugging away. I bought it deeply discounted at Sear scratch and dent sale. There were two identical units for sale. One with a warped door, and another with a small hole in the outer skin from a forklift.
The sales guy initially didn't want to sell either because the warped door would never seal, and with the hole in the outer skins probably compromised the insulation. I asked if he could swap doors. Take the good door from the one unit and put it on the other unit. After checking with his manager, they agreed, but would cost me another $20.
They said delivery would be another $40. I was/am cheap and my apartment was literally across the street, so I asked if I could borrow their appliance cart. This was before ADA curbs on the sidewalks, so I wheeled the cart through the parking lot, using the car travel lanes. I even waited at a red light to cross the street into my apartment complex.
Two moves/houses later in the late 90's and water leaked out of the bottom when the ice maker broke. Local appliance repair guy said the insulation got wet and the unit will never work right again. I bought a new fridge. I parked the old one on the front porch in the July heat, waiting until I could make arrangements to have it hauled away.
About a week later, we were having some type of family gathering. My wife didn't want the old fridge on the front porch and asked if I could move it into the garage. A day later she said she needed additional space for drinks for the family gathering and asked me to borrow a few coolers. Instead, I plugged in the old fridge, and it's been plugged in ever since. The replacement fridge has been replaced at least once.
The sales guy initially didn't want to sell either because the warped door would never seal, and with the hole in the outer skins probably compromised the insulation. I asked if he could swap doors. Take the good door from the one unit and put it on the other unit. After checking with his manager, they agreed, but would cost me another $20.
They said delivery would be another $40. I was/am cheap and my apartment was literally across the street, so I asked if I could borrow their appliance cart. This was before ADA curbs on the sidewalks, so I wheeled the cart through the parking lot, using the car travel lanes. I even waited at a red light to cross the street into my apartment complex.
Two moves/houses later in the late 90's and water leaked out of the bottom when the ice maker broke. Local appliance repair guy said the insulation got wet and the unit will never work right again. I bought a new fridge. I parked the old one on the front porch in the July heat, waiting until I could make arrangements to have it hauled away.
About a week later, we were having some type of family gathering. My wife didn't want the old fridge on the front porch and asked if I could move it into the garage. A day later she said she needed additional space for drinks for the family gathering and asked me to borrow a few coolers. Instead, I plugged in the old fridge, and it's been plugged in ever since. The replacement fridge has been replaced at least once.
Even the basic models aren't built worth a damn, never mind the electronics. Next laundry pair will be Speed Queen - once and done by all accounts.
Yep those Speed Queens work pretty good once you get them home from the 24 hour laundromat and remove the coin slots
OP
I'm seriously considering shopping for a restored, vintage refrigerator at this point. I spent $2500 on a Kitchen Aid fridge that has been nothing but problem-after-problem.
Do it! I have family that own refrigerator repair businesses. All that's been said in this thread is true, most new fridges/freezers are made to last till the warranty period ends.
Meanwhile at our company main office, we have 2 Sub-Zero models from the 50s and 60s that are still chugging along just nicely!
OP
Yep, I plan to.
I was told by an appliance repair guy that the only good modern refrigerators are the ones that cost 10k plus and are found in luxury homes and chef kitchens.
Part of the problem is complexity. Some new refrigerators now come with 2 motherboards!
That's insane to me, when computers generally run on 1.
That's insane to me, when computers generally run on 1.
OP
Yep, he mentioned those two brands.
That was in response to me asking him, "Is it even possible to buy a fridge that will last these days?".
He told me that he's been doing appliance repair for decades and ovens are mostly fine, microwaves too, but refrigerators are simply all built to fail in short order.
What a shame since the refrigerator is one of the most important appliances.
for real. My oven goes out, I have to find another way to cook which is a minor inconvenience. Refrigerator dies, and I throw away $400+ worth of food.
My kitchen is all Frigidaire's "Professional" line. Less expensive than KitchenAid, and interestingly the 2022 range, specifically, is less featured than the 2013 version I had in a previous house which kinda bothers me given how much more expensive it was. But I haven't had any reliability issues with any of it, so far.
The manufacturers certainly own some of the blame, but the government shouldn't be let off the hook, either. Nothing that uses electricity is exempt from pressure from climate change hysteria, and the refrigerator is a big household consumer. A lot of the tools a manufacturer has to reduce energy usage require additional sophistication in the control system, which means we get control boards programmed by somebody that knows refrigerators and is no more than a novice software dev.
OP
The amount of hysteria these nihilists have drummed up in the name of climate change is astounding.
The national debtor more of an existential crisis than "climate change".
You're right, the government has a big part in this. Rules, regulations, bureaucracy, etc. Just last year they were talking about banning gas stoves.
Meanwhile, I just want a damn fridge that will last me a lifetime that I can repair on my own if I need to.
I'm starting to feel like @Zorba.
I have friends that have tossed both brands in the garbage and went back to the regular crap that is out there. Much cheaper to replace
... who probably never even saw the inside of a CS-101 class - one of my pet peeves. Its pretty bad when I can often tell what the bug in the embedded code is likely to be.
CreepinDeth
TJ Addict
Every major appliance that I installed in 1996 is still trucking along. I've replaced the door seal on the dishwasher, the icemaker in the fridge (about three years ago), and a seal in the transmission of the washing machine about four years ago. My wife wants more modern appliances, but I flat-out refuse to replace something based on aesthetics. I fear the lack of quality that seems to go along with the "latest and greatest" appliances.