Rant: Modern household appliances are of poorer quality

[MossRoad]

Lotsa luck finding someone who repairs appliances anymore, regardless of competence. I'm sure it's a combination of a trade no one's interested in learning anymore and the general unrepairability of modern appliances.

Icemakers are a high failure item anyway. We don't use enough to make it worth it.

We use a lot of ice in summer for out by the pool and such.

We also use a bin of ice once a week when we're cooling our hardboiled eggs. We eat about a dozen of those every week.

 

[Hay Dude]

We use a lot of ice in summer for out by the pool and such.

We also use a bin of ice once a week when we're cooling our hardboiled eggs. We eat about a dozen of those every week.

We love our scotsman cabinet ice maker. I would never build another house or kitchen without one, but they are not very reliable. we haven’t used our refrigerator freezers ice maker at all.

 

[mike0000]

My beer fridge out in our pavilion was my great grandmother’s from the 1950’s. I got It from my parent’s basement about 7 years ago. It had sat there unplugged not in use for a long time. I was at moms one day and asked about it since I liked the look. Figured it didn’t work, I plugged it in and it’s worked ever since. I sanded the exterior and painted it red, it looks great and other than the ice box not having defrost it works great. It’s a GE, still working over 70 years later. Lucky to get 10 years from one today.

Mike

 

[JasperFrank]

Jen-aire use to be a top of the line product. I have a glass top down draft oven/ stove. The glass top broke. I have a white one. The white one is no longer available. The black trim one is available....... for $500 + shipping.

The Kenmore/whirlpool washing machine was an enlightening experience. They used a zinc cast spider to hold the stainless drum, which rotted out. And it is the ONLY part you can't buy as a replacement. You can get ANYTHING else, just not this part. That seems a bit intentional.

 

[Torvy]

There are a lot of reasons appliances are worse in many ways today. Regs are just as guilty as Corps and electronics.

For us, we have had good luck using Consumer Reports to help in those decisions. Like anything, YMMV, but we have had excellent luck when using them as a guide. Reliability is our #1 factor. We don't always pick the top rated appliance, but we always get a reliable one.

Dishwasher is a Bosch. Quiet and effective. Not a problem except failure to keep the filter clean at times.

Cook top is a Samsung. It has been awesome.

Wall ovens are Whirlpool. No issues there either.

The only problems I've had on Fridges have been the ice/water convenience.

Don't use a toaster...they are uni-taskers. Toaster oven for me. The ones we have had lasted 10 plus years with 6 of us. Seems reasonable for the type of appliance. Of I just wanted to toast bread, I could do it on a camp stove...or my gas cooktop.

 

[MossRoad]

We're on our 2nd toaster in 42 years. The first one was a two slice and we wanted a 4 slice, or we'd still have the original.

 

[jyoutz]

We are religious about running soft water to the dishwasher. The first one got plugged with lime. That's not what killed it, but it seriously lowered the wash quality. So the last 3 have all been spotless inside. No lime or calcium buildup. The new ones are also water savers, so they use less water and have to have smaller jets than the old ones to increase pressure. So another reason to only use soft water. I do have to say that our current Bosch is very quiet. Only when it fills at first can you hear any moans and groans, clicks and clacks. After that it's a nice quiet woosh. You can have a normal conversation in the kitchen with it running. The old ones sounded like a power washer inside a box of broken glass!

Our water isn’t real hard, but over time there is some lime residue. I run the dishwasher with a quart of white vinegar about twice a year and it takes care of that situation.

 

[jyoutz]

Lotsa luck finding someone who repairs appliances anymore, regardless of competence. I'm sure it's a combination of a trade no one's interested in learning anymore and the general unrepairability of modern appliances.

Icemakers are a high failure item anyway. We don't use enough to make it worth it.

Most large appliances can be repaired, but repair costs are often so high that’s it’s cheaper to replace the appliance.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Our 40 y.o. Maytag washer and dryer still works fine. Washer has needed 2 sets of hoses, dryer I had to replace drum belt not long ago as well as door latch, about $30.

 

[jyoutz]

Our 40 y.o. Maytag washer and dryer still works fine. Washer has needed 2 sets of hoses, dryer I had to replace drum belt not long ago as well as door latch, about $30.

I had an old Maytag set like that. I replaced belts and heating coils, pump and a few other things. Then the control dial went out and that part was unavailable. That’s when they got replaced.

 

[Jstpssng]

My beer fridge out in our pavilion was my great grandmother’s from the 1950’s. I got It from my parent’s basement about 7 years ago. It had sat there unplugged not in use for a long time. I was at moms one day and asked about it since I liked the look. Figured it didn’t work, I plugged it in and it’s worked ever since. I sanded the exterior and painted it red, it looks great and other than the ice box not having defrost it works great. It’s a GE, still working over 70 years later. Lucky to get 10 years from one today.

Mike

The self defrost feature is nice although it does drive up the cost of your electric bill. It also dries your food out after a while; I've had ice cube trays emptied out in a couple of months.

I would like to have a manual defrost for the garage; it would be great for storing garden spoils.

 

[Hay Dude]

I have a Dacor wall oven with matching integrated microwave and a Dacor gas oven/range combo and they are restaurant grade. No problems.

 

[lman]

I've been thinking about getting a cheap small refrigerator for my unconditioned workshop/barn that is about 300 yards from my house. Will a fridge work if it's 0F or 95F?

 

[hiddentacocatneddih]

alot of newer appliances like my Samsung inverter fridge have a VFD built into the control board. My friends went out 6 months Into owning his and $1200 part for a $1600 fridge.


We have a 10 or so year old washer. Replaced numerous parts on it but the cold valve went out. Wired the hot to cold vice versa and now the other valve is starting to leak. Wife is on me hard to get a new washer anyway do she can wash bedding at home.

We had an old dryer but the timer switch was over $200 too replace so we found another old dryer. Now I'm on my 3rd heating element but it's still kicking 10 or so years after dragging it off a curb

We had a coffee pot recently only last 3 or so years. Board shorted and it was power cycling the processor on it.

we recently sold my in laws house. 80-90s era A/C unit. Just started leaking last year. 90-00's fridge. Still works. 20 year old coffee pot. still kicking. Oven from the 70's remodel. Still works.

my grandma had a 1992 furnace last until around 2018/9 when the heat tubes rotted thru. Cost of fixing it was more than it was worth.

 

[MossRoad]

Our water isn’t real hard, but over time there is some lime residue. I run the dishwasher with a quart of white vinegar about twice a year and it takes care of that situation.

You are lucky. Ours is quite hard out of the ground. All the water in the house is run through our softener, not just the hot. I do have a faucet right before the softener that I can fill a pitcher from. Our well water is quite tastey. Not so much after the softener.

 

[Yander]

Well I had 2 Bosch dish washers from the early 2000’s that would wash dried concrete off our dishes. One broke and we could not get parts. Replaced with Kitchen Aid. Would have been better off letting the dogs like the dishes clean. It’s a pile of crap.
The other Bosch is still hanging on, but the switches are glitchy.

We want to remove the Kitchen Aid and give it to someone we don’t like as a gift.

We are looking at Meile and Bosch, but haven’t done anything yet.

 

[jyoutz]

I've been thinking about getting a cheap small refrigerator for my unconditioned workshop/barn that is about 300 yards from my house. Will a fridge work if it's 0F or 95F?

Yes. I’ve had a shop fridge for years.

 

[JethroB]

I've been thinking about getting a cheap small refrigerator for my unconditioned workshop/barn that is about 300 yards from my house. Will a fridge work if it's 0F or 95F?

I picked up a new scratch and dented Hisense 1.6 cu ft mini fridge for my shop recently for $50. It was a Walmart return item. Great buy. Normally a $100. Basically a hotel tiny mini fridge. Holds mid 30’s temp. but yet to be tested in 100 degree summertime. The “freezer” compartment holds two 16oz drinks.

 

[lman]

So a water bottle won't freeze in the fridge if ambient temp is 0?

 

[jyoutz]

I've been thinking about getting a cheap small refrigerator for my unconditioned workshop/barn that is about 300 yards from my house. Will a fridge work if it's 0F or 95F?

Yes. I’ve had a shop fridge for years

So a water bottle won't freeze in the fridge if ambient temp is 0?

i haven’t had that issue. Refrigerators are pretty well insulated.