Marriage Outlast 1981 Sears Microwave!

[Gale Hawkins]

We got married 27 Dec 1980 and moved her stuff to TX where I was in college. In Feb 1981 we took our cash wedding gifts and bought a new Sears Best microwave. Shortly after its last long distance move in 1987 the magnetron tube went out but we took it to a large Sears store and they replaced it for about $150 I think since it was less than a new one plus we loved it. For several years it has been making a loud hum and I have looked at them from time to time.

Today for $159 we picked up a 2.2 cu ft Inverter Panasonic Microwave from Walmart which was about $500 less we paid for the Sears microwave. It is nice and from what I read we will be lucky if we get 4 years out of it vs the 34 years for the old Sears.

 

[Gunny]

We had one of those old Amana Radar ranges that was several years old when we got married, it was built like a tank and weighed about the same. I think we used it for 18 years before it died. So far, we're on the third microwave since then.

I've got a friend with one of those old GE monitor top refrigerators, with the coils on top. It's been in her family since 1937 and to the best of her knowledge, never been worked on. It stays in her garage and does a great job of keeping the beer cold.

 

[vtsnowedin]

I had an original hot point refrigerator with about a four tray ice cube freezer on one side of the top shelf I had inherited it from my parents along with the house. My bride wanted something more modern of course but money was tight so I said just let it be until it breaks down then I'll get you a new one which she agreed to. Fifteen years later it was still humming away with no apparent change in the offing but I let her off the hook and bought her a new one. We have been through four in twenty-two years. That Hot Point had lasted more then fifty.

 

[davesl708]

Congratulations on the marriage and the microwave.
I have a Sharp Carousel that I bought in 1995. Still works great.
I agree if I bought a new microwave it would not be near as good quality.

 

[BKBoiss]

Between the microwave in the house and the one in the log truck my wife and I have gone through four in seven years. I hate the fact the you cannot buy something that will last 15-20 years anymore no matter how much money you spend. I did however figure out that there is a ceramic fuse inside the microwave that pops and can be replaced if you pull the whole cover and shroud off the thing. It took quite awhile to find the right one but it cost 5.99 for two so I figuered it was worth the 20 min to change it. The ones in the log truck can't seem to handle the shaking and hammering of the off road hauling and from what I was told using a regular glass fuse when it blows you risk a fire, the ceramic ones contain it. I had never known that before but hey you learn something new every day.

 

[dmccarty]

M parents took forever to buy a microwave, and ironically, I think we finally got one from Sears in 1981 or maybe 1982. :shocked: It was a huge microwave that took up quite a bit of counter space. When I went off to college my parents gave me that microwave because they could buy a smaller unit that would take up less space. I used the microwave in school, in apartments and my first house. A good guess is that I got rid of the microwave in 1998ish, maybe 2000, because it took up too much counter space! :laughing::laughing::laughing: The thing was built like a tank, and almost as large, but it still worked. We donated the thing since it was still working after almost two decades....

At one of my jobs, the microwave they have for employees to use is the same Sears model we had for some many years. The microwave at work as to be around three decades old! :shocked::thumbsup:

Later,
Dan

 

[Creamer]

We got married 27 Dec 1980 and moved her stuff to TX where I was in college. In Feb 1981 we took our cash wedding gifts and bought a new Sears Best microwave. Shortly after its last long distance move in 1987 the magnetron tube went out but we took it to a large Sears store and they replaced it for about $150 I think since it was less than a new one plus we loved it. For several years it has been making a loud hum and I have looked at them from time to time.

Today for $159 we picked up a 2.2 cu ft Inverter Panasonic Microwave from Walmart which was about $500 less we paid for the Sears microwave. It is nice and from what I read we will be lucky if we get 4 years out of it vs the 34 years for the old Sears.

You are right - you will be lucky to get four years out of it. We bought on of these Panasonic ovens two years ago and it lasted about 3 months and it just wouldn't start anymore. the one year warranty did not cover this issue. I figured I wasn't out anything so i pulled it apart looking for the switch i figured was not working. Come to find out it is the mounting of the door switch is on such a flimsy piece of sheet metal that it bent and the switch wasn't being made so i straightened the bracket and reinforced it and it has been working ever since - albeit with a door that shuts very hard. I also looked on the internet and this is a well known issue but Panasonic will not warranty it nor have they changed it to the best of my knowledge.

 

[chad22]

I've got a friend with one of those old GE monitor top refrigerators, with the coils on top. It's been in her family since 1937 and to the best of her knowledge, never been worked on. It stays in her garage and does a great job of keeping the beer cold.

I saw one of those old monitor tops get crushed by a claw when it was being lifted off a trailer. It was a few years ago and I was hauling a load of scrap metal in. I just pulled into the gate to wait to get my trailer unloaded when I saw that claw grab that old monitor top refrigerator and crush it. I was about to cry.

If I could have I would've stopped him I would've bought the old fridge. And gave him more than scrap value.

 

[davesl708]

The microwave on my boat is 30yrs old. Still works fine. Would hate to have to replace it.

 

[Silvic]

My Amana Radarrange was bought in 1977 and still going strong. My Kenmore refrigerator bought in 1978 still going. Freezer in 1979 still going strong. Yes all the data says that my electrical usage is higher on my older models than the newer ones but they work, why trash them. When they fail, and they will, I will replace but not before. Heck the Eureka vacuum from 1977 is still working as well. Boy do I feel old now.