This is the kind of post that I’m always hesitant to write, because without fail, it’s going to make someone feel bad. So please let me preface my words by saying this – I’m simply sharing our views, I’m not trying to cause guilt, nor am I judging anyone. Everyone’s situation is different and we all make the decisions which best suit our lives and our families.
. . . . .
So…what happens when the dishwasher breaks?
At what point does it become “uneconomic” to fix it?
Our machines work hard for us – the Smeg oven has had almost commercial usage for the past eleven years, and the Miele dishwasher runs daily, and up to three or four times a day on weekends. And in that time, they’ve both performed brilliantly, but both are now getting older and starting to fail.
If this had happened a decade ago, we’d have replaced them by now. But over that time, our thinking has changed, and we’ve become acutely aware of the true cost of purchasing a new appliance. It’s no longer just an issue of dollars, but also the environmental cost involved – what happens to the old dishwasher? Is it simply dumped? Stripped for parts? What does it cost in terms of energy and raw materials to make a new dishwasher?
It’s a very hard thing to do, but so far we’ve put our money where our mouths are. The dishwasher has had its second major repair in three months (I won’t tell you the total cost or you’ll faint, but it’s about 60% of a new machine). The lovely technician who came out last week has replaced all the worn bits he could find, which will hopefully ensure trouble-free running for the next couple of years. It’s an expensive exercise, and we will eventually have to buy a new machine, but we’re determined to delay that process as long as we can.
Our oven has had the fan elements replaced three times (like light bulbs, they wear out with extended use) and the fan motor twice. Last year we also had to replace the door seal.
We treat our cars in the same way – our last car was eleven years old and had smoke coming out of the steering wheel before we finally traded it in. The toaster was used until it became a safety hazard, and the food processor was gerry-rigged to operate with a chopstick for an extra three years before the motor finally packed it in.
Apart from cars, most machinery these days seems to be designed to be disposable. For example, our microwave has a broken light which can’t be fixed – the bulb appears to be hardwired into the device. And certainly the cost of a service call actively encourages folks to discard and buy new rather than repair.
Energy and water efficiency are considerations – newer appliances are always better than older ones – but we’ve yet to be convinced that that justifies the environmental cost of building a new machine.
Having said all of this, it’s a hard line to toe. I’m an extrovert, I like new things. I desperately want a replacement vacuum sealer, but the $60 one I bought five years ago refuses to break, and I refuse to buy a new one until it does. It no longer automatically seals, but that’s not a good enough reason to replace it while it’s still working.
Going back to the large appliances – we’ll continue to buy the very best quality we can afford, and then try to use them for as long as we can. Wish us luck!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
Good Luck dear Celia, I have a problem with my machine too and I don’t know when we buy a new one! Thanks and Love, nia
I hope you get it sorted Nia! x
I agree with you. The only reason I would get a new one is if the dishwasher no longer cleaned the dishes properly. My microwave which to be honest, doesn’t get a lot of use, we bought when we had a boat on the Hawkesbury. John’s son was 12 and he’s 27 now. It works. I think you’re a smart cookie.
Maureen, our very first microwave lasted for ages, but the ones we’ve had since just seem to give up the ghost after a few years. Drives me bonkers – we tried to find a higher quality one to buy but just couldn’t find one without plasticky parts.
We have a dishwasher, but rarely use it. I would never buy another one. We bought an induction cook top recently and really like it. I have never used a microwave and I don’t have a clothes dryer. I think I am pretty cheap to run.
I’m glad to hear you like your induction cooktop! I could never get one, as I can’t use all my clay pots on them! :)
I wish more people thought like you. Yesterday I attended a lunch hosted by my Firm where a prominent Australian scientist and climate change expert spoke. I felt he oversold the solutions linked to science, development, infrastructure, etc and undersold i.e. didn’t mention reducing the consumption that is placing demands on the world’s energy and resources. But no way was I going to put my hand up where I was and say so!
But I can say it here. The world produces, markets and people buy too much stuff. In too many instances our worth is falsely judged by what we own.
Maybe things will change, McMansions were once very desirable in some circles, now duplexes and environmental friendly residences are de rigueur.
We simply need to, like your household, think for ourselves and not believe marketing-advertising spiel that our lives can be transformed by consumerism.
I daresay your deliberate assessments and choices will give you a longer lived sense of accomplishment and wellbeing.
Well done :)
Thanks ED, it’s difficult isn’t it? I couldn’t guarantee that if we had more funds we wouldn’t consume more wantonly, but in a way I’m grateful that we’re not in that position. I also think that we in the first world tend to take things for granted – a dishwasher is an entitlement in the kitchen, not a preciously clever machine that saves us all from washing up every night that we need to take care of and maintain.
I’m with you Celia. Just because you can replace it doesn’t mean you should. I am going through a similar thing with the washing machine at the moment. Apparently the timer switch is broken. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. I have already spent money fixing it previously, but this time the cost of repairs will be almost as much as a new machine so I think I may be in the market for a new one. But it is in a working phase at the moment so I am ignoring the problem. And the toaster and bread machine, both of which I hate, refuse to break so I cannot replace them :(
Tania, it’s hard when the electronics go – I think that’s when we would consider replacing things. As you say, the cost to replace then becomes insane. And we’ve only just replaced our toaster – it took us six months to find one to buy! :)
Very sensible attitude. I have just replaced my Kenwood Chef after 35+ years of hard labour. I bought the same make in the hope of a similar lifetime. My microwave light is broken and I can’t replace the bulb so it cooks in darkness. The food is just as good, but I do get more spills :(
I inherited my mother’s Kenwood Chef and finally killed it when it was 44 years old. I bought a new one – a cheaper $300 model – and it’s been going for about ten years, but it’s near the end of its life now too – the motor is making very funny noises. And like you, we’ll continue microwaving in the darkness! :)
I so agree with you too. For some strange reason Big Man and I seem to cause bad reactions in all things electrical that are new and lovely andthe old work horses just go on and on. We tend to think very, very carefully before rpelacing. I don’t have a microwave in England as the one I have in Spain I tend to use simply as a bread bin!
Tanya, I wonder if that’s you and Big Man, or simply a product of newer machines being crappier than they used to be? I suspect it’s the latter..
Big Man is an Electrican by trade (of the large scale pylon type installation) and when we first met we kept giving each other massive electric shocks! Now we both just seem to cause gadgets to explode or simply stop working (I go through at least two irons a year and the car key is always having to have the battery which never needs replacing replaced). I suspect it might be us to blame!
Or your wildly electric hot relationship, which causes sparks to fly? :D
That’ll be it…..;)
Hahahaha!
The more years I accumulate the fewer things I find I need – note I didn’t say “want”. I agree with your strategy of buying the best tools you can buy and making them last as long as possible. At the moment our Council has a kerbside pick-up service in progress for large items and I’ve been really surprised at the things that have been put out on the footpath. Outside one house there is a really very big, slimline television sitting on the grass verge. I can’t imagine how much it would have cost to buy and now it is considered not worth keeping and I worry about where it and all it’s bits will end up. It strikes me as a bit of out of sight, out of our minds thinking.
Jan, I hope that TV gets picked up by someone who can repair it and use it rather than simply discarded! Fingers crossed! :)
Manufacturers do this deliberately in order to sell more product to the unsuspecting public: to increase profits, and therefor share price which results in them receiving higher renumeration in the form of salary and bonus. Who cares about the cost to the environment when the general public rather than the purchaser picks up the cost of the production polution. If you think things you buy have a shorter life span than the ones you used to buy, you are probably correct for all of the above reasons. Do some product life span analysis on products you wish to buy and then buy the ones which pollute the least in production and use and have the longest life span.
I do think things now have built in obsolescence but I’m not sure it’s just a sinister plot on the part of manufacturers (though I have no doubt that’s part of it). I think a large part of it also has to do with cost cutting and making things as cheaply as possible because as a society we want to “own” more and more things.
I’m with you, Celia… though it’s not a large appliance, I still have a Kitchen Whizz that my parents gave me as a hand-me-down when they bought a new one in 1978… it still works well, as does my Crockpot… and my mum’s Renaware saucepans are now 51 and they are brilliant. The only reason I’ve upgraded items like fridges and ovens in the last ten years is because I moved out of my marital home and needed new ‘things’ because I left the old ones behind (in more ways than one). Although we did recently replace our second fridge… because it was absolutely dead and we really do need and use a backup… but we made sure the old one was collected by the scrap metal merchant.
Good for you Lizzy, I’d never considered that – when we’ve replaced appliances in the past, the old ones have simply been taken away by the installers. We’ll have to give that more thought next time, thanks! :)
Celia! So true. We wear our t shirts until the holes won’t hold them together any more. They cost so much more than the $ we pay for them. I am still using my mother’s pots and pans as they still work and don’t like to throw out anything. Maus is much, much worse than me.
My main issue working the corporate life was you had to look the part. I had so many suits and jackets. It is embarrassing to remember those days. At least they all went to the Op Shop. Maus took a pile in one day and the lady was very, very excited.
Glenda, bet you’re glad you don’t have to wear a suit every day anymore! :) We’re still using the stainless steel saucepans Pete bought when we were 21 – and they’re still in great shape! It’s one of the things that most annoys me about non-stick cookware, it just seems to wear out so quickly!
Hi Celia, we have a place in Perth, so I am sure you will have 5 in Sydney, where you can get non stick cookware re coated for a modest amount. I have had the Bessemar ware done a few times. It used to be $20, it is probably 40 now but considering the cost of cookware it is well worth it..
My old Miele which we had the same debate re repair or replace , went to a needy family. There are some people who repair them and then donate. We opted for a new one with a 10 year warranty, which they no longer offer.
I guess our $2000 repair for failed electronics board and then a seized motor after it took them too long to repair, has done them in!
Love my Mieles. Washer and dryer going strong 15 years young. Washer has had a couple very minor repairs.
We drive our cars for usually 8-10 years or until they are unreliable. Current vehicle is 2008 model and working well. Fingers crossed!
Mo
Mo, as I said previously, your advice bought us an extra year on our Miele before it needed servicing, so I’m very grateful. Both repairers who have come out have warned us that the newer model dishwasher has a plasticky pump rather than the solid one in our existing machines – further incentive for us to keep fixing ours!
When were were first married (about 8 years ago) I registered for a brand new Kitchen Aid electric stand mixer- the latest and greatest model. When I used it for the first time, it was horrible. It was noisy, clunky, and to be honest it felt cheap. I returned it back to the store. Then, I went to my parents house and asked them if I could have their Kitchen Aid stand mixer, the one I used my whole life while living at home. It’s from 1980. And amazing! I still use it to this day. The other thing- my laptop. I’ve had it for 4 years. My enter key doesn’t work anymore which is a total nightmare. It couldn’t be fixed. But I refused to get a new computer. To remedy this, I use an external keyboard just so I can type properly and the whole set-up is very clunky. When I told this to the guy at the store he said, ‘Even if you bought a new laptop, the new Mac’s usually don’t last more than 3 years anyway…’ I guess sometimes the older it is, the better.
Em, the lifespan of computers drives me bonkers, especially laptops which can’t easily be modified like a desktop can! I’m glad you’ve found a workaround! I’ve resisted a Kitchen Aid but my stand mixer will need replacing in the next few years – the motor’s starting to cut in and out, but I’ll just keep using it until it stops completely. I’ll pick your brains on which model to avoid when the time comes! :)
Celia, I battle terribly with this “nothing is made to last any more”. I am extremely frugal and use things until they are on their very last legs and then painstakingly go through the process of buying something new and invariably I am not happy with the new item, always wishing my new one back – case in point, our new microwave.
Here’s to your dishwasher working like a dream for many years to come.
Have a lovely day.
:-) Mandy xo
Thanks lovely, I’m hoping it will too. Fingers crossed! I know how hard you research before you buy – I remember how much time you put into the new fridge! :)
As repairmen have visited over recent years, they testify to the difference in quality now produced. Large appliances — refrigerators, dishwashers, stoves, and especially washers and dryers, are not made to last more than 10 years. When ours have given up before their time, we have looked for gently used models before buying new, always weighing that against repair costs (which also seem exorbitant). Sometimes is seems like a tightrope to walk, but it is worth weighing out what we really “need”.
Judy, good for you – we’ve bought secondhand cars and a couple of secondhand fridges and freezers, but I’m not sure we’d buy a gently used washing machine or dishwasher, simply because they get such heavy usage in our house and I think it’s worth our while having the manufacturer’s warranty.
Celia, I totally agree with you, even though we are “guilty” of replacing all the appliances when we moved to Kansas. But, clearly, those in the house were not suited for us, the electric stove had the nickname Poltergeist for reasons that are irrelevant ;-) We did not trash anything, though – we donated the dishwasher, fridge, and even Poltergeist
Our blender is about 15 years old and was repaired once. The food processor is 19 years old, and does want to break, it looks aged, but I don’t care. It works
unfortunately, my vac sealer died last week, and I will replace it instead of trying to find someone to repair it – I guess it’s a matter of picking the battles. It is 10 years old, and probably a newer model could work for more than 10 years
I confess that I flirt with a Vitamix, but have resisted for many years, so I keep resisting….
Sally, I’d be surprised if you could find anyone to replace your vac sealer – even finding someone to repair a microwave is a near impossible task. Did you see Fran’s comment below about the Vitamix? :)
Even though we live on a very low income I am completely with you on paying for the very best quality that you can and doing a hefty amount of research before you buy these days. We don’t want to have the expense of having to replace things as we just don’t have the cash to do so, so we save up and we buy the best we can and we enjoy it. We try to pick the most environmentally minded equipment now and it is becoming easier. Sallybr, I have a vitamix that I bought back in 2007 and it has been constantly in use in the kitchen. Another example of buy good quality and it will last. The very best thing about this post is that it has opened up discussion about using our equipment as efficiently as we can, buying good quality items that will last and when we do eventually have to find a way to dispose of them, do it with care and thought for the environment. Cheers for this post Celia :)
Thanks Fran! I know this sounds a bit odd, but we use our appliances SO heavily that in a way the dollar cost isn’t a huge deal – whether we pay $1500 or $1800 for a new dishwasher is irrelevant if it’s going to be used 8 times a week for ten years. Does that make sense? :)
It make perfect sense and if you are going to use something so regularly that it develops a personality and becomes part of the family you may as well get one that is going to last and give you happy memories rather than one that is going to cause twitching and tourettes whenever you think about it ;).
Thanks, Fran…. I will keep that in mind…. I really really try to resist it, it’s so expensive! Although I’ve seen sales for refurbished items with 7 years warranty and all…. (NOT that I’m searching, mind you… ;-)
HAHAHA! When I bought mine it was exorbitantly expensive as there was only one importer in Queensland at the time and I had to get it sent over to Western Australia. I won’t even mention the cost as you would faint! I still almost faint whenever I think about it but at the time I was working and had enough money and thought “if I don’t get it now, I never will” so I got it. It is still running strong now and working like a trojan. They are amazing blenders but there is a lot more choice now for powerful blenders and you can probably get one at a much reduced cost if you shop around.
It’s so true that we’ve become such a disposable society. I grew up with washing machines and TVs that were designed to last 20 years – now your lucky if you can get five years out of anything you buy. And it seems so wasteful and like you say, where does all this stuff go. And do get me started on computers, i-phones, i-pads, x-boxes, Nintendos, videos, DVDs, Blue-Rays etc, etc. All technology that’s superseded in moments. When Drew had his photography business we used film cameras. They were built to last a lifetime. Then the world went digital and cameras lasted sometimes six months before we had to throw them out and upgrade. Take me back to the 50’s! xx
Oh I do miss film cameras, but I don’t miss the cost of film processing! :)
I agree. If it works, why chuck it for a prettier one? My ancient twenty dollar crock pot is missing a handle but otherwise works a treat. We too try to get the best appliances that we can. I use the Wüsthof knives that we got for our wedding 25 years ago every day. The hub keeps ’em sharp.
On the other hand, I’m thinking of replacing our retro vintage Waring blender with something with a lid that doesn’t pop off and spray soup all over the ceiling. It still works, but hot soup,.. scowls at it. Maz
Maz, the lever on my old Kenwood mixer has given in, which means that unless I keep a firm hand on the top of it while it mixes, it flies up in the air and sprays cake batter all over the kitchen. I have to say, that’s wearing a bit thin too.. :)
I’m of the ‘buy the best you can’ and use it until it drops camp. Things that are easily fixable should be fine but every appliance has ‘that line’ that gets crossed when it no longer becomes viable to fix it. I would say 60% of the cost was a bit over that line (if it was a major problem it’s not worth it) We do have some appliance recycling here so I didn’t feel too badly dumping my washing machine for a shiny new one. We sold the still working dryer on kijiji (like the Quokka)
That said I still cook and bake with my horribly unsafe oven with collapsing oven racks. I swear a lot at it and tell myself Christmas is coming. I never thought I’d be getting a new washer before a new oven but when the washer goes you are kind of stuck to get a new one.
I’m not sure all Australians are as conscientious as you. We were dismayed to see how many appliances were out curbside once hard rubbish day came. Maybe it’s just WA? I don’t know…and I’m not sure if they were going to the dump or to recycling either. It just seemed to me that no one cared to fix anything. We did a lot of driving around and finding ‘useful’ things when we lived there.
Bernie, I think our bar is even higher than 60% – we’ve decided to try and fix for as long as possible, even if the cost exceeds what a new machine would cost. As I said, the environmental cost of a new machine is far greater than just the dollar value and over here there are very few people repairing and reselling old dishwashers. Most old machines are crushed down for scrap or tossed into landfill. I hope ours can keep going for a while longer yet!
And not sure about WA, but over here, but I’m always astounded by the stuff the gets dumped on the curb every council cleanup here.
Oh, you sound just like me! Repair, repair until you can no longer…and buy the best you can afford. I hate the wastage of new appliances, although of course u love them too. I stuck a knife in the food processor to lock it in for 3 years, my car is 18 years old, and I try to buy refurbished technology. Still, sometimes it has to be done. Just not as often as we think it does!
Yes, that’s what we do too! Our Smeg oven was a second so it was $1000 and it’s gone constantly for nearly 12 years! :)
I love new things too but sometimes it’s just too hard to justify replacing something. On the other hand though, I think you’re right about manufacturers expertly (perhaps hoping) that you’ll just throw out the old. Your example with a microwave is exactly spot on. Long ago, when appliances hung in there for the long haul, I worked for a small discount chain store as a buyer. It was about that time that manufacturers came up with this brilliant idea (for them) of offering those extended warranty service contracts. Pure profit for our stores & the manufacturers because if you looked at the fine print, very little of value was offered, especially as the machines got older. The other thing is that once people invest in that contract the first time, they figure they have skin in the game & are more likely to renew the contract each year…so they’re eventually throwing good money after bad because by the time the machine gives out, they’ve already spent the same if not more and could have put that money toward a brand new appliance. Knowing the extended warranty scam & how it works, when I get pressure from sales people to buy them I turn it back on them and say “are you telling me that this product isn’t expected to last more than a year? I’ll have to re-think buying it”.
Diane, that is great advice, thank you! I’ve been sucked into extended warranties more than once!
You’re welcome Celia. Having been in the business I know how profitable those warranties are AND how hard the sales people push them – some stores you almost can’t buy the product without 2 people pounding on you to buy them. In most cases, the sales person is getting a very hefty commission for every one they sell.
So if the neighbours see you surreptitiously kicking the vacuum we’ll know why! Our money is hard earned and we try to make sure it is also hard spent. I’ve come to realise I like old stuff, so why buy new just for the sake of it. Having said that, I love my Thermomix!
Jo, I know, the older the appliance, the more character it has, right? :)
snap celia..i’ve always preferred to buy the best i can afford too even if it’s meant going without for extended periods..my last washing machine’s heating element broke and then the fill pump went..i continued to use it by filling it with the hose until that failed as well..i’ve had my magimix for 35 years and in that time it’s only ever needed repairing twice..both times were related to the bowl..and i could relate similar tales of other appliances..but i don’t own a dryer or microwave so no issues there..x
Jane, you give me great hope! 35 years from your Magimix is fantastic, and I think things like getting a new bowl is basic maintenance. I think that’s the big change in our thinking – I now regard repairs as maintenance rather than a need to buy a new appliance. After all, everything wears out with use!
Appliances in this household are stretched and stretched as well. No dryer, no dishwasher, but I do have a rockin’ kitchen mixer that will hopefully last me decades and a fat tv that refuses to die.
Mobiles I feel the same way. Why do people get a new one as soon as their contract runs out if their current one works perfectly fine?
Brydie, I remember when you bought the mixer and how much research you put into it! I’m so glad to hear it’s still going strong for you! :)
I’m with you on this one Celia. Just about every thing in our house is old and still running. My biggest beef is our fridge and freezer pair. Rusty doors and rusty shelves but it still goes and none of the new ones will fit in the space without an expensive kitchen renovation or buying a pair much smaller than we need.
Liz, we have a really old freezer – pre autodefrost – and it’s a pain to get the ice out, but it still goes well, so we still have it! :) And it was the death of our oven 12 years ago that led to the kitchen renovation – the huge 90cm smeg I bought in its place wouldn’t fit into the old kitchen.
Love the idea of repairing appliances however it does seem as though built in obsolesence is such a feature nowadays. I have two repairmen who fix appliances and also tell me when to give up the ghost and I think that is the hardest thing to deal with – finding honest repair people!
You are SO right – we’re incredibly happy to have found Andy, who is both very capable and honest, and committed to repairing for as long as he can! :)
Hats off to you Celia for even taking these things into consideration! Built in obsolescence is so annoying. At work I bought the top of the range laminator (school use, so lots of it!), 3 weeks in someone fed a laminating pouch in back to front and it jammed everything up. Not covered by warranty due to user error and was told they were sold as a disposable item. Got out the trusty screwdriver, pulled it apart taking photos at each step, got the stuck sheet out and put it back together.Still works like a charm now 18 months later. Interesting topic with me planning for when I will need to kit out a new kitchen.
Maree, for what it’s worth, lovely Andy the repairman gave me some good advice. He said, when buying a new appliance, the questions to ask should be, “how easy are is this machine to repair? Are the parts easily accessible?”. Some of the newer machines have components which are designed to be removed and replaced rather than fixed.
I feel, exactly the same way… My “Nina” was 14 years old (my Toyota Seca) and because I served her and treated her right, she served me very well. When I bought her Tape Players were still standard!
It is only because of my new business and all the driving that I was doing, it was going to cost more for Nina to be safe to drive than she was worth, so after 14 years, I said good bye… it was very sad but I have to do it! Now I have “Harry” and I plan to love him till he is old and grey too! :)
Liz, safety eventually becomes the issue, doesn’t it? Our 11 year old car started smoking on the inside while we were on the motorway – we finally decided it was time to change.
Don’t even get me started about the disposable nature of our economy! So lucky that you have an electrician that can at least do the labour, good on you for sticking it out, it does come to the point though when you have to wonder how much it is costing to keep fixing things. Hope they all have a bit longer life in them now.
Thanks JJ! I’m hoping we’ll get at least a couple of years smooth running now! :)
Nothin to argue about here. It’s sad that I’ve had so many discussions about whether products really are designed to be disposable. We’re lucky to have a handyman, electrician, and appliance fixer, so we’re all about hanging in there till the appliance’s state risks our lives or is just to good to live without. I’ve become very fond of an icemaker we inherited with this house. Never thought I’d use the darn thing. It’s worked on at least once a year, and the housing is falling down. Don’t care. The ONE exception is that every 3 years I buy a new computer. It comes from an experience of one crashing, and losing 20,000 photos or so that I thought were backed up. Plus I swear they are made to be disposable. And with all the upgrades and such, it’s hard to keep up. Anyway, good luck.
Mimi, computers seem to be designed disposable – it’s very annoying. And yes, there’s so much to lose on them now!
We have just had to buy a new washing machine after our 10 year old top loader packed it in. It has been repaired a few times and the resident electrician said it wasn’t worth trying to fix it this time. Considering we now live on tank water and use power every time we want water (to drive the tank pumps) it made sense to buy a more energy and water efficient machine. At least there is a silver lining to the whole episode somewhere!
Bronwyn, I’m glad you were able to buy a better machine! We’ve never had luck with top loaders, but so far so good with our front loader! :)
I so agree with you about our disposable lifestyles these days Celia. Things just don’t last like they used to and are made out of cheap materials that don’t last very long. I’m so blessed with BigJ who can use his electrical and engineering smarts to fix most things long after their usual working life. We also tend to buy the best we can afford and then just keep fixing it- even if some items are held together with duct tape :) Good luck with the dishwasher sweetie xox
I love this type of post! I’ve been struggling with building our new house (but it’s also fabulous!). We’ve bought new appliances which I hope will last us a life time. But I think repairing is the way to go.
Ha ha! I know how you feel Celia. The first thing you think is ‘Hey, why is his breaking? it’s only a few years old.’ Then you check the paper work…. Oh… it’s actually a dozen years old. We recently had our reverse cycle aircon fixed. It stopped working at the start of Winter and whilst it was quite cool in the house whilst we waited (and waited and waited) for the part, I’m glad I did. It was certainly cheaper than a new unit but it was also very welcome when the mercury hit 40c last weekend! The repair guy told me he could still get the part as it was an older system. If it had been newer (less than 6 yrs old), there would be no chance almost no replacement parys are made these days. Fingers crossed it last another dozen year.
I feel as if I sound like my parents when I can already complain about how appliances just aren’t made like they used to be! I am fortunate to have a handy husband who fixes most of our appliances. When the garage door opener broke the repairman tried to sell me almost everything new, Josh fixed it good as new with one part from ebay for less than $100. We both drive hybrid vehicles and do what we can to reduce our carbon footprint, I am by no means perfect but every little bit helps.
I am too fed up with the cheap appliances ending up in the land field one day so I bit my bullet to purchase a Thermomix and the best investment ever! A lot of peoples against its cost and popularity but with its multi functionalities and quality, it worth every cents of time saving and enjoyment of many years cooking from it.
I HATE that I so often have to replace rather than repair – it seems so very wasteful. I have 2 sofas that I’ve recovered twice over the last 15 years, at far more expense than buying new ones, simply because I can’t bring myself to throw out a perfectly good and solid piece of furniture. The light blew on my microwave oven 3 years ago, so we just do without. And, as far as your vacuum sealer is concerned – hang on to it. I’ve had 2 new ones in the last 2 years. They’re not making them like they used to.
I’m all for repair too! I have a top load washing machine that is 18 years old – the water was taking ages to fill (probably something clogged!) so I just fill with a hose at the moment until I can be bothered to have a look at it :) My mum’s washing machine (a Simpson top loader) is 28 years old and still runs like it’s new! Definitely don’t make things like they used to!
Oh i definitely agree that it seems that most things are made in a way that once anything breaks it’s not worth fixing it. Sad hey – what a waste to society.
It’s crazy how expensive repairs are in comparison to new items.
This year was actually the first year we ever bought a brand new car – we’ve previously run all our old cars until they die!!!!!