"Home Is What You Make It" - 16mm Film

[cadman]

A busy day planned here, so figured I'd get a jump on things. This week's release is from Whirlpool, entitled "Home Is What You Make It". A 1969 Jam Handy Production. I was fortunate that this print held its color and was in such great condition to start with. Plus it's a lot of fun!

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

I liked it enough to wonder why Whirlpool in the later part of that decade coming, the appliances to me, were in for getting a bit of cheapening and nary the features and workmanship I thought I was seeing just in that presentation...

Thank you, Corey for showing...

 

[Chetlaham]

How I wish every appliance had this build quality in 2026.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

How I wish every appliance had this build quality in 2026.

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Yes, as I said: it should be mandatory to keep building this much consistency and durability into every new appliance and never cut corners nor reduce in quality in workmanship or materials...

Decade, after decade, and again, many appliances never kept on looking as good nor maintained the features or even reliability as these here, did...

Even General Electric could hang onto "a way they used to build theirs", after everyone else was charging more and offering less, before they also went that way...

 

[phillymatt53]

Yes, as I said: it should be mandatory to keep building this much consistency and durability into every new appliance and never cut corners nor reduce in quality in workmanship or materials...

Decade, after decade, and again, many appliances never kept on looking as good nor maintained the features or even reliability as these here, did...

Even General Electric could hang onto "a way they used to build theirs", after everyone else was charging more and offering less, before they also went that way...

Thats true of course.
It makes no sense that a 1968 washer that sold for $250, and was so reliable, well built, has turned into a 2020's washer that sells for $700 and lasts maybe 4 years.

Corporate Greed stinks.

 

[Chetlaham]

Thats true of course.
It makes no sense that a 1968 washer that sold for $250, and was so reliable, well built, has turned into a 2020's washer that sells for $700 and lasts maybe 4 years.

Corporate Greed stinks.

I think part of that is inflation and raw material costs. For example, $250 in 1968 would be about $2,300 today. Of course with economies of scale, tooling, automation and efficiency manufacturers have been able to bring that cost down ie a Speed Queen top load which is built similar to a vintage machine runs for about $1,500 today.

The difference is, back then you usually got your money's worth. Where as the $750 washer today isn't even worth half the asking price.

 

[Chetlaham]

Yes, as I said: it should be mandatory to keep building this much consistency and durability into every new appliance and never cut corners nor reduce in quality in workmanship or materials...

Decade, after decade, and again, many appliances never kept on looking as good nor maintained the features or even reliability as these here, did...

Even General Electric could hang onto "a way they used to build theirs", after everyone else was charging more and offering less, before they also went that way...

I think so to. If not legally, at least morally in the eyes of the public. Real change will only come if people wake up and demand it. Putting quality and longevity over bell, whistles and apps.

 

[phillymatt53]

I think so to. If not legally, at least morally in the eyes of the public. Real change will only come if people wake up and demand it. Putting quality and longevity over bell, whistles and apps.

That is why years ago, in my 20's, I sensed that some things being manufactured were in my opinion, somewhat inferior to earlier products.
I must have a keen sense to smell things like this.
The jobs that I worked at reinforced this feeling within me.

 

[Chetlaham]

That is why years ago, in my 20's, I sensed that some things being manufactured were in my opinion, somewhat inferior to earlier products.
I must have a keen sense to smell things like this.
The jobs that I worked at reinforced this feeling within me.

You saw it, the public did not unfortunately.

 

[combo52]

Thank you, Cory for another great video save.

I remember these Appliance as well I got into the business just a few years after these were all these appliances were built so we were still dealing with all the warranty calls and other problems appliances in this era had.

These were all very good appliances with good performance. The only one of the group it was not top-notch was the range that was built by Kelvinator., However, quality control was terrible.every One of these appliances probably experienced a warranty call in the first year the range probably had at least two, the trash compactor may not have had one on most cases.

In a typical family of four the dishwasher probably lasted about 10 years and was repaired at least twice. The clothes washer probably lasted 12 to 14 years and was repaired two or three times, the dryer probably lasted longer. It was only repaired twice.

The refrigerator was probably repaired two or three times and lasted between 15 and 20 years. Plastic parts were a weak part on the inside of this refrigerator all kinds of things probably broken and active family.

The range had several problems, the longevity of a range is largely dependent on how much it’s used and how well it’s cared for it could’ve lasted anywhere from 10 years to more than 20.

The trash compactor could have lasted a long time, but these early ones did have a number of problems if they were really used much, many trash compactor’s weren’t used so they are still sitting in kitchens today.

Quality control with American appliances really didn’t start to get good until the mid 80s or so, the 60s and 70s were great. For whirlpool, but it was also a great period to be a repair person as there was always something wrong with stuff.

Working with whirlpool in Maytag in the mid 70s was fun. I got very good at filling out warranty. Claims whirlpool paid us for both parts and labor that were necessary to repair appliances. Maytag only provided the parts as a dealer we had to provide all the labor, but every defective part for Maytag had to be returned. We had to fill out an attached tags to everything to get credit for the parts that we used in repair work. It was amazing how many repair tags I filled out every week.

John L