Quantity Over Quality
I've always loved my coffee, and while I don't use one all the time, I go through periods of wanting percolator coffee. Has anyone on here tried to buy a quality percolator lately? They really don't exist. My favorite pot, and I own several, is one of the Proctor Silex percolators from the 60's with the clear glass carafe and lights in the power base.
Being born in 1955, I remember well the small and large appliances that my parents owned. My father was a chem engineer, so we weren't poor. However, even something as basic as a percolator back then would cost enough that it would require consideration. And, if it broke, it would certainly justify getting it repaired. And my mother certainly collecting trading stamps!
There's a fascinating appliance distributor's catalog from 1954 for sale here. I purchased the pdf and have spent some enjoyable time looking through what was available. Looking through laundry equipment, a Whirlpool automatic, or a Bendix for example, shows the price at roughly $300. Doesn't sound bad, does it? However, the adjustment for 1954 dollars to today shows an equivalence of $8.98! Therefore, that machine would run $2600-2700 in today's money. There are dozens of TV's in there--table models, consoles, etc. They run $300-500. You can do the math. I own an NOS Dulane Fryrite deep fryer in my little collection, it's shown in there for $65 ($~550). And so on.
We Americans have used our amazing technological advances to make machines that will perform but unfortunately don't last. I'm optimistic that shrinking resources on this little planet, along with regulations limiting/prohibiting just tossing manufactured goods, will return sanity to how people purchase, and keep, large and small appliances.
