Why washing machines die young!!!

[ozzie908]

From Aunty at the BBC...)

Getting in a spin: Why washing machines are no longer built to last

White goods like fridges don't last like they used to. So should you go for a luxury brand, or just the cheapest?

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[NYCWriter]

Interesting ...

... how governments are so big on us reducing our "carbon footprint" by encouraging us to buy all these new energy "efficient" appliances -- while at the same time encouraging us to contribute to an alarming rate of global waste by prematurely trashing all these "obsolete" appliances.

 

[mark_wpduet]

Yes -

I mean, how "GREEN" can it be to use all the energy and materials to manufacture something that will end up in a landfill in a few years or less, then rinse and repeat??

 

[warmsecondrinse]

My only comment on the article is that the decline of the quality of 'white goods' began long before the smart phone, at least in the US.

I think bigger point is that even BEFORE these 'green' labelled machines, fixtures, etc. wear out prematurely, the consumer has to flush twice, use extra rinses, heavy duty cycles, etc. so that the daily use of electricity and water (and gas to heat it) is higher than what the government label says.

The GE HE TL I inherited requires that I wash everything twice, once with soap and a second time without in order to get clean, soap-free clothes. Someone please explain to me how that is green.

Jim

 

[washman]

There is no logical explanation warmsecondrinse

because at the end of the day, it's all about feel good rhetoric and control.

And because everyone is looking for the BBD, the race to the bottom in terms of cost has been in full swing for years now.

I catch flak all the time for buying "overpriced" things. Like cookware. I constantly hear that I could have gone to _________ and bought a Paula Deen or Emeril something or other for a lot less money.

I was ridiculed and laughed at in the 80's when I bought USA made metal Lakewood and Patton fans. They still work. Meanwhile my friends tossed their cheap chinese fans over and over and over.

3 years ago I replaced a cheap Value City sofa with a Smith Bros sofa. Boy did I get raked over the coals. I should have gone to Big Lots or back to Value City and for what I paid for a sofa, I coulda got a whole living room suite.

And finally, the Speed Queen. Never mind I paid cash; instead I should have gone to Sears or my local BIG BOX and got 90 days same as cash finance on some wing ding cheapo POS and "saved" lots of money.

 

[imperial70]

Green isn't the only reason to buy energy efficient

Has anyone noticed their electric bill this month was dramatically different than last month. The rates increased on mine by about 20%. They sent a note stating that they will increase by much more soon.

So I look at my speed queen and say "time for you to go to the secondary position" in the laundry room. Out comes the Frigidaire front loader.

 

[henene4]

Expensive dose not mean reliable!

It may be a special case, but our 900€ Miele washer did last half as long (2,5 years) as our 500€ Privileg (5 years). Our Panasonic washer (700€) lasted only 1,5 years.
Our 350€ Siemens dryer is supposed to last at least 3,5 years as our Miele dryer lasted 6,5 years for 650€.
Our 700€ Siemens induction range lasted approx. 4 years. Now we bought a Ikea (aka Whirlpool) for 600€ with 5 years warranty.
What I want to say: Buy cheap does not mean buy bad. I know, some brands mean quality, some mean the opposite. But you just can't make a straight predictionon wheather you have luck or not. We have heavily used laundry appliances, and as we have to exchange our washer on a 5 year basis, it does just not make sense to spend 900€ on a brand that has already let us down. On the other hand, we will always buy Miele vacuum cleaners. They never let us down. Our 26 year old vac is still exisiting. We just baught a new one because it just looked ugly in the end.
So, if you know an appliance is known to break often, buy cheap, it will give you a better price to value ratio. If you know what will last because of light use, buy good and get more for longer.
To sum up: There is no one rule to follow. Analyse your situation and see what fits best: Quality or value.

 

[jetcone]

All wonderful

points Everyone!  I concur on your observations !

I just got the shock of my life this week!

When John L put me in a 1989 Sub Zero I loved it but had my doubts about putting a 25 year old daily Fridge in a brand new kitchen remodel. But having been around John long enough he rubs off!

After the third year with my beauty Sub Zero; my "new" 4 year old Amana crapped out at my rental home. So I went out right away to the local want ads and picked up a SECOND 25 year old Sub Zero. Its been humming away ever since along with my first one.

 

Now get this, something must be happening in the marketplace! I was sourcing extra parts for my SZ on ebay last week, when I fell through the floor! When I was last looking in the Want Ad, SZ of my vintage were going for $200-$500 which even in 2003 I felt steep! But I paid it back then! That Amana cost $1500.00 lasted 4 years and on the Cape COMPLETLY rusted out the freezer box! And it was NOISY! Louder than the D/W NO JOKE!!

Well today on flepay and the local CL there are units of my age that are listed at $2200-$4000!!!! 30 year old units ! What's going on??

 

You'll have to pry my SZ's out of my cold dead hands !!

 

 

 

[arbilab]

All spot on. And especially the "greenness" of landfilling "durable" goods on a 2-5 year cycle. The logic manages to elude 85% of the buying public and 100% of the US and EU DOG (department of greenness).

Right, save fourpence a week on hot water, blow $600 replacing junk and the carbon deficit of making more. Using the (bargain) price of $600 and 3yr as the average age when it becomes impractical to repair, that's FOUR DOLLARS A WEEK 'junk tax' for an energy "saving" of SIX DOLLARS over the 'life' of the machine.

To whom but a bureaucrat would those numbers look 'right'?