Does it ever feel like you have to buy new appliances every few years, whereas older generations used to keep theirs for several decades? It’s not just your imagination; the lifespan of most appliances has indeed shortened. Decades ago, appliances were made with future repairs in mind. When something malfunctioned, a handyman came to the house and promptly fixed it. Nowadays, a broken appliance almost always spells replacement. Some suspect that companies are designing appliances with a shorter lifespan on purpose, but the real reasons are a bit more layered.
Back in the day, most machines were built with metal parts, which made them easy to repair but also quicker to malfunction due to rust. So, while your parents’ fridge may have functioned for 25 years, it likely experienced several issues during its tenure and needed to be repaired a few times over the years. Today’s appliances, in contrast, largely rely on more modular plastic parts, which makes them less likely to malfunction — but once they finally do, they have to be replaced entirely. For that reason, it’s often easier and more cost-effective to just buy a new appliance instead.
Newer appliances are also significantly more technologically advanced than their analog predecessors. In the past, you needed a skilled handyman to repair, say, a broken fridge. Today, you need a skilled tech engineer who is familiar with the computerized parts of your exact brand of fridge. This inevitably makes repairs (when possible at all) much pricier than they used to be. It can also mean that computerized parts become obsolete quicker than say some basic engineering and a few screws do.
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Appliances are built differently today
Finger pressing a screen on a digital oven
Finger pressing a screen on a digital oven — Owngarden/Getty Images
It’s true that today’s appliances are built differently, but it’s also true that we changed as consumers. We generally prefer appliances that work well, efficiently, and with modern enhancements, even if that means a shorter life span, rather than gadgets that are simple and work for decades but need frequent repairs. We’re also easily enticed by the possibility of newer, fancier machines with more settings and conveniences. Technology progresses very quickly, so even the luxurious and advanced products from the most popular kitchen appliance brand can become passé in a few short years. With so many new models constantly releasing, it’s hard to imagine a modern-day consumer sticking with their yesteryear appliance for 30 years. On the flip side, that’s why you can buy so many great appliances secondhand and save yourself some precious dollars.
While a longer appliance lifespan certainly sounds nice, there are certain compromises and concessions we have to be honest about. It’s all too easy to daydream about something seemingly perfect and nostalgic that in reality had many faults. For every pro, there was a con. We only need to speak to our grandparents to hear about the great flood of 1983 caused by a leaky fridge or that one time the whole house had to evacuate because the stove was leaking gas. It wasn’t all perfect. That said, we do hope that someday manufacturers find a way to give us both — the longevity alongside the great functioning.
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