It's like living in the 1970's

[Hummer]

Last weekend our old GE countertop microwave died after 33 years of service. Made in the USA, before carousel turntables. But everyday since it croaked we have caught ourselves as we fill a ceramic dish with food to thaw or cook, or prepare to warm a cup of liquid, only to realize it has to be heated in a pot on the gas stove. Geez, it's like living in the 1970's before household microwaves were common. It makes you realize how reliant we become on new technologies.

A new microwave oven arrived yesterday, transferred from UPS to USPS for delivery. The box clearly showed that it had been dropped on a corner, and inside, the cabinet had been crunched. A one day lifespan. Who knows where it happened but I'd guess the mail persons don't like having to deliver heavier packages for UPS. A replacement has already been shipped and should arrive Monday. Retail efficiency in the days of cheap Chinese goods. Any bets on whether this one will survive shipment, or last 33 years?

[Bailey Guns]

Sounds about right. We're still using a toaster my wife bought her first year of college...1980, I think. Any new appliance we buy is generally considered to be disposable after a few years it seems. Lodge Cookware...it'll outlast us all.

[10x]

Just replaced a dishwasher, fridge, stove top and wall oven microwave. The wife had to have the new black stainless. Quality is not as good. Had to have two repaired the first week. I want to go back to the 1960s.

[Skip]

I expect a microwave to last two years, no more. I buy cheap and replace.

I’ve put about $150 in parts in my 2004 refrigerator to keep it going and it’s taken a bit of patience/skill to replace the typical short lifespan parts when they go out.

I have a neighbor that got four years out of a $2,500 fridge. They gave up and just had it replaced with some drama from Home Depot.

Dishwashers will last me about ten years. Already replaced the dispenser (wax motor) assembly just out of warranty. Probably have a few more years on it.

Yup, it’s frustrating!

[Great-Kazoo]

I want to go back to the 1960s.

Like you remember the 60's, man.

[SideShow Bob]

Ah, memories of the Amana Radar Range. All chromed Steel & Glass. Manual spring timer, and real physical switches. Indestructible.

[Gman]

Ah, memories of the Amana Radar Range.

http://youtu.be/uEywGpIt0vw

[68Charger]

My sister tried to kill a microwave in 1980 by hardboiling an egg in it (our first microwave, she didn't get the memo)
I thought someone set off an M80 in the kitchen.[microwave]

She had the egg in a corningware dish with a glass lid... that flew up and broke a plate inside the microwave... once that was replaced, it gave another 20 years or so of service

[rondog]

We have an old Maytag washer and dryer that were left in our house when we bought it by the PO. Have had both repaired a couple of times, and the repairman has said NEVER get rid of them until they're totally dead. They're both simple and basic, non-electronic, and easy to replace normal wear items. He said the new stuff is all electronics and circuit boards, and they die like flies. Very expensive to fix too. He also said that if we just HAVE to get new shit, he'd happily buy our old ones, because they'll last forever.

[waffles]

I had a couple weeks where the microwave and oven/stove both were down. Landlord eventually replaced them but let me tell you about living off of a steady diet of beer and ramen cooked over a jetboil

[Gman]

Shoot, guys. I made it through college dorm living cooking in nothing but a hot pot. [Coffee]

[Jim B]

I have a neighbor that got four years out of a $2,500 fridge. They gave up and just had it replaced with some drama from Home Depot.

Any idea what brand?

[Skip]

Any idea what brand?

It was and LG. And they just got a new GE.

[OtterbatHellcat]

Just blew 10K on all new kitchen appliances.....full monte.

If it all lasts until I croak, I'm good. Nobody makes stuff the way they used to, and it's frickin sad.

[OtterbatHellcat]

I do still currently use a GE 7-4624B alarm clock radio which has been in service since I was a teen.

Made in Malaysia though.

[brutal]

Last weekend our old GE countertop microwave died after 33 years of service. Made in the USA, before carousel turntables. But everyday since it croaked we have caught ourselves as we fill a ceramic dish with food to thaw or cook, or prepare to warm a cup of liquid, only to realize it has to be heated in a pot on the gas stove. Geez, it's like living in the 1970's before household microwaves were common. It makes you realize how reliant we become on new technologies.

A new microwave oven arrived yesterday, transferred from UPS to USPS for delivery. The box clearly showed that it had been dropped on a corner, and inside, the cabinet had been crunched. A one day lifespan. Who knows where it happened but I'd guess the mail persons don't like having to deliver heavier packages for UPS. A replacement has already been shipped and should arrive Monday. Retail efficiency in the days of cheap Chinese goods. Any bets on whether this one will survive shipment, or last 33 years?

If you bought another GE, unlikely.

I've had such poor luck with GE, it's banned from my house, with one exception. A 35 year old alarm clock/radio/telephone that wakes me using alarm 2 only. It barely works, alarm1 is long since dead, and the buttons to change time are getting less reliable as the days come and go. But that familiar AAII AAII AAII (think Dumb and Dumber annoying sound, modulated,) gets me up.

We just retired a Kenmore/Whirlpool glass top range that started having issues and actually caught on fire while baking bacon in it. I believe it was 25+ years old. Under duress, as we're going to remodel, I bought a nice Samsung glass top from Lowes without doing any research. Seems everyone raves about samsung appliances, and it seemed solid. What an utter POS. Temp control is crazy stupid, cooktop surface too hot to touch with the oven running, and one LCD segment was out from day one. It was the second cheapest one they had, but I expected more.

Additionally, the controls on it are just dumb. Need a timer? OK, press for one freakin minute at a time. Hold it down to advance you say? Sure, huge delay, then BAM, +20 minutes on it at a time. Temp control works in similar fashion. Cooktop remains hot way too long after shutting things down. Our 25 year old Kenmore put this thing to shame.

[brutal]

I do still currently use a GE 7-4624B alarm clock radio which has been in service since I was a teen.

Made in Malaysia though.

Being slightly OCD, I looked at the model number of my alarm clock radio telephone and tried to date it.

It was actually made by Thomson Electronics and branded under the GE name. Near as I can tell, Thomson made those GE branded products 1983-1987, when GE sold the line to them. So while I don't recall when I bought it, it's quite possible it was before 1987 or thereabouts. My guess would be that I got it after I ETS from the Army in 1987/1988 (terminal leave) at the very latest. That puts it at 30 years, 7 months old.

FWIW, I have stereo equipment from the 70's that still works, mostly Yamaha.

[OtterbatHellcat]

OBC is OCD 2.

:)

[BushMasterBoy]

Broken appliance....you would think there would be an app for that.

[Jim B]

It was and LG. And they just got a new GE.

Thanks for the info.[Awesom] We had a Samsung stove that didn't work out too well.

[Gman]

Broken appliance....you would think there would be an app for that.
There is. My LG appliances have a speaker that you can hold a phone up to if you need customer service and it can communicate the issue codes back to the service agent.

I have an LG dishwasher, double oven range, and french door fridge. There was a recall for the freezer defroster that they took care of right after I got it. The icemaker quit last year and I was able to buy a replacement and install it myself. I'm no stranger to having to replace icemakers in freezers since I had to do it with my old freezer...twice.

The range and dishwasher have been trouble free.

[10x]

GE has really slipped in quality. Also banned from my house. Even the people at Lowes steered us away from GE.

[jerrymrc]

When we remodeled our Kitchen in 2004 I went looking for one of the last, good Jenn-air built in stoves circa 1986. I found one and it has been great so far. Once they sold out it went to junk.

[68Charger]

We have a delivery for tomorrow, mostly GE appliances... (ordered on 4th of July sale, same order would be like $1800 more now)
but Maytag washer/dryer... same models as we sold with our house in Colorado- we missed them.
I've heard horrible customer service stories about Samsung... even HD associate wouldn't suggest them... LG is at least attempting to look like they want to help with the app...
We had some Jenn-Air appliances in Colorado that were after they sold out... wound up having to replace them all within ~15 years, one at a time as they failed.
LG didn't have selections on some appliances that met with my wife's approval (dishwasher, for example)... GE had the best overall package- hopefully they last well enough
We're finishing up remodel on a guest house, so we're moving appliances from our house to there, and getting all new for our house.

Seems like someone could start an appliance company with real quality, and offer replacement parts that are better than OEM... but with so many people price is the bottom line.


that could be the name of the parts division- "Better than OEM"

This is an issue with the auto parts industry now, too... seems like everything is crap.

[colorider]

We had an LG fridge/freezer that crapped out after 2 years. Parts would just fall off the thing and finally the main board went out. Our LG range is horrible and about 5yrs old. Oven will not hold a temp. It's all over the place and adjusting it lasts about 2 uses before it's messed up again. Won't be buying any LG crap from now on.

[izzy]

I just made toast in the oven. Not sure if that counts as 70s or not.

[Gman]

I think that goes back before the '70s, like since there have been ovens. You could go the wire coat hanger route on a stove burner, like the Blues Brothers.


http://youtu.be/Th-t6uEefAs


http://youtu.be/ea6OET3Zi20

[00tec]

I just made toast in the oven. Not sure if that counts as 70s or not.

I turned on my oven for the 3rd time (in a year and a half) last night. My headlights wouldn't fit in the toaster oven.

[OtterbatHellcat]

Thanks for the info.[Awesom] We had a Samsung stove that didn't work out too well.

Yeah...stay away from Samsung for sure.

[BushMasterBoy]

I got Whirlpool everything. The dryer broke once. Guy came out to fix it under extended warranty. The light inside the dryer came loose and was shorting out the breaker. Last month the ice maker quit. I read on the webz that it can freeze where the water pours in. Took a hair dryer to it, works good now. I have had these appliances 11 years.

[00tec]

I got Whirlpool everything. The dryer broke once. Guy came out to fix it under extended warranty. The light inside the dryer came loose and was shorting out the breaker. Last month the ice maker quit. I read on the webz that it can freeze where the water pours in. Took a hair dryer to it, works good now. I have had these appliances 11 years.

My whirlpool microwave died 10 months in, had it serviced, and it died again 3 months later, just out of warranty.

[Eric P]

Buying cheap has worked for me.

Inglis dryer with dial gauges, $170 in 2006, still going strong. I dont get what all the new dryers do to make them $500+.

Samsung side by side fridge with water and ice, $600 in 2005. Only issue is ice forming on bottom of freezer. Told a drain is clogged. I just chip it out every 2 to 3 months. Easy after I applied wd 40 to the surfaces. Why fridges cost 2x that now blow my mind.

Cheapest GE gas range and stove in 2005, dont remember the price. Few electronics, timer and oven temp.

LG front load washer, floor damaged dent, $350 in 2005, no issues.

Ge no frills dishwasher, 2005, no issues.

I just cant justify the bling, bells and whistles on these new ones. Internet enabled, why? Touch screens, why? I'm not techphobic, but see no reason for these machines to have it, when the do the simplest of jobs.

[brutal]

Our Kenmore side by side is still going strong after probably 25 years? Same for the Microwave.

Same models side by side at Sears nearly identical (both made by Whirlpool), One Kenmore, one Whirlpool. The Kenmore had slightly better door and shelf features.

I did replace the ice maker door flap thingy about two years ago - with an updated part that doesn't melt ice trapped in there.

[BladesNBarrels]

Buying cheap has worked for me.

Inglis dryer with dial gauges, $170 in 2006, still going strong. I dont get what all the new dryers do to make them $500+.

Samsung side by side fridge with water and ice, $600 in 2005. Only issue is ice forming on bottom of freezer. Told a drain is clogged. I just chip it out every 2 to 3 months. Easy after I applied wd 40 to the surfaces. Why fridges cost 2x that now blow my mind.

Cheapest GE gas range and stove in 2005, dont remember the price. Few electronics, timer and oven temp.

LG front load washer, floor damaged dent, $350 in 2005, no issues.

Ge no frills dishwasher, 2005, no issues.

I just cant justify the bling, bells and whistles on these new ones. Internet enabled, why? Touch screens, why? I'm not techphobic, but see no reason for these machines to have it, when the do the simplest of jobs.

Yep, you just called on the appliance gods to do their worst.
Let us know if the failures start soon.

[Aloha_Shooter]

Haven't had a microwave in 25 years. I use them at work but don't want one in the house because they do horrid things to meat and bread. About the only use I'd have for one is steaming vegetables or reheating Chinese food and I can do that easily enough with a regular pot on the stove.

[Hummer]

That confirms it, Aloha_Shooter, you're living in the 1970's, technologically, cooking wise. No criticism, it's a personal choice based on need and direction. My cousin doesn't own a microwave but uses a toaster oven for everything. For me, a microwave oven is a versatile tool that's useful to know how and when to use it. Kinda like firearms.

Our replacement unit has been delivered, apparently unscathed and in working order. Sadly, I don't expect it to last. I'd like to see a return to when American made appliances were the best in the world.

Only recently did we replace our 1951 Crosley Shelvador refrigerator which ran continuously for 58 years. And we're still relying on the Montgomery Ward water heater in continuous operation since it was made in March 1965. (/Crossing fingers)




Haven't had a microwave in 25 years. I use them at work but don't want one in the house because they do horrid things to meat and bread. About the only use I'd have for one is steaming vegetables or reheating Chinese food , and I can do that easily enough with a regular pot on the stove.

[Aloha_Shooter]

That confirms it, Aloha_Shooter, you're living in the 1970's, technologically, cooking wise. No criticism, it's a personal choice based on need and direction. My cousin doesn't own a microwave but uses a toaster oven for everything. For me, a microwave oven is a versatile tool that's useful to know how and when to use it. Kinda like firearms.

Maybe. I prefer to think that I'm living in the mid-21st century cooking wise by going back (or forward) to techniques and tools that preserve the texture of food. To my mind, microwaves are a late 20th century/early 21st century device which are great for convenience but suboptimal for foodies. People are moving back to using slow cookers, pressure cooking, smoking, ovens, etc. Rarely does anyone microwave something because the microwave does SUCH a great job at cooking XXXXXX.

[StagLefty]

^ but but but Microwave popcorn rules !!!!