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Household Appliances Were Cheaper 40 Years Ago—We’re Getting Ripped Off
National Economics Editorial ^ | May 12, 2017 | Spenser P. Morrison

Posted on 05/13/2017 9:10:35 PM PDT by grey_whiskers

What do flat-earthers and economists have in common?

They both mistake their models for reality. They confuse what ought to be with what is.

And that’s why economists are often wrong—even when they all agree, like when it comes to global free trade.

Ask 10 economists about global free trade, and 10 will say it’s good. Always good.

(Excerpt) Read more at nationaleconomicseditorial.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Conspiracy; History; Society
KEYWORDS: appliances; freetrade; greedymbas; obselescence; offshoring
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To: Lurkinanloomin

Remarkable


61 posted on 05/13/2017 11:28:07 PM PDT by Rome2000 (SMASH THE CPUSA-SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS-CLOSE ALL MOSQUES)
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To: jonrick46

You can put surge protection outlets over the existing outlet. They usually turn 2 outlets to 6, and they have some surge protection built in that can help prevent excess power coming into the appliances at that point. You can also get a home surge protector that can be wired into your house panel to give protection to every circuit right at the breakers.


62 posted on 05/13/2017 11:30:51 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man ( Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: Secret Agent Man

There is a whole house surge protector from Amazon that is only $86. You have to find space for it on the panel near the main breaker. I think I will have an electrician do it because I hate messing with panels. I would hate to fry in order to keep my appliances from frying.


63 posted on 05/13/2017 11:37:58 PM PDT by jonrick46 (The Left has a mental illness: A totalitarian psyche.)
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To: jonrick46

Eaton home surge protectors. You can put them in yourself if you shut down the entire panel at the mains just to be really safe. Then you don’t have to worry about any of the side buses being energized. You just need two adjacent spaces free because it protects each 120v bus.


64 posted on 05/13/2017 11:42:13 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man ( Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: jonrick46

And also it does not have to be right next to the main breaker if you can’t do it easily. It will still protect the house further down the panel. If it is not hard to put underneath the main, then do it. But if the open spaces are down a bit, that should be okay.


65 posted on 05/13/2017 11:44:00 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man ( Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: grey_whiskers

1980’s wage 4 to 5 dollars an hour. Today !2 to 15.. that is why things coast more..


66 posted on 05/14/2017 12:07:14 AM PDT by Davy Crocket
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To: SoCal Pubbie

Have I? No- but we dealt with a fella from a company who was hired for their obsolescence department- We dealt with thigns such as dehumidifers, washing machiens etc and was commentign on how they didn’;t last very long (we bought several new dehumidifiers and they were fubarred within a few months time under a year- tried a couple of brands too- We got ahold of an old old one at a garage sale- looked like it wouldn’t work, but have been using it for several years now- no fancy electronics, thing rattles terrible, but it just keeps working-) and the fella described his job to us and how they are designed that way now- although usually they last longer than ours did-

Toasters are another item that fail quickly these days- Again- we got ahold of an old model- and it just works- it aitn pretty- no shiny chrome or anythign electronic about it- handle is busted- but still works-

Anectdotal evidences I know, but backed up with what the fella described about his department- I believe things are designed ot break and stop working much quicker htese days- Heck- we even have a washing machine decades old now- had to replace a few minor parts- but still working- no expensive elctronics panels to replace- no diagnostic tools needed - just replace rubber parts or dial knob, or whatever- and it keeps on working-


67 posted on 05/14/2017 12:56:26 AM PDT by Bob434
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To: Lurkinanloomin

My Wife bought a new GE range last fall to replace our 30+ year old stovetop and oven.

The new “GE” range was made in china by haier. It’s the biggest POS appliance that I have ever came across. Soup cans have thicker sheet metal than this thing.

I’ve installed and repaired all of the appliances that I have ever owned, and the price vs. build quality on the new appliances are way out of whack with reality.


68 posted on 05/14/2017 2:47:59 AM PDT by factoryrat (We are the producers, the creators. Grow it, mine it, build it. MAGA!)
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To: Secret Agent Man

Ive got a whole house surge protector but it hasn’t helped with ceiling fan remote chips.


69 posted on 05/14/2017 2:57:01 AM PDT by AbolishCSEU (Amount of "child" support paid is inversely proportionate to mother's actual parenting of children)
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To: Bikkuri

and the extended warranties aren’t worth the paper they are printed on


70 posted on 05/14/2017 2:59:51 AM PDT by AbolishCSEU (Amount of "child" support paid is inversely proportionate to mother's actual parenting of children)
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To: AZLiberty

ethanol kills small engines.


71 posted on 05/14/2017 3:02:12 AM PDT by AbolishCSEU (Amount of "child" support paid is inversely proportionate to mother's actual parenting of children)
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To: jonrick46

We have installed a whole house surge suppressor and plug all appliances and electronics into surge protectors. Mostly works great for power fluctuations. We did get a really nearby lightning strike several years ago that fried a handful of unprotected items. But it could have been a lot worse.


72 posted on 05/14/2017 3:20:56 AM PDT by TrueFact (The Republicans keep putting the stopper back in the swamp drain.)
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To: grey_whiskers

I’m trying to buy a high end dishwasher now and can’t because they’re all junk.


73 posted on 05/14/2017 3:23:39 AM PDT by Vision (Evil is powerless if the good are unafraid - Reagan)
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To: TigerClaws

Don’t look now, but a Korean company will be making appliances in the U.S.

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2017/02/27/new-plant-forkorean-appliance-giant-bringing.html

As for lasting 20 years, try the simpler home appliances. Contrast a car to a microwave. If something goes wrong with a microwave, you throw it out. It’s “totaled,” meaning not worth repairing. But, with a car, if something goes bad, you repair or replace that one thing. Cars are so expensive, that they’re only totaled when they sustain significant damage.

If you do buy a top-end home appliance, e.g., a refrigerator with things like an ice dispenser, consider buying a warranty along with it. Let the manufacturer worry about repairing it or totaling it. Or, buy multiple simple appliances. One to refrigerate and the another to make ice.

Instead of buying a top-end refrigerator with ice-make costing $1500 to 3000, buy one of these along with a simple refrigerator:

https://www.amazon.com/ice-makers/b?ie=UTF8&node=2399939011


74 posted on 05/14/2017 3:29:27 AM PDT by Redmen4ever
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To: vooch

“built like a Russian tank”

I love it!


75 posted on 05/14/2017 3:35:47 AM PDT by Redmen4ever
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To: grey_whiskers

Free trade is always good for the country that practices. All those agreements, NAFTA, etc. are NOT free trade. They are managed trade with government controlled benefits and liabilities for certain entities. Calling these managed trade agreements “Free Trade” is a device of the government controllers to make people think that actual free trade is detrimental.


76 posted on 05/14/2017 3:45:58 AM PDT by arthurus
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To: TexasGator

My water heater is 20 years old!


77 posted on 05/14/2017 4:02:57 AM PDT by blackbetty59
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To: smokingfrog
And there was the dishwasher with the heated dry switch in the door that would short-out and burn down your house.

... on the plus side, the dishes *were* dry.

78 posted on 05/14/2017 4:35:36 AM PDT by Flick Lives
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To: Bob434
This “fella,” any chance you can say what company exactly he worked for? I'd like to check that corporate directory and look up the VP of Product Obsolescence.
79 posted on 05/14/2017 4:46:12 AM PDT by SoCal Pubbie
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To: grey_whiskers

I don’t lose sleep over this but I really would like to buy new appliances. Those I have are sinfully ugly. The washing machine is a youthful 15 years, the dryer about 30, my dad bought the fridge in 1976 and the stove I found in an old house I bought, it has to date to the 1930’s.
But they are reliable.
I can afford new. Then I start shopping and shopping starts with reading reviews and becoming informed.
After that, my old appliances are as safe as my grandparents. Not gonna be shown the door because they’re no longer shiny and sleek.


80 posted on 05/14/2017 4:51:09 AM PDT by Buttons12
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