[pfflier]

For many commonly used household items, it costs MORE to fix it than replace it.

For many small appliances this is true plus they weren't made to be taken apart to be fixed.

For larger appliances there is a law of diminishing returns. I fixed the dryer three separate times, replacing the heating coil, the drum rollers and the drum belt all for under $150 total. The dryer is 25+ years old and owes it's continued life to EBay. A new replacement would cost way more than the original even with repair costs added.

[Alberta's Child]

I just had a repair technician come and take a lot at my washer — which has started to make some unusual noises. His prognosis: “The good news is that it still works, and using it while it’s making these noises won’t do any harm. The bad news is that I can’t fix it because it needs one key part that isn’t made anymore. The better news is that you wouldn’t want me to fix it anyway … because the cost of repairing it will be more than half the price of a new one.”