Often, all they need is a new cord.
Dad bought a Westinghouse 8 inch air fan in Moab Utah back in 1955. Paid over $50 for it.
It lasted till 2008. I still have it.
Today a plastic fan will cost around $10-$20 but will give out in a year or two.
Often, all they need is a new cord.
My friend, born in 1954, a hot year in Missouri, still uses the fan his parents bought to keep him cool.
We have a plastic fan. I think my wife had it when we got married 33 years ago. We run it 24/7 in the basement for at least the last ten years.
It’s the same with built-in obsolescent in stoves, dishwashers and refrigerators. If our appliances are only going to last 8 years - design them for family size and use. No reason to go with ‘one size fits all’ if a stove only last 8 years.
The antique stove in the pictures (with a few safety modifications) would be perfect for a senior. Air fryer to the left - warming box, small over and a few burners.
Or as you point out - they could give us quality that last a lifetime. My Dad had a central AC unit that lasted almost 40 years. I’m lucky if mine last 12 years. I mentioned that to an AC repairman and he said, ‘yeah, but those systems didn’t have all the bells and whistles...’ Fine. Offer both. Let the customer decide. I would happily do without all the ‘bells and whistles’... for a unit that would last 40 years - not 12...