The old Maytags, GEs , washers and dryers lasted forever. However, the new Energy Star appliances use much less electricity and are quieter.
For example, I replaced my 1980’s Hotpoint side by side fridge with a bigger French door Whirlpool and my electric bill went down $20/month. Do not buy the ice maker through the door models. They are the #1 thing that fails on fridges.
I replaced the old Whirpool Dishwasher with a new Kitchenaid. The old Whirpool we used to program to run at night because it was so loud you could not hear the TV in the next room. The new Kitchenaid you can not hear it running if you are standing next to it.
I replaced the washer with a Fisher Paykel when the Maytag died after 25 years. This is a top load direct drive motor with no belts. When it goes into the spin cycle it sounds like a jet engine. The clothes come out slightly damp. This reduces drying time($). Also, it uses less water. This is a concern to me because I am on a well and septic/leach field. The sulfate soaps are what causes a leach field to eventually fail. Leach fields cost about $12K to replace around here.
However, when the 30 year old GE dryer finally died I bought a another old Maytag dryer from a friend that just bought new ones. I took the back off and cleaned out the lint with my shop vac. I sanded and repainted the top. It looks brand new. It will probably last another 20 years.
Ya. Here is my analysis.
The products are cheap and designed to put more money in the pockets of the manufacturers. I looked at a circuit board once and it was dirt cheap. They cut so many design corners that the board was “no longer square and completely round.”
Apparently the Samsung washer tubs were rusting after a couple of uses. Come on Samsung. Your engineering team is a bunch of boobs!
Gone are the days of a simple mechanical switch that worked forever. Replaced with a circuit board that continually draws power. So much for energy efficient.
Our washer was 26 years old and we just had it repaired. The repairman said that it will last us another 26 years. Our fridge is from ‘93 and is 25 years old, our dryer, again from ‘93, 25 years old. Repairing the fridge might not be so easy since it is pre-CFC.
When we moved into our newer house, it had a brand new GE dishwasher that blew up on us after 4 years. We then replaced it with a Maytag, and it died after 5 years. We replaced it with a Bosh (German brand) and so far, 8 years, it is working fine.
Knocking on wood!!!
Hey Manufacturers — give us a quality product first and then all of the bells and whistles. Who wants wifi on their washer? Not me when the damn thing doesn’t last longer than a couple of years.