appliance life

[mikala]

I generally expect larger appliances to last 10+ years. Our small, cheap, microwave is on more of a five year cycle.

Our front load clothes washer is 8 years old and while we haven't had repairs yet I'm guessing they are coming and we're probably due for a gasket replacement because I can't get it truly clean anymore. That said it washes at least ten loads a week and I cloth diapered for awhile. It's probably run at least 4000 (!!!) loads. At $700 originally divided by the number of loads that's about $ .17/load if it died today.

[khm]

We bought a new fridge 2 years ago. Our old one had been doing a very loud clunk noise that we figured was the compressor. It had been doing it for years, and never did officially die, we just went ahead and got a new one. It was 15 years old. In the same time span, we were shopping for a washing machine, so we went to a lot of different stores because our washer was a difficult one to pick.

Anyways, multiple different sales people told me with the fridges, there are new energy rules. These rules basically have the effect of making them under-powered, so the motor/compressor will not last because it is too taxed. The across the board consensus from them all was a fridge bought at that time would last 6-7 years. 8 would be awesome. So, I think they know the lifespans are short and are therefore putting in flimsy parts like latches and such because they only have to last for such a short time....

We downgraded the fridge based on this. Why pay $700 more for a few extra options for something that was doomed? Those extra options weren't worth the $100/year they'd add to the lifetime cost.

I'm hoping by the time it dies, these rules will be fixed or technology advanced so our next one will be better. (Not holding my breath.)

Same kind of holds for the washer with the new water regulations. We had to get an LG (front loader) because it was the only on that physically fit in our space. I do not feel it'll go the distance. Those buttons, the electronics, the tiny leak down the front panel, it just doesn't have a sturdy feel. I certainly don't think it'll ever see its 14th or 15th year like our old knobbed simple front loader from Sears.

I will say, YouTube is an amazing resource for a zillion repairs. We have utilized and it feels great to fix something that way! Nothing we've tackled has been super complex, but that still..... it makes me feel like a rockstar!

[newnana]

I will say, YouTube is an amazing resource for a zillion repairs. We have utilized and it feels great to fix something that way! Nothing we've tackled has been super complex, but that still..... it makes me feel like a rockstar!

Totally agree with this. This thread has made me realize I've been living out of my parents house for 24 years and never replaced an appliance. Some of that is because we've moved within 10 years of buying every house (every house that we originally thought was our forever house but circumstances changed...)

When making fish sticks in the 12 year old oven, DD said the oven was shooting lightening. DH freaked out and said we needed a new oven for more money than I'm willing to part with. I checked out my friend youtube, saw it was a super easy heating element replacement, and had it fixed 3 hours and $100ish later. The only reason it was 3 hours was because of the drive time to/from the appliance parts store that carried the part and was open at that hour. Same thing when the dryer timer fell to pieces and was only drying for a couple minutes at a time. Except that fix was more like 2 minutes+ 2 days and $20 because that part was easier to get online. That dryer is easily 20 years old. We have purchased new appliances, but not to replace anything. The 12 year old refrigerator that was in the kitchen when we moved into this house works fine. But the drawers are all broken from the previous owners and the finish looked terrible. We still have it in the garage for overflow stuff and party prep and love having it there, but we bought a new one for the kitchen to make us happy.

I might fix a few things on the list you have, but if it functions and doesn't drive me crazy, we keep it. Heck, the microwave in my parents' lakehouse is the first one they ever bought. That purchase was well over 35 years ago and it works fine. We're just probably all exposed to radiation when we use it?

[scrooks]

We have lived in our house for 13 years and bought all new appliances when we moved in. Our microwave is the only appliance that remains. Our fridge was just replaced this past thanksgiving. It may have been able to be repaired but Dh didn’t want to deal with it and wanted a more energy efficient model. Our stove was replaced about 6 years ago but we upgraded to a much nicer stove so this doesn’t count as a failed appliance situation. We are on our 2nd dishwasher. We have repaired our current dishwasher (only 5 years old... needed repairs at 2 years). Dh used to work for an appliance company so we always buy extended warranties. It has saved us on the stupid dishwasher.

[legaleagle]

We replaced the washer/dryer, fridge, dishwasher and over-stove microwave when we renovated the kitchen 12 years ago.

Kenmore (whirlpool made) FL w/d - still going strong, though the dryer takes longer to dry. The door latch on the washer failed w/in the first year and was replaced under warranty (was later subject to class action lawsuit), heating element died in the dryer a few years ago. DH fixed with $50 part (and much swearing!) This is esp impressive because I cloth diapered the first 3 kids (running multiple cycles on each load) and we probably do 12 loads a week now with the 6 of us.

GE Fridge - was never that great - replaced when it finally died at about 9 years w/a whirlpool. We bought the whirlpool garage fridge about 10 years ago (still going strong) and loved it so bought another whirlpool.

GE dishwasher - lasted 10 years. We got an extra year out of it from BBB tip to add lemishine. Replaced with a kitchenaid, so far so good.

KA flat top stove was upgraded to GE induction stove 7 years ago, still works fine. Original KA stove still works too (at my office condo).

Whirlpool over stove microwave/vent - no change from original performance.

We're planning on redoing the laundry room and will replace w/d with stackable set (almost certainly electrolux for size & reversible washer door)

[carolinacool]

Ha! We were just talking about this this morning at work.

Anyways, multiple different sales people told me with the fridges, there are new energy rules. These rules basically have the effect of making them under-powered, so the motor/compressor will not last because it is too taxed.

One of my coworkers said something to this effect.

Our house was built in 1998 and we bought it in late 2007. I'm pretty sure the appliances are original and they are all going strong. The one issue I'm having with the dishwasher is the tines are starting to rust and snap off. I think I've lost three so far and another looks ready to go. That's weird, so we are looking to replace in the next few months. But the actual performance of the machine is fine.

[legaleagle]

Ha! We were just talking about this this morning at work.



One of my coworkers said something to this effect.

Our house was built in 1998 and we bought it in late 2007. I'm pretty sure the appliances are original and they are all going strong. The one issue I'm having with the dishwasher is the tines are starting to rust and snap off. I think I've lost three so far and another looks ready to go. That's weird, so we are looking to replace in the next few months. But the actual performance of the machine is fine.

That happened with our prior dishwasher, several years before we replaced it. We bought some kind of sealing paint & plastic cap kit from amazon that worked for several years - final death was unrelated to that!

[mom2khj]

Used to be 15+ years. Now I'm happy if I get to 8-10.

We've been in our current house for 17ish years. We are on fridge #3 (though #1 was bought 2 years before this house and brought with us), microwave #3, dishwasher #2, range #2 and laundry set #3 (our first set was 18 years old when it conked, next one lasted 3) but going onto #4 soon.

With all the electronics/computers in things now, there are more parts to break down. And often it costs just as much to repair as it does to replace, that has been our experience at least. A lot more plastic is used too, which doesn't hold up as well.

[twowhat?]

This is a bit of a pet peeve of mine - the new energy requirements force manufacturers to make changes to tried-and-true designs (even Speed Queen!) and cut corners for all the design changes to not impact their profit margins, and as a result appliances are shorter-lived and that means more junk in landfills. I don't know what the happy medium is...

I would hope that a new appliance would last 10-15 years but that's probably unreasonable. When we bought our new LG washer/dryer a few weeks ago, they told us to expect it to last 7-10 years. That's probably an honest answer for LG, who has a better reliability reputation at least for washers/dryers. Our old washer/dryer were going on 13 years and still working when we replaced them, with only one service call on the washer.

We bought all new appliances (everything except our refrigerator, which is 13 years old) with our kitchen remodel a couple of years ago. So far no problems but I feel like I'm tip-toeing around them - I treat them very gently LOL.

Even smoke detectors that are supposed to last 10 years are going bad for us at 6 years.

[elephantmeg]

My washer I got in 2000/2001, same with the chest freezer. The drier we got a few years ago. The dishwasher/stove/fridge were new with the house in 2005. We're keeping our fingers crossed. Generally though (according to our appliance repair guy-an old family friend) the simpler the appliance the longer it lasts. He's a fan of whirlpool/roper appliances and ones without computer chips (ie basic top loading washing machines). He's also taught us how to declog the dishwasher frequently (we have hard water)- stuff builds up in the twirling thing that shoots water and in the front where the air vents are. We also have to keep after the lint in the dryer hose due to how it is routed out of our house. If it wasn't for him I think we would have replaced appliances more often! We are also faithful consumers of lemi shine