tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post1722223699227962475..comments2024-03-26T00:14:00.509-07:00Comments on Crunchy Chicken: Crappy expensive appliancesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-27737227450692159332009-08-23T10:08:02.931-07:002009-08-23T10:08:02.931-07:00Yes indeed, appliances are now intentionally made ...Yes indeed, appliances are now intentionally made with short life times, yet the marketing spin is all about green "Energy Star" performance, and your associated cost savings. Ask yourself about that cost savings as you replace your refrigerator every 6 or 7 years, for an appliance that routinely used to last 30 or more years! <br /><br />Furthermore, consider the global "green&Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11149379575284576453noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-54921248262619125262008-02-05T07:09:00.000-08:002008-02-05T07:09:00.000-08:00Late to the conversation here, but wanted to add m...Late to the conversation here, but wanted to add my two cents to the issue of "planned obsolescence". I think that part of the problem is that, no matter how much we are paying for things, we are not paying the "true cost". True costs include everything from production, to labor, to disposal. If the companies that make the products were also responsible for all disposal costs (material Andreahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15014982890482989447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-44357077460223427702008-01-27T12:24:00.000-08:002008-01-27T12:24:00.000-08:00Oh me too! So yesterday I was cracking hazel nuts....Oh me too! So yesterday I was cracking hazel nuts. We have two nutcrackers: one my wife bought new a year ago in a pinch and one I bought used at the thrift shop 6-7 years ago, both "nunchuck style" metal posts with a hinge on the top, nothing fancy. <BR/><BR/>So I grabbed the new one and as I took it out of the drawer a sliver of chrome went into my finger. The thin coating started falling off Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-41393966294932825082008-01-26T09:52:00.000-08:002008-01-26T09:52:00.000-08:00Companies make crap for two reasons:1 We know it's...Companies make crap for two reasons:<BR/><BR/>1 We know it's crap, but we buy it anyway<BR/>2 As soon as you buy it (warranty not withstanding), it's your problem.<BR/><BR/>If we fixed either of these issues, we'd see a lot less crap. Demand quality. Save your money until you can afford a european model and plan on keeping it forever. Or demand that laws be changed so that companies were Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-63901688067763118962008-01-26T06:26:00.000-08:002008-01-26T06:26:00.000-08:00I truely believe that companies make crap so that ...I truely believe that companies make crap so that it breaks and we will buy new. We bought a dryer that lasted maybe 2 years. We tried to fix it ourselves but it was designed that you could not get the back cover off. It was cheaper to buy new than to have it fixed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-12529151798123024522008-01-25T10:35:00.000-08:002008-01-25T10:35:00.000-08:00We wanted a house a bit bigger than our previous 8...We wanted a house a bit bigger than our previous 800 sq ft of livable space home. We moved into a 1950s house, which still had the original Frigidaire Flair cooktop/oven in the kitchen. The clock and such don't work, but the important parts (burners and oven) do. One burner quit working, and my husband was able to repair it with a bit of electrical wire and a fuse thing. <BR/><BR/>That stove Maevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03852349354673305704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-34387585491487842532008-01-25T08:11:00.000-08:002008-01-25T08:11:00.000-08:00We bought a new home in March 2000. Everything wa...We bought a new home in March 2000. Everything was new when we moved it. We moved out summer of '06 but not before replacing the clothes washer, dryer, microwave, hot water heater, toilet guts every 6 months and had the AC fixed. Everything except the AC broke right after the warranty was up. My MIL is currently using the washing machine that her parents used and it is loud but still works.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-55156867498741202522008-01-24T21:43:00.000-08:002008-01-24T21:43:00.000-08:00Whoo! I just googled blender parts diagram so I co...Whoo!<BR/> <BR/>I just googled blender parts diagram so I could figure out what the doohickey was called. The doohickey that our local Kitchenaid-recommended fixit place says absolutely cannot be ordered by a private person.<BR/> <BR/>I found a web site that sells them. They are called rubber clutch couplings and I just ordered two for $8 plus shipping from Marbeck.com, small appliance Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-36900940915243972392008-01-24T18:37:00.000-08:002008-01-24T18:37:00.000-08:00I guess there is some comfort in knowing that I'm ...I guess there is some comfort in knowing that I'm not alone and that the rest of you are also experiencing the same crappy products.<BR/><BR/>Not that that's much of a consolation!Crunchy Chickenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10612320939936593420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-46139758740309475132008-01-24T17:33:00.000-08:002008-01-24T17:33:00.000-08:00Our microwave has the same exact problem with the ...Our microwave has the same exact problem with the buttons not working. Well, sometimes they work, but mostly they respond in a non-sensical manner, a 3 becomes a 6 when pressed, and so on. Oddly enough, the "add a minute" button is the most likely to work on ours as well.<BR/><BR/>And I agree with those who've said that products are designed to need rapid replacement. There is no morality in BerryBirdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01688522956177325844noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-86296956872614315502008-01-24T16:27:00.000-08:002008-01-24T16:27:00.000-08:00Nicole, if your dryer won't start at all, and you'...Nicole, if your dryer won't start at all, and you've checked the house circuit breaker switch for the dryer to make sure it hasn't tripped, there's a good chance that your dryer overheated and the thermal limiter on the machine tripped. This happens when the dryer gets too hot in order to prevent fires. It costs about $100-$130 to get fixed, parts and labor. If the thermal limiter is the Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-53607984951430299452008-01-24T16:21:00.000-08:002008-01-24T16:21:00.000-08:00One of the highest-quality appliances I've ever BO...One of the highest-quality appliances I've ever BOUGHT, not made. To date, I have manufactured exactly zero appliances =)Natural Louisvillehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02077556427666746717noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-54077584587678469112008-01-24T16:20:00.000-08:002008-01-24T16:20:00.000-08:00Personally, I think proliferation of crappy applia...Personally, I think proliferation of crappy appliances is a mostly-U.S. phenomenon.<BR/><BR/>http://www.compactappliance.com/<BR/><BR/>I bought a German-designed, U.S. manufactured ventless washer/dryer that changed my life from the above website. It's one of the highest-quality appliance purchases I've ever made, and highly energy-efficient to boot. It's the tiniest washer I've ever seen, and Natural Louisvillehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02077556427666746717noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-16777887851036601362008-01-24T16:08:00.000-08:002008-01-24T16:08:00.000-08:00I'm going through the same thing with my dryer rig...I'm going through the same thing with my dryer right now. The thing just won't start. My husband instictively said "We need to go buy a new one" We just bought it two years ago.. how is it that these major appliances are becoming so disposable?? <BR/><BR/>Ohhhh and YES my in laws have a fridge that is from the 50s that they are still using.. hmmm...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-21993540924856802562008-01-24T15:57:00.000-08:002008-01-24T15:57:00.000-08:00Ingenuity is a wonderful thing. I have a VCR that...Ingenuity is a wonderful thing. I have a VCR that was made in 1980, I kid you not. The first time it broke, I took it to the repair guy who said "I won't fix that; you can get a new one for less than my fee." I said "I don't want a new one; I want this one fixed." He shrugged his shoulders, and I walked out, fixed the driver band by replacing it with a rubber band from a 99c bag of rubber The Simpletonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01321686369942741210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-62063586121620926822008-01-24T15:47:00.000-08:002008-01-24T15:47:00.000-08:00Sorry for being so unclear. Try a using moka gaske...Sorry for being so unclear. Try a using moka gasket in your "broken" blender is what I meant. And don't buy a new blender or moka machine from C&B without trying a cheapo gasket first. :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-77716879230506669122008-01-24T15:46:00.000-08:002008-01-24T15:46:00.000-08:00Re: gaskets. This is just a guess, but you know th...Re: gaskets. This is just a guess, but you know those moka coffee makers? (Some people call it a stove-top espresso maker.) They need replacement gaskets every couple years, so they're relatively easy to find if you know an Italian food store. Try buying one of those gaskets and see if it'll work--they come in bags of 3 for not much money. If Crate and Barrel tells you to buy a new one, ask them Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-81123004070545395192008-01-24T15:19:00.000-08:002008-01-24T15:19:00.000-08:00My parents microwave LED burned out, so while ever...My parents microwave LED burned out, so while everything still worked, you couldn't see what you were doing. Occasionally you typed in 1 minute instead of 10, but generally it worked just fine without a digital readout. Its been going like this for many, many years. It confuses me now when my new microwave flashes messages at me.crstn85https://www.blogger.com/profile/13549871309834864781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-50761488576626421372008-01-24T15:17:00.000-08:002008-01-24T15:17:00.000-08:00The screws on the top of the wheel brackets on our...The screws on the top of the wheel brackets on our 350$ pottery barn office chair all got stripped over the course of 4 years. The rest of the chair, very nice solid wood, is is absolutely perfect condition. I assumed, like a fool, that if I contacted the company they would supply me the part for a ridiculous fee, but the part none the less. I was told by the PB rep that they don't fix things organicneedlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04283388587277778847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-63374715027321779962008-01-24T14:37:00.000-08:002008-01-24T14:37:00.000-08:00I was 8 1/2 months pregnant when our dishwasher ca...I was 8 1/2 months pregnant when our dishwasher caught on fire. After a few days of trying to reach into the deep sink to wash dishes with my huge belly in front of me, I was desperate. My husband went out and spent about $400 on a new one. I cringed at the price, but was grateful to have a nice machine that worked well. Less than 2 years later, it stopped getting dishes clean, and since we TheSmithZoohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05770760439224812814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-23520009538921952912008-01-24T13:09:00.000-08:002008-01-24T13:09:00.000-08:00This issue drives me CRAZY. About 6 years ago, we ...This issue drives me CRAZY. About 6 years ago, we purchased an expensive, high-efficiency Fisher-Paykel washer/dryer set. The set cost about $1300 new, which is a LOT of money for people just out of school. Well, it's broken 3 times in the past six years, and we've had to put another $6-700 in it to keep it going. We've had the same problem with blenders (why can't you purchase replacement Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04351690627854517599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-19374793417894780432008-01-24T12:50:00.000-08:002008-01-24T12:50:00.000-08:00We fix it if we can. Even better, if we can get aw...We fix it if we can. Even better, if we can get away without it, we don't use it anymore. We gave away our microwave and our dishwasher in the last year or so. We did have to replace our stove, it was a health hazard. However, we went as long as we could, cooking in a toaster oven for almost two years.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-65664622414356324792008-01-24T12:28:00.000-08:002008-01-24T12:28:00.000-08:00Same Fridge! Same crappy plastic piece that broke...Same Fridge! Same crappy plastic piece that broke off! I spent so much time researching the new fridge/dishwasher/toaster oven we purchased- all crap. The appearance of the appliance is more important these days than how well it's made.The Edison, Higgins Familyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03071177061450665202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-88966800165216837612008-01-24T11:11:00.000-08:002008-01-24T11:11:00.000-08:00"Did we become a throwaway society because we coul..."Did we become a throwaway society because we couldn't get things fixed or can we not get things fixed because we are a throwaway society?" <BR/><BR/>Chicken & egg problem - it's probably a bit of both.Magpiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15460136246441367993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1542806651392353413.post-78848900023917345862008-01-24T11:04:00.000-08:002008-01-24T11:04:00.000-08:00I miss my O'Keefe and Merritt stove!! That thing w...I miss my O'Keefe and Merritt stove!! That thing weighed about 500 lbs, so I couldn't move it to IL with me from CA, but I purchased it for $50, spent $200 to rechrome the top and I've never had an oven bake as beautifully as that one did.<BR/><BR/>I will never purchase a new appliance, ever again. Most stores have the 'dent and scratch' dept with tremendously lower prices than the new models. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com