more articles like this

Planned Obsolescence
updated: Sep 16, 2012, 10:26 AM

By Edhat Subscriber

Planned obsolescence...

I bought a freezer last July and it died in a month. I learned the extended warranty covers up to $250 in food loss, so when they replaced it, I got the food insurance. I thought the freezer would last, but just in case...

The second freezer lasted one year and one month. It's really really a shame to lose the summer fruit saved for winter jams, Trader Joe's meals and fresh fish. When I returned the second freezer, frustrated, I was told appliances these days are only designed to last a few years.

Perhaps I'm naive, but it seems in the "olden days" things were built to last. With modern technological advances, it would stand to reason things should last even longer. However, now-a-days appliances seem to be disposable commodities.

My son, 22 and the face of tomorrow, says, "How will Kennmore make money if people don't have to keep buying..." I can't help but wonder about the amazing use and waste of resources, the crowding of landfills, and of course the continual outlay of money... Any thoughts?

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 320722P	2012-09-16 10:35 AM
Buy from a company that will stand by its product. Is the freezer from Sears? Let us know how they handle this.
COMMENT 320736	2012-09-16 11:05 AM
I bought one from home depot and it still works as good now as it did when I bought it 6 years ago. Only cost me $150... I think it was GE.
COMMENT 320744P	2012-09-16 11:22 AM
I have a 17 cu ft upright frost free Kenmore that is in perfect working order after about 8 years. I also have a small chest type Kenmore that is not frost free and it is outside under the eaves. It was my mothers and was indoors for 15 years and now has been outside for over 5 years. She used it full time, but I use it infrequently for ice etc. for parties. Only plugged in when I need to use it and it is still working fine.
COMMENT 320745P	2012-09-16 11:23 AM
excuse me but I never said I was taking it to the landfill! I'm talking about the disposable nature of our society- sheesh, lighten up... Yes, Sears. I need to have a Sears service tech come out and determine that it is, in fact, dead... in the fine print of the extended warranty it says they need to verify the food loss, so all the old food will await his Monday arrival...
COMMENT 320751	2012-09-16 11:45 AM
Maybe try a better brand or better quality unit next time.
COMMENT 320754	2012-09-16 12:03 PM
OP, you are absolutely right about the short life of modern appliances. I think it has more to do with the cheapening of components than a full-scale conspiracy to drive new purchases. Also, the consolidation of component manufacture across multiple brands is a factor - fewer and fewer factories overseas make parts for multiple makes and brands. In my household, we now make a concerted effort to repair older appliances ourselves by seeking out spec sheets and parts, and learning to do it ourselves. Everything we have purchased in the last few years has broken.
COMMENT 320759	2012-09-16 12:13 PM
The sad truth about appliances these days is that it's the luck of the draw. Expensive brands sometimes fall apart even faster than the cheapies (and are more pricey to fix) but the cheaper end lines are often just junk. Once in a while you'll luck out and just get a good machine that happens to last more than a couple of years, max. That said, I'd never buy any appliance from Sears. I think they have the brands they carry making models for just them and they are always junk. They're not any cheaper than most of the places in town, either. I'm always suspicious of their hard sell on warranties, too. It's like they make money even faster if they break down.
ROGER DODGER	2012-09-16 12:14 PM
It's a good thing you didn't have anyone in it.
COMMENT 320765	2012-09-16 12:28 PM
Planned obsolescence? Maybe.... or perhaps you're doing something that is putting more strain on the appliance than it is designed to take. Did you read and follow the owner's manual? Here's a for instance. I had a cheap fridge and it lasted me over 15 years without any problems. Now I have a more expensive fridge and I've had to call in a technician twice in 3 years to replace an electronic gizmo ($180 a visit). I was told to set the power in the middle but I wanted to save energy and set it at quarter power. The setting is there why not use it? I'm now following instructions and I've not had to call in for service again.... or yet! Was it my actions that put too much stress on the gizmo or was it something else? If you like conspiracies I was screwed from the beginning but if you don't I may have been at fault..... yeah, I know, who looks at their own actions anymore when blaming another is so much easier.
COMMENT 320786	2012-09-16 01:25 PM
Bought my Kenmore refrigerator from Sears in 1985. Moved it once. It still works fine. I sometimes think about buying a new one. Maybe save on energy? After reading this posting I think I'll wait till it dies. I may go first.
TWOBITS	2012-09-16 03:58 PM
someone needs some ex lax to re lax. LOL, roger!
COMMENT 320835P	2012-09-16 04:03 PM
If you've had two appliances die connected to the same outlet, you might consider getting a surge protector for the outlet. They have special thin ones for behind large appliances.
COMMENT 320837P	2012-09-16 04:15 PM
1 month, sounds about right. Welcome to the buy cycle. Hope you find a way out soon.
COMMENT 320844	2012-09-16 04:35 PM
I converted an old freezer into a kegerator once. Maybe you can find someone who wants to do the same.
COMMENT 320856P	2012-09-16 05:17 PM
Besides the issue of recycling appliances vs overflowing landfills, the energy and material required to make new ones shouldn't be ignored. Better to keep them running as long as possible-- if you can find someone to repair them-- even if new ones might be more energy-efficient to operate. Hmm, I guess this would apply to both appliances and landfills. P.S. I have a small Sears chest freezer, non-frostfree, that has worked just fine for over 20 years.
COMMENT 320879	2012-09-16 06:10 PM
So it is under warranty and will get replaced? Put this one on a good surge protector. I hope the third time is a charm. Also, make sure it is stored in an area that maintains the recommended operating termperatures per the manual. Manufacturers don't make very many things like the good old days. This is a society of consumption.
COMMENT 320890	2012-09-16 06:39 PM
I bought the cheapest fridge is could get a decade ago and it's still going fine. You must have gotten what the Germans call a Monday Appliance
COMMENT 320899	2012-09-16 07:30 PM
Appliance reliability is 90% a function of design. Did you buy an Energy Star appliance? The designers of these appliances squeeze out more efficiency by operating the components at the edge of their specification envelopes, leading to early failure. What are you gonna do? It's a crap shoot. I've had good fortune utilizing Consumer Reports ratings.
COMMENT 320928P	2012-09-16 09:31 PM
funny to see which posts got deleted.... the freezer is inside a garage, on its own circuit. there's been no power surge. yes, I RTFM and operated it at optimum conditions... those whom have had a running freezer for 10+ years- exactlly, that's my point. even 10 years ago they were making more quality products than now... we'll see what the tech has to say tomorrow.
COMMENT 320930P	2012-09-16 09:35 PM
One word of caution here "China."
COMMENT 320954P	2012-09-17 06:45 AM
When we were shopping for washers/dryers the Sears sales guy indicated that the cheaper models (not sure if he was talking just Kenmore) were made in China and the more expensive in Canada - could've been just parts; don't know, but have heard this before. We didn't buy Kenmore on this occasion, but we still own and have bought that brand and never had problems. Good luck!
COMMENT 320961P	2012-09-17 07:12 AM
I am a landlord to a couple properties and have bought over 6 brand new refridgedeezers over the last 10 years for my units. I own (1) 25cuft LG (6years old), (2) 19cuft Amana (4 years old), (2) 19cuft Kenmores (2 years old), and (1) 22cuft Kenmore 10+years old. All working fine. I think you are just unlucky with your appliances. The Sanyo and LG's do seem to be better built. Good luck!
ARCHIE	2012-09-17 08:09 AM
Just to say, I have had my Sears refrigerator for over 15 years and outside of getting a little bit noisier, it's fine. Good luck....
FLICKA	2012-09-17 09:23 AM
My son and daughter-in-law got a new, expensive stove and it broke down in a matter of months. After several service calls for different problems, it's been doing fine for several years. I have a Wedgewood c. late 1940s; it was in the house when we bought it 36 yrs ago; althought I use it ALOT it has never had a problem. Mom sold an old fridge to my aunt in the 1940s, it was still running in the 1970s.
COMMENT 321334P	2012-09-18 06:49 AM
The repair man came. "It wil cost more to repair than replace:" Need to inventory the food loss. Pain in the arse.... next step, determine options to replace or refund.

60% of comments on this page were made by Edhat Community Members.

*** 7 comments were deleted from this thread by the Edhat Board Nanny for violating Edhat Comments Board policy. Click Here to see them.

Comments on this thread are only open to Community Members.

# # # #