Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: What are household items that can be repaired but people often replace?

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

91–100 of 122 posts

Re: Ask HN: What are household items that can be repaired but people often replace?

#91

Post by mytailorisrich »

zabzonk wrote: post #85
h2odragon wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

USA, where almost everything else does come with a power cord.

seems strange - do you know why this is? in the UK i'm pretty sure they come with a cable, though i've just realised that i've never actually bought one! washing machines definitely do.

Yes, here in the UK appliances that work off a standard circuit and can be plugged into a standard socket (so 13A max) come with a cable and fused plug. This applies to washing machines, tumble dryer, dishwashers, etc.

On the other hand, appliances that require too much power (more than 13A) e.g. double oven and some hobs, or cookers do not come with anything and must be wired with an adequate cable, circuit, etc. In general circuit, switch, etc. should already be installed (otherwise you're majorly out of luck) and you only need to buy a 1-1.5m length of adequate 3-core rubber flex to connect your new oven. It's very simple to do as long as you know how to strip a cable and use a screwdriver.

Re: Ask HN: What are household items that can be repaired but people often replace?

#92

Post by jaclaz »

Personally I tend to (try and) repair anything, but lately (a few years) finding suitable spare parts has become much more difficult, simply the "manufacturers" do not provide them (or stops providing them after a short time since the new model is put in commerce) and - unless it is for some reasons a very popular model/device/appliance - third parties do not manufacture them (too low volume to be profitable).

Or the few people that have these spares available try to sell them as if they were gold.

Right now I have a washer that needs its shock absorbing supports replaced, two supports are needed, I found them at 45 Euro each (other more common models are sold for anything between 5 and 15 Euro) + shipping.

Now on a simple washer that I can buy new for 400 Euro, and that is a few years old, spending 20-40 Euro for spares (not considering my time) makes sense, spending some 100 Euro makes very little.

Something else that few people consider is that the appliance you replace in the best case is (partially) recycled, in the worse ends up in a dumpster somehwere, while if you manage to repair it only the small parts that you replace are waste.

Re: Ask HN: What are household items that can be repaired but people often replace?

#93

Post by Shadowed_ »

keiferski wrote: post #30

Instead of disposable plastic razors (Schick, Gilette, etc.) I recommend getting a safety razor and a big pack of blades (I use Merkur). You will save yourself thousands of dollars over the course of a lifetime - and avoid generating a ton of waste. Maintenance is pretty much just cleaning the razor with vinegar every few weeks. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety_razor If you have the time/desire for it, a straight…

Similarly, I use Parker's shavette[1] (I believe that's proper word in English). It's like straight razor but with interchangeable blades (same blades as for safety razor). Also, shaving cream and brush instead of canned foam (better and cheaper). After initial cost of about 50€, yearly cost is about 10€ for blades, cream and aftershave. Shavette could last virtually for a life and brush probably ~15 years (trying to extrapolate from mine which is about 8 years old).

[1] https://www.parkershaving.com/p/sr1-barber-razor/sr1-barber-...

Re: Ask HN: What are household items that can be repaired but people often replace?

#94

Post by nibbleshifter »

dsr_ wrote: post #81
eternityforest wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sharpening is one of the few things on all those life skills lists that's actually worth it. Stones aren't expensive, it's reasonably doable although way harder than people say.

Sandpaper and a flat surface is even cheaper than stones, and easier to boot. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scary_sharp

TIL! I'll have to give that a try sometime, I've an abundant amount of sandpaper in various grits.

Re: Ask HN: What are household items that can be repaired but people often replace?

#95

Post by 29083011397778 »

keiferski wrote: post #30

Instead of disposable plastic razors (Schick, Gilette, etc.) I recommend getting a safety razor and a big pack of blades (I use Merkur). You will save yourself thousands of dollars over the course of a lifetime - and avoid generating a ton of waste. Maintenance is pretty much just cleaning the razor with vinegar every few weeks. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety_razor If you have the time/desire for it, a straight…

After switching to a shavette after using a safety razor for a few years, I'd highly recommend a straightrazor. I actually get a better shave, in about the same time. When I nick myself, it doesn't bleed anywhere near as long, either. Blades last twice as long too, because I only use half each time.

Re: Ask HN: What are household items that can be repaired but people often replace?

#96

Post by smileysteve »

reaperducer wrote: post #56
smileysteve wrote: post #9

Water heaters; supposedly, if you replace the anode rods every 5 years, most water heaters would last the lifetime of the house, versus many replace the whole unit in 10 years.

most water heaters would last the lifetime of the house The lifetime of a house is measured in centuries. Perhaps you mean the lifetime of the person who installed the water heater?

Rarely for American wood built houses. 90% of houses will have major renovation in 30-50 years.

Perhaps a better measure is the life of the plumbing system, where pvc, copper have 30-50 year life expectations.

Re: Ask HN: What are household items that can be repaired but people often replace?

#97

Post by smileysteve »

voisin wrote: post #16
smileysteve wrote: post #9

Water heaters; supposedly, if you replace the anode rods every 5 years, most water heaters would last the lifetime of the house, versus many replace the whole unit in 10 years.

Is that a relatively easy project for an average homeowner?

Yes, the hardest part being to drain your water heater (which is on the annual maintenance schedule)

Re: Ask HN: What are household items that can be repaired but people often replace?

#98

Post by smileysteve »

briHass wrote: post #73
NotYourLawyer wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’ve done it. It’s not a big job, but the issues I ran into were: 1. You need a specific and large socket wrench. (A big adjustable wrench wouldn’t work because the head was recessed.) 2. Mine was really stuck in there, so it took a lot of torque to get it loose. Had to get someone else to hold the water heater in place while I pulled on the wrench. 3. My water heater was up in the attic underneath the angled roof, a…

All that, plus you have to have a water heater that has replaceable rods (some today are not replaceable.) Some other brands also combine the rod with the water inlet, which means you need to do basic plumbing to disconnect the water supply piping before removing it. The claims of extending the life of the heater indefinitely are dubious. There are also 2 heating elements that can burn out and 2 mechanical thermostat…

The more often you replace them - or at least inspect them, the less likely they are to fuse.

Re: Ask HN: What are household items that can be repaired but people often replace?

#99

Post by kyriakos »

nibbleshifter wrote: post #13

Refrigerators can usually be repaired for much less than the cost of replacing it. Same goes for washing machines/drying machines, or pretty much any other large appliance. I've seen people throw out perfectly good soft furnishings simply because they didn't know how to clean them, and let outdoor furniture go to rot because they didn't bother treating the wood every year or so by oiling it. Cookware also often goes…

if the refrigerator compressor fails its usually not economically repairable. everything else is fixable.

Re: Ask HN: What are household items that can be repaired but people often replace?

#100

Post by DieAgainAli »

jvanderbot wrote: post #12

I've dabbled in this a lot, and I don't consider myself a very handy person. Cell phones are much more repairable than they seem. You can replace screens, batteries, USB ports, antennas, etc. A new battery and factory reset makes it seem completely new. Laptops can often be repaired or upgraded, especially earlier MacBooks or current Dells. I've upgraded my old (2014?) MacBook pro and used it for daily use for years.…

On the contrary, a drill press is one of the most basic and most used workshop tools. If you’ve always been handy then you’ve probably already got one, if you’ve just decided that fixing and making things is where you want to go then you will collect various tools.
Post reply on HN