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Generation Junk

walterkirn.substack.com

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Re: Generation Junk

#271

Post by kragen »

fullstop wrote: post #11
drcode wrote: post #4

I feel arguments like this always ignore the fact that buying a toaster in 1950 was a major investment for a family, and if you want to spend $2000 on a high-end toaster in 2023, which is probably equivalent in inflation-adjusted price to the 1950s toaster, it will probably also be very nice.

A toaster in 1951 was $21, which is about $250 today. I would argue that a $250 toaster today is still not a "buy it for life" item, but it would certainly have a lot of bells and whistles and almost no user-serviceable parts.

my toaster is an enameled steel tray with a steel wire grille on top of it. you put it on a gas stove burner to heat up the enameled steel enough to radiantly toast the bread resting on the grille. it's tray-shaped to catch the crumbs so they don't end up on your stove; the grille flips up so you can clean the crumbs out before they burn. a handle, made out of the same steel wire as the grille, allows you to remove it from the burner without burning your hand, and folds in for compact storage when you're not using it

these cost about US$4 locally: https://articulo.mercadolibre.com.ar/MLA-934643608-tostador-... (the price listed on that page is $3499 but currently the black-market dollar is at $950 bid, $1000 ask, so that's a bit under US$4)

but i got mine out of the neighbor's garbage during our eight-month-long covid lockdown, gambling that it wasn't covered with cyanide or something

the electric kind you're probably talking about goes for about US$20–US$40 around here but i wanted to point out that there does exist a more reliable alternative

Re: Generation Junk

#272

Post by CaptainZapp »

blackoil wrote: post #178
klausa wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Either I'm having insanely good luck or I have extremely low expectations of a toaster, but I genuinely don't understand how a toaster does "bad job". What were the issues you were having?

I have a ~20 years old Philips toaster cost around (1500 INR)20-30 dollars than. We don't use it every day, but I don't see what can go bad.

Seconded. My Philips toaster is more than 30 years old and in the super cheap bracket.

Every few years I have to shake out the bread remains and that's about all maintenance it gets.

Works like a charm and the outcome is very predictable.

Granted, I only use it for sliced toast bread. But I'm happy with the results.

Re: Generation Junk

#273

Post by 878654Tom »

CobaltFire wrote: post #197
LiquidPolymer wrote: post #106

We have friends that just laid out $3000 for a new washer drier set and washer is already leaking from the front door. Pursuing warranty repair has been a major hassle. My wife and I use a washer and drier set from the late 90's that are nothing to look at but work really well. They appear to be designed with service in mind and changing components is usually extremely easy - something I have done infrequently. These…

There are brands built to super high standards, but no-one wants to pay for them or deal with their compromises. We have been buying Miele appliances, and have nothing but excellent experiences. They aren't cheap, but the general opinion I've seen online is that they are one of the few brands that build quality modern appliances. My experiences would tend to back that up. Specific to the Miele washer and dryer, we ha…

In Europe heat-pump-dryers are the normal way dryers work and the clothes coming out of them are also crisp and dry. Are you sure there is nothing defective with your dryer?

Re: Generation Junk

#274

Post by rwmj »

jeffbee wrote: post #242
neilv wrote: post #9

> For the remains of the Pyrex casserole that shattered when I removed it from the oven, Noteworthy example. Current Pyrex-branded kitchenware is no longer borosilicate glass. I shattered a Pyrex casserole dish with what I guess was probably thermal shock, by moving it out of the oven, into a stainless steel sink.

I don't understand why anyone would do this even with real borosilicate glass. It is unreasonable to expect glass to survive with something massive and hot on one side and something massive and cold on the other side. Even flawless pyrex will break with temperature differentials above 300F.

Real Pyrex really ought to survive a 300F (150C) temperature difference.

Re: Generation Junk

#275

Post by CaptainZapp »

xtracto wrote: post #120
marginalia_nu wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lot of the high end stuff is crap too. You get a toaster with wifi and a touch screen and an app instead of something that works.

The other day I was telling my wife that the next blender I'll get will be a "fuck you" blender. That's the name I gave to an old blender I had 25 years ago when I lived on my own while studying. The blender was an Oster brand and only had an on/off switch. I sold it to a friend when I left that city. Fast forward 25 years, my friend told me that his mom is still using the same blender. No programs, no memories, no m…

We're here to help :

https://www.galaxus.ch/en/s2/product/philips-toaster-toaster...

I'm sure it's available wherever you live for around 30$ or so.

Re: Generation Junk

#276

Post by ghusto »

woopwoop wrote: post #12

So this article implies that a number of things that we buy previously were built to last longer, and indeed did last longer. The first few examples are kitchen appliances. In this case I don't really know, but I'm at least willing to listen. Ultimately the evidence is people responding to a thread on Twitter where he solicited complaints. Not so compelling. But then he mentions a "hybrid sedan". Here I'm aware of th…

> Modern cars are much, much more reliable and durable than ones built at any time in the past.

I continue to buy older cars because this has been false for me everywhere I've experienced new cars (borrowed, friends, my own).

Pointing out lack of data to support an argument that relies on anecdotal evidence is good practice. However:

- The anecdotal evidence is strong amongst older people

- Data not existing doesn't mean it _can't_ exist

I suspect that younger people are just used to things not working, so they don't complain. Then there's the fact that there is no incentive for anyone else to show things could be better (except the old codgers like myself, but we're not a profitable demographic).

I scour online auctions for old gear, because I know it'll work. Hi-Fi systems built in the 90s for example, were the panicle of hi-fi. Heck, I even have a CRT from _thirty years ago_ that still works like new (now think of your smart T.V. in thirty years).

Forget that, is there anything you've bought new in the last _ten_ years that you still have?

Re: Generation Junk

#277

Post by lawgimenez »

Baeocystin wrote: post #226
lawgimenez wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As someone who drives an “old” Honda 2006, I’m surprised that this machine is still running very good. I could just take it to my local shop and had it fixed in 1-2 days. Based on my logs, I took the car for repair on average of 3-4 times a year. I am looking to purchase a new family vehicle in the future but with all the softwares, screens, and fancy stuffs I am not sure if I liked it. Anyone feels this way?

I really wish there was a new car that I wanted to buy, because my 1998 Jeep isn't getting any younger. But holy crap is the modern car a dumpster fire of shit from a UI perspective. Although it looks like at least some manufacturers are starting to take note: https://futurism.com/the-byte/car-touchscreens-buttons-back

Yes that article sums up my feelings on the modern car. But my main concern are the repairs 5-10 years from now. It’s crazy to think that a car would be recalled by just some software glitch if that’s what I read is correct.

Re: Generation Junk

#278

Post by ghusto »

For the folks who are doubting his point: Is there anything you've bought new ten years ago that you still have (and works!).

Re: Generation Junk

#279

Post by Gigachad »

pixl97 wrote: post #205
Gigachad wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Plastic gears have lower friction and don't require greasing. They aren't really bad on their own. The problem is you can't find replacement parts when they break.

If these things break all the time why isn't someone producing them and selling them?

Because they are all custom sizes. And they don't break often. It's like 10 years after purchase where there aren't too many other owners looking for parts and the original company doesn't support it anymore.

Re: Generation Junk

#280

Post by ghusto »

CobaltFire wrote: post #197
LiquidPolymer wrote: post #106

We have friends that just laid out $3000 for a new washer drier set and washer is already leaking from the front door. Pursuing warranty repair has been a major hassle. My wife and I use a washer and drier set from the late 90's that are nothing to look at but work really well. They appear to be designed with service in mind and changing components is usually extremely easy - something I have done infrequently. These…

There are brands built to super high standards, but no-one wants to pay for them or deal with their compromises. We have been buying Miele appliances, and have nothing but excellent experiences. They aren't cheap, but the general opinion I've seen online is that they are one of the few brands that build quality modern appliances. My experiences would tend to back that up. Specific to the Miele washer and dryer, we ha…

Miele vacuum cleaners are great. Our Dysons and other newfangled bagless crap came and went, but the Miele is still here, and still rocking.
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