and it cost like 5k$
A fridge from 70 years ago has better features than the fridge I own now
41–50 of 531 posts
Re: A fridge from 70 years ago has better features than the fridge I own now
#42I bought a series of matching Whirlpool/Maytag appliances like 5-10 years back. They're all garbage. I already had to replace an element in the oven, it burns its own insulation sometimes and the glasstop takes eons to heat but then blows through the desired temperature and incinerates my food, the fridge has a light that flickers and it accidentally freezes stuff stored in the back near the vents, I had to replace a piece of plastic in the door that broke with some washers, the dishwasher fails to scrub things clean despite me following the best "Technology Connections" practices for dishwasher ownership despite how difficult it is to reassemble after cleaning (the clips almost fit together).
My kitchen is overdue for a remodel. I'm going to end up breaking the bank on a full set of Bosch appliances or something, these American-Chinesium products are clownshoes.
Re: A fridge from 70 years ago has better features than the fridge I own now
#43> Thing is, producing crappy, cookie-cutter, uninspired, overpriced junk that falls apart within 5 years (generously speaking) pays more to the shareholders. That's how we got from there to here. This summarizes it quite well for me.
See: Samsung fridges. A huge touchscreen and a water pump/ice maker that will fail in <5 years are standard.
My Samsung fridge is the worst thing I've ever bought.
Re: A fridge from 70 years ago has better features than the fridge I own now
#44> Thing is, producing crappy, cookie-cutter, uninspired, overpriced junk that falls apart within 5 years (generously speaking) pays more to the shareholders. That's how we got from there to here. This summarizes it quite well for me.
It's also a consequence of constant R&D improvements. We can make appliances that last for 20 years or more, sure, but then when 20 years pass you have an appliance that is 20 years old and doesn't have any of that new stuff that came out in the last 20 years.
Well, I'll be the cranky old man today - I just want a box that keeps my food cold enough not to hurt me. That's really all I need and I imagine all I will need 20 years from now.
Re: A fridge from 70 years ago has better features than the fridge I own now
#45> Thing is, producing crappy, cookie-cutter, uninspired, overpriced junk that falls apart within 5 years (generously speaking) pays more to the shareholders. That's how we got from there to here. This summarizes it quite well for me.
It's also a consequence of constant R&D improvements. We can make appliances that last for 20 years or more, sure, but then when 20 years pass you have an appliance that is 20 years old and doesn't have any of that new stuff that came out in the last 20 years.
There is a level where you don't care about more improvements. Fridge is a box of cold stuff. I don't need much more than that.
Sure it could be slightly more efficient but even 20 years old ones are pretty efficient, and I'd rather just slap an extra solar panel or two on the roof rather than replace whole fridge and junk the old one.
Re: A fridge from 70 years ago has better features than the fridge I own now
#46I would hazard a guess and say this was probably expensive by today's standards.
Similar (or actually not as good) fridge was $330 - so let's say $350 for a better one: https://www.thepeoplehistory.com/50selectrical.html $350 in 1950 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $4,431.04 today. My last Samsung fridge freezer was £250 and had a 10 year warranty. Was plenty big enough and did everything I wanted it to (keep food cold and fresh). This idea that 50s devices lasted decades seems odd to…
Definitely not as good, doesn't have all the fancy door bits and slick shelves. I would say the OP fridge would have been more than twice as expensive, so maybe $8K for a fridge.
I've still got the fridge I bought after I moved out of Uni halls >10 years ago for £120, so price wise it's probably cheaper to buy fridges every ten years, but terrible for the waste.
Re: A fridge from 70 years ago has better features than the fridge I own now
#47A lot of those features are available in today's fridges. Also, they use less power today. And you really don't have to get one with wifi and a touchscreen.
Yeah but I'd bet the one we see in the video is probably still working, while I'm on my third fridge in 20 years. I think that negates any energy efficiency gains
I’ve had 8 fridges in 22 years, up until my latest I’ve they were all from this supposedly better age. All failed, in some cases disastrously.
The only one that’s survived longer than a few years for me? The new one. Going 6 years strong.
Not everything on my new one is perfect—I managed to break the built in water jug—but I feel a lot of the replies here need to take into account survivorship bias.
Re: A fridge from 70 years ago has better features than the fridge I own now
#48> Thing is, producing crappy, cookie-cutter, uninspired, overpriced junk that falls apart within 5 years (generously speaking) pays more to the shareholders. That's how we got from there to here. This summarizes it quite well for me.
It's also a consequence of constant R&D improvements. We can make appliances that last for 20 years or more, sure, but then when 20 years pass you have an appliance that is 20 years old and doesn't have any of that new stuff that came out in the last 20 years.
“Improvements”. Sure, sure.
Re: A fridge from 70 years ago has better features than the fridge I own now
#49Earlier quoted context omitted.
See: Samsung fridges. A huge touchscreen and a water pump/ice maker that will fail in <5 years are standard.
But they also do entirely plain units that last well with no 'extras' - their commercial units are also great and easy to repair. But most people want to spend as little as they can so avoid the commercial units.
This is it - high quality stuff is often still made, but it's expensive and/or has other downsides that you really do need to be aware of.
For example, commercial equipment is often bullet-proof and long-lived, but it can be louder than you'd want in a home kitchen. Commercial dish washers have no noise insulation, get hot, but can wash dishes so fast they can crack them from the temperature changes.
Commercial ovens have no or minimal heat insulation, so when you fire them up you can really warm up a room fast, and they have to be installed away from flammable materials.
And people need to be honest about it, too - whenever you buy an appliance new, write the purchase date in indelible ink or spray paint on the back of the unit, because I've had appliances I was sure "lasted barely more than the warranty" and then I realized I'd purchased it 15 years ago.
Re: A fridge from 70 years ago has better features than the fridge I own now
#50Fiat money vs sound money.
With fiat money if you produce things that last you get money that devalues over time but no recurring income. Your company fails.
With sound money, money don't devalue as easily, you can produce things that last. Also there may be a psychological effect on giving money more value and therefore wanting more from the things you exchange them for.
Just some thoughts