Just need to vent about appliances!

[aubriee]

About seven months ago, I had to buy a new washing machine. Just a few months later, both the hot water heater and stove went out just two days apart, so I had to buy both a new hot water heater and stove at that time. This past weekend, my dryer went out, so I had to go yesterday and buy a new dryer. Then the straw that breaks the camel's back, when I got home from ordering the dryer, I found the ice maker on my refrigerator had stopped working. I absolutely refuse to buy a new refrigerator right now and will just do without the ice maker, if it can't be fixed. What gets me is, none of the appliances were really all that old. The washer and dryer were the oldest at around eight (maybe nine) years old. The hot water heater, stove, and refrigerator were all installed new in the house when I moved in seven years ago. None were off brands. The washer, dryer, and stove were all Whirlpool or Maytag as is the fridge. Anyone else having a run of bad luck, as far as appliances go? Four major appliances (plus the ice maker in the fridge) in just seven months seems like alot.

 

[comicguy]

In the last 2 years we have replaced the stove, washer, and dryer all of which we purchased new when we bought the house 8 years ago.

We did have to replace the hot water heater but in all fairness that was about 20 years old and the home inspector even said it should be replaced "soon" and that was 8 years ago!!

 

[msmayor]

It does seem like a lot...I guess I have had better luck with my appliances, all Whirlpool.

My stove, fridge and dryer are original to my house at 17 years. Hot water heater replaced at 10 (standard, really) and washer at 12. Dishwasher I think we replaced around 10 as well.

My real workhorse is my microwave. I kid you not...the thing is over 20 years old.

 

[Cinderella909]

My trouble is that I bought all new applicances when remodeling, so I've had to replace them in close time span too. I linked it to that they were all about the same age....

When it rains, it pours... sorry for your appliance issues, Karen

 

[dpswift]

Yes we have lived in our house 20 years and with the exception of the furnace everything has been replaced at least twice. Just last week it was the hot water heater and since it was an emergency late Friday, we paid twice what we should have. In all fairness to our hot water heater it had been the first thing that we bought when we moved in, so we got our moneys worth out of that one.

 

[scrapquitler]

About seven months ago, I had to buy a new washing machine. Just a few months later, both the hot water heater and stove went out just two days apart, so I had to buy both a new hot water heater and stove at that time. This past weekend, my dryer went out, so I had to go yesterday and buy a new dryer. Then the straw that breaks the camel's back, when I got home from ordering the dryer, I found the ice maker on my refrigerator had stopped working. I absolutely refuse to buy a new refrigerator right now and will just do without the ice maker, if it can't be fixed. What gets me is, none of the appliances were really all that old. The washer and dryer were the oldest at around eight (maybe nine) years old. The hot water heater, stove, and refrigerator were all installed new in the house when I moved in seven years ago. None were off brands. The washer, dryer, and stove were all Whirlpool or Maytag as is the fridge. Anyone else having a run of bad luck, as far as appliances go? Four major appliances (plus the ice maker in the fridge) in just seven months seems like alot.

If you bought all the appliances new at the same time, it's not really a huge surprise that they all needed replacing around the same time, since they are all the same age.

I think that 7-10 years is probably a reasonable length of time for newer appliances to last. The reality is that they don't make them to last like they did years ago.

As for my house; we have been here 15 years. We still have the same cooktop, wall oven, dishwasher and washer/dryer that we're here when we bought. We replaced the hot water heater about 12 years ago and the refrigerator about 4 years ago (and the ice maker stopped working last week, but I've been too busy to deal with getting it repaired). My washer leaks, and my dryer is on its last legs, so I will be replacing those sometime this summer.

 

[JessM]

I think the big problem is that appliances just aren't made to last anymore. I used to sell appliances and we were told to tell customers that they would last 6-10 years. So you unfortunately are within those years.

 

[ssawka]

I think the big problem is that appliances just aren't made to last anymore. I used to sell appliances and we were told to tell customers that they would last 6-10 years. So you unfortunately are within those years.

This is so true! Several years ago we bought a new refrigerator because we feared that our 20+ year old frig would die. Well, we moved the old fridge into our garage, which is not insulated, and have had no problems with it. The "new" fridge on the other had has had to be fixed a few times since we originally purchased it.

 

[HM]

We had a run of appliance problems in eight months too.

Hot water heater was leaking. Turned out we had too much water pressure coming into the house. Luckily didn't need any repairs. Paid for the service call and a flush of the heater.

Microwave stopped working. It's part of a built-in oven-micro duo. Can't just buy a new one. Had to have a part replaced for $260.

Washer died before Christmas. Repair would have been around $400 since it was memory boards and such. $99 service call. Replaced.

Dishwasher died in April. It also seemed to be a memory board problem, didn't bother to call repair person after looking at prices of parts online. Bought new one.

Oh and our house and appliaces were brand new seven years ago....

 

[PatMcDuck]

My dishwasher is the latest PITA here. I have had it fixed 4X under warranty, they replaced everything, the motor, the computer, some sort of water level thing, and it just started acting up again, and it is now out of the (extended) warranty. i think it is hopeless to repair, because it has been worked on by 3-4 different repairmen at this point.

For now, it works, more or less. (It starts, and then stops 5 minutes later, and lights flash, and yes, i know which lights flash is a code that tells what is wrong). If you stop and restart it usually works, but last time it eventually completely stopped working.

It is a SAMSUNG dishwasher, and I love it because it is so quiet. Too quiet, haha, when it actually secretly stops running. It is 3 years old!!

 

[QVCshopper]

In my house, we had to replace the AC unit at about ten years when it blew up (the builder installed the wrong size for our house and its life was cut short), the water heater when it rusted out and leaked all over (that made it to almost 14, so pretty good), and dryer (smelled like gas, then finally stopped spinning). I'm hoping the fridge, washing machine, stove, and dish washer make it another month until we settle. The fridge and washing machine are 11 years old; the dish washer and oven are 14 years old...

But the stove did stop working just over a year ago and I googled the model number, ordered a new igniter, and fixed it myself--just one week after giving birth. I was so proud!

 

[zxrst]

We just made a run in March: fridge, washer. dryer, dishwaher...We went with Lowes. They not only matched online prices but had cash rebates too (another 10-15% off).

 

[CyndiLooWho]

I know that builders are able to purchase "builder grade" (read cheaper) appliances, even from reputable brands, so you are probably right at the expiration date on those. I know that when we moved in, even though the appliances were all Kenmores (a brand we have had fabulous luck with0, they were all low end Kenmore. I made dh replace the dishwasher almost immediately, b/c it did a pathetic job and was very loud. We kept the rest, but replaced all the other kitchen appliances at 7 yrs when we remodeled. The W/D pair is 9 yrs old, and the washer needed a new part at 8 yrs. Looking on the web, they recommend a slightly different version of the OEM part, that is supposed to be much better. It's a $20 part - why not just use that one in the first place?

 

[Mama Who]

Oh, I'm having my new dryer installed as I type. I feel your pain.

Never buy a Frigidaire. The old dryer is less than 5 years old. For $700 it should have lasted longer.

 

[Rendar]

I work in the appliance industry, and unfortunately, now most appliances are only built to last seven to ten years.

 

[kkwis2]

I have been told at appliance stores that they are basically built to be disposable nowadays ~ you should be happy to get 7-10 years out of them.

We have had numerous service calls on our 12 yr old refrigerator over the years (thank goodness we bought the extended warranty. It has paid for itself multiple times!). Our oven went last summer. I'm sure the dishwasher is on it's way out soon.

We bought our washer and dryer in 2003. Both have been replaced at least once since then. I think the dryer has been replaced twice.

It is really frustrating that things are just made so cheaply now.

 

[aubriee]

I have been told at appliance stores that they are basically built to be disposable nowadays ~ you should be happy to get 7-10 years out of them.

We have had numerous service calls on our 12 yr old refrigerator over the years (thank goodness we bought the extended warranty. It has paid for itself multiple times!). Our oven went last summer. I'm sure the dishwasher is on it's way out soon.

We bought our washer and dryer in 2003. Both have been replaced at least once since then. I think the dryer has been replaced twice.

It is really frustrating that things are just made so cheaply now.

I think the last sentence sums it up! I remember the old appliances my parents had when I was growing up never going out. I don't remember them ever buying new appliances. Th same washer/dryer, fridge, and stove they had when I was a kid, they were still using when I moved out 18 years later.

Sorry for all the trouble everyone else is having with their appliances, but as bad as it sounds the info makes me feel better. Like it's not just me being a jinx. Four major appliances (in addition to the ice maker going out Monday), having to be replaced in just seven months just made me feel like I was being jinxed.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Don't know how well this will line up, but a search for "appliance life expectancy" resulted in a number of sites (hmmm-looks like my microwave is into its third life; is there a market for 'antique' microwaves?):


Major appliances
Appliance Expected life in years
Microwave oven 10
Garbage disposal 10-12
Trash compactor 10
Water heater, gas 11-13
Water heater, electric 13-14
Water heater, tankless (on demand) 20+
Smoke detector 10
Refrigerator, side by side 14
Refrigerator, top mount 14
Refrigerator, bottom mount 17
Refrigerator, single door 19
Refrigerator, compact (dorm type) 5
Washing machine, top load 14
Washing machine, front load 11
Dryer 13
Range, electric 17
Range, gas 19
Dishwasher 10
Cooktops 13-20
Air Conditioner (room size) 10

 

[aubriee]

Don't know how well this will line up, but a search for "appliance life expectancy" resulted in a number of sites (hmmm-looks like my microwave is into its third life; is there a market for 'antique' microwaves?):


Major appliances
Appliance Expected life in years
Microwave oven 10
Garbage disposal 10-12
Trash compactor 10
Water heater, gas 11-13
Water heater, electric 13-14
Water heater, tankless (on demand) 20+
Smoke detector 10
Refrigerator, side by side 14
Refrigerator, top mount 14
Refrigerator, bottom mount 17
Refrigerator, single door 19
Refrigerator, compact (dorm type) 5
Washing machine, top load 14
Washing machine, front load 11
Dryer 13
Range, electric 17
Range, gas 19
Dishwasher 10
Cooktops 13-20
Air Conditioner (room size) 10

Well now that just makes me sad again. My washer, dryer, hot water heater, stove, or ice maker in my fridge, none lasted like they were supposed to. Mine were all between 7-9 years old--just midlife in their expected lifespans .

My main microwave that's built in over my stove is only about 7 years old, but I have a second smaller one that sits over on a counter. I paid a whole dollar for it, (when I won it at a raffle at work about 19 years ago). Boy, it's been a good thing--guess I better hang onto it. lol For that matter, the big old microwave my husand and I bought when we got our very first microwave, back in 1981, we gave to my younger son and D-I-L when theirs went out years ago. That son is now 31 years old and I used to use that microwave to heat his baby bottles up (back before they said not to use microwaves to heat bottles). lol It's still going strong three decades later. I guess microwaves just last until they're antiques. lol

 

[Bob NC]

WOW

Last year we replaced our dryer. It was 26 years old
Last month we replaced our Washer. It was 27 years old.
Last weekend we replaced our stove. It was original to the house. 27 years old.
3 Years ago we replaced our dishwasher. It was also original. 24 years old.