Most home appliances can be repaired even yet today. They all still work on the same principles that they did 60 years ago. Sure, the mechanical timers, switches and simple single phase motors have been replaced with solid state control boards, touch switches, and 3 phase motors, but those are also simpler to replace, if a bit harder to diagnose. The parts are a mere goggle away and for sale to even to the likes of me. About the only ‘impossible’ to repair at home appliance is your refrigerator. And that’s because of the sealed nature of the cooling system.

The biggest issue isn’t that they can’t be repaired, but rather you can’t be bothered to. You would rather spend $1000+ to get a new washing machine delivered to your house than spend $500 to fix the old one. You might consider fixing the old one if it would only cost $50 total and if the pump wasn’t $300+ labor and a $100 just to get a repairman to knock on your door. Plus the probable wait for a week or two to get the part. And you sure as hell ain’t going to get your fingers dirty or your knuckles skinned to do it yourself.

I’m still shaving with the same Gillette Slim Adjustable razor I learned to shave with as a youngster. It cost me about $10 in the early 1970s. The blades still only cost me about 15 cents per blade. I’ve had that razor for longer than I’ve been married to my wife of 40 years. I doubt few of you here would be able to make that kind of commitment to a simple razor, let alone a dishwasher.