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Comment on Some things were better in the good old days

There literally are cases of switching from steel moving parts to plastic in appliances. Plus many manufacturers no longer sell spare parts past past maybe a year or two.

Appliances used to cost actual money so they had to be reliable and more importantly, repairable. Good luck finding spare parts for most washing machines or TVs nowadays. They’re designed to be thrown away because otherwise you no longer have any reason to upgrade. At least 50 years ago, technology changed fast enough that you’d have incentive to upgrade for efficiency, features, etc.

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Nalivai@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
TV is quite unique because they’re cheap so you watch ads and they watch you and sell your data. You don’t repair them not because you can’t but because it’s cheaper to buy a new one because with TV you are the product.
With all the rest you absolutely can repair it, it’s just way harder because the technology is more complicated, smaller, integrated better. I repaired my washing machine myself 5 years ago with no prior knowledge buying a spare part on aliexpress, and it was Samsung, notorious for subpar repairability. On the other hand, I failed to repair my smartwatch even though I had spare parts, again was incredibly easy to find, but it’s was so complicated and small so without expensive equipment I couldn’t do it, but that’s absolutely not their fault.
Meanwhile, 50 or so years old TV my dad refused to throw out for nostalgic reasons had to be repaired every year like clockwork, it took him a full day, and by the end of it’s life spare vacuum tubes were more expensive than a new tv.
Anyway, planned obsolescence was always a thing, the legends are saying the first commercial lightbulb was sold with this concept in mind. But it’s not as ubiquitous as we fear it is

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WoodScientist@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
You can still buy those expensive appliances. The brands exist. Just be prepared to pay the prices your grandparents paid.

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- boonhet@sopuli.xyz ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  Some of the brands have turned to shit tho.
  
  Samsung used to make reliable washers about two decades ago. Bosch appliances used to have a better reputation. Etc.
  
  Miele is the only one still making supposedly reliable stuff but I read they’re relaxing their once great parts availability policy. No they’re not getting cheaper, just enshittifying.
  
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