Why Is Stuff Not Built To Last?
My mother in law has an old top loader washing machine. Several times in the last few years I’ve had to borrow hers whilst our, newer, more fandagled one is repaired or replaced. Today is another one of those days and it got me thinking, as I packed my laundry to take to my mother in law’s, about the way in which things just aren’t built to last any more. Christ, I sound like somebodies grandmother just uttering that sentence, don’t I? And yet it’s true.
My old cassette player never broke once, nor did my walkman. These days if an ipod lasts 12 months you consider it as having had a good run. Same for laptops, my old desk PC ran for years, since switching over to laptops about 4 years ago, I’ve had 4 – about 1 a year.
You could drop an old cassette player from a second story window and it would still work – trust me on this. Your walkman could spend the day being bashed around in the bottom of your school bag, end up covered in yoghurt with the front smashed off, and still play music. But leave your smartphone in your handbag without its protective case for a day and you’ll be scorned in the shop if you take it back to complain that it isn’t working.
It’s very easy to blame the lack of longevity these days on the electronics used, to blame their sensitive nature for it all; of course cassette players lasted longer they had less fiddly chips and technical stuff inside them, modern electronics are so much more sensitive. And you need to keep them in special padded cases which, incidentally, cost almost as much as the piece of electronics did in the first place.
But surely that’s not right. We can affix complex electronics equipment to fast jets which shake beyond belief, go through stressful landings and take-offs and break the sound barrier and yet you can’t drop an ebook reader from the height of the bed without it breaking? Clearly something is amiss here. Obviously they could choose to make our electronic equipment longer lasting, more able to take life’s knocks if they so desired.
So is it the cost? In order to keep costs affordable they use easily broken materials and don’t shock proof their equipment? Perhaps, but considering the mark-up on most electronics equipment is 100% or more, I’m not sure they could ever be accused of cutting corners for the customers sake. But even if they did offer us equipment that lasted 5 years or more, would we want it?
The more I think about it the more I realise that the reason things are this way is probably to do with us. We think we want things to last, are sick of things breaking and want value for money and yet… how many of us don’t lust after the newest phone, the latest laptop or ipad? How many of us aren’t already wondering which will be the next one after this one breaks or whether we can really justify owning a kindle, laptop and an ipad?
Doesn’t their only last around 12 months help us justify our desire for the better, more shiny one with extra knobs on that we saw in a magazine last week? And doesn’t it, on one level, actually make us happy that things don’t last the way they used to? Allows us to keep up with the trends, the latest and greatest technological advancements?
Still not sure how this applies to my washing machine, mind. Can’t say I’ve ever lusted over laundry equipment.
I'm Heather, an ex expat, now back in blighty and living in Lancashire. Which is just like Lapland... only less snowy and stuff.
My husband just fell in love with you, this is a topic that is close to his heart (he’s been saying for months that it would be a good blog topic).
I agree, my mother still has the same mix master, electric frying pan, sandwich toaster…everything. I’ve been in Doha for 12 months and I’m on my second blender and vacuum cleaner??
I’m a total apple slave so I’m happy to update every 12 months but when it comes to the microwave and vacuum cleaner I couldn’t give a rats.
I wonder what the used by date for a vibrator is these days? I haven’t asked my mother if she still has the same 1966 model? Ha!
Kirsty
Kirsty
Don’t even get me started on vacuum cleaners. I refuse to buy another one – we have lino floors so I just sweep instead. They are so expensive and they don’t last 6 months!
I double dog dare you to ask your mum that! In fact, I think you should record it over skype!
Built in obsolescence is the snide side of human invention and just leads to massive consumption of the world’s resources for nothing more than some fat cat making a fast book. I know nothing we make lasts forever but it is within our graps to make things that last a lifetime. The fact we don’t speaks volumes about our priorities as a species. OK. Off my soapbox now.
You can stand on your soapbox around here any time you like love. And I agree – it’s insane.
And thank you for your kindness in not pointing out that it should have been fast buck not fast book.
I also didn’t point out that it should have been ‘grasp’ not ‘graps’ < you see how nice I am. But I thought it only fair to let is slide after noticing two glaring errors in my post.
Things don’t last… so you have to buy them again! That’s my theory!
However these stupid companies don’t realise that most sensible people will buy a DIFFERENT brand of hoover etc if one has broken within a year or so! Why be a glutton for punishment with the same?! I certainly get on the internet and look at reviews and what not before I make purchases, and they can be quite good.
My washing machine broke recently and it was a “no fixer” it was the drum, but I’d had it for 5 years, so was that a good run? The washing machine repair man said to me that’s about the norm these days for their lifespans! Well I went out and replaced it with an LG direct drive washing machine – which has 10 year guarantee for the drum. Sure it was a bit more expensive, but better in the long run if the old style drums have a 5 year lifespan these days!
I also think things like your iphones/ebooks etc, well making them look pretty and “wow I want that!” can mean they wont last as long… if they bulked them up a bit to work better/take the drops that WILL happen, then surely they’d not look so good that folk will wanna rush out and get them. Not that I care what my iPhone looks like… I’ve currently got a big rubber PINK case on it (and I’m not a girly girl but after having it repaired twice this case not only means it bounces rather than breaks, but the pink means I can see it in dark handbags so I don’t get that “shit I’ve lost it!” panic so much…) but there’s plenty out there to whom look matters.
But nope… things just aren’t built to last anymore! It’s no wonder we’re a nation of “borrowers”… all this cost!!
It’s crazy isn’t it that a washing machine should only last 5 years! I’m with you, i’d rather have a 10 year guarantee and pay a little extra – it’s not like washing technology will have changed that that one will be lusting after a newer model in 5.
I hadn’t thought about the whole size and beauty aspect of the consumer electronics, of course you’re right. They need to be sleek and shiny to be popular, don’t they? Ahh, what odd creatures we humans are…
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Just been giving out on my blog over new appliances that don’t work. They were bought to replace old ones that wore out too quickly. Like you I still have stuff from a very long time ago, like my first calculator, c1978, and it still works perfectly, grrr (grumpy old woman sound)
I spent an eternity choosing a shiny new and expensive magimix kettle. I think we took it back 5 times within a 2 year period (under guarantee) after it started leaking copious amounts of water,to eventually come back with a shops own brand replacement instead. This looked sturdier but not nearly as nice. Just 2 months later it has started turning itself off at random moments, leading to unbrewed coffees and tepid tea.
All I want it to do is boil some bl**dy water!!!
I think it’s often the electronics that go, not the mechanical bits, and because they are impossible to repair, perfectly good machines have to be thrown away. I just hope they are recycled when taken away.
I’m a bit worried by your comment on hoovers. I bought a chunky tornado one last August and I’m not expecting it to break down for another 5 years at least! The Moulinex upright I got as a wedding present in 1995 is still going strong but getting the bags is a pain.
I can *almost* understand the “toys” having a short life span. *ALMOST* but I do not understand why our major appliances don’t. My husband had a (used) washer & dryer when we met – that washer finally died about 5 years ago but the dryer is still going strong (and we’ve been married 20 years this week). The new washer we bought to replace the old one – no where near as sturdy & I fully expect it to die in the next couple of years. And, yeah, don’t get me started on vacuum cleaners…..
I think there is something in the beauty of an appliance. If something is ugly it will last FOREVER. You canreplace it but the replacement will break and the old ugly one will be brought back from the attic/shed/caravan… So, for long lasting-ness buy ugly or inherit ugly.
Although I must have magic phone luck- no matter what I do to them they survive intact and fully functional- drowning, smashing, mashing, heat, car running over it. I’ve quite obviously just jinxed myself, I’ll be wailing before the week is out about my broken precious iphone.
I have become the consumer from hell, and won’t tolerate things going wrong. If it’s not sorted out, I don’t buy the brand again. My husband cringes when something goes wrong now!
Maybe we have a more disposable life these days because electrical items are so much more accessible (generally). I have items in this house that belonged to my parents (they divorced over 11 years ago) and I’d have trouble finding something as good to replace them. I’ve lost count of the number of dryers we’ve gone through though. We bought a new hoover just this weekend and we were marvelling at the fact that my laptop is just over 2.5 years old!!
I totally agree – things don’t last. We need to replace our laptop and PC – last year we replaced a toaster, dishwasher and oven. Not becuase we wanted shiny new models (I only want that with cool thing like a iphone!) but because they broke down for good. As for bloody kettles – let’s not go there!
Our washer dryer is looking a bit shaky after nearly 8 years of hard labour but should keep going for a bit longer – the only thing I can guarentee won’t break is my grandad’s old slow cooker – older than I am and still going strong!
Ah, can I use the term “built-in obsolescence”?
Thank you.
I’ve always blamed manufacturers, but I think you’re right. The consumer is to blame too.
Isn’t it a known fact that the manufacturers plan repeat sales every 1-3 years? I think this applies to all household appliances.
Well, as if you wrote this post just to predict my woe, this morning I have found out that to replace the two wire baskets in my dishwasher will cost $280 ($130 for the top one, $150 for the bottom one). Might it be that they would prefer me to buy a new dishwasher?
I have noticed within my own lifetime the deterioration of how things are built. And I know it is completely purposeful. The companies make so much more $$ when we have a culture that believes things fall apart and turn into trash almost instantaneously. Even fashion is like this. One year boot leg jeans are in. The next they are out. You have to keep buying shit to keep up. It’s a load of crap. I hate our consumer culture.
I hate that I have an iphone and I can’t just chuck it in my bag and expect it to be ok – where did we lose the whole fit for purpose thing?
Reading all these comments tells me that there must be a good market for simple things that last. Boring stuff like kettles, vacuum cleaners, dryers etc. not ‘gadgets’.
*starts to write business plan*
Anyone want to help fund my new business?
My Nintendo that was purchased in 1986 still works flawlessly. As do all my friends old NES , SNES and Sega Genesis systems.
It will be interesting to see how many Xbox 360′s will be functioning 20 years from now.
I am willing to bet that there will still be more functioning Nintendo’s in 2031 than Xbox 360′s.
Pretty much all older appliances and electronics are functionally superior to anything on the market today. My grandmother still has 2 working rotary phones from 1949 in her home. Her television is an old console from the early 80′s. Her 30 year old toaster died 2 years ago. Her stereo from 1968 still works and is in her living room. Her refrigerator from the late 70′s still works. I could go on and on.
Don’t get me wrong, I would love to own modern gadgets and appliances, but it’s too expensive for the risk. These days, you almost have to spend money on service plans to compensate for all the shoddy products. And that’s not included in the purchase price. People are being taken to the cleaners, and most of us don’t even know it.
I think the only working xbox 360′s are likely to be those kept in boxes and never used. It’s amazing just how easily we’ve slipped into a state where something costing 100′s of pounds doesn’t last 12 months and we just accept it.
I had a First generation Xbox 360 which has been kicking around for seven years. To me that’s a big thing.
My Main beef is with companies like Apple. I work in an industry where everyone has the latest apple this or that and new models of the same product just constantly roll out. For example the iPad, iPad 1 comes out and then months later iPad 2 the slimmer, faster blah blah version. Given production time, research and design you would assume the 2 were in development at the same time , one ready slightly before the other. So Apple knowing full well they have a superior product in the wings release the inferior one anyway. Everyone buys it only for it to be superseded a short time later. That’s really giving the consumer no respect. A pure money grabbing venture. Don’t even get me started on the disposable mp3 players they make. I too have a Walkman that still works which is more than I can say for my iPod.
One of the reasons electronics don’t last very long is because they were designed to last mostly until the warranty expires.
Today’s technology is a lot more fragile and user-handling doesn’t help things.
To that end, I also had numerous ‘cheap’ technologies/electronics that outlasted numerous other brand names – in part because I am careful in handling these devices and try to maintain them – a lot of people don’t.
One also has to keep in mind the prospect that electronics were not designed with being upgrade-able.
If they were, the industry could easily recycle your old smartphone and create a new one with same materials and equal (if not better quality).
But, the market was also designed to release revisions of new technologies and not actual upgrades.
This way, companies make a lot more money by releasing minor revisions (which DO result in more efficiency/speed/etc.) that add up over time, however, they could have instead done that immediately and then just upgrade with something even better (but this isn’t done, because they profit a lot more from revisions than actual upgrades).
As I said earlier… consumer based technology is not meant to last. Its there to prompt you to CONSUME (use, then discard and buy a new one by being swooped in by commercials and other idiotic tactics) so profit would be generated.
You think that the technology we have in the market today is the best we can do?
Lol… our ‘real’ level of technology is actually decades ahead of where it presently is (if not more).
Current monetary based system is extremely wasteful.
I hope you realize we had recycling technologies since the early 1900′s, and could have actually used all those piles of trash over the planet to make new resources.
We had the capacity for manipulation of raw matter so we can create man-made resources.
As for energy… there is more than enough to go around. Problem is distribution.
Solar panels were invented in the 1950-ies.
Even their touted low efficiency would be enough to provide more than enough power for a single home and shuffle the rest to others.
If they were to be designed to accommodate upgrades as new technologies become available, we wouldn’t have the problem where its easier to just build something a new.
Nuclear waste could have been recycled decades ago into Plutonium that can in turn be used as a power source or have other applications that can benefit people.
Monetary based economy is flawed because it inevitably breeds inequality and once your goal is the pursuit of money and profit, everything else is secondary, or even a side-effect.
A lot of people don’t actually have the need to replace their electronics for some time to come.
If they were designed with future upgrades in mind, or extreme levels of recycling, it would be a relatively simple matter to just replace your old laptop with a new one (if the new technology merits it).
Problem with todays technology is that its NOT designed with modular premise or upgrade-ability.
Current system is extremely wasteful.
We had the ability to make a radical change for the better a long time ago and advance our society ways ahead of where we are now.
Its sad.
People raised in a monetary type of system often come up with a problem of being unable to think of anything else that might work and as such, new ideas that propose radical change for the better are often discarded as ‘fantasy’.
I had a new Whirlpool top loader from Sears it lasted 2 years.Paid $400 for it.Picked up a used Roper top loader $150 and still going strong 7 years later.Nothing but Roper for me from now on.
vacs -i always burn the motors out if one lasts me over 2 years its a good one, these days i buy cheap because the expensive ones don’t last either and don’t get me started on washing machines , to be honest i don’t give a dam if it weighs my clothes and has flashing lights, all i need is a hard as nails wash a soft wash a hot wash and cold that’s all!!!! ( i had an expensive washer that lasted 6 months they replaced the motor 3 times the pcb 5 times and after 3 months of messing with it gave me my money back towards a new one .At the moment my hotpoint dryer has just bust (the 1yr warranty just ran out too BOOOO) i have to say i too still have my old sony walkman and it still works like new and you cant really tell the difference between my mp3 or the tape sound ,i also have my grandmas old philips hand mixer it must be 30 yrs old but still works a treat ,i also have very old hot air central heating that too must be 30 yrs old if not more and a water heater that stopped working once in the 17 yrs iv lived with it (because it was already here when i moved in)and all it needed changing was a flint and when i mentioned getting a new heater the guy said don’t do that this thing will last for ever ,old is best built to last and made with pride !!
The thing is, that no one will remember us other than videos. This era of building things that leave a mark on the world now will be crushed in favour of new things. There will be no ruins. No giant building. Just the old ones. Everything built now doesn’t last very long. Some people decided to make Stonehedge and it’s outlived its use by far. I bet the White House will be very different, if not completely gone or maybe even a hole in the ground in the future. It is shown from the smallest things like a phone to big things like buildings just break. Bridges break. Whereas tools, jewelry, pots, etc. of ancient people last long after their stories and memories die so they can be remember. But, of course, all around the world is different. Some people are making sure they put a mark in the world.