2024-02-21 18:33:14
Microwave oven on fire (Getty Creative) (Aleksandr Pykhteev via Getty Images)
If you’re in your late 40s, you probably grew up in a house where the refrigerator, dishwasher, washing machine, or dryer were rarely changed. However, it is likely that in your adult life you have had to buy and change one of these appliances on more than one occasion. What happen? Why does the useful life of these devices seem shorter and shorter?
The premature purchase of a new appliance is due to very diverse reasons. In the consumer electronics and information technology sectors in particular, technological innovations and the desire for a new device are quite often the reason for the purchase. But also a very important factor is the replacement of a broken device.
In this report published by The Wall Street Journal The reasons for this problem are analyzed. In it, a devastating piece of information is given: American households will spend 43% more on appliances in 2023 than in 2013, going from an inflation-adjusted average of $390 to $558, according to Euromonitor International. And that, prices in this category decreased 12% from the beginning of 2013 to the end of 2023, according to the Department of Labor. That is to say, the technology is cheaper, but breaks much more easily.
Appliances no longer last as long as they used to, the data shows. Photo: Getty Images. (digitalgenetics via Getty Images)
This phenomenon occurs all over the world. For example, in Germany, the proportion of large appliances that were replaced in less than five years due to a defect increased from 3.5% to 8.3% between 2014 and 2023. A consumer survey conducted for the study revealed that around a third of respondents are not satisfied with the lifespan of their appliances.
In Canada, a similar study found that Canada’s e-waste has tripled more than in the last two decades and are expected to continue increasing. Researchers at the University of Waterloo conducted what they called a comprehensive e-waste estimate to better understand the life cycle of electronic items from point of sale to disposal.
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The study, published in the journal Journal of Hazardous Materials, analyzed data on e-waste dating back to 1971. E-waste consists of discarded electronic products such as computers, televisions, mobile phones, consumer goods such as electronic toys and household lighting, and large household appliances such as refrigerators or washing machines. Research indicates that the generation of electronic waste per person has increased from 8.3 kilograms in 2000 to 25.3 kilograms in 2020.
All of these facts are ecologically unacceptable. In all product groups studied in the Canadian mega-analysis (televisions, laptops, washing machines), short-lived products place a much greater burden on the environment than appliances with longer useful lives. Take the example of washing machines: the energy demand and global warming potential over a 5-year lifespan is regarding 40% higher compared to a washing machine with a 20-year lifespan. According to the authors of the research, these figures already take into account the potential improvement in energy efficiency.
People shop for home appliances on September 12, 2023 in Monterey Park, California. (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images) (FREDERIC J. BROWN via Getty Images)
Why do appliances last less now than they did a few years ago?
It is difficult to find evidence that manufacturers plan to shorten the life of products (obsolescence). Instead, manufacturers take into account a certain product lifespan depending on target groups, applications and product cycles. In the case of televisions, for example, consumers expect news within a year. This cycle of innovation can undermine quality, so some TVs are only tested for a few known weaknesses and not exhaustively.
If we compare them with the appliances from 10, 20 or 30 years ago, today’s appliances have many more functions, many more electronic components, and they are also more efficient. All those little programs and dials on new appliances are very convenient, but the electronic components don’t mix well with the humidity that usually exists in the dishwasher, refrigerator or washing machine. Additionally, many more parts of new appliances are made of plastic, a less durable material than, for example, steel or copper.
As new appliances have more digital “extras”, it is necessary to carefully read that book that we usually keep in a drawer or directly throw in the trash: the user manual. In it, we will find specific recommendations for that model and its characteristics; following them will extend its useful life.
At some point, all appliances will stop working, so it’s good to factor appliance replacement costs into your household budget. It is true that it is not easy to predict exactly when the dishwasher will spill its soapy water on the kitchen floor or when the refrigerator will stop cooling; what does seem clear is that the most modern ones last less than the old ones.
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