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I have a microwave built in 1983. During a lightning storm a few years ago the little buzzer thing crapped out and now it's so quiet you can only hear it go off if you're standing right next to it and there's no other noises in the room.
Imma gonna cry when that thing finally bites the big one.
What a little tank, still working after 40 years!
Ya I'm super impressed with it. I bought it second hand in 1992, and the only thing I've ever done is replace the light once when it burned out in 1998 or so.
Meanwhile my ex mother-in-law goes through a microwave every couple years.
Meanwhile my ex mother-in-law goes through a microwave every couple years.
Why? What breaks there? Microwaves are forever products generally.
They don't always die in the same fashion, one smoked out, one just simply quit responding, one the screen died etc.
Doesn't help that she buys the cheaper ones though either, but I've seen several other people who've had theirs die as well even though they'd paid more than hers while mine has been gong strong for years through over 10 moves, 2 kids, and countless lightning storms.
They don't always die in the same fashion, one smoked out, one just simply quit responding, one the screen died etc.
First is cat in the bag, others seem to be perfectly working with dead control logic - repairable. Magnetrons(radio-emitting food-heating job-doing thing) are very reliable. My direct relatives have 3 microwaves in different locations: two bought between 1990-2005 and one bought between 2009-2013. All are working, one of them had mica plate replaced a few times.
If you sure you will never leave microwave on and not afraid of it looking kolhozno(I think closet thing is redneck engieneered), then you can replace control logic with switch and relay.
[email protected] material perhaps?
Buy it for life people (or at least the subreddit) have two types of reactions. Either "That thing hasn't been made in x years nobody can buy this anymore but thanks for rubbing it in" or "You've only had that for x years how do you know it's truly bifl?"
But still I love the idea of overengineered, well built stuff. The things that go from new to old and out of style and full circle back to based
It shouldn't surprise me there's a sub for that here too. I guess maybe I should take a pic of the old nuker and stick it up there, but then I'd have to clean it first... (I've been lazy the last little while.)
Edit: ah nevermind, "not for antiques that have survived the ages and can no longer be acquired." This thing is an old Panasonic "The Genius" microwave that probably hasn't been sold in 30+ years now. They still sell a "Genius" line of microwave, but they've changed a fair bit.
Damn, I wasn't aware of that rule, maybe worth it for another community 😅
Retrogear probably. Makes sense to exclude stuff like that from buyforlife since there a good chance it’s survivorship bias to have lasted this long.
There does seem to be a steady quality drop in consumer goods. Yes they are more affordable, but also seem to have shorter and shorter warranties and lifespans that more than makes up for it. (See our 4 year dishwasher, 5 year LG fridge, the plethora of 5-7year water heaters (they used to be 20 year replacement items)). It’s really frustrating.