1.2k
u/No-Detail-2879 26d ago
I agree but it shouldn’t really cost more. If anything it should be cheaper.
593
u/OptionalQuality789 26d ago
The “Smart” features are what lowers the price. They offset the lower cost by collected & selling your data.
237
u/Sparcky_McFizzBoom 26d ago
This, "smart" features enables enshittification that extracts value from the customer to the shareholders.
You are not the beneficiary, and you are not the "owner" of the smart device. The shareholder is, ultimately.
66
u/BothDivide919 26d ago
It would be neat if hacking/jailbreaking "smart" devices became a common profession, just like phone or computer repair.
65
u/Sparcky_McFizzBoom 26d ago
That's exactly what Cory Doctorow argues for here: https://media.ccc.de/v/39c3-a-post-american-enshittification-resistant-internet
He's basically saying that there should be a legal industry that supports this idea, with the goal of proposing interoperable and officially supported alternatives for using the devices you bought.
26
u/pman13531 26d ago
You need to get rid of secion 1201 of the DMCA to be able to fix a lot of this and Louis Rossmann is trying to get rid of it.
11
u/Sparcky_McFizzBoom 26d ago
That's the slow, democractical way sure. But if you follow Louis Rossman you're well aware that the deck is stacked against the customer here due to the industry-funded lobbying going on.
That's one of the main point of the talk above which primarily addresses non-US markets. The proposal here is to ignore it completely and let the US do its usual thing of applying retaliatory tariffs which it already does anyway and force interoperability and let the free market decide where the innovation and value actually lies. Closed controlled garden or open and owned device?
Any one of these approaches would ultimately be a win for the users, that's for sure.
6
u/ihadagoodone 26d ago
if this is what you want, you need to be a single issue voter over it, and you need to organize a "grassroots" voting block that politicians have to pay attention to. You don't need a lot of capital, just a deal of networking in your districts. This is something that can also bridge the urban/rural divide that has been a major factor in political division.
→ More replies (7)3
u/garitone 26d ago
He is amazing and speaks in such a fun and engaging way. I try to watch or listen to whatever podcasts he appears on (Jon Stewart, Adam Conover, etc...)
→ More replies (7)10
u/Hyperion1144 26d ago
Literally a major plot point in the old dystopian scfi movie Brazil.
The guy who does this is played by Robert Di Niro.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (6)17
u/rageofa1000suns 26d ago
It's never enough to just sell a product any more to make money. Companies will keep trying to double and triple dip to keep making money off the same customer, whether it's selling a subscription or collecting and selling everyone's personal data.
→ More replies (1)7
u/Sparcky_McFizzBoom 26d ago
It's a three stage process: First, platforms are good to their users; then they abuse their users to make things better for their business customers; finally, they abuse those business customers to claw back all the value for themselves. Then, they die.
Source: Cory Doctorow on Enshittification https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/30/go-nuts-meine-kerle/#ich-bin-ein-bratapfel
11
u/Callidonaut 26d ago
They also add failure points and make it more statistically likely the machine will break down or wear out and need replacement sooner; even with the new right-to-repair laws, the increased complexity of replacement parts probably increases profit margins on those, too, and makes third-party generic alternatives harder to reverse engineer.
10
u/Chataboutgames 26d ago
They also just make things horrendous to access/repair. Like I've got a stackable washer/dryer. Latch on the washer door broke, just the latch. Hypothetically a piece you can buy and replace.
Oh, but you can only access the back end to get in there from the top. So in order for me to do this home repair I need to get a dryer off the top of my washer. At that point I'm hiring people to do heavy lifting for me and, for an 8 year old washer (and 8 years feels like I won the lottery with modern appliances) it just makes more sense to replace it.
→ More replies (2)34
u/LogicWavelength Older Millennial 26d ago
If anyone is reading this and wants to know more, Google: “Gamers Nexus LG TV.”
But to the main point, yea, simplicity is more money. My Technivorm coffee machine is stupid expensive for what it is. It’s got like 6 total parts and an industrial rocker switch to turn it on. No app... not even a basic timed brew. But goddamn isn’t it the best coffee machine I’ve ever owned.
→ More replies (6)12
u/xrelaht Millennial the Elder 26d ago
I understand what you’re paying for with a high end espresso machine, but what does a $400 drip machine have over a $50 one?
6
u/OttawaTGirl 26d ago
Higher quality internal components. Metals vs plastic. Repairibility. If the $400 is gonna last 20 years and be fantastic every day then the company isn't gonna sell in quantity, its in quality.
If i could find a used single Bunn commercial coffee dripper for $400, i would buy it. But could also get a 50 year old percolator from thrift store for 30 i would buy it.
IF ITS ACTUALLY HIGHER QUALITY.
6
u/fluffman86 26d ago
Most sub-$50 machines are only heating the water to like 170-180, so it's then brewing at an even lower temp, so you're not getting the best/fullest extraction. Many also use a burner and a glass pot to provide extra heat to the already brewed coffee which makes it taste gross pretty fast, but it can be connected to the same heater that heats the water so it's cheap and people want hot coffee so it seems like it's brewing hotter than it is.
I happen to have an old Melitta that was only $50 like 15 years ago that I've tested and the slurry that the coffee is brewing in is about 190 degrees F so that's pretty amazing, but you're not going to see that often. The higher level machines are actually spraying water at closer to 205-210 so the slurry is over 195. The Moccamaster in particular is SCA (specialty coffee assoc.) certified to brew "properly"
But yeah, use what works. I work in coffee as a side gig and I'm a coffee snob and I just don't care enough to have a machine that big and expensive.
→ More replies (3)3
u/g16zz 26d ago
one button and you get the best cup of coffee. Its fast, easy to take care of, and consistently brews the best drip. Going from a mr coffee to the moccamaster is night and day. I didnt think it would matter until i got one
→ More replies (3)3
u/I_Call_Everyone_Pat 26d ago
Idk, Pat. I loved my Mr Coffee. I was really not the kindest owner to it and I could still trust it to work great every morning after 5 years. The only reason I don't still have it today is because an ex took it when she moved out.
What does your three hundred and fifty dollar coffee pot do so much better that it justifies its price point in the face of the reliable machine I bought for twelve dollars at a thrift shop?
→ More replies (7)3
u/Zagrunty Millennial 26d ago
Probably very little. Better water to grounds ratio is probably the only answer but the real difference is likely not really noticable in a blind taste test. The big difference comes from the beans you use and how they are ground.
3
3
u/Chataboutgames 26d ago
Better coffee. Not really sure what to say other than that. They have features like agitation and sprinkle heads to best simulate a pour over.
Also Technivorm particularly is made in the Netherlands with a spectacular reputation for reliability and support. Also it's made of distinct, holdable parts in a way that allows for relatively easy self repair/part replacement. Feels like a real thing rather than a plastic mold waiting to die the second the tiniest irreplaceable flap cracks.
→ More replies (3)7
u/emlgsh 26d ago
All the innate sense of superiority one might otherwise have to don a beret and turtleneck and go to an actual coffee shop to imbibe, available right in the comfort of one's home in one's pajamas.
3
u/deafblinddame 26d ago
I am sure there are people like that but I personally just wanted to kick my Starbucks habit. I got a half price refurbished machine directly from Delonghi and I buy the beans and syrups in bulk. It took me a few days to figure out how to use the machine and get the drinks how I like them but it paid for itself in a couple of months. It's not pretentious, it's a ridiculously cheap and easy life hack.
5
u/Chataboutgames 26d ago
I mean, at this point you're calling people pretentious if they go to a nice coffee show and pretentious if they make coffee at home lol
6
u/w3bd3v0p5 26d ago
I've been called worse things.. though I attribute my love of expensive coffee to having preferred taste and not an elitism kind of thing. Essentially I love good coffee, but I don't think I'm better than other people who like what I would consider bad coffee.
8
u/Ballsofpoo 26d ago
Replacement circuit boards cost as much as the machine. They want that shit to break and then double dip on replacement and service.
13
u/PaulVla 26d ago
Technology used to make our lives easier, now it’s just there collecting data.
→ More replies (8)5
4
3
u/Gdigger13 26d ago
That, and LCD Touchscreens are way cheaper than getting molds made for physical buttons.
→ More replies (19)3
u/very-polite-frog 26d ago
It's cheaper to produce now too. Replace an entire dashboard of individual components with a single touchscreen, and the manufacturer has saved money
48
u/lIlllIlIlIlIllI 26d ago
I hate all the touchscreen bs nowadays
30
u/tendonut 26d ago
I need that tactile feedback. Cars are obviously the fucking worst. I never want to give up my 2013 Accord.
6
u/TheStrouseShow 26d ago
When I rent cars for work I get the new 4Runner. All physical controls now (except for screen, but you can still use buttons). It’s a dream and I wish my actual car was like it.
3
u/1800generalkenobi 26d ago
i have a 2001 toyota rav4. AWD for the snow and I have a cigarette lighter to heat up my can of soup when I go camping and get stuck in my vehicle because of a bear.
8
u/BrocoliAssassin 26d ago
Same with everything being smooth cause of all the damn glass everywhere.
Get rid of all these stupid screens and lets bring back texture.
6
u/etherealsmog 26d ago
Touchscreens are the fucking worst and I hated them from day one, now they’re on literally everything. Let me twist a fucking knob.
→ More replies (4)3
3
u/ItsSpaghettiLee2112 26d ago
I hated it from the start. I was convinced smart phones were going to be a fad when they first came out, because touch screens were awful. While they certainly got better, they still suck ass. Touch screens being ubiqutous is still one of those topics I'm completely flabbergasted society just accepted.
→ More replies (2)80
26d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
23
u/Astra-Fang Millennial 26d ago
It’s more that installing buttons and wiring them all in is more expensive than just using a touch screen
→ More replies (3)13
u/Farts_constantly 26d ago
Yeah, I’ve heard it’s also true for cars.
→ More replies (1)5
u/iggy14750 26d ago
Tesla were the first with the "idea" of putting a tablet in front of the driver. Then everyone followed suit after a few years
8
u/3DigitIQ 26d ago
Thank Goodness the EU is demanding physical buttons back in cars
7
u/iggy14750 26d ago
The EU has actually really helped put some guard rails on stupid tech ideas. And even if the companies don't have to follow the same rules for users outside the EU, it's far easier to just make the entire platform EU compliant, helping all of us.
18
u/Miserable-Role9555 26d ago
Good news: it is cheaper and has always been
Bad news: it won't matter since both you and OP are repost bots who keep thowing around this slop every single week, and bots don't need to buy appliances
3
17
u/binoculops 26d ago
100% agree. People like kelsey hightower out here setting us up to pay more for stuff thats already existed for ages. Exactly the type of dumb thought process billionaires love to exploit
8
u/Astra-Fang Millennial 26d ago
Not really.
Every button has to be wired in physically every single time Where as installing a touch screen and some programming scales much cheaper.
Not saying it should be more expensive, but a lot of smart stuff is basically free after the development time.
→ More replies (4)6
u/Dry-Cry-3158 26d ago
It usually is. I bought a cheap stove for my workshop for when I need to process some of the food I harvest. There's no electronics, just simple knobs. Its still not as good as my Cadillac stove with all the bells and whistles.
4
4
u/Cessnaporsche01 26d ago
Guess what? It doesn't! You can just buy the base model. It's cheaper. All my appliances combined cost less then my parents' SmartFridge.
People just refuse to buy the cheap options, so manufacturers and resellers produce and stock the higher trims in the greater numbers that demand asks for
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (20)3
280
u/katie_scarlett1 26d ago
my husband died 3 weeks ago and I'm trying to unravel his finances. He has so. Many. Subscriptions. The scales had a subscription! His stupid $10k mattress had a subscription! Wtf?? I'm beginning to see how he racked up $90k in personal debt that had to be rolled into the mortgage
125
u/sammy_kat Millennial ‘92 26d ago
Jeez sorry to hear that. :/ wishing you solid equity and low interest rates <3
75
u/katie_scarlett1 26d ago
it will all get sorted. Naturally the kind of man who does shit like that also doesn't leave a will. But it did make me think about how many people even used subscriptions for shit like bathroom scales
23
u/FragrantCombination7 26d ago
I know you're frustrated and poking fun at the guy, but genuinely hope you're doing well with how recent that is.
52
u/katie_scarlett1 26d ago
I have a good crew around me. I'm a recovering alcoholic, almost 12 years (Rhett was so proud of me you'd think it was his recovery story) and I've had good infrastructure to take care of my mental and spiritual health for a decade plus.
3
u/Low_Analysis_1501 26d ago
The good news is marital survivorship is one of the simplest and most straightforward forms of inheritance.
5
26
u/Atalanta8 26d ago
Im so sorry for your loss but please tell me more about this mattress.
→ More replies (6)22
u/katie_scarlett1 26d ago
idk it's high and the frame can be electronically adjusted but not the mattress. And I think it monitors his sleep or something. (We had separate rooms so I wasn't paying much attention)
→ More replies (2)3
u/FourtyMichaelMichael 26d ago
So.... Silly trash. Got it!
I bought an Avacado matress before their price increase and now I'm sweating if we ever got a new one it would be like $2800... I mean, I make plenty of money, but it's the principal of it!
→ More replies (1)5
u/PrometheusMMIV 26d ago
Sorry for your loss, but how were you not aware of that?
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (6)3
275
u/DisastrousMarzipan74 26d ago
Also with zero subscriptions! I had to replace my printer and got 5 pages in before I was informed I had reached my monthly limit, on my printer, that I own, and needed to pay the monthly subscription to continue. Never by an HP ever again.
120
u/wbruce098 Elder Millennial 26d ago
FYI, if you don’t print frequently, your local library, paid for by your tax dollars, can also usually print a few pages for you for free each day. (At least, if you’re somewhere civilized like NYC or Philly)
But also: fuck HP.
35
u/Haemwich Older Millennial 26d ago
From a lifelong resident it's weird hearing Philly described as civilized.
25
6
u/wbruce098 Elder Millennial 26d ago
I was just picking a city I like that’s not my own for once. ;)
The real answer is the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore. 🦀
At least ya got a functioning rail system.
→ More replies (11)3
u/RyanRiver_ 26d ago
I'm in an only moderately civilized city, but we get that. It's something like 30 pages of B&W or 15 color per day for free.
One of my hobbies would be assisted by an ability to print images to scale, but I haven't quite figured out how to make the printer do that yet, though. Like, in the past I've just been able to scale it in MS Word knowing the page is 8.5x11, but the library printer ended up rescaling it by disrespecting my margins or something. If I wanted to spend a couple hours at the library I could maybe figure it out, but I have a lot less control of the printing process and it's a lot less convenient to do testing compared to a home printer.
→ More replies (3)3
u/wbruce098 Elder Millennial 26d ago
Oh, yeah if you have to do serious printing, it’ll always be done at home or maybe Kinkos or whatever it’s called these days. I can’t remember the last time I had to print more than 3-4 pages B&W.
48
u/Significant-Trash632 26d ago
5
u/theRealRLP 26d ago
As an IT guy Im fully on board with this treatment for printers.
→ More replies (1)17
u/dmingledorff 26d ago
Considering I only print a few things per year, I ended up buying a b&w laser printer for cheaper than replacing ink. Plus, toner doesn't dry out by the next time I use it!
→ More replies (1)5
u/Dark_Shroud Xennial (1983) 26d ago
Black and white Brother laser printers seem to be the goto method now. I love mine.
And when the toner finally does run out I'll buy the black XL toner cart that will probably last me the life of the printer.
13
u/mikat7 26d ago
HP is the biggest scam in the printer world. I used to have one that was great, worked like a charm. Then had to replace with a new printer, which already had an app, refused to work without it and also printed like shit. So it went and then I finally got a Brother printer. It just does what it’s supposed to, no app, no crap. I just feed it paper.
→ More replies (2)10
6
u/Flincher14 26d ago
I avoided owning a printer for about a decade because of that bullshit. I didnt know who to trust and I didn't want a laser printer with $100 refills. Then I saw a LTT video about ink tank printers where you just refill the tank with a relatively cheap bottle whenever you need. No bullshit from what I can see.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (8)7
u/my4floofs 26d ago
We bought an epson. It’s awesome.
8
u/kyonkun_denwa Maple Syrup Millennial 26d ago
I have a Brother. Most people I know have either Epson, Brother or Canon printers.
Japanese companies are fundamentally hardware companies. Their idea of making more money is just to make a better product and capture more market share. That's why they charge more upfront for their printers, because they're not trying to fuck you on the ink. Sure, they have ink subscriptions, but those are treated as an optional convenience. They would never do something as dishonourable as bricking your printer when the ink subscription expires, EVEN IF THERE IS STILL INK IN THE TANK.
→ More replies (2)
66
u/JonnyQuest1981 26d ago
Lately, I’ve been considering ditching the smart phone and going back to an OG flip phone. I’m getting tired of the eavesdropping and if the current 1984 times are a sign of things to come, the eavesdropping is going to get worse, not better.
22
u/IntrinSicks 26d ago
You know, this sounds crazy but in 5 or 10 years maybe not, im thinking even just in case buy a dumb phone as back up before they start putting Spyware in the dumb phones to, im sure the thought already accused to someone
5
9
u/Faustalicious 26d ago
Commodore has a new flip phone coming out that is very privacy forward and can still run most android apps.
→ More replies (1)5
u/Lord_Voltan 26d ago
There is a commadore phone that looks pretty cool. Will still let you use some smart features but blocks all social media (local music, maps ect). There is also the side phone as well. I am going to go with one of these two in the future with my iPhone 13 dies.
I think in this day and age a truly dumb phone is possiable but if you live somewhere like a big city where transit is moving to apps only ect, it will be necesscary to have a limited smart functionality. The important thing is that it is degoogled. There are people out there that flash custom software on old pixle phones to so you can use all the apps but google doesn't get your data (as far as I understad, I may be wrong)
7
3
3
→ More replies (2)3
u/qqererer 26d ago
The iphones on my network upload 10-15gb of data to apple servers nightly.
WTH is going on? No one generates that much data that it needs to be that much data that often.
→ More replies (3)
154
u/dinosupremo Older Millennial 26d ago
Ugh yes. My 10year old washer dryer set died so I got a new replacement set. And it’s super smart. With an app that I haven’t downloaded etc. so smart it won’t let me just pick water temp, spin level , and soil level. Instead, I have to select one of the smart cycles. Or use an app to create my own custom cycle but then I can only operate that from my
Phone. I don’t want to use my phone to operate my washing machine. I want to throw in my kid’s vomit covered clothes and select hot water and extra dirty and just hit GO. UGH
51
u/Polar_Reflection 26d ago
But how will they mine your phone for data if you don't download the app??
19
u/Submarinequus 26d ago
Our dishwasher only lets one person have full access to all the settings and controls. I set it up but then my husband wanted the full access so it transferred to him.
We went through a phase where he literally wanted me to text him to start the cycle on the “right” settings. I got so sick of it, so I started just using the buttons it thankfully still has. But the smart system is so dumb, and I don’t want to have an app for a damn dishwasher in the first place.
21
u/frogBayou 26d ago
Speed queen ftw
→ More replies (3)6
u/BeardAfterDark 26d ago
You talking about the washer or a person? Either way I’m in.
→ More replies (1)4
u/auntpotato Older Millennial 26d ago
I’m dreading the day our washer/dryer, and also probably the oven, go kaput as that is (hopefully) a few years down the road, and I imagine it’s just all gonna get “smarter.”
8
u/apgtimbough 26d ago
My house came with an oldish washer/dryer. The dryer stopped working one day. Started shopping around for a new one, but my wife was recommended a repair man at work and we went with that.
Chatting with the repair dude I told him we were looking around to buy before calling him. He told me to hold on to my current units for as long as I can. They're easy to fix, still work great, and even if they are a bit older, they'll still outlive whatever I would buy right now.
Ours just needed a new fuse. Visit was like $120 and he cleaned the lint trapped inside the unit. Thing runs waaay better now.
4
u/auntpotato Older Millennial 26d ago
Our sellers took theirs last minute and we got some cheapo units from Menards 8 years ago. Still running well (knock on wood).
5
u/-Dakia 26d ago
We had a house fire last year and lost everything.
It's all getting fixed, but what I am most worried about is all my newly bought appliances shitting out at the same time since they're all purchased at the same time. I tried to mix and match different quality levels in a hope to offset those failures so they don't all line up.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (1)3
u/sbroll 26d ago
Just buy the dummy models, the cheap ones. We just have to fight back on this somehow. We dont all need the $2,500 ovens.
4
u/auntpotato Older Millennial 26d ago
Right and I sure as shit don’t want a $2,500 oven. I’m not making food for the king and queen. Just bagel bites for us peasants!
→ More replies (2)4
u/Frankie__Spankie 26d ago
What washer is this? I sell appliances and one never heard of a washer that doesn't let you select wash cycles.
→ More replies (1)3
u/dinosupremo Older Millennial 26d ago
It’s a Samsung. It’s not that I can’t select one of their pre-set cycles. I can do that by turning a knob. But say I select the bright white cycle that is predetermined to be water of a certain temperature spin cycle of a certain speed and soil level of a certain type, I cannot adjust one of those because that cycle is what that cycle is and there’s no cycle. That’s just like a free-for-all where I get to just pick one for each of those criteria.
→ More replies (15)3
u/ExiledSanity 26d ago edited 24d ago
My 8 year old washer tried to die on me. I spent most of a weekend tearing it apart, found the spider arm badly corroded and cracked.
Replaced it (and the shocks/bearings while I had it apart). Gave the drum a good cleaning with a wire brush.
Been running good as new ever since. Still cost a couple hundred bucks but a lot cheaper than a new washer.
77
u/RepulsedCucumber 26d ago
This is why I contacted GE for a new oven heating element for my 20 year old oven when it fried. Replaced it and good as new. I’m not giving this thing up without a fight.
→ More replies (5)14
u/Turbulent_Seaweed198 26d ago
I just bought a new oven a couple months ago (I was upgrading from a condo-size oven to standard size) and I specifically got a brand that the local shop can work on and the only "smart" feature is the clock
67
u/EmergencySundae 26d ago
As my dad is getting older, he's developing neuropathy in his fingers. That makes it incredibly hard for him to use something without physical controls. When he was looking for a new car, he needed as many physical knobs and buttons as possible as opposed to touch screens.
10
u/notthatiambitter 26d ago
What did he end up getting ?
23
u/EmergencySundae 26d ago
A Hyundai Tuscon hybrid. He loves it.
3
26d ago
[deleted]
6
u/Soggy_Porpoise 26d ago edited 26d ago
Depends on the year. 22 23 and 24 were touch, but 25 and 26 have knobs and what not below the screen.
→ More replies (6)10
u/SillyAlternative420 26d ago
Wish the US had more viable public transit options so your father who has a potentially degenerative disability that makes physical tasks difficult wouldn't even need to own and drive a car.
→ More replies (1)5
u/Keiteaea 26d ago
My elevator some weird touch screen button, sometimes you have to press your finger super hard to call it (and truly sometimes I havr to push my thumb until it's painful). My neighbour with arthritis complained about it the other day, this is such an absolute dumbass design.
26
u/LooseCanOpener 26d ago
I refuse to upgrade our laundry machines - no smart features, just barebones and incredibly easy to repair- I just did a full repair on both recently for a total of $150 in parts
→ More replies (2)10
u/wbruce098 Elder Millennial 26d ago
Repair is almost always better - and less expensive - than replacing!
6
u/Ragfell Millennial 26d ago
Man. I had the little motherboard on my oven die -- to replace it was like $450, at which point I just got a cheaper model GE oven.
Turns out that my old oven was just straight up dying. Everything was underperforming. I can actually properly cook stuff now!
→ More replies (2)
22
25
u/looking4goldintrash 26d ago
There’s literally a company in the Midwest that their only goal is to make appliances with no smart features and for the love of God I can’t remember their name
5
→ More replies (2)4
u/glumavocados 26d ago
6
u/Elegant-Paper8895 26d ago
This is not a Midwest company, they are based in New York, but seems like the goal is the same. Maybe there are multiple companies, all the better for the consumer
55
u/cwankgurl 26d ago
I hate smart washing machines. Got the dumbest one on the market and I still can’t select my own water level.
8
u/Far_Chocolate9743 26d ago
I have a big old ugly white 4 year old GE set. Dumbest set I could find. Not winning any beauty pageants but it’s all buttons and knobs and no smart anything and i appreciate that.
15
u/Rare_Indication_3811 26d ago
im with you on this one, plus you picking up 40 min circle just to last 90 min because it sensed some bs
11
u/ImpertinentPrincess 26d ago
Washing machine units are not minutes and it drives me insane.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (6)3
17
u/Both_Marsupial_7778 26d ago
Speed queen just bought for this very reason
12
3
u/ixipaulixi 26d ago
My only issue with speed queen is getting service for it. We bought a DC5, waited a month for delivery, delivery guys set it up and left, my wife ran two loads of laundry and the door catch broke. Called the company we purchased from to see if they could do anything, they said they can't service the machines and to schedule a service with a certified repair company. Called a local repair company and they put us on the schedule for a month out. Well, that month finally came and went and yesterday the door catch was repaired for free.
$1500 for a dryer and we couldn't use it for the first month.
3
u/Both_Marsupial_7778 26d ago
Omg that is awful. I’m sorry that happened to you! I will be cautiously awaiting my machines to be delivered next week. I will be on the look out for this.
→ More replies (1)
31
u/carpentizzle 26d ago
Cars too. Give me an old stick shift 1000 times out of 10 over a car you have to pay a subscription for to use all the features
→ More replies (3)7
u/G0rkon 26d ago
I will continue to drive my 07 5 speed manual transmission Tacoma for as long as it is financially feasible. Recently had to put $1400 into fixing the clutch master cylinder and I'd do it again in a heartbeat over buying a new car.
→ More replies (7)
14
u/eastofme01 26d ago
You can still buy dumb appliances. They’re usually ugly and you don’t get the fun colors but they’re cheap.
→ More replies (3)
38
10
16
8
7
u/johnb111111 26d ago
Dude tech has absolutely made life more difficult. Everything has an app, ten logins and authentications, it’s so much. I can’t even watch tv without showing my location for news like cmon
8
u/Alert-Ad-9908 26d ago
No bloatware, no fees, and no ability to get hacked, rendering it inoperable.
7
u/leeman9224 26d ago
Some of those features assume ever present wifi connection to appliances, a feature lot of suburban and rural areas don’t have
6
u/Cyier81 26d ago
I want appliances to actually last more than 2-3 years without electronics failing and costing 96% of what the appliance cost. In 8 years I've had to replace whirlpool fridge, otr microwave, stove and dishwasher twice. I don't need a wifi connected dishwasher to control and sell my data too.
7
6
4
u/Ometen 26d ago
Ever tried to get some LED lights with just a simple remote nowadays? Feels impossible. "F you!" I dont want the lights in my networks. same with the fridge, coffeemaker and the damn washingmachine. What are those companies thinking.
→ More replies (1)3
5
u/Bright-Pilot-3970 26d ago
I’ve been slowly trying to decouple from big tech over the last year. They don’t make it easy but that’s kind of the point I guess.
5
u/lilmissrottie 26d ago
They all drive me batty with the constant beeping when they are done, or beeping because you left the door open too long (I'm looking at you fridge) I know the god damn door is open I'm trying to put my shopping away! and the dryer, beep, beep, beep, and then again beep, beep, beep until you go and open the door or turn it off.
4
u/Spazza42 26d ago
Absolutely.
Now I’m over 30 I’ve reached the point where I’ll happily pay more just to get the features I want rather than pay the lowest price.
I have to spend so much money on shit I really don’t care about that I just want less overall.
I’d rather spend £1000 on a fridge-freezer combo that just does what it’s supposed to and last 20 years.
4
26d ago
[deleted]
4
u/Far_Chocolate9743 26d ago
My phone is a 7 and a half year old LG. I replaced the battery 3 years ago.
It’s getting to the point where apps aren’t compatible though. I might cry when it’s time to replace it.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (3)4
u/lilleprechaun Peak Millennial (’89 vintage) 26d ago
Holding onto my iPhone 14 Pro for dear life, as it is the last Pro model iPhone that is not capable of handling any of Apple’s AI “features”. I replaced the battery a year ago and it’s like new. Also upgraded to iOS 27 and I am so pleased that I can still update iOS while being left out of all the AI nonsense they’ve added.
I will be devastated whenever this phone finally dies. I don’t want AI in my life at all, much less in my pocket at all times.
→ More replies (1)3
u/RustyMR2 26d ago
You'll find iphone 14 pro's for years to come on the second hand market.
The problem is at one time Apple is going to end iOS updates and eventually the apps you use will require a higher iOS version than available for your 14 pro.
Will probably still take 5-10 years though, no point in worrying about it now.
→ More replies (2)
3
u/iggy14750 26d ago
For real, everything needs a goddamn app. I get it; I'm old now. But have you considered... Get off my lawn!
3
u/Lawlzstomp 26d ago
If you say the "pay more" part out loud companies may actually do it.
→ More replies (1)
4
5
u/agent_wolfe 26d ago
Yeah. I’m worried when I need a new car I can’t get one without a distracting screen. 😵💫
4
u/tschawartz12 26d ago
I love dumb appliances. Give me a knob and single button. While ago came home from work and the wife said the dryer wasn't working. I went down to check it. Looked at lint trap first, 2nd thing opened the door and there was no click. The sensor was broken and just swinging freely so it wouldn't register the door was closed. Ok, F your switch I'll get rid of it. Popped the top off, spliced the wires with a wiring nut and some electrical tape so now it always thinks the door is closed. If it was a "smart" appliance I'd have to order a $300 part, wait 5 weeks for it to arrive then call to have a tech come out to install it and pair it with the motherboard with how all these stupid things are now. Instead I got it done in like 5 min and moved in with my day.
→ More replies (2)
4
u/sailphish 26d ago
I really just want a dumb TV (really just a giant ass monitor) with some FireTV type device that lets me have just the apps I want and absolutely nothing else on the interface. No advertising. No previews. Not giant mess of icons all over the screen with my preferred stuff burried under all the crap they are directing at me.
It would also be cool is my washer and dryer stopped pretending that sensing when my clothes are 80% dry (which is when it seems to stop) is AI Mode.
3
16
u/PaceIsTheTrick64 26d ago
So... don't buy smart appliances. They exist.
→ More replies (16)15
u/cerpintaxt33 26d ago
I haven’t had to buy a major appliance in a while, but it’s getting more difficult to find, I think
I have a friend who is looking for a car and is having trouble finding something newer that still has haptic controls
3
3
u/EveOCative 26d ago
Yes! I don’t want smart anything. At this point, give me back my flip phone, my computer with an internet router and all mechanical appliances. Let’s go back to using actual cameras.
3
u/Odd_Cake3759 26d ago
Once I saw the smart toaster I knew we had gotten to the WALL·E blob human phase.
3
u/ihaveabadaura 26d ago
Good luck finding it. You can't just pay extra or whatever for quality, it seems they're all shit. I missed when things just worked and lasted for a reasonable amount of time
3
u/WorstPossibleOpinion 26d ago
It's not hard. Miele, Smeg, La Cornue, Lacanche and many others are out there. You just have to understand that the premium isn't a little more. It's a PREMIUM for luxury products.
→ More replies (1)
3
u/MotorEnthusiasm 26d ago
My wife and I bought a house that was built in 1996. We bought it off an 80 something year old lady. All the appliances were replaced between 2007 and 2009. In the last week, the handle for the microwave broke off, and the knob for the dryer broke/quit spinning.
Replacement microwave (it’s an over range microwave): $1500+
Replacement door: $300
Replacement handle and two screws: $17
New dial and knob for the dryer: $9 and no tools required.
I love these appliances and will continue replacing parts on them for as long as I can.
3
u/Sorry_Hour6320 26d ago
A smart dishwasher would withhold the kids allowance until they emptied it. Anything else is just marketing bs.
3
u/AcherontiaPhlegethon 26d ago
That's entirely the point, a shitty tablet in the dashboard of your car actually is cheaper. They know people want physical buttons, that's why they're packaging it as luxury now.
5
2
u/Working_Cucumber_437 26d ago
That’s all we’re doing moving forward. Simple appliances. Less to break. And cheaper.
2
u/SolaScientia 26d ago
I refuse to own any appliance with a "smart" feature. Nothing needs that crap to work as it should work. I have a brain that I like to use. I don't need my fridge or washing machine tracking what I do for me. I can work my own lightswitches. I needed a wireless mesh setup to get internet to every part of the house. I went with eero purely because they don't come with speakers. I considered Google Nest, but the main unit had a speaker. Nope. I don't need something listening to me all the time waiting for its special code word to make it work or not.
Also, I refuse to have a front loading washing machine. The one we had was nothing but problems after not even a year of regular work. At a previous job I had there was one. It was also a piece of crap and it was one of those expensive ones. It was pretty much worthless.
2
2
u/poopfacecrapmouth 26d ago
It’s actually a brand called speed queen. It’s crazy expensive up front but should last for like thirty years and are apparently very easy to repair
2
u/xKingCoopx 26d ago
My wife and I just a new thermostat. We had a nest just like everybody else. We switched to the brand ecobee and chose the cheapest model because it offers ZERO AI features. Best choice weve made.
2
u/przemo-c 26d ago
My appliances are holding strong with their physical buttons hopefully they'll live long enough to see new generations with those controls coming back.
I appreciate some "smart" features as in output water clarity monitoring on dishwashers, weight adjusted/moisture adjusted microwave programmes etc. But i don't need wifi connectivity on everything. Especially when some features are being lazily added only in app.
2
u/soul6of6hell6 1990 26d ago
More smart means more maintenance
Thats why I am not going to buy any smart cars in the market
It feels like one error in the system could lead to a fatal problem
You can agree to disagree
2
u/ejh3k 26d ago
My wife used the self clean on out oven and it fried the board. Had to use a lighter to start the burner for a couple weeks while we figured out our next steps without an oven.
We ended up spending what too much money for a new cooktop and oven that's dumb. But I don't suspect we will ever buy a new oven in this house.
2
2
u/Significant_Cat_2897 Older Millennial 26d ago
I have a Maytag washer and dryer in Harvest Gold that I inherited from my grandpa. Had them both repaired a couple times but you can pry them out of my cold, dead hands.
2
u/DayzedNAmused 26d ago
It's basically the organic food industry. It use to be just the way food was, then the industry f'd it all up, now they have to label the food organic and you pay more for it.
2
2
u/LadyStark09 26d ago
You dont have to pay more, you just need to learn how to fix the machines on craigslist. I got a magtag stackable washer and dryer from someone for 200 bucks. From the 80s. Put a new belt on the dryer and shes good as new and washes 10x better then any new one ive had.
•
u/AutoModerator 26d ago
If this post is breaking the rules of the subreddit, please report it instead of commenting. For more Millennial content, join our Discord server.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.