Everything is so cheaply made these days...

I bought a new coffee maker about 4 months ago. Today, the on/off switch became stuck in the on position. It wasn't an expensive one, but it was average priced. Made by Mr. Coffee. When I opened the box 4 months ago, I noticed that the cord was 2 feet shorter than the one it replaced, which was the same model by all other appearances. I had joked at the time that they had made the cord shorter so that they could pay the CEO more. I guess that they also used a lower quality switch for the same reason. The coffee maker that this one replaced had last for more than 10 years. 

I think that I will go with one of those manual Melita coffee makers where you just pour boiling water into the top. At least there's nothing that can break on one of those, short of dropping the carafe.

a reply to: tamusan
It's called built in obsolescence. There are actually made to last only so long and as you've found that break point is getting shorter and shorter. What you have to look for is the life guarantee of the product. If it breaks inside that period ask for your money back. But you'll find that it will last just long enough to negate the guarantee.

a reply to: tamusan

I got an older Mr. Coffee that's been serving well for years but man I know what you mean
This is an era of disposable goods (things that are made to be built cheap bought cheap break soon then buy another etc), not easy to find a company taking pride in what they manufacture in one of those big box stores.
For instance my loyal radio was built by Sony in 1970 still works like a charm. Folks I know buy the "new great ones" with all the bells and whistles and they sound like tin cans and last all of about a year. You can just see the craftsmanship and pride put into older equipment, it's night and day.

This "new great stuff" ain't made.

It's poured.

a reply to: tamusan

Everything is so cheaply made these days...

yet the cost for the consumer continues climbing higher and higher....

a reply to: tamusan

These days....

been going on my whole life and I'm 40 years old.
It's not going to stop unless you and I create a business that produces better goods.

Only other choice is to learn and make things you need for yourself at home.
You can make a better coffee machine. It might not look pretty but at least you can choose the materials.

a reply to: crayzeed

You may have already known about this, but it's still pretty interesting....

1890s Light Bulb Outlasts Today's Light Bulb by 970,000 Hours (and Counting)

The Livermore Centennial Light Bulb: Proof Products are Designed to Fail

A light bulb built in 2012 will last for 1000 hours. A light bulb built in the 1890s has been on in a Livermore California Fire Station for over 970,000 hours (and is still going).

Here is a bit of its story as told by Dick Jones retired engineer and member of the Livermore Centennial Light Bulb Committee.

The Centennial Livermore Light Bulb was installed in 1901. How long did it take before someone realized it was something significant?
I think when it got moved to the fire station it is in 1976 people started to realize its significance. It started getting news because Ripley’s Believe It or Not talked about it, Charles Kuralt visited it and it is in The Guinness Book of World Records for the longest burning light bulb in the world.

Is it the size of a standard light bulb today?
Yes. It is a regular sized light bulb, just shaped a little different.

It is always on, hanging and unprotected in the fire station in Livermore, California?
Yes, if you are in town and there is a fireman in the station they will talk to you about it. It is considered part of their job.

How is it that a light bulb built over 115 years ago is of much better quality than what we can get today?
Back then people built things to last. Now we build things not to last. In those days you wanted to build a better, long lasting bulb.

a reply to: servovenford


This is the inevitable outcome of the infinite growth economy idea.

We need to stop producing so much useless stuff and make the stuff we do need stronger. But that would slow down the economy. Way down.

So if there are any business owners on ats and you produce things, tell us why you don't make them to last.
I bet it's because you wouldn't make profit if you did.

a reply to: BrokenCircles

ceo's need that bigger boat every year . How else can they keep up and show strength to each other?

a reply to: tamusan


Maybe next time but something made in America and not China.
Just saying

a reply to: crayzeed

Everyone cheers when the dow goes up. But what we are really cheering on is built in obsolescence.

a reply to: Allaroundyou

American goods are crap too. I've bought plenty.

a reply to: scraedtosleep

We need to stop producing so much useless stuff and make the stuff we do need stronger. But that would slow down the economy. Way down.

I hadn't really thought about it like this before, but I suppose it does help to create jobs. If we made products that lasted, then it would be much harder for some people to find jobs...

a reply to: BrokenCircles


Omg did capitalism do that!?!
Do you want them that makes our current bulbs to go broke?
Damn dude bulbs to in the past seatbelts and the list can go on. If anything presents itself you guys throw a tantrum.

originally posted by: scraedtosleep
a reply to: Allaroundyou

American goods are crap too. I've bought plenty.

Not mine

a reply to: BrokenCircles

yes. That's why the more people on earth the less our current economic system can work.

We need a change before it's to late.

But I have to mention because this site is full of repubs. There are people telling us all this. But the right fights against those people. Now you may not agree with the changes they want to make or if those changes will help the issue of jobs and cheaply made goods. But at least they are talking about whats happening and giving ideas to fix it.

We can not have millions of well made goods and lots of high paying jobs. In our current system it's ether slave wages and less but well made goods, or lots of living wage jobs and cheaply made goods.

The right doesn't want to hear this but capitalism has got to change in a big way. Maybe adding in some socialism to the mix will be good maybe it will make things worse?

But what plan does the right have to fix this issue?

a reply to: Allaroundyou

I also have some really well made chinese goods.

What's your point?

Unplug it. Dismantle it and fix it.

a reply to: BrokenCircles

That's an anomaly and mostly owing to that it never gets shut off. Lamps will last longer if you don't toggle them on or off, even LED's are impacted by cycling and is how they are tested, by going through thousands of on/off hot/cool cycles.

That is superb advice seeing as goods from China should be tapering off. Lots of creature comforts and basic necessities will need American replacements in the not to distant future.

originally posted by: scraedtosleep
a reply to: tamusan

These days....

been going on my whole life and I'm 40 years old.
It's not going to stop unless you and I create a business that produces better goods.

Only other choice is to learn and make things you need for yourself at home.
You can make a better coffee machine. It might not look pretty but at least you can choose the materials.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: BrokenCircles

That's an anomaly and mostly owing to that it never gets shut off. Lamps will last longer if you don't toggle them on or off, even LED's are impacted by cycling and is how they are tested, by going through thousands of on/off hot/cool cycles.

I know, but I still think it's pretty impressive.