Lifespans Of Kitchen Appliances…Are They Getting Shorter?
The question of the lifespans of kitchen appliances is something we at Kitchen Genie have thought long and hard about. Your parents still have appliances they bought 10 to 20 years ago. In their day you’d buy it once and have it forever! Many people, however, still expect their new kitchen appliances to last as long as older appliances use to. That is no longer the case, it’s not uncommon to find most new appliances lasting four or five years or less. The life expectancy isn’t there anymore.
The kind of appliance and how it’s being used will also plays a role in how long it is likely last. All of these observations are true and the reasons behind why this is the case are complex.
It’s not just down to “built in” obsolescence by manufacturers i.e. them wishing to make money on new sales not repairs. There have been so many technological advances from mechanical to electronic to now digital and with each advance more features have been added to the average small domestic appliance. This, coupled with improvements in energy efficiency, has meant that many appliances are now quite complex machines and the more tech involved the more that can go wrong.
However, this is not the entire picture. Many consumers are either on a budget or want to buy cheap and hope the product lasts. Many traditional western manufacturer brands evolved their kitchen appliance product range to cater for the small nuclear family who need fast and simple food in small quantities, with up to date modern and fashionable designs and colours but at a relatively cheap price. This leads to products made with relatively low powered electric motors, plastic parts rather than metal, smaller containers because families are smaller or single person with less use etc.
Hence, because the appliance is seen as having a limited life at the outset it is designed and manufactured to a budget and the specification reflects this because “….there will be a new improved version along in a minute”. In summary, whilst appliances may not last as long as they once did, advances in technology have resulted in more energy-efficient machines, subsequently lowering the cost of running them.
Therefore newer models can be sold off the back of newer technology. All this of course suits the large traditional brand manufacturers because they can sell the same item in newer versions two or three times over in say a 10 year period rather than just once. The reduced lifespans of kitchen appliances equals more profit for kitchen appliance manufacturers. These are just some of the factors behind why the lifespans of kitchen appliances, particularly modern small kitchen appliances do not seem to last as long as they use to.
However, at Kitchen Genie we have noticed that customers are becoming more discerning and less likely to buy cheaper “value” brands as many now realise it is better to pay slightly more for a quality built item which will last and last rather than buying cheap and having to buy twice. We’ve taken the view that there are customers out there who don’t necessarily want the latest “look” or the latest “gizmo” or feature but would rather a reliable sturdy machine built to last.
So if you are looking at the lifespans of kitchen appliances in your home take a look at the Kitchen Genie range.