Consumerism, the environment and the economy

Graham_Devon

Just wrote a post on the VAT thread which got me thinking.

Have added a poll for others to anonymously vote for their preference.

Considering where we are with the economy, the environment and lifestyle, would you prefer to go back to a time when things were more expensive to buy, but easily repairable, or stick with today, where things are cheaper to buy but throw away items?

I have fond memories of a simple thing. When I was a kid, I can remember sitting next to dad when he was fitting a new element to the kettle. I remember that kettle as I grew up with it and it was around before I was born in photographs! It must have been well over 15 years old before it was thrown after a few elements and numerous cleaning tablets.

I bought my place in 2006. Since then I have had 5 kettles (I think!). All have been working, then you hear a pop, and it's now dead. So thats 5 kettles I have been through in 3 years. Can't be fussed with warranties, sending things back etc for the price, so just buy a new one.

It's often cheaper to buy a whole new printer now and chuck it away when the cartridges run out. And when it comes to replacing laser printer consumable parts? Cheaper to buy a whole new one.

However, going back to my childhood, I do remember everything being bulky, and not very nice to look at (veneered TV where the screen seemed to curve out at least 2 inches!). Everything seemed rather large, and very box shaped. These days, things are a lot prettier to look at, but, if they break, they most likely are not worth repairing as the repair costs more than the TV. Even the warranty places simply send you a new one instead of repairing.

So which would you prefer? The old style, chunky, easy to repair, or the new style sleek, but chuck in the bin after a year goods?

And which do you think is best for the economy abd environment?

lostinrates

what are you doing with your kettles? I've only owned two ever...carted with me from place to place...I gave the first one to someone who needed it, and it was a fairly lurid yellow. I'd even cooked meals in it and it hadn't died.


The whole printer thing is madness and I don't know how at any point it was thought sustainable that two cartridges should be as dear as two cartridges + printer.

Graham_Devon

lostinrates wrote: »

what are you doing with your kettles?

I dunno! They don't seem to like me. Toasters don't like me either it seems.

Patrick20

I haven't voted as I don't think both ideas are incompatible. Its only designers and companies that make things unable to be repaired. Its inbuilt obsolesence. Why make a kettle that last 15 years when you can make only that last a year and you can get 15 times more money? They have the knowhow and tech to make lightbulbs where the filament doesnt wear. Its all about profits. The new tech thats out right now is nothing compared to what companies are holding back. They have the ability to make Sd cards and USB drives with capacities you wouldnt believe but hold progress back because if they can get a tenner for 4gb then why bring out the larger ones when consumers wont pay more.

fc123

lostinrates wrote: »

what are you doing with your kettles? I've only owned two ever...carted with me from place to place...I gave the first one to someone who needed it, and it was a fairly lurid yellow. I'd even cooked meals in it and it hadn't died.


The whole printer thing is madness and I don't know how at any point it was thought sustainable that two cartridges should be as dear as two cartridges + printer.

The profit is all in the cartridges...drives me nuts TBH.

The biggest PITA is fax rolls.....I mean £22.99 for a fax film and you have to put their special chip gizmo into the reader. The actual fax machine cost 20 quid.
I am guessing that the tools to make the dam thing work are where the real money is and the hardware (so to speak) is just a loss leader of some sort.

Patrick20

fc123 wrote: »

The profit is all in the cartridges...drives me nuts TBH.

That situation will only change if people stop buying cartridges. If they are making money then the will see no reason to change. I dont buy cartridges any more its all refill kits for me.

baileysbattlebus

I guess with kettles it depend on the type of water in the area you live in

I spent the first half of my life in North East and in Scotland - both soft water areas - kettles lasted as long as you wanted them to. I used to change mine when I fancied a bit of change in colour scheme.

2nd half of life near Reading - hard water area - I have lost count of the number of kettles that get stuffed - especially the ones that switch off automatically as scale bxggers up the sensor. Electric showers, had 3 fitted in this house - they seem to last about 5 years here before they become unusable. My sister in the North East still has an electric shower fittled about 15 years ago -

On the washing machine/dishwasher front I no longer buy anything that is digital or has loads of fancy features - just more to go wrong. My current washing machine is an American top loader - it would be difficult to find anything more boxy than that - but it is mechanically simple - uses hot water straight from the tank - no heating and is quick and can do a mega amount of washing in one load.

My feelings on repairs etc is that if I get 5 years out of a washing machine or dishwasher it has paid for its self and I would buy new rather than repair - unless ofcourse repair costs come down substanially.

I no longer buy top of the range anything - a few years ago we bought a Sony 32" wide screen tv - at the time cost £1100 (which was a lot of money then), after 5 years the tube went - cost to repair in a local Sony dealership - £700 - result off to Comet to buy a cheap tv.

What I would prefer to be able to do is buy stuff that was actually made in the UK as opposed to made overseas and I would be happy to pay more for it. Over the years I've come to the conclusion that cost isn't actually everything.

Bootski

We can't beat the advance of technology. It changes and more rapidly as we evolve.

I don't have any of it but my neighbours do - we don't need it but people want it and will have it.

We've move way beyond our needs to get what we want.

That's nobody talks anymore.

mbga9pgf

Consumerism is the curse, not necessarily new technology. The printer thing really grips my sh*t though, so much so I dont use them any more unless I absolutely have to (written/signed for stuff and letters of complaint).

I find people are far less likely to look after stuff these days. Cases in point?

Washing machines/dryers. Many have little, cheap button thermostats that pop out if you DONT LOOK AFTER IT.... if you are one of those people that stop a dryer half way through a cycle, dont be surprised when it starts to blow cold air and you get error lights. Reason? The cycle needs to cool down the elements, otherwise they overheat and the emergency (non-resettable) thermostat pops, resulty being a costly visit from servicing, to the tune of 90-120 quid. you can buy the parts online, but again, people are "scared" of touching and repairing items of electrical equipment in these crazy days of consumerism/elf and safety. Much easier to put it on the plastic and get a new one! (Idiots....)

Kettles. For those whineing about hard water and failed kettles, why not boil a 50/50 mix of water and cheap supermarket brand vinegar. get it up to boiling with the lid off, keep an eye on it, dont let it overboil and hey, presto, in 5 minutes you have a lovely clean kettle again!

Hoovers. Dont buy anything other than Dyson. Dyson is a man you can tell believes in initial outlay cost and ease of repair. Springs,plastic bits, nozzles, pipes all easy to replace. yet you see so many on the skip!

Food mixers. Many people get cheap crappy ones. I bought a Kenwood chef with metal bowl off ebay (20 years old), with worn out motor bushes and bearings. cost 20 quid to repair. Good as new!

TVs. DONT touch the buttons! That is what a remote is for! Keep crap off the air vents and dust weekly!

Cars - I still like older cars, as they are easy to DIY than the newer "sealed unit" style we seem to have adopted recently in design. Even still, a new car should have an oil change on time, at least every 7000 miles for petrol (easy to DIY) 5000 for diesel, shouldnt be ragged for the first 10 mins of driving and should be left for 30 seconds after you stop your drive to alow the turbo to wind down. Turbos spinning at 100 THOUSAND rpm DONT LIKE the oil in their bearings without a fresh supply. Another quick way to knacker your turbo. and shouldnt be driven up kirbs - result? a car that will last 150K! Oh, do your cambelt on time, and get your tracking LASER aligned every 50K - much steering rack and steering component wear is caused by crappy tracking done on tyre changes. Always use decent tyres and parts and you wont go wrong. Clutches should last the life of the car, so dont rest the car on the clutch for hill starts when you have a hand brake! Do air filter changes regularly and you wont get sand and crap wearing out your bearings. Think this is over the top? You should see how we look after aero engines! Oil changes every 100 hours!

Oh, I NEVER bother with extended warranties, which are financially equivalent to setting fire to money. Dont believe me? Google bathtub curve. If it doesnt break in the first year of warranty, it probably wont, until it reaches the end of its life.

In short, look after stuff and it will last years!

choille

I think that people now see their appliances as fashion statements rather than just a telly, kettle - whatever.

I have a 10 year old telly - a black chunky one, everyone seems to have a flat silver job, but the picture on my wee Sony is superb - why should I chuck it out?
Most things are not manufactured in this country anymore - so has to be brought here - often from China, Asia etc. The cheapness of some stuff probably reflects how little the workers are getting paid to make it.
I just chucked out a set of cast iron enamelled pans that I've had for thirty years - not chucked out really - relegated to the plants as water catchers. Someone bought me a new set of Le cruset that'll be brought into use once we're in the house & will out-last me - I think. Just now using some really cheap ones that came out of LIDLs.
Land fill is stacked with peoples' chuck outs - it's ridiculous really.
Freecycle seems to have taken off & people can now give stuff away quite easily - here people put up notices in the local PO if there's anything they want rid of & is still serviceable.
Some of the clothes you see in shops -Tescos, Primark don't look like they'd stand a wash & blow on the washing line - they look disposable & probably are considered so by some.
Fashion is fickle.
I would always try & buy a good make of appliance & want it to last. I have managed to fix somethings by googling & would always return something if it packed up under warranty - even if it was not still under guarentee, I'd pester the shop as a cooker or TV for example that just lasts a year isn't fit for purpose.
I've always given stuff away that I no longer need if it's serviceable & relagated stuff that isn't - old sheets to rag for dusters etc. I hate waste - we're drowning in it, but as times get tougher there will be less waste - one hopes as it all seems a bit like the last days of Rome.

Patrick20

mbga9pgfC, while i agree with most of what you say about looking after your technology, it still doesn't change the fact that new technology is built with breaking in the design. I have studied product design and obsolesence is a factor that is considered. Sometimes no matter how well you take care of an item it will break sooner or later.

choille, i just joined freecycle yesterday. Hopefully i'll contribute to less landfill since i'm after broken items for components to play with. I'm a bit of a wacky inventor.