Cheap microwaves are cheap junk (or, you get what you pay for these days)

[JoeSousa]

Almost all newer appliances are junk. There are 40 year old fridges and freezers still cranking away and doing just fine but new ones last maybe 10 years tops and more often than not only 4 or 5 years. And they are designed where it doesn't make much sense to repair them. Just get a new one and start saving for the inevitable replacement in 5 years.

I am getting ready to pull out my tools and change the bearing in my 15 year old washing machine. From what I have seen it is one of the newer models it makes sense to repair and keep running rather than replace.

[JoeSousa]

ComfortablyNumb - Is that Fred's? The fridge that came with our house when we bought it 5 years ago went out last year. We got a ding and dent replacement from Freds, it stopped working in about a month and they replaced it with a brand new model. And they have been out a couple times to fix that one. So not impressed with the quality but happy with the service.

[Alan Brice]

ComfortablyNumb that sounds like the wheel n tire warrty at the dealership. Peeps would get n finance that n cost would be hateful once you did the numbers.

[Mosca]

I had T&W on my Volvo S90, I hit the $5000 limit in the first 2 years and had to re-buy! Heavy car, bad roads, light expensive wheels. One hole took out two tires and wheels, it was almost $2k. In 50 years of driving that is the only car I ever had a claim on. Made out big time, though.

[Mosca]

Jfrosty27 We had pretty much the same happen when we remodeled, as well. The salesperson steered us to the least-featured range, we got the quietest dishwasher because that is important to us, and then he said that all the microwaves are the same so pick one. We have cabinets and a good vent to the outside over the range, so a microwave up there is a no-go; too much remodeling for the minor benefit, and the dimensions of the available microwaves were too awkward to go below that space.

[hoovarmin]

We have a Sharp built-in microwave that has a drawer that opens out. It's right under the countertop. It's fantastic, but easily accessible to little ones. My (now) 7 year-old boy destroyed it a few years ago by putting something in that doesn't belong in a microwave and turning it on. We were lucky the house didn't catch fire. Anyway, I replaced it with the same model, and we are very happy with it. As an aside, he also climbed up on the counter and put one of his toys in the toaster and turned it on when he was 3. Dodged a bullet on that one as well. Jaco is a spirited youngster and I am way too old for this shit.

[rickgregory]

most microwaves are all the same. I mean, they're all made by the same factory with the same components. See https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/r...est-microwave/ for details

[Bkhuna]

The article say's that about counter-top microwaves but I wonder if true for built-ins. In 1984 I was living in Japan in a traditional Japanese style house without a range. I bought a Panasonic combination microwave/radiant heat oven that would bake, roast, microwave or a combination.

It weighed a ton. I gave it to my daughter a few years back when she moved out. She in turned gave it to a friend of hers who was in need at the time. Probably still running somewhere.

[Michael_in_TX]

Are you freaking kidding me?!

My LG from 2019 just died (rather spectacularly, so). Sigh.......well, the wife is off to Lowe's to pick up another one. At least it is on sale. :/

I guess microwaves are now commodity, disposable items.

[Mosca]

Had to put a like to it, but we’re really doing a mutual DISlike!

[Michael_in_TX]

I know! Thankfully, I had nothing critical I needed to cook in there tonight.

[Michael_in_TX]

Also, wow, microwaves....are.....urk....heavy....!

[Huskee]

Wait, you all have only 1 microwave? Wouldn't it be strange if we held them in as high of regard as grills/smokers and had a few scattered about, certain ones for certain uses.

[Santamarina]

NO appliance made today has the longevity of appliances from yesteryear. We live in a disposable society, and manufacturers have caught on.

My family had the same fridge and washer & dryer from the time I was four years old (1979) until they moved out of that house when I was 23. Stuff was made different back then!

[rickgregory]

well... we live in a society that wants things cheap. So companies oblige. Me, I'm using a microwave that's at least 25 years old and a washer dryer set that's 40. Both work just fine.

[Mosca]

Update. I brought a couple different units home and tried them in my space. The Panasonic doesn’t have a right-angle plug, and since the wall outlet is behind the unit that moved 4” of counter space from in front of the oven to the back!

So I returned it, and tried an LG. But the controls were all hidden inside the door, they were confusing to navigate, and there was no way to “quick access” any functions. So, that went back, too.

My junk oven is GE. GE makes a unit that combines microwave, air fry, convection, and combination microwave/convection, and at $199 it is only $40 more than just replacing the microwave. Plus, the interior is stainless rather than powder coated, so it won’t rust, in theory anyhow. So I ordered it.

Microwave-wise it is exactly the same as what we’re used to. Air fryer-wise, it is one button operation: push the air fryer button, push it again for French fries, and hit start. The fries came out like fries in all the other air fryers! Like that, idiot-memory proof. This also solves the “too many gadgets, not enough counter” problem, and the stand alone air fryer can get put somewhere to be forgotten about. I always worry that combination products will wind up being not really all that good at anything, but this one does the two things I want it to do as well as I expect a stand alone product to.

I figure it will last 3-4 years, just like the last one. If I get more out of it, great. But my eyes are open, anyhow.

https://a.co/d/2bmuHfQ

[Jerod Broussard]

I'm eyeing a small commercial unit I see at work.