Kitchen and household appliances

[Freedom]

I wonder if you could have learned about this by reading Consumer Reports? I always check them for large / expensive items, but I probably wouldn't for these smaller ones.

Maybe I better start!

[Randi]

Freedom, yes I should have checked. We do have some good Consumer report sites, but this Braun kettle, looked exactly the same as the one I had before. In the future, I'll make sure to look under the item to see where it was made!

Btw, the Kenwood toaster, I've had since mid eighties - German made, of course!

[Karen]

We had that experience with washing machines - we bought a Maytag, used to its reputation for quality, and it was awful - lasted maybe 3 years before is was broken too badly to fix, and it turned out that it was not made in America any more. That was sad, and frustrating.

[Randi]

Yes Karen, it's sad that such bad quality are being produced these days, especially when we are encouraged to not throw things away so much, but be environment conscious. What has this world come to!!

I want to go back to the seventies and do some serious shopping!!

[pomtzu]

It's pretty difficult to find any appliances that are made well and with good quality parts - especially small appliances. Most small ones are just throw away items anymore, no matter how expensive, or inexpensive that they are. I can remember as a kid, my Dad taking small appliances to a repair shop if he couldn't fix them himself. Who does repairs anymore?? - anyone?? I bought my son and DIL the Platinum Keurig Coffee Maker for Christmas - and it is made in China. It wasn't cheap by any means, so I'm hoping it lasts a good long time!

[Randi]

Pomtzu, you're right, I also remember the days when you took things to a repair shop, but I doubt they exist anymore. I'm just glad I still have some things that my mother left me. One thing is an iron from the sixties. It works just fine!

The other day I went to look for a new toaster, I saw a good offer on a Electrolux, which used to be good quality. I turned it upside down and saw it was made in China, so I didn't buy it.

I do hope your son's coffee maker will hold out more than a few years. I believe there is a two years warranty, though.

Oh, I bought a Miele vacuum cleaner a few years ago - now I don't dare look where it's made!

[pomtzu]

I've seen items made in the USA - from foreign parts. That's kind of defeating the purpose - right???
I have an Oreck vacuum, and Oreck products are made/assembled in Louisiana in the U.S., but that doesn't mean all of the components are made here. So we are pretty much at the mercy of the manufacturer. They know if we want or need the product bad enough, that we'll buy it. It would be my guess that very few people know where the items that they have in their household were manufactured - me included for the majority of products!