How long do you expect a dryer to last?

[Bluegoat]

8 hours ago, Carol in Cal. said:

That's from before the major unreliability issues started, so hopefully you'll be able to keep them for a long time yet.

I am hopeful that in 10 years or less manufacturers will learn to build reliable machines again.  The same thing happened with the low flow toilets.  The first ones basically did not work.  But now the newest ones work just great.  

 

I think they know how, they just don't.

I'm on the pessimistic side, I think unless there is some kind of major push, maybe even legislatively, they will not start building these to last.

[Annie G]

2 minutes ago, Bluegoat said:

 

I think they know how, they just don't.

I'm on the pessimistic side, I think unless there is some kind of major push, maybe even legislatively, they will not start building these to last.

I agree with you. The company dh works for has sent most of their manufacturing to Mexico and after 15 years the plant there cannot reliably manufacture  parts that pass inspection in his lab. Sooooo many parts fail and have to be remade. The company doesn’t care. They are saving money manufacturing there and their customers have grown used to replacing switches much more frequently. It sucks. 

[Pegasus]

Our washer and dryer were wedding gifts from both sets of parents so they are now 24 years old (Kenmore). They've had only minor repairs with the exception of one expensive repair for the dryer this year. We could have bought a brand new inexpensive dryer for what we paid on repairs. However, I now have every expectation that the dryer will run another 20 years.  I've heard too many tales of the newer appliances not lasting.

The older models were made to last and the newer ones are made with cheaper parts that simply wear out or with fancy electronics that are prone to breakdown.

Here's a tip for long lasting appliances - If you hate it and are only waiting for it to break so that you can justify replacing it, it will last forever.  I hated the fridge that came with our house purchase. It was old, small, and UGLY.  I thought it would surely breakdown soon so we waited, and waited, and waited. It never needed the slightest repair over the next 15 years!! I would not have spent even a penny to fix that thing. The door seal finally started to separate a little in one spot and we took that as sufficient justification to buy a new one.

[ScoutTN]

On 6/8/2018 at 6:23 AM, fairfarmhand said:

Mine is 19 years old and still going. It’s not electronic, and we’ve replaced the heating element once and th belt once.

Yes! When our fairly new one died, we replaced it with a used, inexpensive, non-electronic one off of Craig's List. Excellent choice. 

We did the same with a washer. Electronic controls on laundry machines are not necessary.

[Bluegoat]

It's not just the fact electronics and plastic parts.  It's that they aren't really built to be repairable.  We had some mounting break on our washer drum, and it meant replacing the whole thing.  Which cost as much as the washer.  The drum was perfectly fine.

The companies also don't keep the parts in production long after they stop making that model, or change it.

[SamanthaCarter]

I would think life has more to do with # of uses than age. We use our dryer at least once a day, so 15 years would be around 7,000 cycles. Seems like a lot, but I don’t know. 

[EKS]

Our last set lasted about 20 years.  We've had the current set 5 years.

[LadyR]

My Kenmore washer and dryer are both over 25 years old, but I think that is pretty unusual. 

[DawnM]

12 hours ago, ScoutTN said:

Yes! When our fairly new one died, we replaced it with a used, inexpensive, non-electronic one off of Craig's List. Excellent choice. 

We did the same with a washer. Electronic controls on laundry machines are not necessary.

 

Do you mean one without a computer panel?  Or truly one that isn't electric or powered?

[ScoutTN]

38 minutes ago, DawnM said:

 

Do you mean one without a computer panel?  Or truly one that isn't electric or powered?

Yes, one without a computer panel. Just a heating element, a belt to make it tumble, and some dials. Almost all metal. Not plastic. 

It was $50 on CL and works fine. 

[rutamattatt]

We bought our washer and dryer used from my sister and brother-in-law back in 2000, and both are going strong.  Sister had them maybe 5 years before we got them so over 20 years old.  Both are very bare bones models.  We've had to repair the dryer twice, but both times it was just a cheap repair - less than $100.

I live in fear of the day they break down.  I can't think of many things more terrifying to me than having to pick out and purchase a new set.  <shudder>

And I would not care if washer/dryer were mismatched in a house I am looking to buy.  If they are nice looking and in working order they could have polka dots for all I care.  But I imagine there are probably people who might.

[KungFuPanda]

Since a cheap dryer typically lasts 15-20 years, I’d never spring for a speed queen dryer. I do own and love the washer, but it’s much easier to get a functioning, long-lasting dryer. 

[KungFuPanda]

On 6/7/2018 at 10:58 PM, taniapineo said:

3 years?  

We do a lot of wash, but washers/driers aren't what they used to be. We replace either the washer or drier every 3 years. (We typically purchase something in the $600-700 range.)

 

This doesn’t seem right at all. Even a small family can do a load a day. Unless your family is super-sized you shouldn’t be able to wear out them out so fast. This would be so frustrating. 

On 6/8/2018 at 6:30 AM, Closeacademy said:

That 10 to 15 years is now a dream. A lot are only made to last only 5 or 6 years for appliances. I've had to replace my washer/dryer 3 times over the last 10 years. My old ones I got in 2000 died, bought new, 6-7 years later they died and now I have old used ones which have been repaired. 

 

This cant be right! I’m having some feelings over here. There oughtta be a law!

On 6/8/2018 at 8:12 AM, DawnM said:

Dumb question, but if you were buying a house, not a starter home, but a mid to upper range house, would it bother you to see a washer-dryer that didn't match in a laundry room where the door could close?

We have a black set of Kenmore washer/dryer units.  I am not sure we can find a black dryer in a basic model (if they exist please link for me!) I am "over" caring if they match, but what do you think buyers will think?

 

For the cost of a can of spray paint they could match. ?

On 6/8/2018 at 8:30 AM, happysmileylady said:

If I were buying a house, my first assumption is that the appliances, mismatched or otherwise, are not staying. I mean I know sometimes they do, but sometimes not.  When we sold our house, the stove, dishwasher and microwave stayed, the fridge and washer and dryer came with us.  

 

I thought the default was to leave the appliances or swap them out for new ones. I didn’t know it was normal (in the U.S. anyway) to move into a house any bit have at least kitchen appliances. 

[Carol in Cal.]

1 hour ago, KungFuPanda said:

 

 

I thought the default was to leave the appliances or swap them out for new ones. I didn’t know it was normal (in the U.S. anyway) to move into a house any bit have at least kitchen appliances. 

Built in appliances typically stay--stoves, sinks, dishwashers, that kind of thing.  But standalone ones like fridges, microwaves (unless part of the kitchen fan), washer, and dryer usually leave with the seller.

[DawnM]

11 hours ago, KungFuPanda said:

 

For the cost of a can of spray paint they could match.

 

 

Someone said that to me and implied that I could paint it.  I won't do it.  I would botch it up completely.  I have tried the "foolproof" paint job and my friend couldn't believe that I could mess it up as badly as I did.  It was "so easy."  Um, no, no it wasn't.  And my patience for stuff like that is just not there.

And then there is the paint matching.  I don't seem to be good at that either.  It would definitely not match.  

Our current house didn't sell for over a year due to a paint job the former owners put in to the master.  The realtor and the owner kept saying, "It is just a can of paint to fix" to potential buyers.  They didn't care.  They didn't want to mess with it.   We didn't mind so much.  But we are unusual buyers in that regard.  

[Selkie]

On 6/9/2018 at 8:35 PM, ScoutTN said:

Yes, one without a computer panel. Just a heating element, a belt to make it tumble, and some dials. Almost all metal. Not plastic. 

It was $50 on CL and works fine. 

Our washer and dryer are both like this. I refuse to buy anything with a computer panel if I can possibly avoid it!

[KungFuPanda]

1 hour ago, Selkie said:

Our washer and dryer are both like this. I refuse to buy anything with a computer panel if I can possibly avoid it!

 

This is me. I avoid computer panels, front loading washers, and dryers with any sort of water hook-up.

Maybe top loaders aren’t actually better made. I can see it argued that they last longer because their cycles are so much faster and they last the same amout of “run time.” I only care about how many years I can do laundry without thinking about my machines. 

[Bluegoat]

4 minutes ago, KungFuPanda said:

 

This is me. I avoid computer panels, front loading washers, and dryers with any sort of water hook-up.

Maybe top loaders aren’t actually better made. I can see it argued that they last longer because their cycles are so much faster and they last the same amout of “run time.” I only care about how many years I can do laundry without thinking about my machines. 

 

Yes, I won't get a front loader again.  I'd like to go back to an old fashioned agitator type, but they aren't easy to find.