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Why do people buy a Hermes handbag when you can get a perfectly decent, functional one from Michael Kors for 1/100th the price? Are the added features of a Lexus really worth the extra price over a Toyota? To me a Yeti cooler functions the same as an RTIC one but costs twice as much. Yet, I know someone who I consider good at managing money to buy Yeti products over cheaper ones. To me, as long as people are spending responsibly and can afford it comfortably, more power to them. It's not like there's some kind of chart everyone uses to determine whether something is worth the price.
Now that you mention those...I wonder about those spending purchases, too.
I have a friend who owns multiple Hermes, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel bags. I think she's nuts. But what am I going to do? She's been a friend for more than 25 years.
I don't lose sleep over it. As someone who'd never pay 5k for a refrigerator, I just marvel at it sometimes. That's all.
I guess -- I know -- the older I get the more I focus on function versus style, or looks.
I really do not have a hard time with spending some decent money on a new appliance, to a point.
But really, what is the justification for a new fridge that is 5k, as opposed to one that is 1k?
Beyond basic functions and reliability, appliances are adding wizz-bang so people can justify in their minds spending wild amounts of money for them.
Not only that but most major appliances are basically junk. They brake down within 2 years, Notoriously. So much so, there is major push back in the States for some kind of protection in the line of the right to repair. The attitude from many manufacturers is use and throw away mindset. Apparently in Europe the right to repair is enforced to some degree. When buying these appliances its best to purchase additional repair coverage. Also, one should consider less bells and whistles. Regardless of someone's wealth, braking down in short order is annoying to no end.
Yep....bells and whistles are just something else that can break or malfunction.
Then, the very features you paid more to have, don't work. So you either get it fixed -- IF it can be fixed -- or you're left with a refrigerator that what? -- keeps you food cold -- or a washer that just oh, I don't know -- cleans your clothes. What a concept.
It depends on needs too. I'm happy with a white top loading washing machine, but I don't get the base level model. I want a few bells and whistles. A dishwasher needs to have a sound package so it isn't loud, but I don't need anything extreme. Some people do upgrade their ovens and stoves because they are good cooks and know the difference; whereas, someone like me needs something more than basic, but not professional level. Having lived through a few emergency situations with power outages, we try to buy a house where we can use a natural gas stove so we have hot food if the power goes out. That rules out some of the cooktops.
Please (to the manufactures/marketers). A "sound package"??? I never heard of such a thing until I started looking online at dishwashers. I NEVER had a problem with the noise where one could not hear the TV or a visitor when my dishwasher was running. When did this become an issue? So now this is a new, trendy thing for today's buyers. Trendy equals pricier.......
I also saw that on all the different sites for dishwasher information. the numbers used to buy the quietest to the loudest varied among them all. Since the term used in noise level is dB (for decimals, I am guessing) I didn't know 44 to 54, or 30 something loudness anyway. I purchased without hearing what decimal my dishwasher was and it is fine........
Last edited by Lodestar 77; 02-13-2023 at 08:42 AM..
Well, Sears is out of business now. Their Kenmore appliances were very popular. Where do ordinary people get their appliances now? I've noticed stores in the Denver area that deal in appliances that have slight dings or scrapes due to jostling during transport or packing. They seem to do a brisk business. Maybe that's the new thing?
Note that you won't find Whirlpool appliances at Sears. That's because Whirlpool Corporation manufactures Sears' highly regarded Kenmore brand.
So if there's not a Sears store near you anymore but you want Kenmore quality, look for an appliance dealer that carries Whirlpool.
I don't have to worry about this because I rent, but were I to own my residence, I'd want a front-loading washer because they use much less water than top-loaders. However, they also cost more and (I understand) are more temperamental and prone to breakdowns.
BTW: Decimals are fractional numbers (one-tenth, one-hundredth, and so on). The unit for measuring sound is the decibel (dB), named for telephone inventor Alexander Graham Bell.
Now that you mention those...I wonder about those spending purchases, too.
I have a friend who owns multiple Hermes, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel bags. I think she's nuts. But what am I going to do? She's been a friend for more than 25 years.
I don't lose sleep over it. As someone who'd never pay 5k for a refrigerator, I just marvel at it sometimes. That's all.
I guess -- I know -- the older I get the more I focus on function versus style, or looks.
Same here. Not "Oh, those shoes look nice!", but "Oh, those shoes look comfortable!"
Note that you won't find Whirlpool appliances at Sears. That's because Whirlpool Corporation manufactures Sears' highly regarded Kenmore brand.
So if there's not a Sears store near you anymore but you want Kenmore quality, look for an appliance dealer that carries Whirlpool.
I don't have to worry about this because I rent, but were I to own my residence, I'd want a front-loading washer because they use much less water than top-loaders. However, they also cost more and (I understand) are more temperamental and prone to breakdowns.
BTW: Decimals are fractional numbers (one-tenth, one-hundredth, and so on). The unit for measuring sound is the decibel (dB), named for telephone inventor Alexander Graham Bell.
Please (to the manufactures/marketers). A "sound package"??? I never heard of such a thing until I started looking online at dishwashers. ........
I know. It's ridiculous. A "sound package" on a frigging dishwasher.
My 2006 dryer (oh no, say it ain't so -- a 2006!) (and all dryers now I guess) has a dial knob option for the "loudness" of the buzzer signaling the dryer is done. It's "loud" or "soft" I think. That's not good enough? Now it's got to be a "sound package."
People have lost their common sense. It's gone too far!
Sorry for the venting but this is how many people end up in debt, not having any money saved and living beyond their means "luxury creep"...crying about how they can't make ends meet or retire. IF they can afford it fine. But, if a person doesn't have a year's living expenses saved, AND isn't putting at least 10% of pay into a 401k (if they have one) -- they don't need a talking refrigerator that's also a computer, and TV screen -- that also weighs the food on the shelf, and tells them when to buy groceries. And they don't need a washer that has 10 settings, or a dishwasher with "a sound package."
I know. It's ridiculous. A "sound package" on a frigging dishwasher.
My 2006 dryer (oh no, say it ain't so -- a 2006!) (and all dryers now I guess) has a dial knob option for the "loudness" of the buzzer signaling the dryer is done. It's "loud" or "soft" I think. That's not good enough? Now it's got to be a "sound package."
People have lost their common sense. It's gone too far!
Sorry for the venting but this is how many people end up in debt, not having any money saved and living beyond their means "luxury creep"...crying about how they can't make ends meet or retire. IF they can afford it fine. But, if a person doesn't have a year's living expenses saved, AND isn't putting at least 10% of pay into a 401k (if they have one) -- they don't need a talking refrigerator that's also a computer, and TV screen -- that also weighs the food on the shelf, and tells them when to buy groceries. And they don't need a washer that has 10 settings, or a dishwasher with "a sound package."
The washer with all the settings is worth it when you're washing different sized loads if they're sizing settings. My current Kenmore washer senses the size of the load.
We have two Sub-Zero refrigerators that came with the Arizona house when we bought it. They're both over 20 years old now and still going strong.
One of the features of most Sub-Zero refrigerator/freezer combination units is they have 2 separate compressors - one for the refrigerator, and one for the freezer. Most other brands of refrigerator/freezer units only have a single compressor.
What's the advantage of separate compressors? I suppose it might be that if the fridge compressor fails, you don't lose the food in the freezer and vice-versa. But it does provide two points separate potential points of failure rather than one.
And replacing a Sub-Zero compressor might be 4x the price of replacing the compressor in, say, a GE Monogram unit. (Ask me how I know).
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A "sound package"??? I never heard of such a thing until I started looking online at dishwashers. I NEVER had a problem with the noise where one could not hear the TV or a visitor when my dishwasher was running. When did this become an issue? So now this is a new, trendy thing for today's buyers. Trendy equals pricier.......
