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IMHO, appliances built after the 1970s are generally crap. And are getting crappier. Imported appliances, from Asia, are also suspect. Large or small, it doesn't matter.
If you can find pre-1970 appliances that also have parts available for repair, you will be better off.
(Sears Kenmore, for example, often have repair manuals and parts for sale.)
CAVEAT - watch out for "Energy Star" ratings. The manufacturers often do "strange things" to get those high ratings.
Ex: recently purchased dishwasher has a bizarre cycle, where it keeps shutting off every minute or so. A complete cycle is near TWO HOURS. But it "saves energy!"
(Sigh)
We owned an Amana fridge from 1999-2012 and the only reason we don't continue to own it is because we moved, and gave it to someone else to continue to use.
Generalizations are simply not helpful. Older appliances might last longer, but their size and features became outdated, and they are not energy efficient. And it takes time and money to make them last over the years. With a very old appliance, service and parts become scarce. How many of us want to learn how to get a 45 year old fridge keep going for 5 more years? Or a dishwasher? A stove, maybe.
I've bought appliances from Craigslist before and been happy with them.
It's true that appliances don't seem to last like they used to, but lots of the simpler things that will fail on them are easy to replace and the parts are cheaper than a new appliance.
I will give you a head's up on stoves. Back in the 1970s and 1980s, a 27" drop-in electric stove was fairly common as a builders' grade stove. I built a house with one, and I bought a house with one. Fast forward to 2006 or so when I wanted to replace my stove. I found one manufacturer, GE, who charged almost $900 for a basic stove that did nothing but self-clean and fit the space. It came in black or black oven with a white stovetop. I bought the black-and-white version. I wanted stainless, but it was not an option.
Now even GE doesn't manufacture one. According to internet forums like "This Old House," no one does. That means if your stove goes out, you have a major problem replacing it. The cabinets and countertops are going to have to be redone at least in that area. My daughter-in-law and son had a slide-in that size so they have a gap where they used an apartment-size stove.
A used stove that fits that space might be a blessing. But in any case, measure that opening!
Auctions. We bought a lot of really nice antique furniture at auctions for great prices. We got an antique oak dinning room table with 7 leaves for $100, a beautiful vanity for $25, and the list goes on. We even got a big beautiful table with burl wood for only $5. Nobody else wanted it. Love auctions (a little too much )
We owned an Amana fridge from 1999-2012 and the only reason we don't continue to own it is because we moved, and gave it to someone else to continue to use.
Generalizations are simply not helpful. Older appliances might last longer, but their size and features became outdated, and they are not energy efficient. And it takes time and money to make them last over the years. With a very old appliance, service and parts become scarce. How many of us want to learn how to get a 45 year old fridge keep going for 5 more years? Or a dishwasher? A stove, maybe.
Your experience of 15 years of faithful service is not irrefutable evidence for the whole industry.
My experience was different, our less than 17 year old refrigerator (installed when the house was built in 1998), needed replacement in 2014.
The range's broiler door hinges broke off.
We've gone through THREE dishwashers. (Darby, GE, and now Maytag)
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