At its height in the late 1980's - early 1990's, Maytag offered its iconic washer. A well manufactured machine that lasted, with an average life of 17-19 years. The machine was very simple, operating with knobs, buttons, belts and they were easily serviced.
Appliances now last about half that time for a variety of reasons.
First is energy efficiency. In the 1980s, California initiated the first energy efficiency laws. In order for products to be sold, they would meet certain requirements. That program would morph into todays national EnergyStar program. It would also affect how manufacturers produce new products.
Let's look at each type of product:
Washers
For example, that Maytag consumed 40-45 gallons of water per wash. In comparison, today's "High Efficiency" washers consume a third of that amount, averaging 15-18 gallons per wash. The old school washer was also known to consume 3 times the amount of electricity and possess half the usable capacity.
Refrigerators
Refrigerators have been affected by the new energy requirements more than any other product. You see less manufacturers in top freezer and bottom freezer (not French door) refrigerators, because compliance is so difficult.
The following chart lists how far "energy conscious" 18 cu. ft. refrigerators have evolved:
| Annual Electrical Consumption | Cost | |
| 1972 | 2000 kWh | $270.00 per year |
| 1990 | 900 kWh | $121.50 per year |
| 1993 | 690 kWh | $93.15 per year |
| 2014 | 436 kWh | $64.00 per year |
Globalization
Back in the day, that iconic Maytag washer was built in one factory by the same people who used the same parts. Ironically, the most reliable companies like Miele and Gaggenau still produce similarly, but they are outliers.
Currently, most products are designed in one place, manufactured in Mexico, China or Korea with sourced, less expensive parts from other areas. This leaves room for misunderstandings (to be kind) and product failures.
Get our free Appliance Buying Guide for in-depth reviews about all the most popular brands
How Long Do Appliances Last?
The United Servicers Association estimates that your recent / new appliance will last about 6 - 10 years. They also require more service.
Average life of recently manufactured appliances:
- Dishwashers and Washers hang on to the short end of that stick, because they operate with the deadly combination of water and moving parts - Average current life is about 6-7 years.
- Refrigerators fall into the middle of today’s average - Their current life is estimated at 8 -10 years.
- The less used / less cycling, cooking appliances having the best chance to maybe reach a double digit life - Average life is about 9 - 11 years.
Where's The Balance?
Yeah, the longer life may seem better, but, let's not lose site of how much more energy efficient today's appliances are; with shorter and more frequent cycling, LED lighting, a third of the electric and water consumption, larger capacity and ECO friendly technologies. All are good news for the environment.
What is not in these numbers is how many people simply throw away their malfunctioning appliance. Many problems can be effectively mitigated by decent service for a fraction of the cost of a new product.
Related Articles
Additional Resources
Get the Yale Appliance Buyers Guide with features, brands and effective buying strategies. Well over 60,000 people have read a Yale Guide.
Why Should You Trust Us?
It seems that every appliance review has nothing but glowing comments about almost every product, yet you read customer reviews and they are almost universally bad.
We are here to fill in the disconnect. We'll give you the best features, and the drawbacks as well, including reliability based on over 37,000 calls performed by our service team just last year. Our goal is to give you ALL the information so you know what's right for you.
Please consider subscribing or adding to the conversation in the comments below. We appreciate you stopping by.
A Note About Pricing
Pricing on this blog is for reference only and may include time sensitive rebates. We make every attempt to provide accurate pricing at time of publishing. Please call the stores for most accurate price.
Topics:
