They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To: Are Old Appliances Better Than New Ones?

You probably know someone — a grandparent, your great aunt or the neighbor down the street — who has an appliance older than you. It might be a fridge in retro colors, a gas range that first fired up during WWII or a dryer that's eaten socks for decades. At the same time, you probably know someone — several someones, even — who bought an appliance in the past few years that's already died.

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Why do older appliances last longer than their newer counterparts? Is it planned obsolescence, loss of appliance-fixing knowledge or just a trick of anecdotal data making you think old stuff outlasts new stuff? Find out more below.

Why Do Older Appliances Seem to Last Longer Than Modern Models?

Older appliances do more than seem to last longer. They often have longer lifespans than newer options. The New York Times published data about the longevity of various types of appliances, and even from 2010 to 2019, the numbers are telling:

• Front-load washer. 2010's models lasted 18% longer than 2019's models.

• Electric ranges. 2010's models lasted 27.5% longer.

• Dishwashers. 2010's models lasted 4.8% longer.

Even older appliances often lasted much longer than products produced in this century. Reasons for this include:

• A different consumer mindset. Consumer and market changes over the decades have reduced the need for manufacturers to make products that stick with the home. In the past, consumers were much more likely to repair items than replace them, and manufacturers had to build products that held up over time and could be repaired many times. It's not so much that older appliances lasted longer but that they were more likely to be fixed when they broke.

• Sturdier materials. Older appliances tended to include a lot more metal than today's. Plastic components weren't popular in appliances until around the 1960s, and even then, refrigerators and other products included more robust materials, such as metal and wood.

• Simpler designs. New appliances tend to have more component that can break, so the odds are stacked against them. Computer elements, screens and complex moving parts can increase the cost and difficulty of repairs, making it more likely people will replace newer appliances instead of fixing them.

• Do Newer Appliances Really Break Down More Often Than Their Older Counterparts?

Modern appliances tend to break down more frequently than older ones, primarily due to the use of less robust parts and more complex features. However, some survivorship bias is probably at play. Families are more likely to talk about the 60-year-old fridge at Grandma's house still keeping things cool and less likely to remember the calls for general repairs required on other appliances over the years.

What Is 'Planned Obsolescence,' and How Does It Relate to Appliances?

Planned obsolescence is a strategy businesses use to ensure they have a returning customer base. It's used across all types of sectors, including modern home appliances.

Imagine you make refrigerators. If your refrigerators last 50 years, it eventually becomes much harder to sell them. Every house already has one, and it takes 50 years for homes to cycle through and buy a new fridge.

Planned obsolescence creates reasons for people to buy new products. One way to do that is by reducing expected longevity by creating a less durable product. Using plastic components instead of metal ones or making parts hard to find or replace are ways of reducing longevity.

But not all modern appliance planned obsolescence causes the products to fail. Many times, families replace appliances that are still working because they want a newer model with more advanced features. Companies introduce new features to create feature-based obsolescence, and the fact that not many people hang on to their new appliances for a long time can make it seem like older ones had much longer lifespans.

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Are Old Appliances Really "Better" Than New Ones?

It depends on how you define "better." Yes, on average, older appliances probably lasted longer than modern appliances. They were built with more durable materials and are often easier to fix. Simpler construction and fewer computerized features mean DIY-types can often troubleshoot older appliances themselves. Modern home and kitchen appliances can be impossible to fix on your own, and even experienced repair teams may struggle to find just the right part for the proprietary technical systems on new appliances.

But old kitchen appliances didn't have as many helpful features as modern products. A newer fridge can tell you what items you need on your grocery list, help you manage your family schedule, keep fruits, veggies, meats and cheeses all at ideal temperatures, and automatically refill the pitcher of chilled, filtered water every time someone gulps down a glass. Grandma's fridge from the last century isn't doubling as the kitchen's personal assistant.

Older appliances are less likely to be energy-efficient. They use more energy, which is hard on the environment and your wallet. While modern appliances may come with shorter lifespans, you might save money in the long run on your utility bill. Similarly, older appliances often don't have safety features that've become standard on newer models, which might put your family at risk for injury.

Ultimately, whether or not old appliances are better for your house comes down to personal preference. Old appliances tend to be sturdy and decent at a specific job. However, they may also be louder than newer models and not have the features for a modern lifestyle.