Re:Generation Junk
by pixl97 on Thursday December 28, 2023 @12:58AM
(#38790522)
A Kenmore toaster in 1951 was $21 new, or $253 now.
And if you go buy a commercial toaster it will (likely) last as long as one of those old toasters on average.
This said those old appliances could be fixed, but today the labor costs of having someone else do it would be astronomical for most people. A significant portion of the total cost.
Re:Generation Junk
by dehrmann on Thursday December 28, 2023 @03:01AM
(#38791118)
What changed to bring down the cost so much? There's some clever bits to make them work, but the bill of materials is low, and none of the parts or manufacturing should be all that complex.
And if you go buy a commercial toaster it will (likely) last as long as one of those old toasters on average.
This said those old appliances could be fixed, but today the labor costs of having someone else do it would be astronomical for most people. A significant portion of the total cost.