They don’t make ‘em like they used to

They do. And they burn cleaner (almost as, if not as, clean as NatGas) and last just as long. Modern wood stoves often use catalytic converters to achieve a cleaner burn with no extra moving parts. Here's one [1] from Home Depot's website. There's a set of EPA certified wood stoves that burn hotter/more efficiently and thus release fewer hazardous combustion related byproducts [2]

[1]: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Pleasant-Hearth-Medium-1-800-sq-... [2]: https://www.epa.gov/burnwise/epa-certified-wood-stoves

They do make them like they used to and yes they are expensive. But they also have temperature control and can come in electric: https://agaaustralia.com.au/aga

https://www.esse.com/range-cookers/1000-x/

Like many things, people wanted cheaper and they wanted it now. I refer to this [1] excellent website to explain the economics of purchasing equipment or services, buying your first or last oven or for use in project management decision making.

[1] https://fastgood.cheap/

Also, Imagine if someone built an oven that was supposed to last 100 years in 1973. It would have been thrown in the trash by 1999 anywyay because it would have been so ugly that almost no one would be willing to keep it in their house.

I think the design from this era will hold up a lot better than that era but most things will not be used for 100 years on this point alone.

And of course the survivorship bias that ignores the millions that failed or broke. There really isn't any economic difference between how products were manufactured long ago and how they are now -- they're both built to perform the expected task, and it would be a waste of effort and materials to make it do more. When your processes and materials aren't very well controlled, then making the average product last a reasonable time means that some products will last much longer.