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Comment by EasyMark | Hacker News Reader

buy the simplest devices you can. I believe whirlpool still makes some models in the USA. Evidently (according to reddit) never buy a Samsung or LG kitchen appliance. Whateve r you do get online (reddit and other places) and look for the specific model you're looking at, never buy on a whim, do research. You can eat out for a couple nights if the fridge goes.

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Exactly, simple is good. Software is not simple. Internet-connected software is definitely not simple. If you want anything to work reliably long-term, avoid devices with remote dependencies that the manufacturer will deprecate as soon as they get bored of maintaining them. Anything you want to last more than 5 years should be able to work completely offline.

Yes, analog stuff can be built tough too. See the vacuum cleaners that still work after 50 years lol, because they were overengineered. That's not nearly as profitable, though. So bean counters (fail early, but after warranty period, fail often) are ever at war with engineers who'd rather make a good product for a fair price. I have heard good things about Bosche but yet to buy anything. I will definitely consider them. I'm not really afraid of things made in Europe or USA, unless internet research proves otherwise.

My uncle gave me his used (!) Bosch dryer 12 years ago. It’s outlasted every other appliance we’ve bought since then.

I inherited a 10 year old frigidaire washer and dryer combo, they are still going 10 years later, I haven't even had to replace any of the dials.

Software can be simple too. I haven't needed anything more from my email client, photo editing, word processor or file manager apps for close to a decade.

As far as I'm concerned these tools are feature complete and can be used without subscriptions that phone home constantly.

Samsung fridge, oven, microwave, and washer-dryer user here.

Only the washer dryer was able to get online, and it's the only appliance that had to be replaced after 4 years, but not because of that. The build quality was so-so, it had problems drying and repair was considered unreasonable (leaky hot air ducts, fast wear on the bearing).

The microwave spontaneously loses screws in the door though

> The build quality was so-so […] and repair was considered unreasonable

Par for the course for Samsung, in my experience.

I had an LG refrigerator that was a nightmare. I've had better luck since upgrading to a Bosche.

I second Whirlpool, though, when I remodeled, I donated my working whirlpool washer and dryer that I inherited that was from circa 1980 or so....

Best Buy always has a low-end unit for rental property. They usually last for a good long time.

I have a 30-year-old fridge that I would seriously consider getting repaired if it ever stopped working before I would buy a replacement.

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