We all love it when something we buy lasts a long time, or way longer than expected. My Mum and Dad had a Bosch fridge in their kitchen for almost 40 years - they bought it around 1960. It seems to me that electronic gadgets today are designed deliberately to last only a few years before they need to be replaced. Many now have chips that need updating and that eventually will no longer be supported by the manufacturers. You can be sure that a 1960 Bosch fridge did not have a micro-chip.
Yesterday my beard trimmer, purchased around 1995, finally packed it in. It still works, but a broken screw casing means that the blades could not work properly - so sadly, my Philips Trimmer Type HP 2525/A (so old that Google can't find it!) will soon be on its way to the small electronic section in Ballyogan Recycling Facility. After 15 years this gadget owes me nothing - I can safely say it is the oldest gadget in my house. Why can't everything last this long? We have been through several microwaves, TVs, washing machines, dishwashers, fridges (we should have bought a Bosch), and loads of other gadgets that often only last a short time - since 1995. Why can't manufacturers put on the label how long they expect a gadget to last - eg "Average lifespan of this device is XX years". What are they afraid of?
For the record, I went straight to Arnotts at lunch today and only had one brand on my mind - I purchased a Philips QG3040 4 in 1 Grooming Kit with which I hope to keep my beard neat and tidy every week for the next 15 years. Wouldn't it be a good advertisement for their gadgets if they could show how long they last? You never see this.
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