Interesting take, but have you considered the quality of older appliances compared to newer models? I've found that some older fridges or washers—especially from reputable brands—are built sturdier and actually easier (and cheaper) to repair. Newer appliances often have more electronics, which can mean pricier fixes down the line. Maybe it's less about complexity and more about build quality and ease of DIY repairs... thoughts?
"Newer appliances often have more electronics, which can mean pricier fixes down the line."
Exactly this. My grandma's fridge is older than I am and still kicking strong—meanwhile, my "smart" washer threw an error code last week that needed a NASA engineer to decode... I'll take sturdy simplicity any day.
Same boat here. Bought a fancy dishwasher for a rental unit—figured tenants would appreciate the bells and whistles. Fast forward six months, it's flashing cryptic error codes and costing me triple what my old basic one did to fix. Lesson learned: simpler usually means fewer headaches down the road.
"Lesson learned: simpler usually means fewer headaches down the road."
Couldn't agree more. When we refinanced, I splurged on a high-end fridge thinking it'd boost resale value later... but two service calls in the first year had me regretting it. Sometimes basic reliability beats fancy features hands-down.
I get your point, but honestly, buying new can sometimes save headaches too. When we moved in, the previous owners left behind an older washer and dryer. Thought it was a win at first, but within two months the washer started leaking—turns out, repairs cost almost as much as buying new. Ended up replacing both anyway. Sometimes spending a bit more upfront can actually be the smarter move... at least in terms of reliability and warranty coverage.
