Stop appliance genocide

[tw]

Originally Posted by Squawk

The Space Shuttle's primary flight computer had 1MB storage and a clock speed of 1.4 MHz, over a thousand times slower than my laptop I'm using now which takes about 2 minutes just to load Windows.

The naive assumed space exploration created so many high tech products. Space qualified hardware is typically 10 or more years obsolete. For example, a computer in Martian Rovers is an 8086 - a late 1970s technology.

Appliances do not fail because newer stuff is always crap. When business school graduates replace hardware designers, then hardware is unreliable - years later. But it sure is profitable. That (and not that it is new) explains why so many 'green' appliances fail.

Obvious is why. Business school graduates merged those appliance companies. Hotpoint (a lowest end product) is now made on same assembly lines that make KitcheAid. Business school graduates merged those and many more white appliance businesses into one. Profits (not the product and not quality) are only relevant.

Cars designed by engineers now last 20 years. My first Ford and GM cars were rusting out in two years. Why? Business school graduates discovered that not painting inside of doors and fenders would reduce costs - increase profits.

GM still makes obsolete (crappy) V-8 engines. Well, GM suppliers must also supply parts for more reliable foreign manufacturers. Last time I looked, more cars are assembled in America for import manufacturers then for domestic ones. So even GM's quality increased. Because their part suppliers had to increase their quality to supply parts for companies with cars designed by engineers.

I will never forget a conversation with the president of one of GM's part suppliers. He was acidic saying, "GM will show me how to reduce by costs." Even GM employees in that factory complained about parts from that factory failing repeatedly in their GM cars.

Due to requirements such as pollution control, engines are more reliable and cost less to operate - both in fuel and in maintenance. New means better when the industry's products are designed by people who "come from where the work gets done".

When newer products are less reliable, then top management comes from business schools. As so often demonstrated in the TV show "Undercover Boss", too many bosses have no idea how the work gets done. That is now a problem in what was once a very reliable American industry - white appliances. Reliability is why Bosch, Samsung, and LG are growing in the American market.

How did business school graduates pay for their money game mergers? Maytag sold their newest technology to Samsung. Neptune series means Samsung gets more reliable and Maytag earns a less reliable reputation (in the next 10 and 20 years).

To see the resulting damage today, then view spread sheets and market growth numbers 10 and 20 years later. That is when bad management is quantified. Product quality defines that problem much sooner.

[glatt]

I'm still looking for a gas range to replace the crap Maytag we have now.

After a conversation with my wife, I have resigned myself to accepting a range with a poorly laid out touchpad screen. After all, as she pointed out, even if the UI is horrible, after using it for a little while I will learn how to use it.

The problem is, after lowering that standard, I'm finding lots of potential winners. Until I read the reviews. When multiple people complain in reviews that the paint on Samsung ranges starts to peel off the cooktop after only a couple months, you have to take notice. When numerous reviewers say that the Kenmores vent oven heat at unusually high temperatures directly onto the touch pad, so you burn yourself when you try to use the controls, you pay attention. Similar problem with the GE's venting onto the metal burner knobs so you need to use potholders to turn the knobs. I've looked at high end Vikings, and they are better, but lack conveniences like a drawer to store your cookie sheets.

It's getting really discouraging. I don't think I am being particular, but obviously I am. I can't find a range at any price that I would be willing to buy. I haven't looked at every one yet. Maybe Amana makes good ones.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Go snap up Mystove.com right now.
Design a better one.
Make it in Minnesota.
"Buy Mystove, you'll be glatt you did."
Retire in luxury.

[tw]

Originally Posted by glatt

Maybe Amana makes good ones.

KitchenAid, Maytag and Amana are now same products made by Whirlpool. However it gets more confusing. Some Maytag and Amana product lines have been sold to other companies.

Those companies are being disassembled to increase profits.

GE is a dying company - for so long that is it finally appearing on spread sheets.

Same thing happened when 1950 and 1960s American cars were world's best. Then business school graduates took over in the 1960s. Innovation that did not happen in the 60s meant 70s cars got bad. So bad that an engineer was no longer allowed to innovate unless that innovation was required by Federal regulations.

What happened there in the 1960s is now ongoing in the white appliance industry.

Consumer Reports - and then hope a business school graduate did not recently cost control that product.