The kettle we had when we first married in 1979 lasted us almost 20 years. In 2009 when we got Cornerstones, our Leicester kettle had just broken. We purchased two identical kettles. Then we moved here in 2015, and two years later [end of January 2017] our kettle here died. Summer 2019 we had to replace the Cornerstones kettle. In both cases it was a fault with the lid. It wouldn't stay shut and therefore the water took ages to boil. And Bob couldn't fix it.*
Now the Dorset kettle is kaput - this time it's the on-off switch which has snapped. Silly little plastic fittings which break and cannot be replaced. That is only three years of use. Am I being unreasonable expecting it to last longer? The standard guarantee seems to be 2 years.**
On Sunday when disaster struck, I went into proper WW2 mode. I boiled a saucepan of water on the hob, filled the teapot, then poured the leftover into a thermos flask for later. I have a reasonable kettle at Cornerstones [and also a cheap £5 Tesco basics in the cupboard there too] so I'll collect one of them in February. I am not buying another kettle this month. We've had enough unexpected expenditure already this year.
Why can't things be made better? Or at least made so they can be repaired?
My SIL has just bought herself a new Pfaff sewing machine. Her old one [from the mid 1970s] was declared "beyond economic repair". After more than forty years, she wasn't complaining. She was able to pass the old one on to Tools With A Mission [here] who will spend time fixing it, so it can be used to bless others.
*he did a brilliant job fixing my steam iron just before Christmas though. That was bought in 2008. I hope it will keep going for a few more years yet.
**mine have lasted 19 yrs, 11 yrs, 8yrs and 3 yrs. Not a good progression.
I do agree that lots of things aren't lasting like they used to. I am trying to work out how long we have had this kettle-I'm pretty sure it came from my childhood home so it is at least 7years (if not more) if so. We've had a few toasters go in that time-but all of them have been inherited from CBC's mum or Dad. The knobs on our towel rails are these crude, thin, cheap rubbish plastic things covered in silver paint to look classy & they were already cracked when we bought the house, meaning they were only 2-3 years old. We can't find replacements.
ReplyDelete"crude, thin, cheap, rubbish plastic" - your phrase sums it up very neatly. So many of the world's environmental problems seem to have have been caused by people choosing to use CTCRP instead of durable, natural materials.
DeleteI'm sorry your kettle quit working, Angela. I have a whistling kettle that I've had for years, but, it is not electric. I set it on top of the stove and boil water in it. But, if I want only a little water to make a cup of tea, I boil it in small saucepan I use just for the purpose. It was given to me back in 1976, by a friend and it wasn't new when she gave it to me. :)
ReplyDeleteI don't think we've used a stove-top kettle for 50years or more in my family (except for when we've been camping)
DeleteYes, I agree. Kettles and toasters just don't last, even the expensive ones. The last toaster I bought was a cheap one and has lasted longer than any of the expensive ones recently. And my current kettle cost £5 from a charity shop because I'm fed up paying more than I need to when they just don't last. I have a feeling that Aldi or Lidl are selling stove top kettles just now.
ReplyDeleteYou are right about the Aldi & Lidl kettles. They have a 3 year warranty too
DeleteI am just changing my 20 year old microwave for a new one. It still works but I am a bit dubious about safety now. I wonder how long the new one will last!
ReplyDelete