See it at workWhy do old appliances sometimes seem to last longer than new ones?
An appliance that survives for decades is unusually visible, while the weak products from the same era have already disappeared. Modern products also differ in price tier, efficiency, electronics and repair economics, so age alone does not identify build quality. Some product studies find declining service life in specific categories and periods, but the evidence does not support a universal claim that all old appliances lasted longer.