General I don't want a "Smart" Refrigerator

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Uncle Tom Doug

Official TMMAC Racist
Jun 24, 2022
1,604
2,638
I worked for whirlpool 20ish years ago as a customer service rep in their Knoxville Call center. I was in school at the time. On our very first day of training, the head trainer dude said the following:

"You know that stove/oven, refrigerator, or washer/dryer that your grandparents have had since before you were born? The one that just works, has worked for the past 40 years, and will continue to work for the next 40 years? Those were built to last. We don't do that anymore because if we aren't constantly selling appliances we aren't constantly making money"

I shit you not, that was almost the first sentence out of his mouth. He then went on to tell us how they purposefully designed appliances with intended lifespans and how they chose parts that would wear out and break so that service calls and replacement parts would be necessary. He also said that they purposefully priced certain parts in a way that would encourage consumers to replace appliances instead of fixing them.

I've tried to avoid appliances with electronic control boards and stupid bells and whistles ever since.

OP, you are absolutely on the right track.
 

NotBanjaxo

Formerly someone other than Banjaxo
Nov 16, 2019
9,382
19,104
It is odd how the number of people who have icemakers that aren't hooked up, and don't work, is kinda staggering.

Like it outnumbers the people with working icemakers. Maybe I only know trashy people...but a few got serious money, and no working icemaker.
When my mum bought her last house some years back, I went with her to view it. The owners (a couple) were discussing what appliances would be included in the price, and one they spoke of was the fridge/freezer.

It had an ice maker built in, which they said would dispense crushed ice at the touch of a button. I asked for a demonstration.

I could see a concerned look on the wife's face, but she said sure. She got a glass from the cupboard (I noticed that it was the widest glass there) and proceeded to use the crushed ice dispenser.

It did dispenser crushed ice into the glass, but despite her best efforts it also dispensed crushed ice in all directions, scattering little chunks all over the kitchen floor.

Needless to say, my mum declined to pay for the fridge/freezer, and bought a new one without any gadgets instead.

I don't know whether that one was a particularly shit make, but it put me off anything other than a basic type for good.
 

Papi Chingon

Domesticated Hombre
Oct 19, 2015
28,336
35,350
I worked for whirlpool 20ish years ago as a customer service rep in their Knoxville Call center. I was in school at the time. On our very first day of training, the head trainer dude said the following:

"You know that stove/oven, refrigerator, or washer/dryer that your grandparents have had since before you were born? The one that just works, has worked for the past 40 years, and will continue to work for the next 40 years? Those were built to last. We don't do that anymore because if we aren't constantly selling appliances we aren't constantly making money"

I shit you not, that was almost the first sentence out of his mouth. He then went on to tell us how they purposefully designed appliances with intended lifespans and how they chose parts that would wear out and break so that service calls and replacement parts would be necessary. He also said that they purposefully priced certain parts in a way that would encourage consumers to replace appliances instead of fixing them.

I've tried to avoid appliances with electronic control boards and stupid bells and whistles ever since.

OP, you are absolutely on the right track.
I don't doubt all electronics companies doing this, but I still trust Whirlpool/Maytag over smart phone manufacturers for longevity and function over chinese smart phone and tv manufacturers. I had an Amana that lasted over 20 years, then due to supply chain bullshit had to settle for a Samsung fridge for replacement. Absolutely beautiful refrigerator, but what an absolute piece of shit.
 

Uncle Tom Doug

Official TMMAC Racist
Jun 24, 2022
1,604
2,638
I still trust Whirlpool/Maytag over smart phone manufacturers for longevity and function over chinese smart phone and tv manufacturers
I do the same, Sir. I just buy the Whirlpool/Maytag appliances that have knobs and simple shit. Whirlpool's budget brand was Roper back when I worked for them. It still might be. A majority of our calls back then were for KitchenAid and Whirlpool branded appliances because they had all the new bullshit. The Ropers were basic and had problems, too, but they were usually cheap and easy to fix.
 

Jamie999

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2024
452
447
I don't want to run plumbing to the fridge, not convenient at all.

When I find a nice new fridge it usually has ice maker and is "smart", I don't need either.

I just want a cool new fridge with a quality build and no bells or whistles.

Price not a factor.
Go commercial then.
 

Jamie999

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2024
452
447
I worked for whirlpool 20ish years ago as a customer service rep in their Knoxville Call center. I was in school at the time. On our very first day of training, the head trainer dude said the following:

"You know that stove/oven, refrigerator, or washer/dryer that your grandparents have had since before you were born? The one that just works, has worked for the past 40 years, and will continue to work for the next 40 years? Those were built to last. We don't do that anymore because if we aren't constantly selling appliances we aren't constantly making money"

I shit you not, that was almost the first sentence out of his mouth. He then went on to tell us how they purposefully designed appliances with intended lifespans and how they chose parts that would wear out and break so that service calls and replacement parts would be necessary. He also said that they purposefully priced certain parts in a way that would encourage consumers to replace appliances instead of fixing them.

I've tried to avoid appliances with electronic control boards and stupid bells and whistles ever since.

OP, you are absolutely on the right track.
Dude was just bitter lol. Probably passed over for a promotion or something.

Things aren't designed to break so much as they are designed for a certain price point. Features sell, durability doesn't sell nearly as well. This is a demand side problem not a supply side one. Get as many features packed into a pretty package for as cheap as you can doesn't = durable long lasting product. That's really that simple.

If you design something to intentionally break you're opening yourself up to a lot of liability. Even if a company did that... They wouldn't tell some low level employee that shit.. It would be people 20 levels above him having those conversations.
 

NotBanjaxo

Formerly someone other than Banjaxo
Nov 16, 2019
9,382
19,104
Smart appliances are also vulnerable to hackers
Lol, what's the big score for a hacker who gains access to your fridge?

"Ha, I just turned the temperature up, that guy's milk will be ruined by tomorrow!"
 

Lamont Cranston

Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?
First 100
Jan 15, 2015
4,892
5,123
Not interested in all that shit.
I just want a good Fridge like the old days.
Fridge up top and freezer down below.

Been checking them out and all the nice ones are "SMART" and have Ice makers, fuck all that shit.

How the fuck does a guy find a normal fridge nowadays?
It's like cars.

I just want a car that has 4 wheels and drives.

I don't want wifi and screen and self driving and parking, or any crazy sheet.

Hell, I prefer windows I have to roll down and to me, A/C is a luxury.

Why can't I have a plain car?
 

MountainMedic

Rock Kicker
Sep 28, 2017
4,546
9,460
It's like cars.

I just want a car that has 4 wheels and drives.

I don't want wifi and screen and self driving and parking, or any crazy sheet.

Hell, I prefer windows I have to roll down and to me, A/C is a luxury.

Why can't I have a plain car?
I'm convinced that if someone just came out with a simple 4wd box that had manual everything and a heater that works they wouldn't be able to sell them fast enough.
 

Lamont Cranston

Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?
First 100
Jan 15, 2015
4,892
5,123
I'm convinced that if someone just came out with a simple 4wd box that had manual everything and a heater that works they wouldn't be able to sell them fast enough.
I am so tired of the auto industry telling me what I want.

No.

I know what I want and you are not making it.
 

Wiggy

We. Live. In. A. Fucking. Meme.
Oct 23, 2015
899
1,630
Lol, what's the big score for a hacker who gains access to your fridge?

"Ha, I just turned the temperature up, that guy's milk will be ruined by tomorrow!"
Not only is it a backdoor to your network like kvr28 @kvr28 said, but it gives other people / entities access to your appliances.

I don't remember if it was this summer or last, but I heard stories coming out of CA that when electricity started getting rationed, rolling blackouts, etc, people with "smart" thermostats would come up to find their A/C jacked up to 78 degrees, turned off, or other shit like that when they didn't do it...the power company was remotely doing it in the name of "energy savings" or whatever other nonsense.

Imagine coming home and wondering why your fridge just doesn't seem to keep things cool like it used to, only to find out the power company was fucking with that while you're at work, too.

Fuck all this "smart" fridge, oven, lights, thermostat, washer/dryer, & all that other nonsense.
 

segfault

Posting Machine
Aug 13, 2024
705
1,377
Don't bring software developers into real life. That goes for appliances, cars, fleshlights, and so on. No good will come of it.
 

Bushkill Blades

Knife Faggot
Oct 25, 2016
762
1,537
I remember the days of the Maytag Repair Man.

Back in a time when we would service our appliances rather than throwing them away and they'd last 50 fucking years.

 

Jesus X

4 drink minimum.
Sep 7, 2015
29,883
32,411
It is creepy that they can predict your behavior with smart fridges it is big brother AF but that is low ofln the list of big brother devices like smart phones and ring cameras the fact that a ring camera can motion sense someone in the middle of the street is a bit of a double edged sword because it provides security but privacy is completely gone now.
 

Rambo John J

Baker Team
First 100
Jan 17, 2015
76,877
76,016
I remember the days of the Maytag Repair Man.

Back in a time when we would service our appliances rather than throwing them away and they'd last 50 fucking years.

I guess I could try to repair this one
It is a 15 year old Amana
The coils or whatever down in the freezer ice up real easily and I have to keep defrosting the whole thing and restarting it, which is getting old.