Scientists Test Whether ‘They Don’t Make Them Like They Used To’ Adage Holds Water

Are home appliances really not built to last nowadays?

TRONDHEIM, Norway — Have you ever complained that your washing machine doesn’t last as long as your parents’ did? Or found yourself grumbling that your oven needed replacing far sooner than expected? If so, you’re not alone. Many people believe modern appliances are designed to fail prematurely. These victims of “planned obsolescence” think that manufacturers deliberately make products that won’t last.

This belief has become so widespread that even European Union policy documents state that “the lifetime of many products has in fact been decreasing” and “products break down too quickly.” But is this actually true, or just something we’ve all come to accept without evidence?

A recent study from Norwegian researchers challenges this commonly held belief. Looking at data spanning decades, they found that most household appliances haven’t actually gotten less durable over time. Only washing machines and ovens showed significant lifespan decreases, while fridges, freezers, dishwashers, and dryers have maintained fairly consistent lifetimes throughout the years.

The Real Story Behind Appliance Lifespans

The research, published in the Journal of Industrial Ecology, takes a fresh look at the lifespans of six major household appliances. By examining decades of sales and ownership patterns in Norway, they tracked how long these products typically last in real-world use.

Washing machine lifespans did decrease substantially, dropping from about 19 years to less than 11 years (a 45% reduction). Oven lifespans showed a similar trend, shortening from nearly 24 years to around 14 years (a 39% decrease). But the other appliances studied, like refrigerators, freezers, tumble dryers, and dishwashers, showed no significant lifetime changes over the decades.

These findings throw cold water on the blanket assumption that all modern products are designed to fail early. Instead, they point to more specific, contextual factors affecting certain product categories.

Why Are Some Appliances Breaking Down Sooner?

What might explain why only washing machines and ovens are breaking down faster? For washing machines, changing usage patterns likely play a major role. Norwegian families ran approximately two washing cycles weekly in 1960, but by 2000, this had jumped to eight cycles per week. Since washing machine durability usually relates to the number of cycles rather than calendar years, more frequent use naturally leads to earlier replacement.

For ovens, the changing role of kitchens in modern homes may be the culprit. Kitchens have transformed from purely functional spaces to social hubs, with open-concept designs becoming the norm. This shift has sparked more frequent kitchen renovations in Norway. Since many ovens are built into cabinetry (an estimated 80% in Norway), kitchen updates often trigger appliance replacements for aesthetic reasons rather than functional failures.

Appliances have also become relatively less expensive compared to Norwegian household incomes over the decades. When products are cheaper to replace, people may be less motivated to repair them. The researchers observed that during the 2007-2008 financial crisis, appliance sales noticeably dropped, suggesting that when money gets tight, people keep their appliances running longer.

When consumers believe manufacturers deliberately design products to fail early, they become less inclined to invest in repairs or proper maintenance. Meanwhile, manufacturers who think consumers expect short-lived products have less reason to prioritize durability in their designs. These mutual expectations may be self-reinforcing, regardless of whether companies are purposefully designing products to not last as long.

Rethinking Our Approach to Product Sustainability

Current efforts to extend product lifetimes, such as “right to repair” laws and eco-design regulations, often treat all product categories as facing similar durability issues. However, the study indicates we need more tailored approaches that account for the specific usage patterns and contexts of different appliances.

For washing machines, this might mean focusing on designs that can handle more cycles rather than more years. For kitchen appliances, standardized sizes, and more flexible kitchen designs could help reduce premature disposal of functioning ovens during renovations.

The study used an innovative method based on national statistics rather than consumer surveys, which can be affected by memory biases. By looking at the relationship between sales data and ownership rates over many decades, the researchers could spot major lifetime changes without relying on people’s recollections.

Some appliances do have shorter lifespans today, but this isn’t happening across the board. Instead of making manufacturers the villains, blame can be put on a mix of technical, economic, and social factors that vary by product type.

Consider how your usage patterns, maintenance habits, and replacement decisions affect how long products last. Next time someone says, “They don’t make them like they used to,” you might mention that for many appliances, they actually do—but how we use them has changed dramatically.