Modern conveniences. My foot!

Eight months ago I purchased an upscale washer and dryer. It’s the brand where the service rep supposedly has no work. Well, they’ve been to my home twice already – once for each product.

The washer has a plastic ring over the drum that crumbled around the edges. The repairman said some people need to replace the ring once or twice a year. And of course, each time there is a service fee on top of the replacement part.

I told him that I had my last washer and dryer for twenty years. He laughed and said, “Well that won’t happen again. “

And I fuss with my computer, printer, cell phone, or internet modem nearly every week. In the midst of research, creative thought process, or juicy conversation, it chokes, freezes, or shuts down. But there is a bright side. I now have more tech support friends in India than cousins, and I have a lot of cousins.

Not only do these glitches waste hours of valuable time, they come with significant expense. Remember when a manufacturer would replace or repair your item a decade after purchase? Today most only offer a one year warranty. After that you are on your own. That tells you how much confidence the manufacturer has in its own products.

These “modern conveniences” are supposed to make our life easier, right? Well I say if my smart phone was so smart, it would fix itself. And that goes for my fancy washer, dryer, and computer too!

©Mary K. Doyle