I’d have to chime in with televisions and refrigerators, respectively. although this is based on personal experience…my fridge is this ancient Admiral thing, don’t know the year exactly, (any way to find out perhaps?) but I’m betting it’s from the eighties, due to its design. I bought it used from an elderly woman about ten years ago, and she said that while she’s had it for a while, it worked just fine. It’s yellow, although it may have been white at one point…lol. But indeed, the thing works juuust fine. It could actually be a bit colder, but overall I’m satisfied with it. Since I’ve yet to see the need to replace it, I can’t say if newer fridges are better.
I also just bought a new TV, so again, since it’s brand new, can’t say much about it…I mean, it’s really pretty with a damn good image, obviously, better quality than older sets. But how long shall it last…? I had a small Lloyd’s set, had it for years…thing was indestructible, and it followed me for years. One of those old TV’s with knobs for changing the channel. You couldn’t touch the color buttons on the bottom; it was SO sensitive. I got the hang of it eventually…but it was a good TV. Good picture, and it just wouldn’t die. The only reason I don’t have it anymore is because water got spilled right on and some fell inside the TV. Was ruined after that. But otherwise, I wonder if it would still work today. Electronics as a whole seemed a lot sturdier back in the day…most of mine are old. Telephone, (doesn’t even have a display window) alarm clock, microwave, all complete with faux wood finish haha. They all work fine, yet I’m always hearing people at work going on about how they keep needing to buy new electronics all the time.