Durable Goods

On Dec 5, 2010 I wrote about my old mixer.  Today I write about my new blender. A few days ago I bought a sleek Black and Decker blender.  My old blender (pictured on the left) was more than 30 years old.  The motor still worked, the bowl was just fine, but the rubber gasket that prevented liquids from leaking out of the bowl worn out.  This is a 30 cent piece of rubber that is impossible to replace.  No online store even lists my old blender’s name or parts.  The company, owned by SCM, when I bought the machine is now owned by Hamilton Beach.  The old machine was made in the USA; the new one in China.

I spent a long time trying to decide which blender to purchase because I seem to have a hard time purchasing durable goods.  I’m driving a 19 year old car because I dread the process of making a new car purchase.  New blenders cost any where from $25 to $500.  The more expensive ones are for heavy institutional use.  I ended up buying one that cost less that my weekly grocery bill and less than a dinner out.

I tired to new blender today and it works.  It performs much better than the old, but I did not try the ultimate test—ice cubes, because I don’t have any in the freezer at the moment.  So far the machine works.  I wonder if this one will last 30 years?

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