[RealLifeMama]

We just had to get a new dishwasher because to repair it would have been $800. That is just crazy. The problem was because the parts were so expensive because they now use different parts for what is essentially the same level of dishwasher. It was a "high end" dishwasher. It had a lot of bells and whistles. (it was in the house we recently purchased.) That line of dishwashers kept "improving" and adding more features. The parts are different because everything is supposedly improved to add more options. Like 4 different rack heights, and tines that move around more, etc, so the old racks and their wheels were obsolete. 8 years ago, they did not have that feature. (I know because a home warranty company replaced the dishwasher with today's comparable model. ) I think the desire and expectation for more features is the hallmark of our new culture, and whether that is spearheaded by millennials or not, I don't know. But I think that is why things need to be replaced rather than fixed.Honestly, though, we often buy things with a lot of options and features and we never utilize them. Maybe it is just us, but I never move the racks up and down, I use one cycle on my dishwasher, and I don't really move the tines up and down. I just load it, add detergent and turn it on the same way every time.
In our first home that we bought 18 years ago, the dishwasher has a plain knob you turn to turn it on, it has two cycles- quick or normal that is it! It is not energy efficient, it is not water saving, etc. It is still in that house and running fine. As far as I know, it cleans the dishes, as our tenants have never contacted us about it. Appliance people tell us that those models, made today or back then, last longer and can be still be repaired easily. But, no one really wants them, so