RANT: Product evolution

That's because a high proportion of customers buy on appearance + price, then do not complain about lack of performance.

But look at what happened when I pointed out to Sharp how they could improve the usability of the combination oven I bought - the 'Customer Service' person sent an e-mail that was patronising to the point of rudeness. The designers will almost certainly not have received my suggestions. I did not need further winding-up, so I dropped it, instead of writing to the MD as I probably should have. Opportunity to improve product and one customer lost for the future.

- Regards, VivienB

We've never had a toaster in forty years which has toasted our (home made) bread well. We alwys revert to an ancient and probably illegal one.

Never heard of optidisk, our kettle's fine, it was Spouse's grandmother's and doesn't even whistle, just sits on the gas.

... and you didn't look at it first???

We use towels. Hair driers are for cleaning wax off the floor and other surfaces.

I dobut have no idea what a car sounds like at 90. Isn't that illegal?

I've never been happy with the efficiency of any vacuum cleaner which is another reason I'm glad we have hard floors mostly. Spouse uses the Oreck in the hall, stairs and landing, seems to work well. When he uses a little one inside the car (annually) it makes a heck of a racket. Our old Hoover Junior was reconditioned when we got it and we ended up fifteen years later on our knees feeding dirt to it.

Nothing's perfect! But on the whole I do feel that things are more efficient than when we were younger. Cars are certainly more reliable. I haven't had to hand crank an engine for thirty years.

Mary

So is your toaster - leave the guy alone!

buy a Henry ;-)

p.s. welcome to 'geting old'

RT

I have a Dyson (o3?) that has survived 5 years of domestic use plus periodic attachment to my sander when flattening my poor attempts with Tetrion.

Perfect machine. If Dyson made a wet/dry DIY vac I'd be first in the queue. (Now someone will tell me they do and it's as much use as a chocolate thing)

rgds

Richard

Hey! I wasn't taking him to task! But I've checked with the toaster club and apparently ours isn't illegal. It should be - but it could only damage the user. There's a difference!

But while cleaning a cooker just now I rememberedthat once, on the M5, high summer, the road was crammed and I was driving a hire car (a Cortina, to date it more precisely) at the same speed as everyone else. For some reason I looked at the speedand it was over 90. I can't remember the noise ...

Mary

Mine glow but the area is too small: to properly toast a full sized slice you have to turn it over and finish the end that comes out untouched. And this is a mid-price Tefal not a £4.99 special.

unfortunatly, she didnt give me an opportunity to do so. she just went out with the credit card and brought one.

Obviously i didnt realise i was doing that speed and as soon as i noticed, i slowed down to 70. ;-)

steve

My experience of cars is that they have got better.

I also like my programmable CH thermostat which was just not available in the past.

What frustrates me is the products that you can no longer buy: e.g.

suitcases without wheels

A petrol hover mower that does not have an automatic cut out.

Prune yogurt

You bought a Fix Or Repair daily car, so don't bitch. Buy a Honda or Toyota and the difference in quality you will appreciate.

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Overall you are right. The biggest problem I find is the quality of service - many have telephone answering voices that say "your call is valued by us", then a rude slob speaks to you. Far too many tradesmen are cowboys. Few people have any pride in their work. Being customer focused is non-existent in many companies. We need more John Lewis types around.

I find I have to take back products far more than what I used to, that is why I value long guarantees from organisations that honour them.

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Why do you buy so many?

How many suitcases do you need?

Er - that's fairly easy to d-i-y!

Mary

Dysins are treh most unreliable. Wifes on now is compleletly blocked and no amount of poking will unblock it.

Style over function, the throwaya society, and noboidy actually caring waht crap they buy is where its at.

Also, its cheap.

Out toatser cots 6 and a half grand. Its got a badge on it that says 'aga'

But it makes good toast. You get what you pay for..

In article , Doctor Evil writes

Just out of interest John, do you buy extended guarantees?

Assuming your question wasn't just for John, it depends. I had an AEG microwave which I bought without an extended guarantee (thinking it was quality stuff) and which failed a few months outside the guarantee period. I was then told it was just a rebadged Toshiba, the klystron had gone (which they do) and it was £80 to fix it. I bought a cheap one from Argos (Hinari) with a 3 year guarantee for the same price as another AEG one - that seemed worth it (aside from light bulb failure, it's not gone wrong of course).

I also took out one of those "get your money back if you don't claim jobbies". I didn't claim and, yes, I did get my money back! - again, seems worth it.

More often than not, it's not worth it because the items are cheap anyway. It also depends on your usage. An extended guarantee on a quality washing machine (Bosch or whatever), if there's just the two of you in the house, isn't worth it. If you have teenage boys and it's on every day getting a hammering, it probably is!

Bertie, no. Just products with decent guarantees. John Lewis give 2 years minimum on all white goods, even though the makers may only give one.

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