Monday, August 11, 2008

BROKEN STUFF

Why doesn't stuff last? I remember my mom using an appliances for years and years. How come the same stuff doesn't last me more than a couple of years? Take irons, for example. I have an iron that I bought within the last two years. It doesn't work anymore, and heaven knows it's not from being used too much! I hate to iron. But I need an iron for quilting projects to press seams, and I have some cotton and linen clothing that needs to be ironed, so I do have to have one. My iron is a good brand, not the lowest price in the line either, but it has completely blown out. If you wiggle the cord long enough you can get it to come one, but the minute you let go of the cord to press your shirt, it goes off again. And of course the cord is encased in a rubberized coating, so hubby can't take it apart to fix it.

And take my hair straightener thingie......it is two weeks old! Bought it at Cheapko only a couple of weeks ago, and it's done for also. You can plug it in, turn it on, the light comes on, indicating that it's on, but it doesn't heat up! Not even warm up in the slightest!

So, today I went to town and bought a new iron. And believe me, I'm keeping the packaging and receipt handy because I'm assuming I'll need to return it shortly. And I returned the hair straightener thingie to Cheapko. They asked no questions, almost like they expected me to return it within two weeks, and they just gave me a new one. But it's the same thing, so it will probably die the week we come back from our vacation. I also will be keeping that packaging.

Now, my 18 month old laptop isn't working right either. The S, P, N, and a few other keys don't want to work. So you hit it three or four times, and still nothing happens. Then you hit it six or seven more times and you get 14 letters typing across your page. I have cleaned my keyboard with my magic canned air that I use to clean my sewing machine, and have blown out any cookie crumbs that may have dropped in between the cracks when someone else must have used my computer because I certainly would never eat a cookie or cracker when I'm typing, but that hasn't helped either. I'm wondering if I can take it back and get a new one handed to me, no questions asked?

5 comments:

Unknown said...

I've had my iron for years and it works great -- the very FEW times each year that I use it! (I hate ironing, too, but unfortunately it is necessary for some of my clothes). Just lucky, I guess! (Nah, probably just because it is never used).

Very good post -- so true! The things we need seem to wear out fast, like batteries in flashlights. Does a flashlight ever work when you need it to?! But hey -- those annoying, noisy battery-operated toys (the ones that parents don't buy, but other people who don't have to live near the toys do) -- they keep going and going and going! My mom bought the kids toy cell phones "way back when" and I got so sick of the beeps and noises they made that I put them in the back of the hall closet. A LONG time later (like a year or two!) when I was cleaning the closet I came upon them and they STILL worked. Aaaargh!

Joni said...

Funny story: When we were married 25 years ago a friend asked us if there was anything we didn't get as a wedding gift that we needed and the only thing I could think of was an iron, so this friend gave me her iron and said "It probably won't last long, it's very old, but it'll tie you over until you can get one"...I'm still using the same iron today! It's very old and heavy, but I wouldn't trade it for the world...they definitely don't make things like they use to!

Good luck exchanging your laptop, you might have to go through the manufacturer unless you bought it at Costco, they're pretty good about returns.

Lisa said...

Oh my, I think you are going to be out of luck with the computer unless you bought an extended warranty. I get so frustrated when things go bad before they should. We are a disposable society today and things are just not made to last.

Linda B said...

Try it! You asked the sales guy that question when you bought the laptop, remember? He said something like...M'am this is W******, just bring it back and we'll replace it. Go for it!
I bought a blender from them their competitor Farget and it broke within a month. I didn't have the box or receipt. This time I hid the box from Andrew until I know it's going to last awhile!

deborah said...

I keep thinking, "Man, am I ever hard on stuff! My dad had the same things through my whole childhood...and most of my adult life! Guess he didn't shop at W_____!! Thanks for making me feel better about that fact that must of my purchases end up in the gargage within a couple of years, and that it's not just ME!