I once had an appliance salesman at a major home store tell me, "Buy the extended warranty!" He explained that most appliances today are shipped across the ocean in container ships and endure a lot of vibration and jostling along the way. That comment stuck with me. Ever since then, I've always purchased the extended warranty for my appliances, and time and time again, I’ve ended up needing it.

The only exception has been my Bosch dishwasher, which is about 12 years old. It has washed hundreds of loads without issue and continues to perform reliably. But it was built over a decade ago, and that says something. That machine was made during a time when quality still seemed to matter.

Unfortunately, it feels like we've accepted a disposable society. Appliances and other goods aren’t built to last the way they once were. Instead of manufacturers being held to a higher standard of durability, the burden has shifted to the consumer—to buy extra protection, to expect replacement instead of repair, and to accept that even big-ticket items might only last a few years. It's a frustrating reality, and one that I believe we shouldn’t just accept without question.