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Ask HN: Any resources for finding non-smart appliances?

155 points everyone | 1 comments | 07 Jul 25 10:44 UTC | HN request time: 0.291s | source

My washing machine broke down. I need a replacement. I must avoid getting a "smart" one though. Are there any lists of products that arent "smart" so I can know which models are viable options to buy? Or other resources? I'm based in Ireland.
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entuno ◴[07 Jul 25 12:09 UTC] No.44489510[source]▶
The BuyItForLife subreddit is a good source for products that are high quality, repairable, and built to last.

It's not exclusively aimed at non-smart stuff, but there tends to be a pretty strong overlap between the two - so it might be worth taking a look at.

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0cf8612b2e1e ◴[07 Jul 25 16:45 UTC] No.44492152[source]▶
Somewhat. A lot of those recommendations seem to be of the type, “I bought the most expensive brand possible and it works great! No complaints after seven days of ownership”

Also frustrating when it might be, “Look at this 30 year old Craftsmen wrench.” Unfortunately, that 30 year old version is no longer made, as production has been MBAed and quality is now an afterthought because they can still sell the logo for a premium price.

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1. foobarchu ◴[07 Jul 25 19:49 UTC] No.44493998[source]▶
I always found the latter to be a huge problem with that sub. So much stuff like "these products from X are the greatest thing ever...but that brand is terrible now, don't buy from them"

Turns out, BIFL products are only recognized as such in hindsight, which is often after enshittification hits.

I've found a good source of recommendations can be friends and family who bought something similar 3-4 years ago. If something is going to go catastrophically wrong, it probably will have happened by then, and it's still possible that the same product is available.