PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE

by Bob Walsh

About 33 years ago I moved into my house. My folks bought me a fridge as a housewarming present. I thought that was very nice. It was an Admiral (Montgomery Ward, I don't know who actually makes it) and was a pretty good one at the time. Cost close to $500. I still have it, it is still in everyday use and has NEVER needed any service.

A bit over two years ago my lady friend needed a new fridge. She bought a very nice Samsung. Close to $2,000. All kinds of electronics on it and it does everything but scratch your ass for you. Sometimes. That one lasted slightly over one year. After five service calls they finally concluded it was dead and stinking. Took almost two months to replace, over Thanksgiving and Christmas. Thanksgiving dinner was lots of fun working out of a two cubic foot dorm room refer.

OK, so yesterday the CHANGE THE WATER FILTER NOW light comes on. We had spare water filters and I have changed it once before. OK. Old filter comes out just fine. New filter won't go in. It "feels" like it is about 2" too long, but it isn't. The numbers are right and a side-by-side comparison looks identical. So I try to put the old filter back in. Same problem. Then I tried to put the old factory original filter back in, that we kept for a sample for when we need to buy new filters. That one wouldn't go in either. Called Samsung. Talked to some guy in Mumbai or Bangalore who thinks he speaks American English but does not. The only thing he could come up with was turn off the water manually as the pressure in the machine might be keeping the filter from seating. Then drain it using the water dispenser and put in the new filter. Didn't work. Appointment scheduled for next week.

Sorry guys but I think a friggin fridge that cost more than some of the cars I have driven should work more than one year without needing a service call. Maybe that's just me.