By Lorraine Fisher for the Daily Mail

Published: 20:44 EST, 18 April 2016 | Updated: 06:56 EST, 22 April 2016

Last week it was revealed that the Queen Mother’s fridge in her former home at the Castle of Mey in Scotland had turned 62, yet is still in perfect working condition.

Perhaps it’s no wonder — the Frigidaire, made by General Motors, was built to last, with six-inch thick doors.

But in our increasingly throwaway society, it’s hard to imagine any kitchen appliance bought in 2016 still being around, let alone working, in 2078.

For while consumers who invested in white goods in, say, the Fifties could confidently expect to bequeath their fridge or oven to their children decades later, anyone expecting to do the same in Britain today would be laughed at.

Last week it was revealed that the Queen Mother’s fridge in her former home at the Castle of Mey in Scotland had turned 62, yet is still in perfect working condition

Kettles and toasters seem to last barely more than two or three years while larger items such as washing machines rarely last a decade.

So what’s changed? One explanation is ‘planned obsolescence’ — a sneaky trick of designing products to break or wear out more easily (by having non-replaceable batteries, for example) to force consumers to keep buying replacements.

‘In the past, most products were designed to last as long as possible,’ says Professor Tim Cooper of the College of Art and Design at Nottingham Trent University. ‘But now some manufacturers deliberately design a product with a lifespan they know could be made to last longer.

‘It’s a deliberate thing to accelerate replacement sales. When a market is saturated — such as the washing machine market in Britain today, where 97 per cent of us have one — the only way for the industry to increase sales is to reduce the lifespan of products.’

The Queen Mother sits in her favourite Orkney chair at The Castle of Mey on her 90th birthday

Some bring out a new model with a different style, immediately making the previous one seem old-fashioned. Or they cut the cost of manufacturing the product to make it cheaper and more attractive — but also less durable.

‘Once the market is saturated and when competition is strong, there’s pressure to look at ways to cut costs,’ says Professor Cooper. ‘You have to use cheaper components — make the steel thinner or use inferior plastic.’

One thing that can’t be argued with is that, while machines may not last as long, they’re certainly a lot cheaper.

‘In the past, goods cost more because of the time needed to manufacture them,’ says Helen Peavitt, curator of environmental and consumer technology at the Science Museum in London. ‘The quality and longevity reflected this.

‘A small, early Electrolux refrigerator cost £20 in 1932. That’s around £1,000 in today’s money, so you certainly didn’t want them to go wrong any time soon.’

France has become so worried about the trend towards throwing things away that last year they introduced a law to force manufacturers to say how long a product was expected to last.

But in Britain we have no such law. So how long can you expect the average kitchen appliance to last and which brands have the greatest longevity?

How long will it last? 2-3 years.

Most common problems: Limescale and leaks (from an ill-fitting lid).

While humans have always put pots of water on the fire to heat it, the first kettle with an element wasn’t developed until the 1890s.

The metal design, by British firm Crompton and Co, took 20 minutes to boil a single pint. In 1955, Russell Hobbs introduced a thermostat to switch it off when it was boiling and the kettle we know today was born.

‘Back then, the element was visible inside the kettle, so if it broke — which happened frequently — you could easily replace it,’ says Dr Nicholas Oddy, head of design history at the Glasgow School of Art. ‘Now, it’s usually hidden beneath a plate, so if it goes, you have to buy a new kettle.’

While humans have always put pots of water on the fire to heat it, the first kettle with an element wasn’t developed until the 1890s

Of course, manufacturers would argue that it looks nicer and may heat water more quickly, but it’s a good way of forcing people to buy a new one.

As does the change from metal to lighter, cheaper plastic kettles.

‘Not only does this crack and discolour quite quickly, any fittings such as plastic clips and hinges will break more easily,’ says Dr Oddy.

While you’d have expected a Fifties kettle to last a decade, it would have set you back half a week’s wages (about £7). That’s £150 in today’s money — yet we can pick one up for less than £20.

How long will it last? 3-6 years.

Most common problems: Wobbling machines, bad smells and mould.

A change in the design of the modern washing machine means you probably won’t have it as long as you used to, says Neil Howieson of the Domestic Appliance Service Association.

‘A standard washing machine is cheaper than it was 40 years ago, which has been achieved by lowering the quality of components,’ he explains.

Not only that, but it’s difficult to buy a component for a repair. For example, if a bearing in the drum goes, you have to buy the entire drum.

‘In years gone by, if the drum bearings went, each and every component could be purchased and replaced. Now all these components are one complete unit. Due to the price of these, a washing machine with faulty bearings cannot be economically repaired, and hence it ends up in landfill. The customer then buys another cheap machine,’ he says.

Which is exactly what the manufacturers want you to do. Almost the very definition of planned obsolescence.

How long will it last? 6+ years.

Most common problems: Broken compressors (these control the flow of refrigerant through the machine), blocked drains, cracked drawers.

The Queen Mother’s old Frigidaire may still be going strong, but can you imagine the weight of it? It has six-inch thick metal doors.

Today’s models tend to be made of lighter-weight plastic but this can cause problems, says Professor Cooper.

‘The quality of the plastic can mean it starts cracking and you get dirt in the cracks,’ he says. ‘It’s unhygienic, so many people opt to get a new one even though the fridge is still working.’

Should your fridge be more than a few years’ old, it’s worth investing in a thermometer to make sure the inside is as cold as it should be — between 0-4c.

‘Often older models seem to be working well, but with age, parts wear out and don’t work as efficiently as they did,’ says Dee Fernandes of the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances.

How long will it last? 15+ years.

Most common problems: Doors don’t close properly and dials or controls break.

Ovens heated by naked flames have been around for millennia, but it wasn’t until the 1820s that a gas oven was developed. The electric version came 60 years later. But despite mass-manufacture, ovens are still pretty reliable and can last for a decade or even two.

‘Gas cookers are very, very high specification because of the potential dangers of gas,’ says Dr Oddy, ‘so they still last some time.’

Electric ovens, on the other hand, often have the heating element squirrelled away or sealed behind glass making it harder to fix should something go wrong.

Ovens heated by naked flames have been around for millennia, but it wasn’t until the 1820s that a gas oven was developed. The electric version came 60 years later

It used to be easy to get to, making repairs more economic. Nowadays, the cost of repair may make you decide to get a new one.

‘How long an oven lasts is an issue of how much technology you put inside it. An old cooker was just a bunch of flame burners and a thermostat, explains Dr Oddy.

‘Modern ones have all sorts of clutter — timers, alarms — which increases the chances of something going wrong.’

While not planned obsolescence, it’s worth remembering when buying a machine.

How long will it last? 10+ years.

Most common problems: Not cleaning properly, water not draining away, electrical faults.

‘The manufacturers are managing to keep up their quality,’ says Dr Oddy, ‘although so few people had dishwashers until recently, it’s difficult to make a comparison.’

‘The old ones are less high-tech in the way they’re programmed and so should last longer,’ says Dr Oddy

Invented in 1887 by a well-to-do American woman sick of her servants chipping her fine china, by 1940 British designers had added a drying element to the machine.

But it wasn’t until the Seventies that they really began appearing in homes, and the past decade that they’ve been seen as essential.

‘The old ones are less high-tech in the way they’re programmed and so should last longer,’ says Dr Oddy.

How long will it last? Five + years.

Most common problems: Lid breaking, bowl cracking. 

They’re one of the new kids on the kitchen appliance block, having been invented in the Seventies. Before then, blenders had been available for about 30 years but it was Magimix that first put the blender and chopping bowl together to form a food processor in 1974.

While they may look high-tech, they’re often little more than a motor with different blades. This means there’s little to go wrong, hence their longevity.

But beware, the most common complaint is a cracked lid or bowl — from being dropped or wear and tear — which can cost £30 or more to replace in some models.

How long will it last? 2-3 years.

Most common problems: Bread not toasting evenly, elements stopping working.

We’ve Scotland to thank for the invention of the toaster in 1893 — although it only did one side of the bread, so you had to turn it to get the perfect slice.

The pop-up toaster we know and love today came on to the market in 1919, with the addition of a spring and a timer.

‘The most common reason for a toaster to be defunct is that the element goes,’ says Professor Cooper. ‘You used to be able to replace it, but now it’s normally sealed away and impossible to do.

‘When I recently wanted to buy one with a replaceable element, the cheapest was over £100. Most people don’t want to spend that on a toaster.’

That way, manufacturers force you to buy a cheaper one that will need replacing quite quickly. Again, planned obsolescence at work.

We’ve Scotland to thank for the invention of the toaster in 1893 — although it only did one side of the bread, so you had to turn it to get the perfect slice

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