Happy about the straws but can we get to the really important stuff -- light bulbs!! I don't want that LED garbage in my house. Bring back regular light bulbs!!
Happy about the straws but can we get to the really important stuff -- light bulbs!! I don't want that LED garbage in my house. Bring back regular light bulbs!!
Check out Speed Queen. I 'understand' SQ filled in all the requirements in one phase, was passed, now rest works right for laundry.. If only dishwasher manufacturers had been that wise? Need appliances NOW, but when this changes warehouses will still be full of the offending products with limiting
Speed Queen is awesome. We got one back in July after our Whirlpool died after only five years. There is a button that you can push that FILLS the tub full of water for all cycles (if you want). It also allows you to open the lid and put an errant sock in after the unit is on (no stupid locking lid). It is 100% made in WI, USA and is solid as a tank. No shaking and going becoming out of balance and it gets clothes clean (because you get to actually use enough water). The best made machine I've ever seen. No wonder laundromats use them. Also, there is a huge difference between your local Appliance store and the "big box store" versions of appliances. And the box stores to best of my knowledge do not have SQ's.
79-Thank you. One recommended was laundromat type but too costly. Hoping for a more 'regular' model that still does the job. Whgt a blessing I learned this. Do you have a model number by chance?---- How about dishwashers? I was a fool, did not know about chips. Rather than replacing rack on 30 year old great working Kitchen Aid DW--went for new. KA had food grinder 'disposer'--dishes only needed to be scraped. New Maytag requires washing dishes before go in. However heard KA might now have 'problems' with electrical panel. Simply purchasing an appliance these days is daunting. Thank you for any suggestions/opinions.
I real really miss my old washer- the one with the dial. Fill with water as much as you need, open the lid for the sock you forgot. Now the machine tells YOU how to do the laundry. I KNOW HOW to do it, thank you very much!!
We got this one for many reasons, but one main one is because it has the dials and only two buttons (the FILL button and the "on" button). My opinion is that this one is the best, least amount of electronics, that one can buy today. We couldn't be happier with the investment.
I'm so happy to find out about Speed Queen. I've currently got a 12 year old LG front load that I really don't like at all, and I'm surprised it has lasted this long. I found a place that sells Speed Queens and plan to go check them out.
We’ve owned two front load washers, both LGs. I don’t know if it’s the washer or the high efficiency soap but if our clothes aren’t worn within about a week, they get a sour smell to them. I know they’re dry when I put them away so that’s not the problem. I didn’t have this issue with a top loader. I miss having a top loader but can’t bend over after having 2 back surgeries.
Some high efficiency washers save the rinse water and reuse it for the next load; if you don’t wash every day the bacteria in the saved rinse water has time to grow and stink up the next load of clothes. Also makes the machine itself stink and grow mold on gaskets…
No one should be using ANY dishwasher. The soap you have to use contains a surface tension reducer that stays on dishes to make them shiny when they dry. This chemical is NOT natural. It is mildly toxic to the human body. It can accumulate in the body and become one of the 5 causes of Cancer.
Sir--I do not doubt. Reason I rarely use, but still do. Friend uses washing soda and Borax. Feels it works in DW. However when tried did not work here. Perhaps water here is too hard. She has well water. Are there any other alternatives? Besides hand washing?
One of the MOST important things to getting both clothes and dishes and YOU! clean. . . is the use of SOFT water.
How would you know:
-- if you have a softener, MOST use salt. So, you have to buy softener salt. If you do, you have the potential for soft water. Next, verify it is working correctly. Call the Culligan man! or any water service in your town.
-- if you wash your hands with soap and they feel a bit slimy after washing the soap off-- it is SOFT. If they feel "squeekie clean" you have HARD water.
The FIRST thing to do trying to get things cleaner is to make sure your using SOFT water. Otherwise, most ALL soaps are useless.
The reason to use a DW is to use less water to wash a lot of dishes. For those who are on a well and need to conserve water, it is the most efficient way.
I agree. Dishwashers are a complete waste of time. In the time it takes to load and unload a dishwasher, you could just wash and dry the dishes by hand using less water.
AGREED! Every time I get a refill in a restaurant or bar I have them refill the glass I have. They always ask me if I'm sure and my reply is typically, "Yes. I've licked the inside of your dishwasher once. I'm good."
Built in obsolescence I think it's called, Char. I detest the throw away mentality of engineers/manufacturers today! And I won't go down the trail of 'smart' appliances that allegedly spy on your daily activities.
A friend ask her repairman (while he was administering last rites to her third washing machine in just a few years) which machine was the best, and he said, hands down, the Speed Queen. He said he never had repair calls for them.
Yes, the Classic is the model! I have had one for 5 years - two thumbs up. If you call the company in Wisconsin they are most helpful in answering any questions. The TC model is the best.
Sorry, char, I don't know anything about the stackable Speed Queen sets. Honestly, I didn't know there was such a thing. My washer is a top load with an agitator and two water levels. It's the "classic" model, so there are no electronics. Here's info from where I bought it: https://www.donsappliances.com/product/speed-queen-tc5-32-cu-ft-top-load-washer-1595468
Now can somebody make a toaster that gets hot enough to toast, and last longer than a couple years? I finally resorted to purchasing a 50's vintage rebuilt Toastmaster B-14. Works wonderfully!
I have a 35 year old kenmore stored downstairs. I found out after I'd replaced it with a new $2,000 Speed Queen that all the kenmore needed was a new (inexpensive) shock absorber.
Girlfriend bought a new Maytag to replace a 1 yr old (!) fully warranted Whirlpool that locked a full load of her husband's jeans inside. Nothing short of what the repairman had to do unlocked it (kicked it down a short flight of concrete stairs). The new Maytag ($900) was retired yesterday! FOUR REPAIRS! Impossible to make appointments for additional repairs because the warranty company required appointments be made online! She called 6 times on Friday, I drove out to her house and called 4 times. We got disconnected every single time, after filling out 5 pages of STUPID questions! So, my 83 yr old, disabled friend drove herself to the store yesterday, and parked herself on a bench at the front desk, "I'm NOT leaving until someone helps me! After a few "short" hours she was promised a new washer and they would haul the 14 month old Maytag away... Maytag is junk! Sorry, not sorry!
I agree. I did a great deal of detailed research and learned the only safe purchase would be a Speed Queen, which was really expensive and although so far reliable, still doesn't perform as well as my old Kenmore. That thing has a spin cycle that works like an old fashioned extractor. It saves a lot of money and wear and tear on my 40 year old dryer.
I'm so sorry to know your dear friend had to go through all that. It's hugely stressful and time consuming, and I hope she can enjoy reliable and trouble free performance from here on.
Thank you. It was so frustrating trying to make a simple repair appointment. I was fearful that she would have a heart attack trying to make a simple repair appointment! What is with these companies that require an online service appointment! Arg!!
For now I'm hangin' on to that bad boy. It can't be replaced. No unnecessary electronics and it works like a champ, so I figure it's good insurance and will only appreciate in value. It spin dries better than the new Speed Queen.
What I'd really like to find is a 50 year old gas range.
My water-spewing Maytag needed only a gasket--but to get that he had to buy a whole plastic thingy for about $136. Repair company would have charged about $200 just to come and take a look. And when we went that route, a few years ago, the repair work (after the $200 look-see) didn't actually fix the problem--so husband bought new parts...and....fixed it.
I hear ya. I bought a brand new Kenmore electric range that turned out not to just be a defective and inefficient piece of junk, it's actually dangerous. Very much so.
After it locked me out of my oven and activated its very hazardous self-cleaning feature I went through days of frustration and shock trying to get repairs and doing research that revealed such shocking information that I finally ordered a replacement part and did the fix myself.
I read confirmed reports of lockouts like I experienced resulting in house fires, so I was fortunate. I read multiple reports of the glass doors exploding. injuring people and in one case killing a lady's dog. My friend bought a top of the line cook top that spontaneously exploded one evening just after she'd finished cleaning up after dinner. The metal on the ovens is so thin that it warps under the temperature of the self cleaning feature, causing it to collapse under the weight of anything remotely heavy like a large casserole or turkey or roast. Nightmare stuff.
I think you need to be a LITTLE tech-savvy for this.
I remember as a kid when my dad removed the little washer that was a faucet's "water restrictor", drilled it out to a larger hole and re-installed it.
Washers have water-level sensors tat may be moved higher to allow more water to be present. But this may impact the gearbox, if it's not robust enough to handle the extra resistance more water would provide.
I'm naturally curious and resent state control over things I purchase, so I do my research, learn how something's built, and see if there's a way to circumvent controls. There almost always is. But you may have to be a techie to figure it out. Sorry...
Once read popular mechanics with neighbor 'boy'. He/we figured out ''stuff''. Married , moved away--children became focus. No longer know anyone who is curious. I will not be trying this! Chicken
I don't blame you... You're smart to do a risk/benefit analysis.
When I was in my early twenties, I shared a house with a couple of roommates. One day, the dryer broke. I was agonizing abouthow we were going to get someone out to fix it, worrying about cost, etc. My roommate, with whom I worked as a telephone installer, looked me in the eye, and said "another man built this. We can fix it!" I'll always remember that, and it changed my entire outlook. Since then, I've always been more apt to try to look up service manuals, "open the hood" as it were, and attempt to fix things myself (as long as they're out of warranty!) before calling someone else.
I've worked as a warehouse guy, a telephone technician, a computer geek, web designer, electronics technician, and a handyman/carpenter. I've built several recording studios, play drums/guitar/keys, and worked in theater as a sound operator, sound designer, set builder and even set designer on a couple of occasions. I've done a lot of work on my cars over the years. So I understand at least a little about how a lot of stuff works. That's why stuff like dishwashers and garbage disposals and washing machines don't scare me.
Although one time I did completely flatten a washing machine that dared to flood my garage multiple times out of sheer spite...
Totally agree, having been an engineer for many decades, in the '80s I wanted a gas fire. Read through all the relevant 'certification' documentation, replicated the gas piping, built a gas chimney and installed a gas fire.
and the "New" machines require you to "wash" the washer about once a month.... using an extra long cycle of hot water & an expensive additive (that you can replicate with bleach or vinegar)
It’s so stupid!! 😡 And even so, my washer randomly spits out gunk into my wash every so often (usually my lighter colors, conveniently enough 🙄) and I have to rewash that load 🙄 I will definitely be replacing it with a Speed Queen as soon as I can!
Ranger--Thank you. I really appreciate. Searching for 2 critical things. Dishwasher with grinder [disposer]--had ancient but foolishly went new over repair before knowing. AND safest oven --without chemicals to bake into foods. The hours spent--learning nothing. Told induction safest, but sounds like that is for cook tops, not ovens.....Avoid convection and air fryer.......ok, but just yikes. .Mentioned earlier. recalls for not listing allergens in foods like soy or dairy. Yet unable to learn the contents of oven linings? Spending lots extra for VOC free products in small cabin being built--THEN searching for safe air fryer for grandson, learned bad news of many. Led me to question ovens, learning nothing . Spend so much for VOC free products then bake them into foods.? Serious worry to me. Thank you for the GE info especially. Really appreciate. Spose everything has some components from chyna, but factories here is good to hear. Might chance GE. 'Some' --like induction range even with incomplete information. Refrigerators. Got to make choices like 2 months ago.
They are all still running after 8 years but replaced parts in them ALL.
The frig has been relegated to spare duty in the laundry room; the microwave still in place but the door springs failed and I refuse to pay $500 for a new door(springs not available). Replaced frig in Kitchen with an LG.
I could go on, but safe to say, based on input above,
We only buy used. Our used washer broke a few days ago, but we found GE at an estate sale. They seem pretty good. I have heard great things about speed queens though
I had a GE that ran perfectly for 22 years, then gave out. We looked at everything, but got a lot of negative comments about the new GE quality so didn't buy that. We were warned everywhere to stay away from Samsung, and actually no one seemed enthusiastic about any of the brands. We were told by many people the new refrigerators were expected to last about 5 years, no matter how much you pay. We got a fantastic deal on an Italian Bertazzoni floor model fridge with a dent in the back that you can't see plus a 5 year warranty on it, so although its original price was about $3800, we got it for $1400. I love the fridge, but at a only year in I have no idea how long it might last. Wait and see.
We've been using Bosch 800 dishwashers for 13 years. Unfortunately one died 2 years ago. American Home Shield would only replace it with a Kitchen Aid. HATE IT!
Get a Speed Queen washer. It has no bells and whistles to break down, uses lots of water to wash, is commercial grade, and is a beast. After having one of those low water washers a few months, I put it on the curb and bought the Speed Queen.
Nearly All the "standards" are not to modernize or conserve...that's at best secondary, new regs and standards are primarily smoke and mirrors pushed by a Progressivist (Wilson) system of overpaid agency/dept. bureaucrats, engineers, industry, sales reps, suppliers selling upgrades and artificial innovations that fix the ONE prominent "issue or problem" while creating 2 or 3 more by doing so; this is work for work's sake whether changes in global energy sources or a more "water efficient" toilet design required by state or municipal code; perpetual, periodic production/supply/costs/installation with certification, intentionally drive the economy and spending and collaterally cost-crush some into subsidy dependency for compliance...or broader "investment" when renovating and complying to new codes and ordinances.
Truly non-standardization is also maddening, where 10,000 parts exist to repair said Low Flow Toilets in all their various incarnations, stylings, flushing mechanisms etc--not to mention your incoming water quality has to be nearly filtered and softened to perfection ($$$), and longevity of product is NOT an enforceable standard.
We got one piece standard volume Glacier Bay toilets from Home Depot. They produce an extra turbulence during the flush that is very forceful and works great! They are the BEST!
Actually, there’s a high end ($700+ a few years ago; no idea now) Toto that works better than any other. Their lower cost models are good, but not amazing.
I have 3. Problems. Had to replace the main valve stem unit on them all because they constantly failed to re-fill the bowl completely. Call to service worked well-- free replacements in mail. But, I had to do the work. Putzed with them(new) for months before giving up and making the damn call.
I have a Kohler Persuade toilet with dual flush and I have never in 12 years had to flush more than once or use a plunger. I recommend it highly. I bought 2 more for another property. Under $570 and it looks awesome with a skirted trapway. Easier to clean.
Yes! So tired of scraping food off of “clean” dishes. My appliance repairman said the water doesn’t get hot enough to actually clean the dishes. So annoying!!
Set the hot water heater - if you have one - temp at 140 instead of 120 [energy saving]. I've let the kids know that the hot water is HOT so that the grands - and they - are not at risk of scalding. I learned ~15 yrs ago, when one of the buildings at work was evacuated and closed b/c of an outbreak of legionnaires disease, that 140 KILLS the bacteria but that 120 does not. That was enough for me.
Mine is set at 128°F; I use SOFT water . . . and it cleans fine on all levels:
Express, quick wash, normal, heavy.
as to disease: I believe ALL dishwashers(certainly, GE, MINE) have heat boosters to bump the cleaning temp to 160°F. Leave the main hot water heater alone, if so.
I actually rinse them very well, AND use the extra hot feature to get them clean now. For washing clothes, I use extra water and higher temps, so all their energy saving features actually make me use more energy!
CHeck your water to be sure it is SOFT. If so, verify the hot cycle is reaching 160°F, I believe. Read the manual. Almost all these units have 2ndary heaters to boost temp . . .
Finally, try different levels of cleaning: HIGH, NORMAL, Express, quick wash with heavy food on plates and determine the one that works for YOU.
Funny you say that! I’ve been buying old washing machines…you know, the kind that actually fill completely full of water and do a little “shimmy & Shake” for about 10 min…off the market place for years now. When my beloved old Maytag finally bit the dust, I caved and bought a new one (which I immediately regretted) and which now sits collecting dust in a conex in our back 40 lol! I was able to eventually find another old Maytag (which I love)!
These so called “efficient” appliances may save on water, but they use ten times as much electricity trying to get the job done!! Please “Make Appliances GREAT (and common sense) Again”!!
I ran across brochures from the 1950's advertising refrigerators. They looked more innovative than what we have now and they probably worked better, too.
Twice now, my 2-year-new top-load washer with an agitator has let a spider survive an entire washing/rinsing/spinning cycle. I kid you not. Each time, the spider was on the agitator, enjoying the relatively dry ride.
If I insert any clothing in this washer that is folded, it comes out folded. There are clothes that come out with some dry spots that never got wet.
oh did you strike a nerve, Kathy... my husband was complaining how our new, high efficiency, low water and poor results washing machine, which came with our new built home in 2022, doesn't really clean the clothes, even using the "Deep Water Wash" function on every load and "hot water. Said his Dad's machine in Michigan really gets things clean. I told him well, yeah, your dad's machine is 20 years old, uses real hot water and has a center agitator that really agitates. pointing to our agitator, I told him it's for decorative purposes, doesn't really work - it's so ridicuous - an old fashioned washboard works better than this piece of crap, which will surely break down in another year, forcing us to buy another worthless machine, Rinse and repeat, pun intended!
I had one of those that was missing the agitator. My clothes often emerged from the washer dry! The manual said that's because the washer did a super job spinning the clothes. 🙄 Aside from the fact that my laundry didn't get washed, the machine used to tear little holes in my clothes. So efficient!
I don't remember! I know before the clothes eater, I had a Maytag washer and dryer that I had owned since 1993 but when I got married, my husband wanted new appliances, so I gave my Maytags to my mother. She still has them! I could kick myself (or maybe the hubby🤔😂).
They weren't very durable, either. I think we had them for like five years when they broke down. I have one with an agitator now and it mostly fills up (way more than the clothes eater, at any rate). At least all my clothes get wet when I wash them. Someday, maybe I can afford a Speed Queen!
I am hereby instructing Secretary Lee Zeldin to immediately go back to my Environmental Orders, which were terminated by Crooked Joe Biden, on Water Standards and Flow pertaining to SINKS, SHOWERS, TOILETS, WASHING MACHINES, DISHWASHERS, etc., and to likewise go back to the common sense standards on LIGHTBULBS, that were put in place by the Trump Administration, but terminated by Crooked Joe. I look forward to signing these Orders. THANK YOU!!!
I'm a person who loves to blend things - I don't know why, but it borders on a compulsion..
Anyway, I have a few different types of laundry detergent down in the garage. I mixed some detergent that was thick and viscous with some other thick and viscous detergent from Trader Joe's, and the result was thin and runny. The TJ's detergent is soapy/foamy. The other detergent (from a "cheap stuff" store where the poors shop) is slippery, but feels more oily than soapy. Maybe it's missing the phosphate or maybe it's something else.
Not washing my clothes with that crap anymore, as I don't want whatever's in it up against my skin. Call me suspicious, but something in me tells me it's just another way "they" attempt to poison us out of existence...
Make your own with washing soda, borax, baking soda oxy-clean and grated bar soap. It will satisfy your love of blending and knowing what you're getting, and it makes everything smell fresh not like you simply took a perfume shower!!!
Thanks, Nancy! I'll try this. I collected essential oils for years after I read "Jitterbug Perfume" by Tom Robbins. So I do like some scents. But my stepmom washes her sheets (the ones in the guest room we sleep on) in some nasty, cloying Gain detergent. She must use a lot of it, because it's hard to even fall asleep, it's so strong.
Dr Linda, my original comment seems to have gotten lost, so I’m replying again.
In short, the soap probably works fine but modern detergent is missing phosphate, which is needed for a proper rinse. May I suggest adding TSP to your wash in addition to your detergent; it should improve the final result. I don’t have a ratio (tsp/gal or ml/L), sorry.
Yes I need a new dishwasher. The relatively new one we have is crap. Three hour cycles and does not clean the dishes. The old one had a quick wash—45 minutes and done. Have already replaced the circuit board even. Free the appliances!!!
Heat pumps too. We’re due for a new furnace but we’ll have ‘up grade’ both because the new furnace won’t work with the old heat pump, or vice versa. They regulated (updated?) heat pumps to be obsolete, once they die, they both essentially die.
Note: our heat pump is much newer than our waaaay old furnace.
The irony is that GE made washing machines that could have worked with less water 60 years ago. Instead of relying just on agitation, they had a pump to sprinkle the clothing from above. The water went through a filter basket to catch lint. Filter Flow they called it.
Make the pump stronger and spray down from above and the clothes on top would get clean even if not submerged.
Yes! Now that y’all mention this, I’ve been wondering who is the best person at the W. H. To send letters to requesting things like this be handled. For the first time in my life, I really think if Trump hears about these things, he will fix it. But we need the best contact info. Anyone know?
I have a friend with an eye degeneration illness, and she cannot tolerate LED lights. I often find them harsh and glaring. There was no scientific basis for eliminating incandescent bulbs.
You can buy LED bulbs at nearly any color temp. The 5000 °K are usually cheapest and most available and probably lots of folks buy them without knowing you can get the same color temp as old incandescents(2900) in LED form too. They should be no "harsher" than the old type as they radiate the same light "rays".
EDIT: Correction, not true; the BLUE peak is higher in many LED lights. Look down further for my suggestion for LED lights that basically have the same spectra with minimal blue peak.
Don't rely on CDC for info on LED. They will tell you what obozo/bidumb want you to know. Check Dr. Mercola's substacks- he wrote about these a while ago.
The LEDs emit electro magnetic energy that isn't good for us, it causes cellular damage. Look up Arthur Firstenburg. Not sure about the spelling of his last name.
Here's a link to neurosurgeon Jack Kruse who who reveals some huge medical scandals including the serious blue light health risks. You won't regret watching.
Led lights in neighbors home invade my bedroom. I feel like my home is at motel 6. Just awful and I think they make people cranky and probably add to mental illness. Since no sleep. But when they turn them off. My body is so happy and sleeping well brings wellbeing. They are hostile lights. Especially driving highways!!!
My workplace (hospital) recently went through a renovation and installed LED lights with dimmers. I keep them as low as my coworkers will tolerate. But I hear that my coworker who works on alternate days from me walks in and turns up all the dimmers. Many feel assaulted by the bright light.
Studies have been done - in hospitals, I believe, - about the harmful effects of these LED lights on patients - and workers. LED bulbs are harmful to our health. Great Substack by "The Light Doctor" who goes deep into the woes of the lighting issues. https://lightdoctormartinmooreede.substack.com/
I hope you are aware that LEDs are available at various light penetration levels. E.g. cold light 5000°K, and warm light 2900° K. These are very different 'brightness' levels. If you are unhappy at the light levels of your neighbours homes then I would suggest that you ask them if they are aware of the differences!
They have three in one fixture all warm spectrum. But bright enuff to pierce my hallway from there garage which is set quite a ways back from the street into my house all the way to the back wall of my kitchen and back bedroom on the backside of my house
I recently bought a box of floodlights at Costco after my stocked supplies ran out. I was really annoyed, because the floods are in my kitchen and I figured the damn LEDs would be a different color from the incandescent still in the ceiling. But they now have a color switch on them, so you have 4 settings. The lowest setting matched the incandescent perfectly.
My understanding is that even with the warm light setting, it is still an LED and causing problems with our eyes and brains. Not sure if anyone knows this in more detail.
Wow, there are more LED haters here than I realized...
LEDs are pulsed - they blink on and off rapidly, which may be part of the issue people have with them. Incandescent bulbs do this, too - it's a function of alternating current, which changes polarity in the US 60 times per second (passing through a zero-current moment each time). The difference is, on a filament bulb, the filament doesn't go all the way out at that zero-current moment, because it's still hot from the max-current moment 1/120th of a second before. It dips in brightness a little, but it happens so fast that we don't notice it.
Aside from the blue of the 6500K LED bulbs (vs. the 2700K "warm" bulbs that mimic incandescent bulbs), it could be the much-more-defined pulsing of the LED bulbs that people find annoying and even unhealthy. If you look at an LED and swipe your head to the side really quickly, under certain conditions you can see a "trail of dots" in your persistence of vision, as opposed to the "smear" you'll see under the same conditions with incandescent.
LEDs blink, by the way, because at the energy level they produce their brightest light, they would burn out almost instantly if they were held at that level constantly. The blink allows them to cool off during their off state, keeping them from burning out. Dimmers that work with LEDs vary the ratio between on time and off time - when off for longer than on, the LEDs appear as less-bright.
There's your physics lesson for today, folks. Yes, I know - I'm a geek.
BTW, fluorescent lights make me sleepy, for some reason. I had to fight to stay awake in school a lot of the time, because of those darned fluorescent tubes across the ceilings...
I’ve noticed lately that after reading text on a screen, when I look away, I see stripes, like lines of blurred text that remain in my vision for a while burned into my retinas after I look away from the screen. Do you know what’s going on there?
Persistence of vision. It's your vision system's natural response to staring at high-contrast images.
You can try lowering the brightness on your screen to reduce eye fatigue. As a matter of fact, I just did this on my monitor as I was replying - I often walk away from the screen with tears in my eyes from eyestrain. Thanks for the reminder!
can't stand the LED's. I have one incandescent left & it's the only lamp I can read under for long periods. After about 15 minutes under an LED lamp, my eyes are aching!
I bought a bazillion lightbulbs in 2012. Brought them all with me when I moved cross-country in 2015. I STILL haven’t run out..,but I’m close. This would be perfect timing 🤣.
I purchased (100) incandescent 60 watt bulbs 2 years ago too as the "prohibition" was getting close. Replaced all bulbs in the house with them and have not yet had to replace any. Oh the lies we've been told.
I loaded up a Home Depot shopping cart with regular lightbulbs when O’Bummer outlawed them. Got them for $.99 a package. I too carried them cross states to have on hand and am still using them and loving them. None of that LED light for me.
Me too! I’m on my last box of 60w and need to restock. When I bought these in bulk, I bought Philips, which don’t last as long as the GE did. Hard to believe the supplies have last 10+ years!
Buy "appliance" bulbs. Same conventional light and not a high cost. I bought a bunch of oven-safe bulbs with the standard base and use them all around the house.
🤣🤣🤣. In all seriousness, I wonder if this is a forestry issue. I believe that the smaller trees are harvested for pulp and if that isn't happening then there will be supply and demand issues.
A major issue with paper products and the forever chemicals is thy are introduced through the bleaching process. Unbleached toilet paper has fewer chemicals and napkins and paper towels and . . . .
Forestry is a big business in Alabama. Pine trees are planted on land and harvested 20 years later, replanted, etc. It’s used for kid’s college funds, retirement, etc. I have a friend who is in the tree harvesting business, and it’s been a tough go these last 4 years. The mills aren’t open as much now due to downturn in building because of high interest rates. Hopefully, that ends this year!
We have one. It was an add on to our Spectrum cable. I prefer the old fashioned answer machine anyway. I’ve never set up a message box on my iPhone and don’t use that number for my first contact.
Yes. But I prefer messages and call screening on an answering machine. I don’t necessarily want to be contactable every single moment and left messages on my cell phone. I’m retired and everyone I care about knows where to find me. . Leave a message on my machine. One less layer of annoyance.
One of the big problems is that you lose phone service if the power or the cable goes out. You didn't on the old land lines. I remember my godmother was in her 90's and every time the cable went out, her landline went out and she could not call anyone if she needed help and no one could call her. It was a huge problem.
Fun fact: when we evacuated a wildfire in 2003, I kept calling our landline, because when the machine answered, I knew our home was not one of the over 2200 burned.
Yes, they are digital now and yet you pay about as much on taxes (set long ago) as you do for the line. But there are still very good reasons to have one. If parents would get landlines for their kids to use, there wouldn't be as much pressure from the kids to have cell phones. A smart phone handed to a child is like handing them access to every vile thing in the world.
When I worked as a phone guy, we had special 10-digit numbers we could call known as ANIs that allowed us to identify the line we were dialing from. Helps if you're in a dark phone closet and you're trying to find that new line you're supposed to install for a customer.
Truly the most silly and juvenile pranks 🤣 I know there’s smarter and funnier ones out there but these are the ones I recall friends doing whenever I was at their houses.
I still do have a landline. Cell service in my house sucks and I work from home, so having a phone that I don't have to keep asking clients/callers to repeat themselves is essential. Plus I learned from Jeff that the Gazans in tunnels used landlines as the spy tech couldn't intercept them, and think in the US the gov actually has to have a warrant to tap it. It's getting pricey, but I am now dug in that I will keep it. Also saves me from having to tote my cell phone around the house with me and I turn it off at night and use an alarm clock. Old school, lol.
Is it actually over the telephone lines though? When I was trying to find a landline, all the offerings are VOIP (voice over internet provider). It seems theyve abandoned the telephone lines which seems short sighted as if the power is out, the internet is out and so is your phone. We were wanting something that would be a separate system as an emergency prep but I dont think its available like that anymore..
No its still a true landline. We get an insert in our bill (yes I am also stubborn and refuse paperless billing - no one gets automatic access to our checking account or credit card, and already get too many emails) trying to get us to switch to VOIP technology but that negates the whole reason for having a landline in the first place. Like if the power is out it still works, although we use cordless handsets, we do have a non cordless phone that we can plug in and use.
We had landline but we were at the end of the line. Oldest house in the area. They could NOT keep the lines from every kind of damage. I had to call them every week and often i couldn't call... Oh wait! I have the same problem with my Wi-Fi. Sigh... If there were just privitized making money, without gov pickers...
Ours is still an analog line and we did have a spate of service calls several years ago but they did come out and replace some of the lines. (Include the one I snipped with the hedge trimmer when I was trimming a bush too close to the house, lol) But I suspect at some point that will go away. Sigh.
Well, ya never know....we got rid of a lot of our vinyl albums in the early 2000's as we could not find a replacement needle for our turntable, but still hung on to some for sentimental reasons. But then around 2010 our daughter gifted us a record player for Christmas so we could listen to them again, and now vinyl has made a little bit of a comeback. Perhaps with this growing awareness of EMPs landlines will do the same? Buildout is probably too expensive, though.
My 95 yr old mom still has a landline. She has never wanted or had a cell phone. Therefore she’s never distracted when she’s doing anything or interrupted when she’s around others. Life is simpler and better when you’re not available to phone calls, emails or text messages 24/7.
We are all conditioned now like lab rats to respond to a ring, ding, buzz... you can't relax unless you shut the phone off and then feel compelled to turn it back on as the "what if" scenarios start to create minor bouts of anxiety. Modern life is ridiculous... and the younger tech generations have no idea what life is like sans an extra appendage that they carry in their back packet (brewing cancer) and whip it out every 10 minutes so it can tell them what to do next.
We have a landline. I pay absolutely no attention to it so if someone calls and leaves a message I may listen to it in six months. We use Ooma which costs about eight bucks a month - which is really the only reason we still have it.
Judith, Wait--Ooma? Never heard of it. Can be used on ATT line [same had for decades]? --ATT land line is outrageously expensive. Hope to learn this will work.
I have a hard time hearing and understanding people on phone calls using VOIP (and 'smart phones,' too). Usually have to use speaker phone.
Kinda hate it a little.
But it's a fact that I used it in an office I used to work in.
I think Ooma might be to ATT, what ROKU is to television channels/livestreaming services in a way, but with a small monthly fee, not just a one time fee.
Our office used it to cut down on phone costs - I'm trying to remember if it went out when the wifi did. I don't think so. It's probably using the phone company network's internet. So if theirs went down, it would go down.
Someone more technologically savvy could probably weigh in on that.
I thought he already signed the order, but I guess not. Amazon started selling incandescent again, however, there are a limited amount of suppliers. I'm sure it will ramp up soon as so many people have problems with LEDs. They hurt my eyes and give me a headache.
The Biden administration made selling Incandescent light bulbs in the US illegal in August 2024. Amazon quit selling them then, but it looks like they are already allowing them again.
to Grok : do LED lights on the "warm" setting still produce blue light?
Yes, LED lights on the "warm" setting still produce some blue light, but significantly less than those on cooler or daylight settings. Here's how it works:
LED Color Temperature: The color temperature of LED lights is measured in Kelvin (K). Lights with lower Kelvin values (e.g., 2700K to 3000K) are considered "warm" because they emit a more yellow or amber light, similar to traditional incandescent bulbs. Higher Kelvin values (e.g., 5000K and above) are "cool" or "daylight" and produce more blue light.
Blue Light Emission: Even warm white LEDs emit some blue light because the technology often involves using a blue LED chip coated with phosphors. These phosphors convert some of the blue light to longer (warmer) wavelengths, but the conversion isn't perfect, so a small amount of blue light still gets through.
Impact: Although the amount of blue light from a warm LED is lower, it's still present. This can be important for people sensitive to blue light, especially in the evening when blue light can affect sleep patterns by suppressing melatonin production. However, warm LEDs are designed to minimize this impact compared to cooler LEDs.
There is also lightbulbs.com. They seem to carry everything, even Christmas light bulb strings that take the old-fashioned incandescent large colored bulbs.
Same here... my brain interprets LEDs like a toxin to be avoided. I ordered incandescent light bulbs off Amazon and they turned out to be cheap crap that don't last but a few months with regular use. It was an off brand so maybe I should try to find a well known brand... I sure hope this ridiculous green investment money maker for the parasite class goes the way of the dinosaur ;)
100%. GE switched over all their production to LED years ago when they first passed the stupid law. The China bulbs don't last as long, but that's my only choice.
CHop--off topic , sort of. Do you know if GE appliances are now manufactured in chyna? I cannot find out. Been recommended , yet do not buy from cHyna if at all possible. Thank you.
Anita. Thank you I did check this from other post. Factories here is great news. Spose unavoidable to have anything with out 'components' from chyna. Might be time to simply stop checking, been exhausting. However would still like to know what chemicals used in linings of ovens. It is secret--or perhaps my poor searching abilities just have not found. Do you perchance have information or where to find?
Seems to me that it's like purchasing cookware or rice pots, look for something not non-stick (Teflon, for example) and probably the typical is porcelain enamel. Maybe the food-grade silicone is okay, too.
The fumes from cleaning seem to be the hazardous part, whether it's the burning of residue to ash or the spray chemicals.
Don't recommend self-cleaning your oven. I did and the extreme heat blew a fuse at the BACK of my wall-mounted oven that requires pulling the whole oven out of the wall!
Thank you , yes knew a 'bit'. Do not know how to use Ai, so really appreciate.
If has self clean , do not use. Use steam clean instead. Porcelain ''ceramic' was what searching for. Not found. Local appliance store said would plug it in and burn off the 'chemicals' so doesn't happen in the home. Great, but still. Still unknown lining. Got into this after checking for safe air fryer for grandson. Wow. bad news. Got me thinking about full size ovens. You can check her site here--she has not lab tested full size ovens yet. Disappointed. She gets to the real information. Mamavation.com
Going back to the fact 'tards are stupid, low water flush mandates for toilets is a perfect example. I know people who have brought toilets back from Mexico, Anyone ever been to Germany.? Their toilets have 2 flush options, essentially #1 (low water flush) and #2 (high water flush). Not labeled of course, but common sense required (so you would have to label them if they were sold in America).
How do they get around the maximum flush per mandates? I'll bet the #2 flush is just the new normal flush, and the only difference is you get a lesser flush if you want for #1. I mean, when those German toilets do a full flush, you aren't going to find any crap hanging around
Toto. Put those in 20 years ago and have not needed a plunger since. Eljer Titan are just as good and you can get those at the big box home improvement stores.
We had to get rid of our water saver because the plunging effect broke the seal over and over AND the handle kept falling off, into the tank and couldn't be retrieved without incredible about of time and hardship! 😡🔥
Dunno bout that….LEDs work pretty well….run cooler, illuminate well, cheaper to operate, and last longer. Initial cost is my only objection. What am I missing?
I do like that they don't heat the house up in the summer and I need brighter light if I'm doing detail work like hand-sewing. Regular light bulbs don't provide enough light for me to do that. At the end of the day, the issue is not banning one type or the other but giving people the freedom to buy the bulbs they prefer to use.
I had a sick parakeet years ago, and the vet told me to put a light next to the cage to keep the bird warm. My father used to keep a light on in the basement to keep the pipes from freezing. And yes, LED light is not good for your retina.
The reality I’ve discovered is that they do NOT last! The LEDs I’ve bought cost three times as much, and on average last about 6 months, depending on their location and how much use they get.
Some of them have an irritating delay when switched on and they produce an ugly, unnatural light.
I’m sure improvements could be made to incandescents, but LED is not an improvement IMO.
We recently found out that there are 2 types of LEDs, those that are rated for high temps and those that aren't. While LEDs dont put off heat like incandescents, the little circuit boards do and there are some that dont handle the increased temps at all. For every 5 deg off of ideal (let's say 70 deg) it will reduce their lifespan by a considerable percent. So in an enclosed light, in a house that reg stays above 75 deg (AC is expensivo) your "10 year lightbulb) will last maybe 3 years. They label them now, the ones that are rated for enclosed fixtures. So we've already replaced every bulb in our house twice- and we've only lived here 6 years. Since we removed the covers on all the lights, they dont go out near as fast.
So I need to keep my house cooler than I want in the summer to make my light bulbs last longer. These government officials are brilliant. Only kidding, they aren’t
The cheap ones burn out quickly, but get this: the LEDs inside are wired in series (like the old Christmas tree lights), so if one LED burns out, none of them function! There are probably millions of these in landfills that would work perfectly fine if one LED was replaced.
If we were a truly efficient society, we would demand that all LED bulbs sold be designed with their LEDs wired in parallel.
You are correct. The old incandescent bulbs last much much much longer than the LEDs.. there are still incandescent bulbs in service for over 100 years. What wears them out is to turn them on and off.
You are missing the fact (that they don't tell you) they emit harmful EMF's, and are bad for your eyes, and have mercury in them, but other than that, they are great.
fluorescent tubes apparently have some mercury. My local Lowe's used to accept them when they burned out (supposedly to properly dispose of them), but not longer does. I have yet to find a way of disposing of the bad ones, although I have been told to just thrown them in the trash!
“Standard, incandescent bulbs and halogen bulbs do not contain hazardous materials. However, compact fluorescent light (CFLs), fluorescent tubes and light emitting diodes (LED) bulbs contain toxic metals such as mercury, arsenic and lead. CFL light bulbs contain about 3 milligrams of mercury gas. If the bulb breaks, individuals can easily breathe in toxic levels of mercury vapor and other metals.* If the bulbs are improperly disposed, these metals can contaminate our soil, groundwater, lakes and streams.”
I am looking across the room at two different light bulbs. One is old incandescent "yellow" bulb and the other is a bright, white LED. The white light looks cleaner. To me, the yellow bulb looks dingy by comparison. Again, it's a preference.
Must be the yellow hue that incandescent or low lumen bulbs give off- yellow being a warm color compared to the more blue tone that daylight bulbs give off which is considered a cool tone. Just guessing...🤔
Incandescents radiate heat as well. I’ve used a 100w trouble light with an incandescent bulb in my RV wet bay for years when the temps are low. Works perfectly.
Cheaper to operate because gov subsidies? Windmills? Solar panels all over acres and acres and acres of ppl feeding farmland? Chinese made? Maybe it's all a lie.
This is the reply my electrician husband always gives me when I complain that I want to go back to incandescent. I’m not sure if he and you are right or if he has just been trained to see it that way? 🤷🏼♀️
The flickering of them really annoys my eyes and brain. It’s sort of like how a strobe light eventually affects you.
As for lasting longer: that’s true with most bulbs around our house, but NOT the ones that normally take a halogen bulb. The LEDs in my bathroom fixtures burn out constantly the same way the original bulbs did and so half the time the lighting is too low for me to see anything well because I’m waiting for him to replace them. I think both kinds of bulbs cost a lot so he always drags his feet replacing them. He does grumble that the halogen gets too hot.
And the regs around air conditioners. We are hanging in there with an A/C system we last replaced in 2003. My understanding is that due to new environmental regulations the cost of replacing it is supposed to go up by a $1000 or more starting this year. At least that is what the tech who was at our house last time we got it repaired told me. Granted, he may have just been trying to earn a commission on a new unit, but I told him I will wait and see what Trump will do when he gets elected. That shut him up.
I wouldn't really mind the LED bulbs if they actually _lasted_. The cooler temps are welcome in the summer months around here, but the "10 year" thing is ... not. So bringing back incandescents and such will be nice.
Had an all-in-one fixture with LEDs die. But looks like it was just one of the settings for the light so a switch got it working again and not needing a whole new unit. Had to nix _that_ idea for a new overhead light at one point. :)
Our house is just 5 years old. It wasn't even a year in and we've been replacing LEDs since. They don't last and aren't bright. Don't get me started on my new appliances. Already replaced stove once and have had tech out on new one....need to have them back. Turn on one burner and the one beside it comes on too. Ice maker hasn't worked in a year and dishwasher is crappy....and all were name brands.
I hope he goes after all stupid regulations on appliances next!
Almost everyone I know has had to replace a major appliance in the last 6 months, unlike my godmother who still had her washing machine from the 1950's. They don't make anything to last anymore and it's infuriating. We've replaced one appliance every year in the house we moved into and the house was newly renovated with new appliances. It's ridiculous. No one cares about making a quality product anymore. They only care about making a profit. And they keep adding all of these "special features" that break. Can't we focus on just making a quality product that lasts, please!!!
The appliances don't work anymore because you can decrease the water flow, OR the electricity consumption, but not both if you want the appliance to still clean or wash, So what does the EPA do ? Reduce both by mandate.
Yep. Can't find reliable people to fix anything. When my godmother's old refrigerator broke, the repair company had to send 3 different people out to try to fix it! The last guy was an older, experienced repairman.
Our house is 19 years old and it has some of the original incandescent lights from when we bought it (new construction)! And yet the LEDs keep having to be replaced all the time 🙄
We opted for really bright LED integrated light fixtures for our barn. The first set lasted about 3 years, and then, all of a sudden, they were all blipping out. We had to shear our alpacas in very low light, because it happened right around that time. On shearing morning, two of the lights right over the shearing area went dark. So, we replaced them all with the same style, but brighter. Guess what? Those only lasted about a year. So, our next trick is to replace all of the direct wiring with plugs, and get the plug in versions, which will not require an electrician to replace. Our barn ceiling is 14' tall, so it's no easy task.
Happy about the straws but can we get to the really important stuff -- light bulbs!! I don't want that LED garbage in my house. Bring back regular light bulbs!!
How about backing off the new appliance regulations? So we can buy appliances that actually work properly again.
Especially washing machine machines that fill to more than a cup of water
Check out Speed Queen. I 'understand' SQ filled in all the requirements in one phase, was passed, now rest works right for laundry.. If only dishwasher manufacturers had been that wise? Need appliances NOW, but when this changes warehouses will still be full of the offending products with limiting
chips; which cannot be removed.
Speed Queen is awesome. We got one back in July after our Whirlpool died after only five years. There is a button that you can push that FILLS the tub full of water for all cycles (if you want). It also allows you to open the lid and put an errant sock in after the unit is on (no stupid locking lid). It is 100% made in WI, USA and is solid as a tank. No shaking and going becoming out of balance and it gets clothes clean (because you get to actually use enough water). The best made machine I've ever seen. No wonder laundromats use them. Also, there is a huge difference between your local Appliance store and the "big box store" versions of appliances. And the box stores to best of my knowledge do not have SQ's.
79-Thank you. One recommended was laundromat type but too costly. Hoping for a more 'regular' model that still does the job. Whgt a blessing I learned this. Do you have a model number by chance?---- How about dishwashers? I was a fool, did not know about chips. Rather than replacing rack on 30 year old great working Kitchen Aid DW--went for new. KA had food grinder 'disposer'--dishes only needed to be scraped. New Maytag requires washing dishes before go in. However heard KA might now have 'problems' with electrical panel. Simply purchasing an appliance these days is daunting. Thank you for any suggestions/opinions.
char: Model # AWN632SP116TW02 Product Code: TC5003WN
Ours is the classic model with as few electronics as possible.
I real really miss my old washer- the one with the dial. Fill with water as much as you need, open the lid for the sock you forgot. Now the machine tells YOU how to do the laundry. I KNOW HOW to do it, thank you very much!!
Amen! These smart appliances are very dumb! And they agitate me more than my laundry gets agitated. That would be aggravate...they aggravate me.
LOL!! So true Robin!
Laura ☝🏼👆🏻the bot👆🏻, go away.
We got this one for many reasons, but one main one is because it has the dials and only two buttons (the FILL button and the "on" button). My opinion is that this one is the best, least amount of electronics, that one can buy today. We couldn't be happier with the investment.
My experience the last 15 or so years is that the LESS fancy an electronic item is, the better. Less to go wrong!
That's why with our 3rd fridge in 18 years, we didn't go with all the gadgets. Just a plain water/ice in the door but nothing else fancy.
Amen!! Truth!
I'm so happy to find out about Speed Queen. I've currently got a 12 year old LG front load that I really don't like at all, and I'm surprised it has lasted this long. I found a place that sells Speed Queens and plan to go check them out.
We’ve owned two front load washers, both LGs. I don’t know if it’s the washer or the high efficiency soap but if our clothes aren’t worn within about a week, they get a sour smell to them. I know they’re dry when I put them away so that’s not the problem. I didn’t have this issue with a top loader. I miss having a top loader but can’t bend over after having 2 back surgeries.
Some high efficiency washers save the rinse water and reuse it for the next load; if you don’t wash every day the bacteria in the saved rinse water has time to grow and stink up the next load of clothes. Also makes the machine itself stink and grow mold on gaskets…
No one should be using ANY dishwasher. The soap you have to use contains a surface tension reducer that stays on dishes to make them shiny when they dry. This chemical is NOT natural. It is mildly toxic to the human body. It can accumulate in the body and become one of the 5 causes of Cancer.
There are plenty of safe alternatives to the bad products.
Folks just have to look. The best place to start is here: azurestandard.com
Even if folks don't order from them, the information is there and is totally free for all to access.
The main ingredient in any automatic dishwashing process is hot water.
Sir--I do not doubt. Reason I rarely use, but still do. Friend uses washing soda and Borax. Feels it works in DW. However when tried did not work here. Perhaps water here is too hard. She has well water. Are there any other alternatives? Besides hand washing?
Try the products of TrulyFreeHome.com
I switched to them for all my household cleaning products. No toxic chemicals and made in the USA. Their dishwashing detergent is great!
I also switched to Truly Free Home products…ditto everything KC says. Great stuff. The dishwasher “detergent” is one of my favorite products.
Love truly free!!
Oh, the horrors of handwashing! I have four children. when I pointed out that everyone else had a dishwasher, my husband said he had given me four.
One of the MOST important things to getting both clothes and dishes and YOU! clean. . . is the use of SOFT water.
How would you know:
-- if you have a softener, MOST use salt. So, you have to buy softener salt. If you do, you have the potential for soft water. Next, verify it is working correctly. Call the Culligan man! or any water service in your town.
-- if you wash your hands with soap and they feel a bit slimy after washing the soap off-- it is SOFT. If they feel "squeekie clean" you have HARD water.
The FIRST thing to do trying to get things cleaner is to make sure your using SOFT water. Otherwise, most ALL soaps are useless.
The reason to use a DW is to use less water to wash a lot of dishes. For those who are on a well and need to conserve water, it is the most efficient way.
Baking soda dissolved in water works great in the dishwasher cup. All-natural.
I agree. Dishwashers are a complete waste of time. In the time it takes to load and unload a dishwasher, you could just wash and dry the dishes by hand using less water.
I just started using Dirty Labs for my dishwasher & like it without all the bad stuff.
AGREED! Every time I get a refill in a restaurant or bar I have them refill the glass I have. They always ask me if I'm sure and my reply is typically, "Yes. I've licked the inside of your dishwasher once. I'm good."
Built in obsolescence I think it's called, Char. I detest the throw away mentality of engineers/manufacturers today! And I won't go down the trail of 'smart' appliances that allegedly spy on your daily activities.
S.P. H. And of consumers.
A combination of taxicabs and Lyft and Uber can replace a car.
I won’t own a dishwasher or a microwave or a television or a car.
A friend ask her repairman (while he was administering last rites to her third washing machine in just a few years) which machine was the best, and he said, hands down, the Speed Queen. He said he never had repair calls for them.
Donna O, remember the 'lonely Maytag repairman commercials?
I know, I'm dating myself and I no longer watch a TV.
Yes, I do!
My Maytag washer came with the house we bought I got in 1996. It was circa 1965 & lasted until about 2015! We love our SQ that replaced old faithful!
thanks for this info!!
Speed queen, coming with the expectation of it lasting 25+ years... Thumbs up!
I bought a Speed Queen, it cost more, but so worth it. I love it. It is like a tank!
which model? I'm in the market for a new machine!
Speed Queen.
The fewer electronics the better.
In my opinion, you can't beat the Speed Queen classic model!
Yes, the Classic is the model! I have had one for 5 years - two thumbs up. If you call the company in Wisconsin they are most helpful in answering any questions. The TC model is the best.
Leo-=do you know if stackable Speed Queen set works the same regards water? TY. Not finding
Sorry, char, I don't know anything about the stackable Speed Queen sets. Honestly, I didn't know there was such a thing. My washer is a top load with an agitator and two water levels. It's the "classic" model, so there are no electronics. Here's info from where I bought it: https://www.donsappliances.com/product/speed-queen-tc5-32-cu-ft-top-load-washer-1595468
Now can somebody make a toaster that gets hot enough to toast, and last longer than a couple years? I finally resorted to purchasing a 50's vintage rebuilt Toastmaster B-14. Works wonderfully!
I had to buy a new toaster what a hassle I bought a Cuisinart. Don't waste your money I have to push the handle down 3 times to make it work
Thank you! Last month husband fixed my spewing-water-on-floor Maytag from ~1990 but....
Kudos to husband! Hang on to that Maytag.
I have a 35 year old kenmore stored downstairs. I found out after I'd replaced it with a new $2,000 Speed Queen that all the kenmore needed was a new (inexpensive) shock absorber.
Girlfriend bought a new Maytag to replace a 1 yr old (!) fully warranted Whirlpool that locked a full load of her husband's jeans inside. Nothing short of what the repairman had to do unlocked it (kicked it down a short flight of concrete stairs). The new Maytag ($900) was retired yesterday! FOUR REPAIRS! Impossible to make appointments for additional repairs because the warranty company required appointments be made online! She called 6 times on Friday, I drove out to her house and called 4 times. We got disconnected every single time, after filling out 5 pages of STUPID questions! So, my 83 yr old, disabled friend drove herself to the store yesterday, and parked herself on a bench at the front desk, "I'm NOT leaving until someone helps me! After a few "short" hours she was promised a new washer and they would haul the 14 month old Maytag away... Maytag is junk! Sorry, not sorry!
I agree. I did a great deal of detailed research and learned the only safe purchase would be a Speed Queen, which was really expensive and although so far reliable, still doesn't perform as well as my old Kenmore. That thing has a spin cycle that works like an old fashioned extractor. It saves a lot of money and wear and tear on my 40 year old dryer.
I'm so sorry to know your dear friend had to go through all that. It's hugely stressful and time consuming, and I hope she can enjoy reliable and trouble free performance from here on.
Thank you. It was so frustrating trying to make a simple repair appointment. I was fearful that she would have a heart attack trying to make a simple repair appointment! What is with these companies that require an online service appointment! Arg!!
Speaking of online service- 311 in cities is junk. I hate it in Mobile. Lazy incompetents are put in those seats.
You should fix it and sell it on Craig's list. . .
For now I'm hangin' on to that bad boy. It can't be replaced. No unnecessary electronics and it works like a champ, so I figure it's good insurance and will only appreciate in value. It spin dries better than the new Speed Queen.
What I'd really like to find is a 50 year old gas range.
My water-spewing Maytag needed only a gasket--but to get that he had to buy a whole plastic thingy for about $136. Repair company would have charged about $200 just to come and take a look. And when we went that route, a few years ago, the repair work (after the $200 look-see) didn't actually fix the problem--so husband bought new parts...and....fixed it.
I hear ya. I bought a brand new Kenmore electric range that turned out not to just be a defective and inefficient piece of junk, it's actually dangerous. Very much so.
After it locked me out of my oven and activated its very hazardous self-cleaning feature I went through days of frustration and shock trying to get repairs and doing research that revealed such shocking information that I finally ordered a replacement part and did the fix myself.
I read confirmed reports of lockouts like I experienced resulting in house fires, so I was fortunate. I read multiple reports of the glass doors exploding. injuring people and in one case killing a lady's dog. My friend bought a top of the line cook top that spontaneously exploded one evening just after she'd finished cleaning up after dinner. The metal on the ovens is so thin that it warps under the temperature of the self cleaning feature, causing it to collapse under the weight of anything remotely heavy like a large casserole or turkey or roast. Nightmare stuff.
Speed Queen, purchased after a Kenmore of many years. It's worth the $$
I love my Speed Queen. I purposely bought it because it was a top loader that filled up the washer with water!
Happy to hear this. My stackable Kenmore washer and dryer are 20 years old now. Still getting it done, but nothing lasts forever.
Chips may not be removeable... But sensors may be hacked!
Doug. Perhaps but for some more tech savvy than I. Instructions?
I think you need to be a LITTLE tech-savvy for this.
I remember as a kid when my dad removed the little washer that was a faucet's "water restrictor", drilled it out to a larger hole and re-installed it.
Washers have water-level sensors tat may be moved higher to allow more water to be present. But this may impact the gearbox, if it's not robust enough to handle the extra resistance more water would provide.
I'm naturally curious and resent state control over things I purchase, so I do my research, learn how something's built, and see if there's a way to circumvent controls. There almost always is. But you may have to be a techie to figure it out. Sorry...
Once read popular mechanics with neighbor 'boy'. He/we figured out ''stuff''. Married , moved away--children became focus. No longer know anyone who is curious. I will not be trying this! Chicken
I don't blame you... You're smart to do a risk/benefit analysis.
When I was in my early twenties, I shared a house with a couple of roommates. One day, the dryer broke. I was agonizing abouthow we were going to get someone out to fix it, worrying about cost, etc. My roommate, with whom I worked as a telephone installer, looked me in the eye, and said "another man built this. We can fix it!" I'll always remember that, and it changed my entire outlook. Since then, I've always been more apt to try to look up service manuals, "open the hood" as it were, and attempt to fix things myself (as long as they're out of warranty!) before calling someone else.
I've worked as a warehouse guy, a telephone technician, a computer geek, web designer, electronics technician, and a handyman/carpenter. I've built several recording studios, play drums/guitar/keys, and worked in theater as a sound operator, sound designer, set builder and even set designer on a couple of occasions. I've done a lot of work on my cars over the years. So I understand at least a little about how a lot of stuff works. That's why stuff like dishwashers and garbage disposals and washing machines don't scare me.
Although one time I did completely flatten a washing machine that dared to flood my garage multiple times out of sheer spite...
Totally agree, having been an engineer for many decades, in the '80s I wanted a gas fire. Read through all the relevant 'certification' documentation, replicated the gas piping, built a gas chimney and installed a gas fire.
I feel so retro.. I'm sitting in my house with a wood stove for heat...
I bought a Speed Queen decades ago. It lasted 34 years!!!!
Then I bought another one.
and the "New" machines require you to "wash" the washer about once a month.... using an extra long cycle of hot water & an expensive additive (that you can replicate with bleach or vinegar)
truly a racket. infuriating.
It’s so stupid!! 😡 And even so, my washer randomly spits out gunk into my wash every so often (usually my lighter colors, conveniently enough 🙄) and I have to rewash that load 🙄 I will definitely be replacing it with a Speed Queen as soon as I can!
Wait until it just starts to fill with water, turn it off and add a tub of water (often with pre soaked clothes and/or added borax or bleach).
You know you can buy GE or speed queen washers and dryers
Ranger. I am tryong to learn where GE appliances are now manufactured. Country. Do you k now? Unable to find that info.
https://speedqueen.com/the-speed-queen-story/
Maybe this will help you https://geappliancesco.com/operations/
Ranger--Thank you. I really appreciate. Searching for 2 critical things. Dishwasher with grinder [disposer]--had ancient but foolishly went new over repair before knowing. AND safest oven --without chemicals to bake into foods. The hours spent--learning nothing. Told induction safest, but sounds like that is for cook tops, not ovens.....Avoid convection and air fryer.......ok, but just yikes. .Mentioned earlier. recalls for not listing allergens in foods like soy or dairy. Yet unable to learn the contents of oven linings? Spending lots extra for VOC free products in small cabin being built--THEN searching for safe air fryer for grandson, learned bad news of many. Led me to question ovens, learning nothing . Spend so much for VOC free products then bake them into foods.? Serious worry to me. Thank you for the GE info especially. Really appreciate. Spose everything has some components from chyna, but factories here is good to hear. Might chance GE. 'Some' --like induction range even with incomplete information. Refrigerators. Got to make choices like 2 months ago.
I have ALL GE appliances, new home in 2017, AND ! have had problems with EVERY, SINGLE one.
dishwasher, dryer, washer, upper/lower oven/ microwave, Frig.
They are all still running after 8 years but replaced parts in them ALL.
The frig has been relegated to spare duty in the laundry room; the microwave still in place but the door springs failed and I refuse to pay $500 for a new door(springs not available). Replaced frig in Kitchen with an LG.
I could go on, but safe to say, based on input above,
stick with SPEED QUEEN!
We only buy used. Our used washer broke a few days ago, but we found GE at an estate sale. They seem pretty good. I have heard great things about speed queens though
GE is no longer made well!
I had a GE that ran perfectly for 22 years, then gave out. We looked at everything, but got a lot of negative comments about the new GE quality so didn't buy that. We were warned everywhere to stay away from Samsung, and actually no one seemed enthusiastic about any of the brands. We were told by many people the new refrigerators were expected to last about 5 years, no matter how much you pay. We got a fantastic deal on an Italian Bertazzoni floor model fridge with a dent in the back that you can't see plus a 5 year warranty on it, so although its original price was about $3800, we got it for $1400. I love the fridge, but at a only year in I have no idea how long it might last. Wait and see.
And dish washers!! My new $800 Boschdoesnt have enough water to rinse the detergent off the plates. And it won't dry unless you use the 3hour cycle!!!
We've been using Bosch 800 dishwashers for 13 years. Unfortunately one died 2 years ago. American Home Shield would only replace it with a Kitchen Aid. HATE IT!
Jut because parts of CA and other areas in the SW are a desert, doesn't mean the rest of us need to be on water restriction.
Get a Speed Queen washer. It has no bells and whistles to break down, uses lots of water to wash, is commercial grade, and is a beast. After having one of those low water washers a few months, I put it on the curb and bought the Speed Queen.
🙌
LOW FLOW TOILETS!
yes - horrible, horrible, horrible. Requires flush after flush and ends up using as much if not more, water!
Its so stupid. It's like solar and wind. It's a net negative in terms of effect on the environment.
Same with low flow toilets. You waste twice as much water. Which has a cost to you and the local government.
Anything the crazed environmentalists design is a failure. Proven over and over again!
Well, I'll say....it's almost as if it was planned....:)
Nearly All the "standards" are not to modernize or conserve...that's at best secondary, new regs and standards are primarily smoke and mirrors pushed by a Progressivist (Wilson) system of overpaid agency/dept. bureaucrats, engineers, industry, sales reps, suppliers selling upgrades and artificial innovations that fix the ONE prominent "issue or problem" while creating 2 or 3 more by doing so; this is work for work's sake whether changes in global energy sources or a more "water efficient" toilet design required by state or municipal code; perpetual, periodic production/supply/costs/installation with certification, intentionally drive the economy and spending and collaterally cost-crush some into subsidy dependency for compliance...or broader "investment" when renovating and complying to new codes and ordinances.
Truly non-standardization is also maddening, where 10,000 parts exist to repair said Low Flow Toilets in all their various incarnations, stylings, flushing mechanisms etc--not to mention your incoming water quality has to be nearly filtered and softened to perfection ($$$), and longevity of product is NOT an enforceable standard.
We got one piece standard volume Glacier Bay toilets from Home Depot. They produce an extra turbulence during the flush that is very forceful and works great! They are the BEST!
these:
?
https://www.homedepot.com/pep/19-in-2-Piece-Toilet-Dual-Flush-1-1-1-6-GPF-Map-Flush-1000g-Elongated-White-Toilet-With-Soft-Close-Seat-12-in-Rough-in-AGM-MT619T/330985662
Actually, there’s a high end ($700+ a few years ago; no idea now) Toto that works better than any other. Their lower cost models are good, but not amazing.
I have 3. Problems. Had to replace the main valve stem unit on them all because they constantly failed to re-fill the bowl completely. Call to service worked well-- free replacements in mail. But, I had to do the work. Putzed with them(new) for months before giving up and making the damn call.
I made the mistake of using a bidet once!
Hahaha!
Invigorating...
We swear by them!
I have a Kohler Persuade toilet with dual flush and I have never in 12 years had to flush more than once or use a plunger. I recommend it highly. I bought 2 more for another property. Under $570 and it looks awesome with a skirted trapway. Easier to clean.
https://www.kohler.com/en/products/toilets/shop-toilets/persuade-curv-comfort-height-two-piece-elongated-dual-flush-chair-height-toilet-75790?skuId=75790-0
Our entire property was fitted with Kohler. There is nothing better!
Don't get me started on that one! Plus the low flow shower heads, although those are easy to defeat if you remove the little filter in them.
Someday I’d like to try a compost potty.
Yes, yes, and hail yes!
Yes! So tired of scraping food off of “clean” dishes. My appliance repairman said the water doesn’t get hot enough to actually clean the dishes. So annoying!!
Set the hot water heater - if you have one - temp at 140 instead of 120 [energy saving]. I've let the kids know that the hot water is HOT so that the grands - and they - are not at risk of scalding. I learned ~15 yrs ago, when one of the buildings at work was evacuated and closed b/c of an outbreak of legionnaires disease, that 140 KILLS the bacteria but that 120 does not. That was enough for me.
Mine is set at 128°F; I use SOFT water . . . and it cleans fine on all levels:
Express, quick wash, normal, heavy.
as to disease: I believe ALL dishwashers(certainly, GE, MINE) have heat boosters to bump the cleaning temp to 160°F. Leave the main hot water heater alone, if so.
Anti scald valves for the fixtures humans use are in order of you go that route.
Correctomundo!
thank you!!
Hand washing 🍽️ disher works 💯 better !!
we do that for easy, nearly clean stuff. The main stuff all goes through the machine. Wake up every morning to a clean tub of dry dishes.
I actually rinse them very well, AND use the extra hot feature to get them clean now. For washing clothes, I use extra water and higher temps, so all their energy saving features actually make me use more energy!
CHeck your water to be sure it is SOFT. If so, verify the hot cycle is reaching 160°F, I believe. Read the manual. Almost all these units have 2ndary heaters to boost temp . . .
Finally, try different levels of cleaning: HIGH, NORMAL, Express, quick wash with heavy food on plates and determine the one that works for YOU.
That will be $100 for the service call.
But the dry cycle gets incredibly hot, baked that stuff on solid. Why is hot air okay and not hot water??
Funny you say that! I’ve been buying old washing machines…you know, the kind that actually fill completely full of water and do a little “shimmy & Shake” for about 10 min…off the market place for years now. When my beloved old Maytag finally bit the dust, I caved and bought a new one (which I immediately regretted) and which now sits collecting dust in a conex in our back 40 lol! I was able to eventually find another old Maytag (which I love)!
These so called “efficient” appliances may save on water, but they use ten times as much electricity trying to get the job done!! Please “Make Appliances GREAT (and common sense) Again”!!
Can we make refrigerators again like my 1948 GE that's still running?
no, we can't.
HUGE compressor, will never fail but eats electricity like a big dog.
They may eat electricity but is that cheaper, in the long run, than repetitively having to buy new units?
I ran across brochures from the 1950's advertising refrigerators. They looked more innovative than what we have now and they probably worked better, too.
Twice now, my 2-year-new top-load washer with an agitator has let a spider survive an entire washing/rinsing/spinning cycle. I kid you not. Each time, the spider was on the agitator, enjoying the relatively dry ride.
If I insert any clothing in this washer that is folded, it comes out folded. There are clothes that come out with some dry spots that never got wet.
OH MY GOODNESS! This cracks me up!
LOLOLOL, i'm sorry - that is funny notwithstanding your frustration with a flawed product that wastes your time!
Yeah, first time it was funny. Second time, I began wondering where these spiders were coming from. Still haven't figured it out.
husbands pants pocket
what brand??!
Maytag. About the only brand I could get in top loader w/agitator. Bought near the end of the lockdowns.
oh did you strike a nerve, Kathy... my husband was complaining how our new, high efficiency, low water and poor results washing machine, which came with our new built home in 2022, doesn't really clean the clothes, even using the "Deep Water Wash" function on every load and "hot water. Said his Dad's machine in Michigan really gets things clean. I told him well, yeah, your dad's machine is 20 years old, uses real hot water and has a center agitator that really agitates. pointing to our agitator, I told him it's for decorative purposes, doesn't really work - it's so ridicuous - an old fashioned washboard works better than this piece of crap, which will surely break down in another year, forcing us to buy another worthless machine, Rinse and repeat, pun intended!
I had one of those that was missing the agitator. My clothes often emerged from the washer dry! The manual said that's because the washer did a super job spinning the clothes. 🙄 Aside from the fact that my laundry didn't get washed, the machine used to tear little holes in my clothes. So efficient!
GG, what brand was your clothes eater?
I don't remember! I know before the clothes eater, I had a Maytag washer and dryer that I had owned since 1993 but when I got married, my husband wanted new appliances, so I gave my Maytags to my mother. She still has them! I could kick myself (or maybe the hubby🤔😂).
They weren't very durable, either. I think we had them for like five years when they broke down. I have one with an agitator now and it mostly fills up (way more than the clothes eater, at any rate). At least all my clothes get wet when I wash them. Someday, maybe I can afford a Speed Queen!
good news!!!! https://x.com/TrumpDailyPosts/status/1889316878688071709
I am hereby instructing Secretary Lee Zeldin to immediately go back to my Environmental Orders, which were terminated by Crooked Joe Biden, on Water Standards and Flow pertaining to SINKS, SHOWERS, TOILETS, WASHING MACHINES, DISHWASHERS, etc., and to likewise go back to the common sense standards on LIGHTBULBS, that were put in place by the Trump Administration, but terminated by Crooked Joe. I look forward to signing these Orders. THANK YOU!!!
Yes!! Maybe add soap that actually cleans.
I'm a person who loves to blend things - I don't know why, but it borders on a compulsion..
Anyway, I have a few different types of laundry detergent down in the garage. I mixed some detergent that was thick and viscous with some other thick and viscous detergent from Trader Joe's, and the result was thin and runny. The TJ's detergent is soapy/foamy. The other detergent (from a "cheap stuff" store where the poors shop) is slippery, but feels more oily than soapy. Maybe it's missing the phosphate or maybe it's something else.
Not washing my clothes with that crap anymore, as I don't want whatever's in it up against my skin. Call me suspicious, but something in me tells me it's just another way "they" attempt to poison us out of existence...
Make your own with washing soda, borax, baking soda oxy-clean and grated bar soap. It will satisfy your love of blending and knowing what you're getting, and it makes everything smell fresh not like you simply took a perfume shower!!!
Thanks, Nancy! I'll try this. I collected essential oils for years after I read "Jitterbug Perfume" by Tom Robbins. So I do like some scents. But my stepmom washes her sheets (the ones in the guest room we sleep on) in some nasty, cloying Gain detergent. She must use a lot of it, because it's hard to even fall asleep, it's so strong.
Take your own sheets - that fragrance you're inhaling is toxic!! I don't understand the obsession with highly fragranced items.
Happy blending, Doug!
Dr Linda, my original comment seems to have gotten lost, so I’m replying again.
In short, the soap probably works fine but modern detergent is missing phosphate, which is needed for a proper rinse. May I suggest adding TSP to your wash in addition to your detergent; it should improve the final result. I don’t have a ratio (tsp/gal or ml/L), sorry.
We buy a large bag of baking soda ( the larger the better , cost wise) .......
About a handful in a full wash (clothes) , with just a squirt of vinegar........... SAFE AND EFFECTIVE !
And no side effects . Clothes detergents and softeners have lots of chemicals . The more fragrant ones being badddd to the bone(s)
Vinegar and baking soda is how I made a "volcano" in my elementary school science class...
😀😀😄 That combo works to unclog slow draining pipes too, but it was probably more fun making a volcano!!
Yes I need a new dishwasher. The relatively new one we have is crap. Three hour cycles and does not clean the dishes. The old one had a quick wash—45 minutes and done. Have already replaced the circuit board even. Free the appliances!!!
Bosch dishwasher, 17 years old - cleans/works great with no repairs.
Yes the older ones are better. Keep it forever!!
Heat pumps too. We’re due for a new furnace but we’ll have ‘up grade’ both because the new furnace won’t work with the old heat pump, or vice versa. They regulated (updated?) heat pumps to be obsolete, once they die, they both essentially die.
Note: our heat pump is much newer than our waaaay old furnace.
'Cash for Clunkers' was an Obama era scam to get rid of perfectly good vehicles.
It messed up the used car market for a long time too.
They are deigned to fail. Forced con$umeri$m.
The irony is that GE made washing machines that could have worked with less water 60 years ago. Instead of relying just on agitation, they had a pump to sprinkle the clothing from above. The water went through a filter basket to catch lint. Filter Flow they called it.
Make the pump stronger and spray down from above and the clothes on top would get clean even if not submerged.
Yes! Now that y’all mention this, I’ve been wondering who is the best person at the W. H. To send letters to requesting things like this be handled. For the first time in my life, I really think if Trump hears about these things, he will fix it. But we need the best contact info. Anyone know?
Came here to say just this. I hate paper straws but I really hate LED bulbs.
LED light is bad for your retina.
Did not know that….not sure why that would be but will check with the CDC to find out. 🤭
I have a friend with an eye degeneration illness, and she cannot tolerate LED lights. I often find them harsh and glaring. There was no scientific basis for eliminating incandescent bulbs.
The worst are the LED Christmas lights!!!
They actually hurt. Weird Brightness.
I’m quite sure some politicians made $$ on them.
You can buy LED bulbs at nearly any color temp. The 5000 °K are usually cheapest and most available and probably lots of folks buy them without knowing you can get the same color temp as old incandescents(2900) in LED form too. They should be no "harsher" than the old type as they radiate the same light "rays".
EDIT: Correction, not true; the BLUE peak is higher in many LED lights. Look down further for my suggestion for LED lights that basically have the same spectra with minimal blue peak.
Philips HD LED.
Check with the CDC, but verify with Fauci…….😂😂
😋
Priceless. I looked askance at your first words, then cracked up when I realized you were interviewing for a job as Jeff's satirist.
They’ll lie
LOL!!!!!
Don't rely on CDC for info on LED. They will tell you what obozo/bidumb want you to know. Check Dr. Mercola's substacks- he wrote about these a while ago.
LED bulbs are harmful to our health. Great Substack by "The Light Doctor" who goes deep into the woes of the lighting issues. https://lightdoctormartinmooreede.substack.com/
Bad for your brain too, due to the amount of blue wavlength LED light contains.
The LEDs emit electro magnetic energy that isn't good for us, it causes cellular damage. Look up Arthur Firstenburg. Not sure about the spelling of his last name.
incandescents emit the same EM energy,
cellular damage? show proof in a scientific paper link, please.
LED bulbs are harmful to our health. Great Substack by "The Light Doctor" who goes deep into the woes of the lighting issues. https://lightdoctormartinmooreede.substack.com/
OK, Peace. I perused his website / substack and waaaay down at the bottom a lady named Sara asked him in the comments for WHAT to buy.
He said this:
"Here are a couple of links to lighting products which remove the circadian disruptive blue in the evening and at night.
https://store.soraa.com/zeroblue/
https://www.ecosenselighting.com/circadianblue/ "
SO, I followed the first link and, lo and behold, it is an LED light. An LED light designed to eliminate the BLUE peak of concern in the spectra.
If you look at further posts I made here, you will find my suggestion for just such a light:
Philips HD LED.
Regardless of the generation medium, equivalent EM energy will be the same!
The obvious advantage of LED is the reduced electrical consumption.
EM emission is EM emission, period!
!!!!
LED lights are absolutely AWFUL for our overall health. We need to limit our exposure as much as humanly possible.
Here's a link to neurosurgeon Jack Kruse who who reveals some huge medical scandals including the serious blue light health risks. You won't regret watching.
https://youtu.be/TcbuqQd57rY?si=1nY13YuMv6DGcufM
very good! Thanks for sharing!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeR2uPPCA2k&t=51s
buy Philips UHD / LED bulbs;
about same spectra output as incandescent!
hmmmm. How do you figure that?
at a particular color temp? 5000°K?
standard incandescents are about 2900° K
Led lights in neighbors home invade my bedroom. I feel like my home is at motel 6. Just awful and I think they make people cranky and probably add to mental illness. Since no sleep. But when they turn them off. My body is so happy and sleeping well brings wellbeing. They are hostile lights. Especially driving highways!!!
My workplace (hospital) recently went through a renovation and installed LED lights with dimmers. I keep them as low as my coworkers will tolerate. But I hear that my coworker who works on alternate days from me walks in and turns up all the dimmers. Many feel assaulted by the bright light.
Studies have been done - in hospitals, I believe, - about the harmful effects of these LED lights on patients - and workers. LED bulbs are harmful to our health. Great Substack by "The Light Doctor" who goes deep into the woes of the lighting issues. https://lightdoctormartinmooreede.substack.com/
ridiculous!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeR2uPPCA2k&t=51s
buy Philips UHD / LED bulbs; about same spectra output as incandescent!
I’ll buy some of your stockpiles of incandescent bulbs 🙂
REALLY?!
Fantastic. I will DM you Peggy.
Incandescents and fluorescents available for the asking!
I hope you are aware that LEDs are available at various light penetration levels. E.g. cold light 5000°K, and warm light 2900° K. These are very different 'brightness' levels. If you are unhappy at the light levels of your neighbours homes then I would suggest that you ask them if they are aware of the differences!
They have three in one fixture all warm spectrum. But bright enuff to pierce my hallway from there garage which is set quite a ways back from the street into my house all the way to the back wall of my kitchen and back bedroom on the backside of my house
Maybe invest in some miniblinds..?
Or black out curtains!
Agreed. And they're invariably bright white instead of that lovely warm glow. The light of cities has changed awfully in this regard.
I recently bought a box of floodlights at Costco after my stocked supplies ran out. I was really annoyed, because the floods are in my kitchen and I figured the damn LEDs would be a different color from the incandescent still in the ceiling. But they now have a color switch on them, so you have 4 settings. The lowest setting matched the incandescent perfectly.
My understanding is that even with the warm light setting, it is still an LED and causing problems with our eyes and brains. Not sure if anyone knows this in more detail.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeR2uPPCA2k&t=51s
buy Philips UHD / LED bulbs; about same spectra output as incandescent!
Another option for LED screens--app removes blue light screen output on a schedule you set: https://justgetflux.com/
the problem, apparently for some, is there is too much blue light included in the spectra of MOST LED bulbs.
That which I show in lower post here, does not.
You can buy full spectrum lightbulbs at healthlighting.com. Incandescent at Amazon.
or I will be glad to sell a bunch of mine sitting in my attic for 8 years!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeR2uPPCA2k&t=51s
buy Philips UHD / LED bulbs; about same spectra output as incandescent!
Another option for LED screens--app removes blue light screen output on a schedule you set: https://justgetflux.com/
Wow, there are more LED haters here than I realized...
LEDs are pulsed - they blink on and off rapidly, which may be part of the issue people have with them. Incandescent bulbs do this, too - it's a function of alternating current, which changes polarity in the US 60 times per second (passing through a zero-current moment each time). The difference is, on a filament bulb, the filament doesn't go all the way out at that zero-current moment, because it's still hot from the max-current moment 1/120th of a second before. It dips in brightness a little, but it happens so fast that we don't notice it.
Aside from the blue of the 6500K LED bulbs (vs. the 2700K "warm" bulbs that mimic incandescent bulbs), it could be the much-more-defined pulsing of the LED bulbs that people find annoying and even unhealthy. If you look at an LED and swipe your head to the side really quickly, under certain conditions you can see a "trail of dots" in your persistence of vision, as opposed to the "smear" you'll see under the same conditions with incandescent.
LEDs blink, by the way, because at the energy level they produce their brightest light, they would burn out almost instantly if they were held at that level constantly. The blink allows them to cool off during their off state, keeping them from burning out. Dimmers that work with LEDs vary the ratio between on time and off time - when off for longer than on, the LEDs appear as less-bright.
There's your physics lesson for today, folks. Yes, I know - I'm a geek.
BTW, fluorescent lights make me sleepy, for some reason. I had to fight to stay awake in school a lot of the time, because of those darned fluorescent tubes across the ceilings...
Doug, succinctly put.
Thanks for the physics and EE lesson.
Another option for LED screens--app removes blue light screen output on a schedule you set: https://justgetflux.com/
I’ve noticed lately that after reading text on a screen, when I look away, I see stripes, like lines of blurred text that remain in my vision for a while burned into my retinas after I look away from the screen. Do you know what’s going on there?
Persistence of vision. It's your vision system's natural response to staring at high-contrast images.
You can try lowering the brightness on your screen to reduce eye fatigue. As a matter of fact, I just did this on my monitor as I was replying - I often walk away from the screen with tears in my eyes from eyestrain. Thanks for the reminder!
Smile, everyone.
https://thepostmillennial.com/breaking-trump-brings-back-incandescent-light-bulbs-water-pressure-after-bidens-bans
And nowhere are they more insidious and dangerous than on the road.
Newer model cars are all equipped with them and make driving a nightmare, even in daylight.
can't stand the LED's. I have one incandescent left & it's the only lamp I can read under for long periods. After about 15 minutes under an LED lamp, my eyes are aching!
but WHY??!
I replace all my incandescents with LED's and see no problems. I use about 15% of the energy now to light my house.
With 92 LIKES on your post. . . I MUST be missing something. LOL!
LED bulbs are harmful to our health. Great Substack by "The Light Doctor" who goes deep into the woes of the lighting issues. https://lightdoctormartinmooreede.substack.com/
I bought a bazillion lightbulbs in 2012. Brought them all with me when I moved cross-country in 2015. I STILL haven’t run out..,but I’m close. This would be perfect timing 🤣.
I purchased (100) incandescent 60 watt bulbs 2 years ago too as the "prohibition" was getting close. Replaced all bulbs in the house with them and have not yet had to replace any. Oh the lies we've been told.
I bought some on eBay, but then I really scored when I found a box of them at a garage sale!
You folks flaunting your treasures must appreciate that C&Cers are trustworthy!
I'm just here to find out who has lightbulbs I will burgle when I fall on hard times.
🤣
The LED police are watching...
Garage sales, estate sales and auctions are great places to score light bulbs.
I still use incandescent bulbs which I buy off of Amazon.
Dollar Tree is another place to find these.
Is Dollar Tree selling incandescents still?!
Me too! I recently moved and was shocked by my own incandescent hoarding. 😁
I loaded up a Home Depot shopping cart with regular lightbulbs when O’Bummer outlawed them. Got them for $.99 a package. I too carried them cross states to have on hand and am still using them and loving them. None of that LED light for me.
Same here and running out. Trump got in just in time to restock with a quadzillion.
I hate LED with a passion. All except one place. LED strips under the kitchen cabinets above of the countertops. Very practical for that!
Me too! I’m on my last box of 60w and need to restock. When I bought these in bulk, I bought Philips, which don’t last as long as the GE did. Hard to believe the supplies have last 10+ years!
Buy "appliance" bulbs. Same conventional light and not a high cost. I bought a bunch of oven-safe bulbs with the standard base and use them all around the house.
Same!!! LOL!
And rational pricing for paper towels & paper de toilet. I might want to roll my neighbor's front yard some night but not at these prices ..... 🧻🧻🧻
Papier de toilette. But I get your drift.
Hablo no Frenchie amigo
hahaha
🤣🤣🤣. In all seriousness, I wonder if this is a forestry issue. I believe that the smaller trees are harvested for pulp and if that isn't happening then there will be supply and demand issues.
A major issue with paper products and the forever chemicals is thy are introduced through the bleaching process. Unbleached toilet paper has fewer chemicals and napkins and paper towels and . . . .
...and coffee filters.
Hemp solves this
It's a racket! Bamboo can often be used in place of trees/wood pulp. 💔🤗
Forestry is a big business in Alabama. Pine trees are planted on land and harvested 20 years later, replanted, etc. It’s used for kid’s college funds, retirement, etc. I have a friend who is in the tree harvesting business, and it’s been a tough go these last 4 years. The mills aren’t open as much now due to downturn in building because of high interest rates. Hopefully, that ends this year!
There are sooo many trees here
Lol
Gma, did you ever get my email asking if you want to meet for coffee? It was a long while ago! How time flies!
What are you, ten? 🤣🤣🤣
Let's bring back landline phones!! Remember the "party line" when everyone could talk and you could actually hear them all??
No. I didn't think you'd remember. 😑 It was the good old days. You didn't dare mention your dirty laundry unless you WANTED it told. Free News!
I still have my landline. I think you can still get them...at least for now. I do remember party lines. Weird to think of it now...
Smart... EMF radiation, WiFi, 5g... is getting a little scary...
We have one. It was an add on to our Spectrum cable. I prefer the old fashioned answer machine anyway. I’ve never set up a message box on my iPhone and don’t use that number for my first contact.
I believe almost all landlines are now the new fiber optic cables.
Yes. But I prefer messages and call screening on an answering machine. I don’t necessarily want to be contactable every single moment and left messages on my cell phone. I’m retired and everyone I care about knows where to find me. . Leave a message on my machine. One less layer of annoyance.
Ah yes, the answering machine...my dad's was called a Code a Phone. I think it was one of the original answering machines.
Yea, they're VOIP (voice over internet provider) so if the internet is out so is your phone :/
Yes, they are
iPhone??
Landlines are called POTS lines in the telephone biz. POTS stands for "Plain Old Telephone Service".
I used to be a phone guy...
I have a landline, too. When we first moved to a more rural area, the cell connection was a bit iffy, so I kept the landline.
Tried getting a landline for my parents but it’s only digital?? Not an actual landline. And it was expensive.
One of the big problems is that you lose phone service if the power or the cable goes out. You didn't on the old land lines. I remember my godmother was in her 90's and every time the cable went out, her landline went out and she could not call anyone if she needed help and no one could call her. It was a huge problem.
Fun fact: when we evacuated a wildfire in 2003, I kept calling our landline, because when the machine answered, I knew our home was not one of the over 2200 burned.
Wow. Clever way of keeping tabs on your home!
My cousin had the ring cameras and actually watched his burn down until the camera lost connection. Total loss all the way down to the foundation.
That’s very traumatic
Exactly why we need one, they loose power occasionally and or WiFi we want the peace of mind of a landline. 😕
I have a landline and it is expensive. I call it insurance and suck it up. 😣
Yes, they are digital now and yet you pay about as much on taxes (set long ago) as you do for the line. But there are still very good reasons to have one. If parents would get landlines for their kids to use, there wouldn't be as much pressure from the kids to have cell phones. A smart phone handed to a child is like handing them access to every vile thing in the world.
Exactly
And dialing "Popcorn" for the time.
When I worked as a phone guy, we had special 10-digit numbers we could call known as ANIs that allowed us to identify the line we were dialing from. Helps if you're in a dark phone closet and you're trying to find that new line you're supposed to install for a customer.
Hello.
Is Mr. Walls there?
No.
Is Mrs. Walls there?
No.
Are there any walls there?
No.
You'd better run, your house is falling down!
🤣 Hello you’re dog is peeing in my bush
We don’t have a dog
That’s Ok, we don’t have a bush
Hello Is your refrigerator running?
Yeah…???
Better go catch it!
Hello is John there?
No
Call again Hello is John there?
No you might have the wrong number.
Call again Hello is John there? (Few more times)
No (each time)
Then
Hello, this is John. Do I have any messages?
Truly the most silly and juvenile pranks 🤣 I know there’s smarter and funnier ones out there but these are the ones I recall friends doing whenever I was at their houses.
I loved all the Bart Simpson prank calls to Moe's Tavern...
Is Amanda there?
Amanda who?
Amanda Hugankiss.
[Moe, yelling across a crowded bar] Hey, I'm lookin' for Amanda Hugankiss!
<sigh> Caller ID killed Bart's little fun pastime...
Jeff, bringing back memories of "phony phone calls!"
If you want to have some fun....... register for some event with the name Dick Hertz .
Than wait for the instructor to ask ............. "Whose Dick Hertz ? "
Ask for Mike Hunt.
I'll tell Dick when he gets back from the doctor's ..........
ahhhh...... forever young (lol)
Now.......... back to all the pain and suffering in the world .
I still do have a landline. Cell service in my house sucks and I work from home, so having a phone that I don't have to keep asking clients/callers to repeat themselves is essential. Plus I learned from Jeff that the Gazans in tunnels used landlines as the spy tech couldn't intercept them, and think in the US the gov actually has to have a warrant to tap it. It's getting pricey, but I am now dug in that I will keep it. Also saves me from having to tote my cell phone around the house with me and I turn it off at night and use an alarm clock. Old school, lol.
Is it actually over the telephone lines though? When I was trying to find a landline, all the offerings are VOIP (voice over internet provider). It seems theyve abandoned the telephone lines which seems short sighted as if the power is out, the internet is out and so is your phone. We were wanting something that would be a separate system as an emergency prep but I dont think its available like that anymore..
No its still a true landline. We get an insert in our bill (yes I am also stubborn and refuse paperless billing - no one gets automatic access to our checking account or credit card, and already get too many emails) trying to get us to switch to VOIP technology but that negates the whole reason for having a landline in the first place. Like if the power is out it still works, although we use cordless handsets, we do have a non cordless phone that we can plug in and use.
I once read that cordless phones are REALLY bad in terms of EMFs...
If you measure with an RF meter they are higher than cell phones.
Sigh...can't win!
We had landline but we were at the end of the line. Oldest house in the area. They could NOT keep the lines from every kind of damage. I had to call them every week and often i couldn't call... Oh wait! I have the same problem with my Wi-Fi. Sigh... If there were just privitized making money, without gov pickers...
Ours is still an analog line and we did have a spate of service calls several years ago but they did come out and replace some of the lines. (Include the one I snipped with the hedge trimmer when I was trimming a bush too close to the house, lol) But I suspect at some point that will go away. Sigh.
I’m in Mid Mo, I suspect the same.
Well, ya never know....we got rid of a lot of our vinyl albums in the early 2000's as we could not find a replacement needle for our turntable, but still hung on to some for sentimental reasons. But then around 2010 our daughter gifted us a record player for Christmas so we could listen to them again, and now vinyl has made a little bit of a comeback. Perhaps with this growing awareness of EMPs landlines will do the same? Buildout is probably too expensive, though.
Nice
My 95 yr old mom still has a landline. She has never wanted or had a cell phone. Therefore she’s never distracted when she’s doing anything or interrupted when she’s around others. Life is simpler and better when you’re not available to phone calls, emails or text messages 24/7.
P.S. she doesn’t have a computer or IPad either!
We are all conditioned now like lab rats to respond to a ring, ding, buzz... you can't relax unless you shut the phone off and then feel compelled to turn it back on as the "what if" scenarios start to create minor bouts of anxiety. Modern life is ridiculous... and the younger tech generations have no idea what life is like sans an extra appendage that they carry in their back packet (brewing cancer) and whip it out every 10 minutes so it can tell them what to do next.
My God!! How does your mom come to her political beliefs??
😂
The best part of babysitting was listening in on party lines!
We have a landline. I pay absolutely no attention to it so if someone calls and leaves a message I may listen to it in six months. We use Ooma which costs about eight bucks a month - which is really the only reason we still have it.
Judith, Wait--Ooma? Never heard of it. Can be used on ATT line [same had for decades]? --ATT land line is outrageously expensive. Hope to learn this will work.
Ooma is a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) service.
Last office I worked at had that on our "landline" phones.
Costs very little a month, but it has the same sketchy sound quality as any other over internet phone set up...
Anita. Thank you. Yet understand VOIP not exactly safe/operational if wifi goes out? Perhaps will just keep ATT and continue being gouged.
Not recommending it at all.
Just putting some info out there.
I have a hard time hearing and understanding people on phone calls using VOIP (and 'smart phones,' too). Usually have to use speaker phone.
Kinda hate it a little.
But it's a fact that I used it in an office I used to work in.
I think Ooma might be to ATT, what ROKU is to television channels/livestreaming services in a way, but with a small monthly fee, not just a one time fee.
Our office used it to cut down on phone costs - I'm trying to remember if it went out when the wifi did. I don't think so. It's probably using the phone company network's internet. So if theirs went down, it would go down.
Someone more technologically savvy could probably weigh in on that.
Sounds a lot cheaper than our sole $65/month Consumer Cellular line on which we receive probably one non-spam call/month!
RJ, I DO remember AND kept my landline!😀
Amen on the lightbulbs.
I thought he already signed the order, but I guess not. Amazon started selling incandescent again, however, there are a limited amount of suppliers. I'm sure it will ramp up soon as so many people have problems with LEDs. They hurt my eyes and give me a headache.
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-roll-back-appliance-light-bulb-standards-2025-02-11/
Wow, that’s awesome!
Sorry about your headache some one here said that you can already buy incandescents online. “LEDs produce short-wave, high-energy blue light, which has been linked to biological and sleep disturbances.” https://health.clevelandclinic.org/are-led-lights-damaging-your-retina
The Biden administration made selling Incandescent light bulbs in the US illegal in August 2024. Amazon quit selling them then, but it looks like they are already allowing them again.
to Grok : do LED lights on the "warm" setting still produce blue light?
Yes, LED lights on the "warm" setting still produce some blue light, but significantly less than those on cooler or daylight settings. Here's how it works:
LED Color Temperature: The color temperature of LED lights is measured in Kelvin (K). Lights with lower Kelvin values (e.g., 2700K to 3000K) are considered "warm" because they emit a more yellow or amber light, similar to traditional incandescent bulbs. Higher Kelvin values (e.g., 5000K and above) are "cool" or "daylight" and produce more blue light.
Blue Light Emission: Even warm white LEDs emit some blue light because the technology often involves using a blue LED chip coated with phosphors. These phosphors convert some of the blue light to longer (warmer) wavelengths, but the conversion isn't perfect, so a small amount of blue light still gets through.
Impact: Although the amount of blue light from a warm LED is lower, it's still present. This can be important for people sensitive to blue light, especially in the evening when blue light can affect sleep patterns by suppressing melatonin production. However, warm LEDs are designed to minimize this impact compared to cooler LEDs.
There is also lightbulbs.com. They seem to carry everything, even Christmas light bulb strings that take the old-fashioned incandescent large colored bulbs.
Same here... my brain interprets LEDs like a toxin to be avoided. I ordered incandescent light bulbs off Amazon and they turned out to be cheap crap that don't last but a few months with regular use. It was an off brand so maybe I should try to find a well known brand... I sure hope this ridiculous green investment money maker for the parasite class goes the way of the dinosaur ;)
Ya wanna bet those suppliers make their bulbs in Chyna ?
100%. GE switched over all their production to LED years ago when they first passed the stupid law. The China bulbs don't last as long, but that's my only choice.
CHop--off topic , sort of. Do you know if GE appliances are now manufactured in chyna? I cannot find out. Been recommended , yet do not buy from cHyna if at all possible. Thank you.
Not sure. My BIL was working for GE at the time when they converted their plants to LED
Seems here they do: https://geappliancesco.com/operations/
Someone else here in the comments gave this link, and I'm just copy and pasting it.
Anita. Thank you I did check this from other post. Factories here is great news. Spose unavoidable to have anything with out 'components' from chyna. Might be time to simply stop checking, been exhausting. However would still like to know what chemicals used in linings of ovens. It is secret--or perhaps my poor searching abilities just have not found. Do you perchance have information or where to find?
I asked Brave AI (took rewording a couple times):
https://search.brave.com/search?q=when+ovens+are+manufactured%2C+what+are+the+chemicals+are+used+on+the+inside+linings&source=llmSuggest&summary=1&conversation=1685775a2490d24eec1604
Seems to me that it's like purchasing cookware or rice pots, look for something not non-stick (Teflon, for example) and probably the typical is porcelain enamel. Maybe the food-grade silicone is okay, too.
The fumes from cleaning seem to be the hazardous part, whether it's the burning of residue to ash or the spray chemicals.
Don't recommend self-cleaning your oven. I did and the extreme heat blew a fuse at the BACK of my wall-mounted oven that requires pulling the whole oven out of the wall!
Thank you , yes knew a 'bit'. Do not know how to use Ai, so really appreciate.
If has self clean , do not use. Use steam clean instead. Porcelain ''ceramic' was what searching for. Not found. Local appliance store said would plug it in and burn off the 'chemicals' so doesn't happen in the home. Great, but still. Still unknown lining. Got into this after checking for safe air fryer for grandson. Wow. bad news. Got me thinking about full size ovens. You can check her site here--she has not lab tested full size ovens yet. Disappointed. She gets to the real information. Mamavation.com
Looking today
I buy mine from estate sales 😉 and you usually can find 75 and 100watt
Still have a couple "pre-ban" ones...
Toilets that flush!
Going back to the fact 'tards are stupid, low water flush mandates for toilets is a perfect example. I know people who have brought toilets back from Mexico, Anyone ever been to Germany.? Their toilets have 2 flush options, essentially #1 (low water flush) and #2 (high water flush). Not labeled of course, but common sense required (so you would have to label them if they were sold in America).
Is that so difficult, morons at the EPA and OSAH?
You can buy those here
Yes, we have them. Bought them at Costco!
How do they get around the maximum flush per mandates? I'll bet the #2 flush is just the new normal flush, and the only difference is you get a lesser flush if you want for #1. I mean, when those German toilets do a full flush, you aren't going to find any crap hanging around
Toto. Put those in 20 years ago and have not needed a plunger since. Eljer Titan are just as good and you can get those at the big box home improvement stores.
We had to get rid of our water saver because the plunging effect broke the seal over and over AND the handle kept falling off, into the tank and couldn't be retrieved without incredible about of time and hardship! 😡🔥
Dunno bout that….LEDs work pretty well….run cooler, illuminate well, cheaper to operate, and last longer. Initial cost is my only objection. What am I missing?
I do like that they don't heat the house up in the summer and I need brighter light if I'm doing detail work like hand-sewing. Regular light bulbs don't provide enough light for me to do that. At the end of the day, the issue is not banning one type or the other but giving people the freedom to buy the bulbs they prefer to use.
^^^ THIS ^^^
LEDs have a fast flicker that some people are very sensitive to.
Yes: 60 cycles per second, same as fluorescent bulbs.
Wasnt the flicker the ''reason' fluorescent bulbs banned in schools? Then LEDs, which also flicker........ So?
I had a sick parakeet years ago, and the vet told me to put a light next to the cage to keep the bird warm. My father used to keep a light on in the basement to keep the pipes from freezing. And yes, LED light is not good for your retina.
We keep a light on in the garage to keep the boat "warm" during chilly Vegas nights...lol....
Safety of your eyes...
The reality I’ve discovered is that they do NOT last! The LEDs I’ve bought cost three times as much, and on average last about 6 months, depending on their location and how much use they get.
Some of them have an irritating delay when switched on and they produce an ugly, unnatural light.
I’m sure improvements could be made to incandescents, but LED is not an improvement IMO.
We recently found out that there are 2 types of LEDs, those that are rated for high temps and those that aren't. While LEDs dont put off heat like incandescents, the little circuit boards do and there are some that dont handle the increased temps at all. For every 5 deg off of ideal (let's say 70 deg) it will reduce their lifespan by a considerable percent. So in an enclosed light, in a house that reg stays above 75 deg (AC is expensivo) your "10 year lightbulb) will last maybe 3 years. They label them now, the ones that are rated for enclosed fixtures. So we've already replaced every bulb in our house twice- and we've only lived here 6 years. Since we removed the covers on all the lights, they dont go out near as fast.
So I need to keep my house cooler than I want in the summer to make my light bulbs last longer. These government officials are brilliant. Only kidding, they aren’t
Another electrical engineering mind... Welcome to the geek club! 🤣
Good to know!
Agreed, they do not last as long as advertised. It’s a con.
Yup same experience and it annoys me to no end 😡
The cheap ones burn out quickly, but get this: the LEDs inside are wired in series (like the old Christmas tree lights), so if one LED burns out, none of them function! There are probably millions of these in landfills that would work perfectly fine if one LED was replaced.
If we were a truly efficient society, we would demand that all LED bulbs sold be designed with their LEDs wired in parallel.
You are correct. The old incandescent bulbs last much much much longer than the LEDs.. there are still incandescent bulbs in service for over 100 years. What wears them out is to turn them on and off.
I use them for all of my outside (28) Dawn-to-Dusk Lights. So far they have saved me a fortune in electricity costs!
You are missing the fact (that they don't tell you) they emit harmful EMF's, and are bad for your eyes, and have mercury in them, but other than that, they are great.
Don’t incandescent bulbs have mercury as well? I could be uninformed.
No.
fluorescent tubes apparently have some mercury. My local Lowe's used to accept them when they burned out (supposedly to properly dispose of them), but not longer does. I have yet to find a way of disposing of the bad ones, although I have been told to just thrown them in the trash!
I have never heard or read that
I just looked it up
“Standard, incandescent bulbs and halogen bulbs do not contain hazardous materials. However, compact fluorescent light (CFLs), fluorescent tubes and light emitting diodes (LED) bulbs contain toxic metals such as mercury, arsenic and lead. CFL light bulbs contain about 3 milligrams of mercury gas. If the bulb breaks, individuals can easily breathe in toxic levels of mercury vapor and other metals.* If the bulbs are improperly disposed, these metals can contaminate our soil, groundwater, lakes and streams.”
We have been conned again
Me too. I don't get the love for incandescents. My LEDs work fine and I don't have to climb ladders to change bulbs frequently. Don't cancel me!
There are advantages. I guess we should have choice not government mandates?
I am looking across the room at two different light bulbs. One is old incandescent "yellow" bulb and the other is a bright, white LED. The white light looks cleaner. To me, the yellow bulb looks dingy by comparison. Again, it's a preference.
Sunlight (natural) seems warm color. So wondering why they label the cool light bulbs = "daylight."
Must be the yellow hue that incandescent or low lumen bulbs give off- yellow being a warm color compared to the more blue tone that daylight bulbs give off which is considered a cool tone. Just guessing...🤔
My Incon distance last much much longer than the LEDs
Incandescents radiate heat as well. I’ve used a 100w trouble light with an incandescent bulb in my RV wet bay for years when the temps are low. Works perfectly.
Cheaper to operate because gov subsidies? Windmills? Solar panels all over acres and acres and acres of ppl feeding farmland? Chinese made? Maybe it's all a lie.
This is the reply my electrician husband always gives me when I complain that I want to go back to incandescent. I’m not sure if he and you are right or if he has just been trained to see it that way? 🤷🏼♀️
The flickering of them really annoys my eyes and brain. It’s sort of like how a strobe light eventually affects you.
As for lasting longer: that’s true with most bulbs around our house, but NOT the ones that normally take a halogen bulb. The LEDs in my bathroom fixtures burn out constantly the same way the original bulbs did and so half the time the lighting is too low for me to see anything well because I’m waiting for him to replace them. I think both kinds of bulbs cost a lot so he always drags his feet replacing them. He does grumble that the halogen gets too hot.
Halogens will burn you. But then again if an incandescent has been on and you touch it, you'll also get burned.
I dislike the dark shadows myself.
Dean - what you are missing, is doing a little research on your own. We’re not your secretaries.
We kind of are, lol.
This is C&C.
: )
How about gas cans that can actually flow gas into my lawnmower??
Amen. I bought extra pieces to remove the locking mechanism, add an air hole at the back, and an easy screw on screw of tube and top.
Plastic straws today!!!!
Gas cans tomorrow!!!!!!!
And the regs around air conditioners. We are hanging in there with an A/C system we last replaced in 2003. My understanding is that due to new environmental regulations the cost of replacing it is supposed to go up by a $1000 or more starting this year. At least that is what the tech who was at our house last time we got it repaired told me. Granted, he may have just been trying to earn a commission on a new unit, but I told him I will wait and see what Trump will do when he gets elected. That shut him up.
FYI there are Energy Star tax credits that kicked in in 2023 and suppose to go to 2032.
I wouldn't really mind the LED bulbs if they actually _lasted_. The cooler temps are welcome in the summer months around here, but the "10 year" thing is ... not. So bringing back incandescents and such will be nice.
Had an all-in-one fixture with LEDs die. But looks like it was just one of the settings for the light so a switch got it working again and not needing a whole new unit. Had to nix _that_ idea for a new overhead light at one point. :)
Our house is just 5 years old. It wasn't even a year in and we've been replacing LEDs since. They don't last and aren't bright. Don't get me started on my new appliances. Already replaced stove once and have had tech out on new one....need to have them back. Turn on one burner and the one beside it comes on too. Ice maker hasn't worked in a year and dishwasher is crappy....and all were name brands.
I hope he goes after all stupid regulations on appliances next!
Almost everyone I know has had to replace a major appliance in the last 6 months, unlike my godmother who still had her washing machine from the 1950's. They don't make anything to last anymore and it's infuriating. We've replaced one appliance every year in the house we moved into and the house was newly renovated with new appliances. It's ridiculous. No one cares about making a quality product anymore. They only care about making a profit. And they keep adding all of these "special features" that break. Can't we focus on just making a quality product that lasts, please!!!
They need repeat customers.
There are are Quality products out there that will last, but cheap knock-offs will not!
He is:
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-roll-back-appliance-light-bulb-standards-2025-02-11/
Thank you thank you thank you. Hallelujah. The return of common sense.
Speed Queen washing machines. $1500 but built old skool, all mechanical, like those found in laundromats. Some Homer Depots sell them.
The appliances don't work anymore because you can decrease the water flow, OR the electricity consumption, but not both if you want the appliance to still clean or wash, So what does the EPA do ? Reduce both by mandate.
My dishwasher started smoking, the tech was all shoulders, don't know. WHAT??
Yep. Can't find reliable people to fix anything. When my godmother's old refrigerator broke, the repair company had to send 3 different people out to try to fix it! The last guy was an older, experienced repairman.
I am having the same exact problems with my latest girlfriend :
Nothing is made to last anymore !!
I see what you did there, lol.
Our cook stove is a 1950 model. Our washing machine is from the mid-1970’s. And we wash our dishes by hand.
Our house is 19 years old and it has some of the original incandescent lights from when we bought it (new construction)! And yet the LEDs keep having to be replaced all the time 🙄
The actual bulbs last, but the wiring and other components can affect the life of the LED. I view it as deceptive marketing of the LEDs
Exactly. Lies from the get go. They tell you in small print that the 10 year lifespan is based on something like 4 hours of use a day.
The LEDs always burn out rapidly for me.
I’ve never had any LED bulb blast more than a few months.
We opted for really bright LED integrated light fixtures for our barn. The first set lasted about 3 years, and then, all of a sudden, they were all blipping out. We had to shear our alpacas in very low light, because it happened right around that time. On shearing morning, two of the lights right over the shearing area went dark. So, we replaced them all with the same style, but brighter. Guess what? Those only lasted about a year. So, our next trick is to replace all of the direct wiring with plugs, and get the plug in versions, which will not require an electrician to replace. Our barn ceiling is 14' tall, so it's no easy task.
They are and you can buy incandescent at 1000 bulbs.com
Yes... the straw switch was ridiculous. Instead of plastic straws wrapped in paper, we got "paper" straws sealed in plastic.
And metal straws that end up piercing small children’s throats if they fall or are bumped with one. ER physicians hate them.