Declining quality of consumer-grade products – 2009 fridge compressor autopsy
From the notes: "These marginal design choices are not the only way to get an efficient unit, since the fridge compressors from the 1940's and 1950's era were very efficient, while having consistently longer lives. This failed unit is purely an example of doing just enough to get by until it is someone else's problem."<p>I've been seeing this as a common issue throughout most of the household appliances we've tried to buy in the last ten years. They just don't last.