“Built to last.” That phrase used to mean something. Now it sounds like a punchline.

These days, the routine goes like this: Buy it cheap. Use it. Break it. Toss it. Replace it. Repeat until your trash can files a complaint. But, every now and then, you run into something that refuses to die.

Take cast-iron skillets. Those things don’t wear out — they get promoted to family heirlooms. I swear my mom had one that predated electricity. That skillet didn’t cook meals. It survived eras.

Same with old garden tools. Shovels, rakes and hoes that just keep going. Meanwhile, I’ve had plastic tools snap if you look at them the wrong way. My garage is basically a museum of “they don’t make them like they used to” — and a graveyard of things they do make now.

And then there was my dad’s Thermos vacuum bottle. He took it to work every day, full of coffee. It had more dents than a freshman’s first car, but it never quit. I wouldn’t be shocked if it is still out there somewhere, keeping coffee hot and judging our modern life choices.

So what happened? Why doesn’t anything last anymore? Pick your theory. Plastic. Mass production. Or the crowd favorite: planned obsolescence — designing products with an expiration date just shy of “inconvenient.”

Consider the modern coffee maker. In a just world, it lasts forever. In this one, it lasts until the warranty card expires. Try finding one from the 1980s still working. Meanwhile, I have gone through three single-serve machines in five years — and I don’t even drink that much coffee. At this point, the coffee maker is working harder than I am.

And don’t get me started on extended warranties. You can’t buy a toaster without someone asking if you would like to insure it like it is a vintage sports car. Here’s an idea: Build the toaster so I don’t need a long-term relationship with customer service.

Maybe the biggest clue we live in a throwaway world is this: Where did all the repair people go? Fixing things used to be a skill. Now it is a financial mistake. Why repair something for $75 when you can replace it for $60 — and get a free headache included?

Technology has taken this to an art form. You buy a phone, a computer or a tablet, and it is already halfway to obsolete. The moment software updates stop, your device basically clears its throat and says, “It’s been a pleasure. Please see the newer model.”

And, of course, the new model requires new chargers. New cords. New accessories. Because heaven forbid anything actually be compatible.

So, no, “built to last” doesn’t describe much these days. But a few things still qualify. If you would like to experience one, you are welcome to borrow my cast-iron skillet. Just be careful. It’ll probably outlive you.

Have a marvelous Monday, and thanks for reading.

Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@gctimesnews.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305
www.gctimesnews.com