Overheard a guy at the hardware store say 'I just buy a new one' about a cracked plastic part

I was in line at Ace yesterday and the guy ahead of me was asking for a replacement drip tray for his grill. The clerk said they didn't carry it and suggested a repair kit, but the guy just shrugged and said 'Eh, easier to just buy a new one.' It got me thinking... how many perfectly fixable things get tossed over a single broken piece. I've saved three small appliances this year with a bit of epoxy and patience. Has anyone else noticed people giving up on repairs too fast?

3 comments

3 Comments

holly_williams2mo ago

Totally get that. Watched my neighbor throw out a whole vacuum cleaner because the belt snapped. A five dollar part and five minutes on YouTube. Drives me nuts. We've lost the basic skill of just trying to fix stuff. Feels like everything is meant to be disposable now.

masondixon2mo ago

See it from his side though... sometimes the replacement part costs almost as much as a new unit. My time has a value too, and I'd rather spend an hour with my family than an hour fixing a grill tray.

blairwhite2mo ago

That "my time has a value too" line is everywhere now. It's why we throw out a $20 toaster instead of cleaning it, or buy a new phone case instead of gluing the old one. We've all been sold on the idea that our spare minutes should only go toward perfect, easy things.