> Yes people want cheap appliances, but once burned,
   > they are often converted into wanting quality ones.

You end up doing what most people do is you buy "commercial grade" appliances. These are appliances that are designed to go into restaurants or laundrymats or any other business where they want to depreciate the gear over 26.5 years. And since those people can put a price, in $, on "down time" they are able to justify paying what it costs to not have any.

For example Whirlpool top load washer for consumers $499 [1], Whirlpool commercial grade top load washer $699 [2], so "long term reliability" costs you 40% more up front. That is the one you buy right? Because if more people bought that one the volumes would go up and the price could come down. Except no. People buy the $500 one instead of the $700 one because they don't look at the cost of a washer capability over time (which is what a business does). A laundromat will say "It cost me $70/year to have a $700 washer that lasts 10 years and $100/year to have a $500 washer that lasts only 5 years." But 90+% of consumers don't think like that. They think "Gee same function but $200 more? Screw that!" And here we sit with the double impact that most washers don't last long, and since the volume has gone down on reliable ones they cost even more extra than they should.

It sucks.

[1] http://www.homedepot.com/p/Whirlpool-3-5-cu-ft-High-Efficien...

[2] http://www.homedepot.com/p/Whirlpool-Heavy-Duty-Series-2-9-c...