According to experts, LG's plan for a series of upgradable devices will likely benefit consumers, but it likely won't lead to cross-generational devices.
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While modern appliances typically have a lifespan of around 10 years, they simply don’t last as long as they used to. Maintenance, repairs, and eventual replacements have always been inevitable, but these days, major appliances can sometimes break after just five years. With LG planning to release several appliances designed to be upgradeable to fit potential changes in your life, could those numbers go up again? Experts say there’s potential for upgradeable appliances to outlast their contemporaries, but they likely won’t be able to outlast their much older counterparts.
“There’s nothing more frustrating for consumers than an expensive appliance that breaks within five years,” Melanie Musson, an appliance expert for Clearsurance.com, told Lifewire in an email. “Older generations could count on their appliances to last a lifetime, but modern appliances are designed to need replacing.”
Upgrading an appliance to better suit your needs isn’t the same as fixing a broken part, but it can bypass a full replacement. For example, if you want your dryer to handle certain fabrics better, LG says you can customize it with the right add-on part and a software download. So instead of buying a whole new dryer, you can build on the dryer you already have.
