I agree that it might be a problem of lower-quality appliances. Anecdotally, mine is 20 years old and was repaired recently (some parts had to be manufactured as they don’t make them anymore) and still works.
Is there an open alternative for Consumer Reports? The content of this link is blocked without a subscription it seems like. Thx!
Why Heat Pumps Are the Future, and How Your Home Could Use One (www.nytimes.com)