Take Another Look EDITORIAL

LIBERTY, June 2, 2010 – This editorial is about Coffee Makers and Toasters: common kitchen appliances. First let me tell you about an amazing toaster. This Sunbeam toaster was received by my parents as a wedding gift more than 60 years ago. When you put the bread in the slots in the top, it slowly lowers into the toaster and when done, the bread slowly rises out of the toaster all on its own. It’s mostly made of metal, it’s heavy and still makes as perfect a piece of toast as it did more than 60 years ago and is still being used everyday.

The way I look at things, if I buy something one time, why should I ever have to buy one again? That’s true economy. Someone once told me that if you buy the best, you’ll never be disappointed. That’s true as well. Price isn’t everything.

i-dineout.com recently ran a story, “Wal-Mart Imports and Sells Defective Coffee Maker.”

The coffee maker mentioned in the story was produced in China and bore the General Electric band name.

Wal-Mart imported 900,000 of them. Of course Wal-Mart demands that manufacturers produce products at low cost, otherwise they wouldn’t buy them and manufacturers know that if they are going to sell to Wal-Mart it must be cheap.

So Wal-Mart purchased cheap GE Coffer Makers made in China.

The Coffee Makers were so cheap that they overheated, began smoking, melting, burned and started kitchen fires, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.

If you buy a coffee maker like this one, I can guarantee it won’t be the only one you ever purchase. You’ll be buying another one real soon, which is the whole point of the marketing scheme to begin with.

It is also possible you’ll get to be overjoyed with all the money you saved by buying it as you watch your house burn down.

A man once told me, “Quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten.”

by Allen Youngblood