You know, I have certain luxury cravings that I just can't shake, but fancy appliances aren't one of them. I moved into my house in 1999 and bought a Kenmore basic fridge for $400. 17 years later and it is still going strong. I broke one of the shelves while cleaning it and had to get it replaced, but otherwise, it has held up great. It keeps things cold and that is it. My mil, while very frugal in other ways, loves the fancy appliances. She got a stainless fridge with an ice maker and the filtered water that comes out of the door. Both broke a few years later. She also has a super fancy washer and dryer - I think they cost $3-4K for the set. I have the cheapest model money can buy - maybe both were $1k total. They clean my clothes just fine.
The dishwasher I have is the exception and was the one lemon purchase I made. It was a really cheap one and it just doesn't clean the dishes very well. I clean the filter every week or so and it still leaves residue in the cups. I use mine heavily, running it once or twice a day.
