Perhaps the other piece of the equation is making cheap junk and selling it at premium prices.
At some point in the past few years, KitchenAid products replaced steel internals with plastic ones. You still have a big honkin' powerful-looking mixer or blender, but it breaks just around when the warranty expires.
On the other hand, they still have a reputation for products which last forever, as their products did until a few years ago. That allows for obscene markups and short-term profits.
I'm not sure when the change happened. You can see it in Amazon reviews, though (and my own products; I have a broken mixer and, stupidly, two broken blenders, both with powerful-looking steel or cast-iron externals).
The same thing happens everywhere. My kitchen was!fully Miele. So, after around 3,5 years or so. The dishwasher broke. So I thought: call a specialist, get repaired. It is is Miele at least! (you can get replacement parts even after years) so, guy came, saw the brand. Checked, said, something with the heater. Several models have that problem. And it is super expensive.. I should just buy a new one. Asked him what I should buy, you know what he said? It is not worth anymore.just buy 2 or 3 cheap dishwashers in 10 years then just one expensive, which brakes anyway after 3 to 5 years....
I have a 15 years old Miele washing machine I bought used. Still running like a champ...
At some point in the past few years, KitchenAid products replaced steel internals with plastic ones. You still have a big honkin' powerful-looking mixer or blender, but it breaks just around when the warranty expires.
On the other hand, they still have a reputation for products which last forever, as their products did until a few years ago. That allows for obscene markups and short-term profits.
I'm not sure when the change happened. You can see it in Amazon reviews, though (and my own products; I have a broken mixer and, stupidly, two broken blenders, both with powerful-looking steel or cast-iron externals).