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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to LTB after 25 years of loyalty because the bastard won't die?

82 replies

hedgehogsdontbite · 13/09/2015 16:43

When I left home for university 25+ years ago my parents bought me a cheap Swan kettle. It's moved with me from student digs to student digs to first home, to a new country and many house moves in between. Every morning without fail it's there to provide me with my morning coffee and top ups throughout the day. But the fact is, the love has gone. It looks its age, like a well used 1980s appliance. I know I'm shallow to want a nice pretty one that matches my toaster. But the bastard won't die!

AIBU if I send it off with the next charity shop collection? Will I have to face the wrath of the God of Small Appliances and be punished by having to replace my toaster every six months until the end of time?

OP posts:
SilverNightFairy · 13/09/2015 17:09

Hedgehog, why don't you encourage it to fix it's self up a bit?? You know maybe with some glittery paint or nice aluminum spout cover?

JeffsanArsehole · 13/09/2015 17:11

You need to keep
It in the loft for the day your new kettle dies, in about six months

You will regret throwing it out

PacificDogwood · 13/09/2015 17:12

Oh, oh, we have one just like it at work! Grin

Put it in the back of some cupboard and get it back out when it has become painfully cool in about 20 years.

PontyGirl · 13/09/2015 17:14

Keep it!

Writtenbyme · 13/09/2015 17:14

Out of interest, how long does it take to boil when full? I recently timed my kettle (less than a year old) and it took over 5 minutes leaving me muttering that I am sure kettles were quicker in the olden days.

LuluJakey1 · 13/09/2015 17:15

I have one my parents bought my cousin when he went to University- he is now 53 so it is 35 years old. He gave it to me when I went to university - 18 years ago.
I could not bear to get rid of it afew years ago but wanted a nice new one so I took it to work and we still use it in our office. DH and I have a nice gleaming new one and an instant boiling water heater at home. Do you have an office or a study you coukd move it to?

gingerdad · 13/09/2015 17:19

And kettles sell well in charity shops. As do toasters and iorns.

WhatTimeIsItCuckoo · 13/09/2015 17:22

This post really made me laugh! I'm with the, have a flirtation with a pretty new one but stash your old faithful in the loft, school of thought. Then you're guilt-free and it's there as back up to boot Grin

ChanandlerBongsNeighbour · 13/09/2015 17:22

When we first moved in together, DP (now DH) and I went to a bargain emporium type place and bought a budget matching kettle and toaster. Fast forward a few (many) years and they still look quite at home in our third property together. DH is making rumblings of wanting new shiny appliances but I am quite attached to what we have (while they're still functioning at least) so we'll see who gives in first, me or the kettle!!

On another note, you might find buying a new kettle will 'free' your old kettle and enable it to move on. I had my last hairdryer for 18+ years, I was very sentimental about it as it was bought for me as a teenager by my dear granny weeks before she died. It was past it's best, performance wise but still did the job.

This Christmas DMIL bought me a shiny new fangled hairdryer/gift set/miracle worker. Inside I was just a little bit teary but thought I could just keep it in the cupboard until I was emotionally ready to let go of granny's hairdryer. The very next time I washed my hair after receiving DMILs gift, the bloody thing wouldn't work! Wouldn't so much as switch on, almost as if it knew! It left me knowing my hair wouldn't be alone! (I've still kept it in the wardrobe for the memories sob!)

honeyroar · 13/09/2015 17:25

Keep it hidden upstairs somewhere for middle of the night hot water bottles? Tell him he's going into retirement.

Andrewofgg · 13/09/2015 17:45

I still have my first electric kettle, bought for £4.95 in 1971 just before I went to university. It's in my office and it serves me well when the "official" boiling water breaks down as it does from time to time.

The relation who gave me the fiver was a miserable old bitch but she did me proud about that!

BathshebaDarkstone · 13/09/2015 17:48

I knew it would be something like this! I'd LTB. Grin

Witchend · 13/09/2015 17:50

We still use the kettle dh was given to go to uni 20 years ago. It was his parents' old one then.

Although if it goes maybe I could use mine again. Mine was my grandparents' first electric kettle. It was adapted from an old copper one you put on the stove by having a hole cut in it and electrics added.
My old one's come out a couple of times when children have had croup or something to get it steamy as it's not automatic.

SilverNightFairy · 13/09/2015 17:52

My lovely bff has a Brooke Sheilds hair dryer circa 1984 that she refuses to part with and uses almost daily. I have gifted her with several new dryers, which she graciously accepts and continues on with Brooke. It is now. A full blown 31 year old love affair..

londonrach · 13/09/2015 17:54

Chanadlers xx

BoneyBackJefferson · 13/09/2015 17:59

I still have my old kettle much to the disgust of friends, they have bought me a succession of kettles and each time one breaks the old one comes out of the box. It stays out of the box till a mate comes around and says "why have you still got that old thing", then the circle of them buying me a new kettle starts again.

x2boys · 13/09/2015 18:01

Yabu I I had a fab Sony tv my parents bought me for my 16th birthday it lasted at least 20yrs I only threw it out cos it had a big back my subsequent tv's have lasted 5/6yrs tops

Frizzcat · 13/09/2015 18:05

This is such a mid-life crisis cliche OP.

The old kettle needs trading in for a new shinier one......... Next you'll be wanting to get rid of yourself of grunge jeans and posters of the Queen smoking a spliff (guessing uni was in the 90's)
Are you getting enough Vitamin B6?

londonrach · 13/09/2015 18:08

Like frizz. (Mn we need a fb like button)

winchester1 · 13/09/2015 18:10

I want to do this with our microwave which mil brought when they were the new thing and gave to oh when he left home. But just can't bring myself too when it still works and know any replacement would break quickly.

IrianofWay · 13/09/2015 18:10

Don't ! Just don't. Better the devil you know...

We shelled out for a beautiful De Longhi kettle about a year ago - it cost silly money for a fucking kettle (H had delusions of grandeur and a bigger income last year) and it has just died. We have now had to resort to the battered old stove top one that we inherited with the house.

Yours is a fairly inoffensive looking chap and he's clearly loyal and hardworking. When he does die make sure to give him a good send off and a nice wake.

FithColumnist · 13/09/2015 18:43

For shame.

girlandboy · 14/09/2015 15:26

My tumble dryer died a death recently after 20 years. Oh dear, I thought, I'll have to have a new one.
DH sallies forth with his tool kit and whips the back off. I elbowed him out of the way expecting to see loads of odd socks in there, but no, nothing apart from a mountain of fluff.
DH fixed it with a small fretsaw and some cable ties. Which goes to show it wasn't really ready to leave the family home just yet.

Give your kettle a reprieve Grin

mrsc118 · 14/09/2015 15:38

Keep it as the spare that's what we did. After many crap kettles the best is our Morphy Richards Britta kettle

Poledra · 14/09/2015 15:43

I have one almost exactly like that in the loft - it was the kettle my granny bought me when I went to uni. We did get a shiny new one when we got married, but DH is a fucking hoarder never throws anything useful away, so up the loft it went. It has returned downstairs twice whilst the 'new' (we've been married for 15 years) kettle is being repaired and it always works no problem. It looks like DD1 might be able to take it away to uni in 6 years time.

However, if you really want to get rid of it with a clear conscience, stand it in the sun. My mum had a plastic jug kettle that lasted many years until the plastic cracked from overexposure to sunlight (in Scotland too!) as it stood by the window. My DH would probably have looked for a new jug to put the old element into...