We have a 20+ year old microwave - it works fine and I keep it clean but the plastic is a little yellowed and most of the markings around the dial have worn off. It doesn't bother me at all, one because I barely use it, and two, because I think it's idiotic and wasteful to replace a perfectly useful appliance for no other reason than appearance (you should see my beloved 25 year old Mercedes but that's another story).
I have a good friend who comments about the microwave every time she's over, saying 'I know you can afford a new one' (true) and 'That thing can't actually work' (not true). I think it's a boring conversation so I just sort of say mm-hmm and move on to something else.
She's only gone and bought me a brand new spaceship of a micro for xmas, which judging by the photos on the box is basically made of chrome and flashing lights and I am just getting angrier at it by the minute. It's still sitting in the nest of paper where I unwrapped it- she was so excited about it and I made the right noises when I opened it but now I just want it out of the house.
I am thinking about giving it away on freecycle or similar to someone who needs a micro, but what will I say next time she's over? I'm thinking of saying that it blew up and blew a fuse the first time I used it and that our old wiring isn't up to this massive futuristic cooking machine, which is plausible, but who knows what else of mine she'll try to replace next.