Having to fix stuff is surely frustrating. That said, I'll take today's battery powered tools over dragging cords all over.
I'll happily take all of the 4-stroke mowers/blowers/trimmers/small engines over the old 2-strokes. I just finished putting a $12 carb on my 14yr old mower. 30Min and it's back to 1-pull operation. That's it's 2nd new carb. 8 bolts, 2-springs, 2 gaskets and I also got a new plug and a new air filter just because. Yes, carbs used to be re-buildable. For $12, I'm not taking another 60Min rebuilding diddly-squat.
Don't even get me started on the superiority of EFI over any form of carbureration.
My '11 F250 turned over 218K on the way home yesterday. Ford replaced the radiator and EGR under warrantee. I've replied both front hubs and auto-lockouts along w/ball-joints and Tie-Rod ends. I also had all the rubber hoses for the vacuum auto 4WD replaced. I'd happily load it up and tow whatever needed towed to wherever it needed towed right now with nothing needed except a fill-up before I hit the road.
Appliances however are absolutely not as durable as they once were. Fridges and freezers from the 50's and 60's still plugging along when new stuff is lucky to make a decade.