Debate: Should you buy genuine OEM parts or go with cheap knockoffs?

I wasted $45 on a knockoff dryer belt from Amazon last month. It snapped after 3 loads and I had to redo the whole job on a Saturday. But a guy I know swears by cheap parts for older machines and says OEM is a rip off. What's your take on this for stuff like belts or thermostats? Has anyone else had a knockoff part let them down or work fine?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_caleb20d ago

Sometimes the problem isn't cheap vs OEM but what specific part you're replacing. On a dryer belt or a thermostat, I'd go OEM every time because those things deal with heat and friction constantly. But on something like a control board for an old washer where the new knockoff actually has updated components from the factory defect, I've had better luck with aftermarket. Just depends on what the part actually does in the machine.

emma_ramirez20d ago

Three different washer control boards later and I finally realized the aftermarket one had a better voltage regulator than the factory original, so that part actually worked longer. @the_caleb, you're totally right about how the function of the part matters way more than just the brand, like how I've had cheap phone chargers fry my devices but a generic fridge water filter works just as well. It's the same pattern with a lot of stuff we buy, whether it's car parts or even kitchen appliances, the thing that actually does the heavy work or handles heat is where you gotta spend the money.