Thank you! These are very helpful insights – particularly as I did not know domestic machines are not intended for daily use! I’ll have another go at convincing the other half to continue with the Serie 6 until it breaks, particularly as you indicate a new machine might fail quickly.
I have observed this quality issue several times in other industries. During periods of economic growth companies will try to build their reputations (e.g. innovate and make promises), and during an economic downturn companies harvest their reputation (e.g. rebadge cheaper lower quality and hide information).