We are exactly the same. From my end, I hate seeing waste or perfectly good products being thrown out because they aren’t liked anymore, or because something better comes out.
We have had our own experience with a Panasonic Inverter microwave which I have reported in the community. Possibly not dissimilar to your own experience.
Our microwave wasn’t used much and died a number of years outside warranty. Panasonic indicated cheaper to replace than repair, even without knowing the fault. Found out it could be either the control board or synchronised motor. The later a cheap fix - the control board expensive. Purchased a replacement synchronised motor through an online spare parts business and it was the fault. Less than $20 later, it worked like new again, and is still going to this day. The microwave is now about 19 years old. If we had taken Panasonic’s advice, we would have bought a new one, and the old one which was reparable, would have become waste.
The other problem with many newer appliances is they are not made to be repaired, or the cost of labour to repair them makes it more expensive than a new one.
