Aug 13, 2026
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Add us on GoogleIt’s the end of a beautiful love story.
In a post on X, Republican Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) bid a fond farewell to his 49-year-old vacuum cleaner, which he refers to as “Beth.” In the post, he shared a photo of the beloved vacuum, holding up its broken power cord. He wrote: “U willl see Beth no more See black that’s from electrical sparks. It’s not safe to use anymore. GOOD BYE BETH . U hv been a real workhorse. Ur namesake still is hard worker. I will miss u.”
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The vacuum is a Hoover Concept Two model, and Grassley, who is 92 years old and has held government positions in Iowa since 1958 (much longer than Beth has been around), has been posting photos of it online for years.
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Many modern vacuums and other gadgets wouldn’t stand a chance of lasting this long. The cordless vacuums that are popular today rely on lithium-ion batteries that degrade over time. Vacuum brand Eufy says vacuums last an average of five to eight years, WIRED reported. This certainly doesn’t measure up to nearly 50, so when people can stretch the lifespan of modern tech, it’s a win.
And some people are doing that with the tech everyone holds in their hands today — their phones. The same iPhone you saw in your friend’s 2020 mirror selfie could very well be the one in the mirror selfie they posted yesterday. And these days, a 6-year-old smartphone may as well be a 50-year-old vacuum.
Americans are holding onto their devices to save money
A 2025 report by Reviews.org found that Americans keep using the same phones for 29 months on average, up from 22 months in 2016. Despite tech brands constantly releasing new smartphones, and even new versions of phones they already make, consumers are resisting buying a new one until the time is right.
Smartphone batteries usually last around two to three years, due to the physical and chemical changes to the battery over time. Still, some people are able to push their phone’s lifespan — and delay dropping money on a new phone — a bit longer.
When CNBC spoke to retiree Heather Mitchell last November, she told them her Samsung phone was 6 years old. “It’s hanging in there surprisingly well for a jalopy,” she said. “I’ve had issues with it, and still do, but they are minor. I love Samsung phones, but cannot afford a new one right now. A new phone would be a luxury.”
Given the current high cost of living, making spending cuts wherever you can matters. Plus, the constant inundation of new products, high prices and innovation is wearing Americans out. According to a Deloitte study, 41% of consumers said they dislike managing their devices, which typically involves updating software, handling security or fixing problems.
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Device hoarding has its pros and cons
As mentioned, keeping a usable device can save you money and help you avoid over-consuming. But it can be a drag on the economy. As CNBC reports, when businesses hold onto old devices and equipment, they may not be able to keep up with upgrades including much higher internet speeds — and thus they can fall behind in productivity and efficiency.
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“Those devices were engineered when no one could fathom speeds that much faster would be mainstream,” Cassandra Cummings, CEO of New Jersey-based electronics design company Thomas Instrumentation, told CNBC.
It can also be a problem when people hoard devices that are out of use already. It’s not uncommon to have a drawer of old smartphones and power cords in an American home — a survey of 4,000 U.S. consumers published in the Sustainability journal [c]found that 39% choose to simply store old electronic devices they aren’t going to use anymore. Chances are, there’s a better place you can put them.
While the survey found that only 11% of people opt to recycle old electronics, it’s actually pretty simple. They can be dropped off at dedicated electronic recycling stations to ensure they are disposed of properly and safely. These are usually available from manufacturers and retailers, and sometimes your city will have specific collection days for electronic recycling as well.
If your device is still usable but you are done with it, you can also opt to sell it. You can do this independently on platforms such as Facebook Marketplace, or through certain retailers. For example, Apple will buy back old devices in exchange for a gift card to their store or money off of the purchase of a new Apple device. No matter which way you choose to empty your drawer of hoarded devices, be sure you clear all personal information from them before you do.
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Em Norton is a Content Specialist at moneywise.com. They have been with the company since 2022.
