Not made in America

We have lived in Rio for 21 months. Almost 2 full years. When we arrived, we had brand new furniture, brand new electronics, brand new kitchen gadgets, brand new scenery, brand new neighbors, brand new life-style. We have adjusted quickly. We make ourselves stop to appreciate the not-so-new-anymore scenery. We have become friends or aquaintances with most of our once-brand-new neighbors, and we have adequately used our brand new furniture, electronics, and kitchen gadgets almost daily.
However, I am started to get a little nervous about things made in Brazil. The sofas have needed re-upholstering or colorful slipcovers for several months now (that may be due to the fact that they are covered in white fabric). Two weeks ago we replaced our dying coffee maker after I cracked the carafe filling it with cool water when it was still hot (be warned). This past weekend we replaced the DVD player as almost every movie would stop playing halfway through for the last month and a half.
The good news: A colorful slipcover for the sofas would add some charm to the living room and make it feel fresh, like a facelift. The new coffee pot is black instead of white and has that little stopper that allows you to pour a cup mid-brew (a beautiful feature). The new DVD player is a Sony, making me believe it will outlive the Tectronics brand that recently died.
The worrisome news: What will be next? Is it the element that all things were manufactured in Brazil, and the quality just isn't very good? Is it the element that this amazing city is in the heart of a tropical rainforest and humidity is tough on things? Or, are we that hard on things?