sawduster
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Post by sawduster on Dec 9, 2009 9:12:21 GMT -6
Over a few years period some time back we replaced our washer and drier with Maytag brand appliances, paying something of a premium over several other big name brands. When the contractor grade GE dishwasher started needing parts replaced, having been down that road before and knowing that more parts would be needing replacing in short order, we upgraded to a Maytag dishwasher as well. All our lives we had been subjected to those lonely Maytag Repairman commercials and considering that their appliances generally cost a bit more than others, we felt we would be getting what we paid for paying a bit more.
Well, the dishwasher has been somewhat of a disappointment right from the start. We've had the repairman in twice to replace pretty major and expensive parts (Thank God for AHS Home warranty service) and I had previously replaced a couple of inexpensive switches and the locking handle.
Then Saturday the clothes washer quit working. Another call to AHS (actually a work request on line) brought a service man out yesterday who took a look-see at it, climbed up under it and determined that it was the transmission which would need a special Maytag certified repairman with special tools to make the replacement. His comment was that Maytag washers were infamous for transmissions going out.
This led to a conversation in which we asked him what specific brands he, as an appliance technician, recommended. His response was that he recommended against two brands, Maytag and Frigidaire as they seemed to have pretty high failure rates and the parts for them were quite expensive in comparison to other brands. Our refrigerator is a Frigidaire that we have not been highly fond of. He went on to say that GE was the brand he buys since they have pretty much maintained tried and true technology that has been around for years.
So, what has everyone else found about different brands of appliances?
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Post by TDHofstetter on Dec 9, 2009 9:30:31 GMT -6
I've got a Consumer Reports subscription, so I c'n cheat a little.  According to their reports, Maytag has historically (as long as I've watched) been right at the bottom of the reliability barrel. The Maytag man ain't bored at ALL - he's busy as all heck. Curiously, Sears (Kenmore) appliances seem to hold together pretty well in general. There's inconsistency, of course - KitchenAid and Amana build some stuff that just won't DIE, but other stuff that usually tips o'er the brink just after the end of the warranty. Dehydrators are problematic. You can get the expensive all-stainless ones with the 10-year warranty... but they're foreign, the controller dies early on, and you have to wait for eons for replacement parts... or you can buy the cheap domestic ones with the good controllers & motors, but the dang plastic racks & bodies melt from the heat. Anybody know of a good reliable solid dehydrator??? Box-type, not round-type? There's an idea. I could buy a plastic domestic & build a stainless body/rack system for it, rehouse it... and have a GOOD one. Couldn't I? |
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Post by Ruffnek on Dec 9, 2009 10:16:44 GMT -6
When I built our home, we put all new GE appliances in it...washer & dryer, dishwasher, oven, refrigerator and microwave/vent-a-hood. We've been in the house 12 years.
The dishwasher went first, replaced by a Frigidaire about 2 years ago.
Next to go was the clothes washer. Karen, true to her roots, replaced both washer and dryer with Whirlpool front-loaders. She gave the old dryer to her brother and it's still working fine AFAIK.
Just this past week, the microwave quit heating. I had a repairman out yesterday and he replaced the diode but still no joy. He said it was probably the magnetronomer or something like that and would cost over $100 to fix. So, we replaced it yesterday with a Kenmore (wanted another GE but it wasn't in stock). I have to remove the old one and install the new one today. Ughh
I asked the appliance repairman what brand he would recommend and he said "none of them." In his opinion, they were all equally poor as far as longevity (microwave's).
As you can see, I have NO brand loyalty with appliances. I've previously had all Kenmore stuff and it didn't last all that long either. Just the nature of the beast, I guess.
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Post by TDHofstetter on Dec 9, 2009 10:28:22 GMT -6
"Magnetron". A special magnetic resonant vacuum tube that converts high voltage into microwaves at about the same frequency as cordless telephones.
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Post by triplefreak on Dec 9, 2009 10:55:53 GMT -6
I have bought Kenmore appliances for the last 25+ years. Every one has been rock solid, and has had fewer than normal repairs. On the really expensive stuff, like washers & refrigerators, I always buy the extra protection policy. The only problem I've had in 6 years at my new house is the clothes washer broke it's coupler between the motor & trans. It was covered under warranty. We had a new Kenmore gas range put in after a cheap electric stove that was here busted. It is much better cooking with gas again.
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Post by larryh86gt on Dec 9, 2009 12:34:47 GMT -6
None of the appliances today are the quality of what I was buying 40 years ago. Over time I have decided to go with the GE Profile appliances for the kitchen: dishwasher, fridge, gas stove, microwave and just hope for the best. Our first washer and dryer (Kenmore) probably lasted 20 years, the next Whirlpool set lasted about 8 years. The current set is the high efficiency Whirlpool models that probably will only last a few years.
Mr Coffee coffee makers have gotten poorer in quality also. Their current 4 cup machine is programmable but no longer lighted. I bought one and ended up giving it away. I've managed to acquire a number of their older model (the NLX5) machines (new)and should be set for a number of years. It must have something to do with their bottom line.
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Post by Ruffnek on Dec 9, 2009 13:03:24 GMT -6
Just finished the microwave/vent swap. Since we got a Kenmore vs the GE that was previously installed, the mounting bracket had to be changed and the holes for the hanger bolts were in a different location...had to re-drill those.
If Sears had the GE in stock yesterday, it would have been a simple remove three hanger bolts, swap out the appliance and re-install the three hanger bolts.
Oh well. It's done and hopefully it will last another 12 years cause I'll likely not be around then.
I will say that the Kenmore doesn't seem as solid-feeling as the GE that it replaced but it's got all the same bells and whistles. It was about $30 cheaper, too.
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Post by lockman on Dec 9, 2009 13:50:54 GMT -6
We have all Whirlpool and have had no problems in the last 15 years we have been in this house.
I also asked repairmen what they liked and Whirlpool won out with them 15 years ago.
I was told at the time the washer didn't have plastic parts in the transmission like the Maytag (which the LOML used to swear by).
It is true things no matter what are made to sell, not quality anymore (where can I get it the cheapest). Most people I know won't pay more for something that will last. I guess most people are more of a throw away society than I am.
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Joe Lyddon
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Post by Joe Lyddon on Dec 9, 2009 13:54:01 GMT -6
We've had Maytag washer & drier for at least 10 years without a hickup... Love'em...
We like Kitchen Aid for kitchen stuff...
I think we have a GE freezer...
We have a Green Frigidaire refrigerator... been working for many years... don't think they make those Colors anymore... ;D
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sawduster
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Post by sawduster on Dec 9, 2009 14:16:01 GMT -6
Our last drier was a hand-me-down Kenmore that the folks had for at least 15 years. When it went on the blink (wasn't heating) they bought a new drier to match their washer rather than having the old one repaired. I put a new $12.00 heating element in it and we used it for another 8 or 10 years.
Don't know if one can depend on that sort of longevity out of an appliance any more. Most of the technology (with the exception of the new electronic timers that you can't seem to get away from) is old and simple and can be made quite sturdy if that was the aim of the manufacturers.
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Post by hescores on Dec 9, 2009 15:28:50 GMT -6
I've purchased Kenmore, GE and Whirlpool in the past. Have been happy with all of them thus far.
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rrich
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Post by rrich on Dec 9, 2009 20:07:09 GMT -6
First, Jenn-air, Maytag and Whirlpool are all made by the same company.
Jenn-air Convection Oven burned out the heating element during the first self cleaning operation.
Jenn-air microwave is OK but it's only about 4 years old.
Jenn-air cook top is OK but also 4 YO.
A Kenmore fridge, 4 YO is now at the kids new home. We hated the thing, can't say why but we both hated the thing, we just did. LOML wanted a new one. I said "As long as it crushes Ice." She said that she hates Kenmore. She bought another Kenmore.
The W & D were replaced with new ones. The new are GE and we had a service call on the washer after the first load leaked. It was an installation issue. The old washer was a Kenmore that replaced a Maytag. Both washers were poor in effectiveness and reliability. Mostly service calls during warranty. The dryer was good (Maytag) and probably 12 YO.
The dishwasher is a Kenmore made by Bosch. It is the quietest one we have ever had.
I use the microwave and SOMETIMES unload the dishwasher. LOML treats the kitchen like my shop. (It's her domain and I ain't welcome.) Besides, I'm not a domesticated animal. The only time that I've touched a washer in the last 40 or so years is when I moved the washer so LOML could mop up the leak.
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Post by Ruffnek on Dec 9, 2009 20:10:38 GMT -6
The only time that I've touched a washer in the last 40 or so years is when I moved the washer so LOML could mop up the leak. Dood, you are my hero! ;D    |
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Post by maxwellsmart007 on Dec 10, 2009 11:03:48 GMT -6
We've got a viking fridge that's as old as I am...a Viking freezer that's older than I am...
Everything else is pretty old too...we just don't go with the 'must have new' phenomenon, esp. since new seems to be the same as old with 'digital' built in somewhere...not my cup of tea
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sawduster
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Post by sawduster on Dec 10, 2009 13:31:03 GMT -6
We've got a viking fridge that's as old as I am...a Viking freezer that's older than I am... Everything else is pretty old too...we just don't go with the 'must have new' phenomenon, esp. since new seems to be the same as old with 'digital' built in somewhere...not my cup of tea I'd only add that the new contains more plastic as well as digital which wears out and breaks sooner requiring replacement or repair. |
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Post by maxwellsmart007 on Dec 10, 2009 13:47:16 GMT -6
I still laugh every time I see a new appliance with 'digital' capabilities built in... Kind of like adding a laser line to a scrollsaw! |
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Post by brburns on Dec 10, 2009 13:58:37 GMT -6
Maytag is pretty much junk. My mom and grandmother had a couple of rather pricey Maytag washer's fail after about 2 years. I understand that Whirlpool is pretty good. I think they recently bought Maytag though. I think Whirlpool makes many/most of Kenmore's aplyances.
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rrich
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Post by rrich on Dec 10, 2009 14:37:03 GMT -6
I was living in Daytona Beach before I got married. (ca. 1965) I found a laundromat that for an extra dollar would do the laundry and even fold it afterwards. (Single guy heaven!)  On the way to work I would drop the dirty laundry off and after work I would pick it up. Since then, the only "Touching" of a washer and dryer that I do is to move then and attach a ground wire from the machine to the cold water pipe. |
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Post by Leo Voisine on Dec 10, 2009 18:18:21 GMT -6
I remember refrigerators than ran on gas - not electric.
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Post by larryh86gt on Dec 10, 2009 20:18:51 GMT -6
I remember refrigerators than ran on gas - not electric. I very vaguely remember something to do with ice. |
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