Are there ANY appliance brands that arent junk?

[Boaz]

Lost a LOT of meat put up , half of it smoked/cooked ...ready to go plus a lot of vacuum packing labor . Hacks me off !

[Handloader109]

Yes, things have Changed. Built new home in 1990, GE appliances. Refrig was still working (top of the line at the time) in 2013 when we sold the home. But the crappy dishwasher was junk, never replaced, but junk, Microwave built in died after about 8-9 years. And range lasted about 15. Recently, Whirlpool is what I've bought. Ok So far

[psweigle]

They just aren't made to last. It's a shame, but as in most of the industry here, there is no quality control or pride in workmanship.

[fecmech]

I guess I've been lucky in the appliance dept. We still have the Whirlpool fridge in the basement that we started with in 1969. We bought a new Whirlpool side by side in 1993 when we remodeled the kitchen and it's ok. Our Maytag washer & dryer from 1969 gave out around 2009 and we bought a Whirlpool washer and dryer to replace them. The appliance store owner said not to expect any where near the same service from the new machines . I've had to replace some parts on the washer and an overtemp switch on the dryer but no expensive parts. The nice thing about today is you can find out how to fix just about anything on line with a U Tube video. That sure takes all the guesswork out of where to start when opening up an appliance to get to the parts. It sure helps to have a mechanical and electrical background.

[Soundguy]

The stove went out last night. I know how old it is, bought it when I bought the house. It was a repo, no appliances. So get a new stove, dishwasher and fridge. All new at the time 8 yrs ago. Replaced the fridge last year, on the 3rd dishwasher. And now the stove. Not like I haven't bought different brands hoping for better results. Doesn't seem to make a difference.

Was a time when if you bought brand x you knew you were getting a good one. Now you really have no idea who made it, its just a name plate on the front. But an economics lesson for my 9yo. That they make way more money selling you a new appliance every 5 yrs than they do every 20 yrs.

Some stuff lasts, some dont.

I remember the old HD harvest yellow and avocado appliances.

17ys in my current house. Oven/stove works, handle on oven a little worse for wear. Fridge died in 2016, replaced...dishwasher died 2014, replaced. Washer died 2010, replaced, dryer still going.

( ac too, knock on wood! )

[smokeywolf]

Gotta shop for a new microwave. Panasonic that I bought 20 years ago just gave up the ghost last night.

Sure sorry about your food loss Boaz.

[MaryB]

Get the fridge/freezer alarm I posted earlier! Saved me a freezer full of beef. Nothing got above 10 degrees because the alarm triggered at 0 and let me know something was wrong. I have 2 freezers and can empty the freezer I use as a fridge(Outboard temp controller, high efficiency for solar) in a pinch and use it as a freezer. Fridge stuff can get crammed in the beer fridge if needed!

Lost a LOT of meat put up , half of it smoked/cooked ...ready to go plus a lot of vacuum packing labor . Hacks me off !

[Boaz]

Mary since you mentioned the alarm I have thought about it . Probably lost about $400.00 worth of stuff . LOL , had bout 20 pounds of buckboard bacon and a heck of a lot of homemade sausage ...going to miss that . Going to look on ebay to check out the alarm . Thanks for the suggestion !

[10-x]

3 years ago we had a kitchen fire, redid kitchen. Bought all appliances at lowes, every one of the 3 broke/ failed in 6 months!!!! Junk is junk. All major brands.

[Boaz]

Bought a temp gage/alarm on EBAY , bout $12.00 dollars ...free shipping .

[MaryB]

I am monitoring 4 fridge/freezers so needed the one capable of multi stations. I may add a temp sensor for the garage so I know if it goes below freezing in winter. I an have up to 8 sensors!

[crabo]

I bought a Maytag washer and dryer for $300 used when I bought my fist house in 1979. Still using them. I did one repair to one of them about 14 years ago. Still working just fine. I know my sister bought one of the agitator less models and she says it does wash as good as one with an agitator.

[jonp]

In our cabin I have a USA made Brown LP gas range from Lehman's. Just two of us and needs are modest so it does the job.

https://www.lehmans.com/product/brown-gas-ranges/ranges

I ran across that sight several years ago and could never remember the name so never could find it again. Thanks for the link. My wife needs some canning lids for this summer.

[jonp]

Not anymore. Standing pilots are gone. Range will still work in a power outage. But the stove will not. I looked far and wide for one that had no electronics on it. But they don't exist anymore.

I've got an old HotPoint Gas stove with the pilots at my hunting camp. I'm not sure it will ever wear out. You can turn on the gas to the oven and light it without a pilot light if it goes out.

[lightman]

It looks like I'm going to be shopping for a cook top next week. Any recommendations? It will be electric. The Sears severed us well for 24 years of heavy use but its going out.

[DougGuy]

Well, our new-ish GE gas dbl oven burned up the bottom oven igniter. After speaking with the tech, it appears it is a design flaw that GE knows about but will not address. The metal shield above the gas burner gets red hot over the igniter glow bar to the point it melts and drips down on the igniter which begins welding like you are burning a 6010 welding rod on about 100 amps. Not kidding, smoke, sparks, loud humming, then POP! Everything quits.

Call to the tech to come visit and diagnose is $99 which GE will let you take $99 off another new GE appliance YA RIGHT!! I replaced the glow bar myself, $32 from ebay, GE wanted $89 for it. Replaced the big printed circuit oven control board $120 from ebay GE wanted $221 for it. All the controls light up and the digital part works, but the lower oven will not light. something else besides the visibly burned up parts. This could be a rabbit hole I don't want to go down. Had the tech come out, it would have been a $700 repair. And how long until something else quit on it?

I am going to ask the sellers if they will accept a return of the two parts I bought and put the money towards a new range. I an NOT buying anything that has a digital board in it again, I am not buying anything that has the same round 2 piece Asian produced burners since all our pans cook with a cold spot in the middle, you go to fry eggs, the edges get overdone and the middle is runny. Better with cast iron but still..

Started looking around at burner configurations. Big name high end home units, called "pro style" want to look the part, but most of them have the crappy burners too. Even the Viking has the round burners with the big cold spot in the middle. $4k ~ $6k gets you some really nice home units with truly pro burners but who has that kind of money to put into a range?

Stumbled onto American Range, had never looked at them before, watched a youtube vid of the factory, folks, THIS is what the Donald dreams of when he wants to bring back manufacturing to America again. I am going to start looking for an American Range. Check this out:



Edit: Found an American Range model ARROB-430 that passed the PLUNK test, and I plunked down some money for it! Stoked!





AMERICAN MADE in California, there is no microprocessor to take a dump, it has really good burners that heat evenly and from the center, and the oven is a really well engineered convection oven that works the fan and airflow in reverse. This is almost old skool engineering, and rumor has it these are built as good as their commercial restaurant units, they are just insulated a lot better so they can achieve zero clearances on the sides and back for residential installations.

[Nose Dive]

Agree with all above...KISS... if you want to turn on the oven in Indiana from Timbucktwo... (Ok,,OK,,,spelling)...you can now do just that...with a high dollar oven, an APP, a cell phone and a home computer. I don't do that anymore. (Ok...OK...blowing smoke)

But...have had luck with Bosch, and KitchenAid. Have a KitchenAid dishwasher and runs like a charm. Last one was a 1981 model. No issues with it...but could not take it with me when I moved. Now...if your moving....get a GE...install it...it will work for a few years...then move.

If in Indiana, Illinois ...need a reputable appliance dealer...[sales, service, parts]... I use...http://www.maruszczak.com/

They can have appliances delivered all over USA... NOT TO YOUR HOUSE....but to servicing dealers or 'drop points' and YOU GOTTA GO GET IT.

I moved to 'country'... No 'appliance dealers in 50 miles'...Bought a KIT home, no windows, doors and no appliances. Called Maruszczak and they shipped the washer, dryer, oven, stove top, microwave, water softener to drop point in TEXAS for CHEAP. I took PU truck and trailer and fellas loaded up all on my truck/trailer. Hauled all up to my "PLACE" and installed all myself...they are in Indiana....i bought KitchenAid DW. GE Icebox, GE Gas Stove Top, MW, Dryer/washer...1-219-865-0555 ...ask for Pam.... This is not a sales promo... just my success....they may say 'no dice'... They are not an internet sales outfit...but...can get 'things to you' if you pay.

Good luck.

Nose Dive

Cheap, Fast, Good. Kindly pick two.

[Elkins45]

Our house is 20 years old. The water heater went (tank ruptured) two years ago and the refrigerator a couple of months later. The refrigerator problem was a defrost thermostat, so a $40 part fixed that problem...but then the compressor went out in February. I knew it wasn't cost effective to fix that so I went shopping with only two parameters in mind (1) highest capacity that will fit the space and (2) fewest fancy features. I ended up spending around $800 for the new one because I added an ice maker. I did notice the new one was considerably lighter than the one I hauled off. We shall see if this one lasts 20 years.

Our GE top load washer was bought in 95 and I replaced the transmission in 2008--found one NIB on eBay for $49--and it still works. We also bought a front loader at the same time so now we have two working washers. I think I need to hook up a second dryer to the welder outlet in the garage. Can't remember how old the dryer is, but it's at least 12.

I suppose in the grand scheme of things I have had better luck than some of you.

My dad bought a Sears Coldspot freezer sometime around when I was born in the early 60's. For the first 10 years or so it was in an unheated outbuilding. It moved into our basement when moved in 1977. Sometime in the mid-80's the thermostat failed so he wired around it so the compressor ran constantly. I don't know how cold it was in that unit, but I remember you had to let ice cream set on the counter for a while or it would bend your spoon!

I unplugged and emptied it when he went into assisted living in 2008. It was still running like a champ. I would love to plug it back in and see if it would start back up.

[Echo]

My GE SpaceSaver Microwave went out - circuit board. I had replaced the board on my previous SpaceSaver, so called the local GE folks, and they said it would be a $200 service fee to check out the MW, but they didn't have any boards - they weren't made anymore. I went to the AFEX, bought a Whirlpool, and had a friend install it (totally different installation).
But before that, my GE oven went out. Being single, and not cooking AT ALL, of little import - except the alarm beeped. And beeped. No matter what I did, 24/7 beep. Got a service man out, he checked it, and found they didn't make THAT circuit board any more. Bought a new (memory fails as to make) oven...

[Sur-shot]

I have started using Craig's List as a reference. Look for used appliances like you might want and see how many say "needs repair." Interesting how many top money units are for sale broken.
Ed