Favorite Kitchen Appliance Brands

[longhornguy]

Which kitchen appliance brands are favorites with HAIF'ers?

I have been doing some extensive research for a kitchen overhaul and concluded that these are the most reliable and feature packed brands for my needs/tastes:

Refridgerator:

GE Cafe French Door Model

or possibly KitchenAid French Door Tall model (touted as the only 72" tall French Door model on the market)

I grew up with GE fridges and have never, ever, had a problem with their refridgerators.

Dishwasher:

Bosch

Pretty much unanimously reviewed as the best dishwasher maker. (I will never touch a Whirlpool dishwasher again.)

Wall Oven/Microwave Convection Oven combo:

Kitchenaid

I read somewhere that Kitchenaid used to be the parent company of Wolf(?). Their equipment always seems to feel so high-end.

Cooktop:

GE (Profile or Monogram)

For the same reasons as the fridge.

Washer/Dryer:

Bosch

Again, consistently reviewed as the top washer/dryer makers.

Those are my picks, what are yours?

[memebag]

Samsung and Fisher & Paykel.

[CoolBuddy06]

Everything in the kitchen is GE, except the OTR microwave which is Goldstar. W&D are Frigidaire. All have been in use since jan 2006 and have never acted up or tire out.

[RedScare]

For the money, hard to beat GE. I've got a couple of Jenn-Airs (slide in range and dishwasher) that have done well, though. Look good and a little more expensive than GE, but still in the affordable range.

[BryanS]

I guess everyone should know by now that GE is getting out of the appliance business. They are selling their appliance line off. I love GE. I put them in my last house. The new place has Whirlpool. I guess I will just stick with that.

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.d...SINESS/80515043

Potential buyers of General Electric's Appliance Division could include Electrolux, Haier, LG Electronics, Samsung and Bosch

[musicman]

I guess everyone should know by now that GE is getting out of the appliance business. They are selling their appliance line off. I love GE. I put them in my last house. The new place has Whirlpool. I guess I will just stick with that.

they own quite a few others like maytag, amana, jennair, etc

[lwood]

For the money, hard to beat GE. I've got a couple of Jenn-Airs (slide in range and dishwasher) that have done well, though. Look good and a little more expensive than GE, but still in the affordable range.

I guess it's the luck of the draw. My GE counter depth fridge has been nothing but problems. In it's three year life the repairman has been out three times. Disappointing for a $2,700 fridge.

[mkultra25]

I have a GE microwave and gas range/oven that are both going on ten years old. The microwave occasionally makes noise like it's getting ready to conk out, but so far has kept chugging along. The range works fine with the exception of the LCD clock/timer, which fluctuates between OK and near-unreadability. I've also had to replace the oven igniter twice, which I thought was excessive, but the last appliance repair guy I used claimed that most igniters were only good for 3-4 years of regular (daily) use.

[jm1fd]

Which kitchen appliance brands are favorites with HAIF'ers?

Wait....the topic says reliable, but then you ask which are favorites? Which do you want? Cold hard facts as to reliability, or emotional my-whole-family-has-owned-Toast-O-Matic-Brand-toaster-ovens-since-the-50s type responses?

If you want the facts on reliability then go get yourself a copy of Consumer Reports and be done with it.

[memebag]

If you want the facts on reliability then go get yourself a copy of Consumer Reports and be done with it.

Consumer Reports is unreliable.

[jm1fd]

Consumer Reports is unreliable.

Care to substantiate that with some facts?

[Ross]

Our stove is a 1952 Chambers Model C. Works great. It was refurbished in 1995 to clean it up a bit. Our Kenmore fridge is 13 years old, only repair was the ice maker. Washer is a Kenmore, also 13 years old. For basic appliances, it's hard to beat Sears.

[longhornguy]

I guess this thread was meant to illusatrate which brands were reliable and desireable.

It makes sense to me that they go hand in hand. Would something that is unreliable would really be desired by anyone?

When I'm out shopping for appliances, I go for the best compromise between what would look great and what won't break down.

Excellent point about the GE appliance division...expect their issues to be on par with whomever buys them.

[memebag]

Care to substantiate that with some facts?

Facts? I read a CR report that ranked Bose speakers over Infinity. That should be proof enough. Then there this: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2007...r_seats_cq.html.

And this: http://www.allpar.com/cr.html

And this: http://sunbeltblog.blogspot.com/2006/08/co...dal-its_25.html

And lots more, I'm sure, at your local Google.

[rsb320]

I've got a GE Monogram fridge, cooktop and oven. The dishwasher is a Kitchaid and the washer and dryer are Kenmore (Whirlpool). All are 16+ years old. I've had to put a new compressor and ice maker in the fridge, but that's all.

I read that appliances today won't last as long as we're used to. In order to keep the prices inline, quality has suffered. Think about it, appliance prices are the same as they were 16 years ago (except if you get fancy).

I'll be replacing all of these soon. Does anybody have any front loader stories?

[jc281]

NOT G E. And you wonder why they are removing the appliance division from their conglomerate

[jm1fd]

Facts? I read a CR report that ranked Bose speakers over Infinity. That should be proof enough. Then there this: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2007...r_seats_cq.html.

And this: http://www.allpar.com/cr.html

And this: http://sunbeltblog.blogspot.com/2006/08/co...dal-its_25.html

And lots more, I'm sure, at your local Google.

Well then what source of appliance reliability data do you suggest?

[memebag]

Well then what source of appliance reliability data do you suggest?

I don't.

[rsb320]

Well then what source of appliance reliability data do you suggest?

Personal experience, with Consumer Reports as a guide.

Oh, also check customer feedback. I think Sears has an area for this on their website.

Bosch and Electrolux are fairly new to our market, but they've been in Europe for years and have good ratings. Many of the Kenmore models now will be and are made by Electrolux.

[jm1fd]

I don't.

So you suggest just going out spending $5k+ on appliances willy-nilly with no regard to reliability?

It makes sense to me that they go hand in hand. Would something that is unreliable would really be desired by anyone?

They don't go hand in hand. Take Land Rover for instance: horribly unreliable, yet highly desired. People have LOTS of reasons for buying what they do, be it a good job by the company's marketing department, or they thought it was pretty, or it looks like a more expensive brand, or it is the "in" brand/model/style, etc.

[memebag]

So you suggest just going out spending $5k+ on appliances willy-nilly with no regard to reliability?

No, I suggest that Consumer Reports is unreliable. I wouldn't pay $5k+ for appliances.

[toadfroggy]

It's silly of me, I know, and pretty irrelevant to the question, but I would really have a problem buying a stove from Frigidaire or a refrigerator from Hotpoint.

[longhornguy]

So, JM, what are your suggestions for appliance brands? I'm curious to hear what else you have to bring to the table.

[Dan the Man]

Here's my opinion of the most reliable appliance brands:

Dishwasher - KitchenAid

Cooktop - JennAir

Refrigerator - Frigidaire

Washing Machine - Maytag

Some older appliances (pre-1960) are built like tanks and seem to last forever, namely old GE refrigerators and O'keefe & Merritt ranges...

[RedScare]

NOT G E. And you wonder why they are removing the appliance division from their conglomerate

No, I don't wonder at all. The article said why. Profits.

Considering that I've never had a major appliance break down ever, I can't really badmouth any of the brands I have purchased, including GE.

[TJones]

Using a 25' Frigidaire Gallery Edition side by side with ice/water door. This sucker is so cold it will freeze milk on the halfway setting. It does the job but good. I have a Kichen Air confectionair gas oven and stove. Love it, but have a problem with the stove top lighters, only 2 work. Stay away from Frigidaire dishwasher, I have one, I hate it !!! Get a Maytag washer.

[dbigtex56]

Our stove is a 1952 Chambers Model C. Works great. It was refurbished in 1995 to clean it up a bit.

Call me hopelessly retro, but I've never had more fun cooking than on a Chambers model C, fully equipped.

They're built like a cross between a Sherman tank and a Swiss Army Knife. I love them like some people love vintage sports cars.

Is asbestos a concern? God, I hope not.

[dbigtex56]

Also: O'Keefe & Merritt is no slouch, either. To me, the Chambers seems more solid, and the O'Keefe has more gimmicks; love the Grill-O-Vator. (sp?) Very stylish.

You'll see O'Keefes featured often on TV shows; they're the iconic 50's Mom stove.

[crunchtastic]

Also: O'Keefe & Merritt is no slouch, either. To me, the Chambers seems more solid, and the O'Keefe has more gimmicks; love the Grill-O-Vator. (sp?) Very stylish.

You'll see O'Keefes featured often on TV shows; they're the iconic 50's Mom stove.

You're speaking my language with the stoves. When my crappy inherited Kenmore dies, I want at least one appliance that seems to belong in my house.

[CoolBuddy06]

Facts? I read a CR report that ranked Bose speakers over Infinity. That should be proof enough. Then there this: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2007...r_seats_cq.html.

And this: http://www.allpar.com/cr.html

And this: http://sunbeltblog.blogspot.com/2006/08/co...dal-its_25.html

And lots more, I'm sure, at your local Google.

I found CR analysis true all the time, so far. I'm sure there will be outliers, but that's the best consumer mag I know of. I bought all my appliances and electronics based on their 'best-buy' and never repqaired or threw one out.