Trying to buy as much 'Made in the USA' as possible - questions..

12 years ago

I was originally thinking CC, modernaire and Liebherr, but just read a good book about how outsourcing to other countries is killing our economy. Trying to do my part and support USA made stuff where possible for my upcoming kitchen renovation.

I've found a cabinet maker that sources most of what goes into the cabinets in the US - am feeling good about that choice.

Now, to focus on appliances:

I am hoping for a 36" gas cooktop with griddle. Seperate wall ovens - 27" wide (don't need to have any special bells/whistles, but would like the microwave incorporated into one of the units). Because my space is tight, I really need a built in refrigerator that occupies as little space as possible - I had been considering the Liebherr french door fridge and might still go that way unless I can find something American made that will fit the bill.

For the cooktop - I am thinking of the Five Star with Grill/griddle. Would prefer closed burners. I know the CC is American made also, but not sure the extra $1000 is worth it. Opinions?

For wall ovens, I know Dacor is USA made but the price is up there for my budget - any other options?

For refrigeration - I Subzero the only USA made built in? The Liebherr is better for my budget but am trying to figure out my options before deciding which way to go. For instance, maybe I save $1000 by going for my second choice cooktop in order to put the money toward the US fridge - am willing to go this way as long as what I am purchasing will do what I need it to do and isn't fraught with quality issues.

Thank you for any advice or help you can give. As stated, it is a hope to support US manufacturing, but in the end things like quality and budget will come into play as well.

Featured Answer

deeageaux

12 years ago

The Cooktop should be either CC or Bluestar(Pennsylvania).
Cleaning is different not more difficult.

There are no made in the USA built-in 36" french doors.

KitchenAid and Jenn-Air make 42" built-in FDs.

Northland(Michigan) makes both a top-freezer and SS in

built-in 36". Most affordable of American made built-in fridges.

GE Monogram makes bottom freezer and SxS.

KitchenAid makes bottom freezer and SxS.

Viking built-ins are also made in USA but I would stay away from those.

I think all of the American Made wall ovens are expensive might as well get the best, Wolf.

Dishwashers:Bosch makes all but their two most expensive models in New Bern,North Carolina. IMO best American made dishwasher.

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Comments (16)

Emilner
12 years ago
There really is no comparison from between a five star and a CC. The CC is better in every measure. Any reason you want to go with a closed burner? They do not cook as well and I find them harder to clean.
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mamadadapaige
Original Author
12 years ago
Emilner, As it turns out I think the price is closer between five star and CC. If this is the case I would opt for the CC. I haven't look that deep into the cleaning issue but sensed that the open burners are much more involved in terms of cleaning and this scared me off, BUT I will look into it further and am glad to hear that you don't think cleaning is a biggie.
thanks
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dodge59
12 years ago
The Electrolux ovens used to be made in Canada (not bad), but I'm pretty sure they are made in the US Now, North Carolina, I think.(Electrolux is a Swedish Company).

All appliances must have a tag that states Country of Origin, (or where it's made). If you can not personally get to an appliance store to look at the tags, have the sales person snap a picture of the tag and send it to you!

Good luck on your hunt.

Gary
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Emilner
12 years ago
Cleaning my CC could not be easier. Under normal use anything that touches the burners gets burned off. If something gets on the grate then you can either wipe it off or if it is really bad you can put it in the dishwasher. That's it. Seriously. I had one small spill hit the small stainless ring that circles the burner but since it does not touch the actual burner it does not get hot enough to cake anything on. I simply wiped it down the next time I cleaned the range. My Thermador with the sealed burners was a PITA! Spills would get on the stainless and would be difficult to get shiny and clean, it was like trying to get a window streak free. Anything that stayed near the burner was turned into impossible to remove gunk. On the CC nearly everything you see is cast iron, which is very easy to clean, and if it is not the equivalent of perfectly streak free it still shows nothing....
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deeageaux
12 years ago
Electrolux ovens are made in l'Assomption,Quebec.

It is as foreign as Sonora Mexico.

Dont speak l'anglais

Production in Memphis Tenn does not start till sometime in 2013.

Here is a link that might be useful: LINK
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dodge59
12 years ago
I think you are just "hollering Wolf Again" deeageaux.
Your timing is a bit off too.

Here is the "latest News".

$190 million facility to begin production in 2012
On Wednesday, December 15, 2010, Electrolux, announced that it has selected Memphis, TN, as the location of its new North American Cooking Products manufacturing center.

Electrolux plans to begin transitioning production to the newly built, 700,000 square foot facility in mid-2012 and the process is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2013. The new facility will assume the manufacturing currently located in LÃ¯Â¿Â½Assomption, Quebec, the wind-down of which Electrolux announced on December 14th.

The plant will build the companyÃ¯Â¿Â½s Electrolux Ã¯Â¿Â½, Electrolux ICON Ã¯Â¿Â½ and Frigidaire Ã¯Â¿Â½ built-in and specialty cooking products. These include: Drop-in/Slide-in Ranges, Wall Ovens, Specialty Freestanding Ranges, and Cooktops.

So yes, It will be 2013 before the transistion is "Complete", but jobs in Memphis should start appearing in about 6 months.

I think it's great more jobs (courtesy of the Swedes) are coming to the US, rather than leaving!

I still feel guilty about helping a huge "Well known" faucet maker move to Mexico, My employees and I had to move the equipment from their old facility in California and set up in the new lab in Mexico!!!---but I guess if I didn't somebody else would have---what really bugs me is the price of their faucets didnt even drop a penny after the move GRRRRRR GRRReeeeddddd!!!

So, just one more reason to say "Go Electrolux" and quit hollerin Wolf (LOL).

Gary
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deeageaux
12 years ago
I think you are just "hollering Electrolux Again" Garry.

Even if production begins in 6 months the OP can't buy or order an American made oven in the foreseeable future.

OP needs to get this done soon to order cabinets.

Buying American made from an American Co is one more reason to stop Hollerin Electrolux in Sweedish:)
mamadadapaige
Original Author
12 years ago
Emilner, thanks for that... in retrospect, I think you are right. my old sealed burner GE monogram never looked clean even after shrubbing. both appliance stores we have visited have overwhelmingly supported the CC over other choices I have mentioned. I think I can put this decision to bed.

The wall ovens is another issue. To be honest, even if the Wolfs were in my budget, which they aren't, I don't like the looks of them. I am looking for something that isn't quite so bulky. I do like the more streamlined look of the Electrolux. They had the Thermodor on the showroom floor in a 27" size so good to see that this should be more than big enough for me.

Still very up in the air about what to do re: wall ovens.

Re: refrigeration... I have one of two ways to go with my floorplan, BUT I might have to put the nationalist feelings aside and just go for the Liebherr. The price, sleekness, reputation, and interior layout are all really good for me. I guess this means I am not putting my money where my mouth is... I do still have to check out the Northland brand as mentioned above. I will never buy another GE Monogram anything after my last horrible experience with them and I would have trouble paying such big bucks for Kitchenaid over Liebherr as I think the Liebherr seems to be much more sleek at a better price point. BUT does anyone know if Kitchenaid makes their wall ovens in the US - this would be a great option for me.
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Emilner
12 years ago
I can't help you with wall ovens although we were close to buying a Jenn air before we decided on going for a 48" range. I will say that PC Richards by me always has a few dozen scratch and dent KA wall ovens available. I am there often and see them all the time. My sister bought two from them, one ten years ago and just recently to replace the original one. They are so cheap it is worth it (she paid $600ish for a double stainless that was missing some trim). Just another way to look at it....

On refrigeration- I have a Thermador 30" fridge and freezer and I LOVE them. If I am not mistaken they are the same design as Liebherr. If so, I would not hesitate for a second (or possibly go for Therms instead). They are VERY quiet, they are built like tanks and the insides are well thought out. I too hate monogram- I had the misfortune of having a 42" Mono fridge and it was a nightmare. I combined the 42" and my GE profile garage fridge into the Therm twins and I have so much extra room I wonder if I missed something. The only possible hiccup is that the icemaker is a little slower than we are used to. To make up for it though there is a huge ice bucket compared to our old units.
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larsi_gw
12 years ago
Although Thermador is now owned by a large German corporation, their products are made in California! I try and ONLY buy American, German, Swedish, Canadian, Japanese, Italian... I despise the way Chinese companies use dangerous materials, and just do not care about safety and durability of any of their products.

We have 10 Miele appliances, but our built in refrigerator is Sub Zero...and we love it. 2nd house in 10 years with a Sub Zero, and they are excellent machines. Almost no issues, and the one time we did have an issue with the ice maker, they fixed it out of warranty FOR FREE, because they said they had several issues with our particular model over the years with the ice maker. Great company!!

And Miele is THE BEST, if you do not mind German. Being German, I can tell you that Miele is a 100% family owned company, and they treat their employees very well, and their manufacturing practices are some of the best in the world, with the smallest impact on the earth!!
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mamadadapaige
Original Author
12 years ago
thank you larsi, emilner and all

larsi, i read your miele washer/dryer threads at length when i was making that decision and did go for the miele set and have been happy. i have been to the miele showroom in wellesley, ma many times and love seeing the way their products function. i agree, miele is the best and i am tempted but am still trying to keep this mostly American made (if possible... won't be entirely possible as I am finding out quickly).

I agree with you re: China stuff. I just finished reading "poorly made in China" which is part of what is spurring me on.
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deeageaux
12 years ago
Thermador Ovens are made in Tenn not CA. Thermador corporate headquarters are in CA but they are owned by Bosch-Siemens-Homeappliance Group. Thermador ovens get consistently bad reviews for too many repairs and performance not better than an average priced oven by Consumer Reports. I have never owned one but I would be weary.The one advantage they have over Wolf is they do carry a 27" size. I thought you were looking for 30" which is what most people do when they are remodeling. 27" ovens are usually bought to simply replace a broken oven is existing cabinets.

If we are putting nationalist fervor aside and have a budget under $3500 for double ovens then I would endorse the Ovens from les Quebecois

Liebherr does not share design with Thermador.

Columns from Thermador,Miele,Gaggenau,and discontinued Bosch brands share the same basic design but have some significant differences.
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mamadadapaige
Original Author
12 years ago
dee,
i went looking at appliances AGAIN today. spoke to a salesman who said he doesn't carry thermador because of problems. last night the salesman said he LOVES thermador - has it in his own home. so hard to know what to do.

a local appliance shop has 30" jenn aire double ovens floor samples for $2300 for the pair. am tempted to get these but hate making a snap decision because I think i'm getting a good deal.

27" is what i am after only because my space is sort of tight. and also because currently we have ancient 24" maytag double ovens and find the interior space to be fine. roasting pan fits, so does cookie sheet so why bother with a 30" if i think a 27" will work and my space is tight.

BUT if there was a more compelling reason to go for 30" i am all ears. just being practical.
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breezygirl
12 years ago
An ancient 24" oven may actually have more interior usable space than a new 27" due to new insulation standards. I suggest you take your biggest pans to the appliance store to see if they will fit. I wouldn't assume anything when it comes to new applainces.

My new Wolf 30" ovens are smaller inside than my ancient 30" range. Just sayin'.
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mamadadapaige
Original Author
12 years ago
Breezy
You make a good point. I had picked up on this in another thread.. Something along the lines of newer models having more insulation thereby taking up more space. Unfortunately I have only seen one 27" model on a showroom floor (thermador). So I will either seek more detailed specs on interior space, find more floor models to look at, opt for the safety of a 30" model, or take my chances.

The more I look around the more convinced I am that I want the floorplan that allows for cooktop/wall ovens. When I had posted the floorplans I didn't get a lot of buy in for this direction. Sort of a less than standard plan... Needs more refining - am thinking if re-posting it after I have a chance to work on it some more
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Trying to buy as much 'Made in the USA' as possible - questions..

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