Yale appliance (Boston area) provides some great articles on purchasing appliances might be a useful resource. I have whirlpool kitchen appliances - 4 years old - no issues with any of them. I am hard on dishwashers run it a minimum of once per day. Had a Bosch which I loved but needed it repaired and it was crazy expensive to repair.

I'm so glad to see this thread! I have been wanting a new fridge and stove (and will probably get a micro too). I also am very hesitant to buy anything Kenmore with the state of Sears. Its sad as that used to be the place to go to buy appliances. Growign up that is where everyone I knew went if they needed a stove, etc.

I did buy a Whirlpool dishwasher earlier this year and I haven't had any major problems with it, but I'm not in love due to a minimum cycle takes 3 hours. As someone who can easily run their dishwasher twice in one day with just a family of 2 people, this is not very practical. One of these days I will have a second dishwasher.

Well, despite the comments saying "buy the best in each category" and "no one will know your appliances don't match" I do notice and I will be buying a matching suite.

Stainless steel does vary by manufacturer (go to a big box store and look at them side by side). Maybe it's not as noticeable at the $$$$ level appliances, but they're not in my budget.

I've decided on a Maytag suite (range, microwave, fridge) and Bosch DW for our new build (in white!) . I like the appearance, quality (according to Yale appliance referenced above) and the price. I had my heart set on Kitchen Aid, but Maytag is essentially the same appliances at a lower price point. I could go lower with Whirlpool, but Maytag has a better extended warranty and I like the appearance better.

Re "they just don't make them like they used to", that's exactly the problem. So I was thinking about that. It used to be Kenmore was made by Whirlpool or White-Westinghouse, or now some Electrolux, and was just as well built as their name brand models but with fewer features and a simpler design. I.e., very basic but good quality. There are have been a lot of quality issues recently with the quality of less expensive appliances. Most brands have some good ones or they'd be run out of business, but there are many more horror stories to the point where bumping up a tier can really increase the odds that one will get serviceable units.

But, it occurs to me that previously top of the line appliances from these same companies, as well as higher ranges ones, are still being made as their downscale offerings. If the design and implementation hasn't been compromised, these should not only work well because they were good designs, but also because they've stood the test of time, They may not be the latest and greatest, but at least they work. :) Definitely worth looking into.

pllog-The problem I find is that there is no in-between. Its that you are looking at stuff at Lowes, etc (Whirlpool, Samsung, GE, LG, etc) OR high end where the fridges cost 3x as much.

Personally, I don't get it. Sure, many people have custom kitchens, but many, many, MANY, don't. I only know of one person with a custom kitchen, but he also can afford it, where I can't. Everyone else I know is buying their appliances from Lowes, HomeDepot, Sears, etc.

Actually, there is a mid-range and high-range, but from a Lowes budget they probably look the same. ;) Check around for non-chain appliances stores. There may not be any left in your area, but the place where I got my very high end appliances also sells the kind you can get at HomeDepot and the like, same price (or even better because independents can discount and negotiate), often with more variety to choose from. Or, there may be an old store in a less affluent neighborhood, which is twenty years past needing a sprucing up, but where the dealer is honest and serves the community well.

The big chain stores, like HD and Lowe's, buy appliances by the truckload, and handle them like commodities. A washing machine or a bucket of ten penny nails. An independent or small chain appliance store, however, probably has the ordering book for the lines they carry. They might have a GE fridge, for instance, that isn't stylish and hasn't been changed for 30 years, doesn't have electronics (which are said to fail on an average of 7 years from installation), and is good, solid, and works great. They may be making them for the developers who buy a truckload or two to put in the break rooms in an office complex, but your dealer can still order one.

That's the kind of thing I was talking about. There are also brands that cater almost exclusively to the basic market, but I don't know much about their quality. They might be great and are also worth checking into.

dishwasher - Bosch; microwave - Panasonic; stove - GE; fridge - what fit in the space without a water/ice dispenser in the door.

I currently have a 16 year old kitchenaid dishwasher which was probably a near top of the line at the time purchased. I don't use it so often, probably 2 to 3 times a month. It works decently but has never been wonderful. (also some tines on the top rack have broken off. tried to replace but did not work). So it has seen better days. It's not critical but I would like to replace it.. That and our gas free standing range. ( a Maytag which is maybe a year or 3 newer).

I browse the reviews and sales so I have some ideas and depending on a good sale and timing, I will pounce on a good deal soon. I think for the range I would like 5 burners as a feature I do not have now , not sure how much I need it but figure it's a why not have it.

For dishwasher I am considering Bosch and or Whilrpool.

For the range I am really not sure. I want good quality but I am limiting my budget so that is really defining what I will consider.

Any suggestions on those-would be welcomed.

The only brand I will not consider is Samsung. ( might not be well founded, but I am excluding them just no confidence.)

"They might have a GE fridge, for instance, that isn't stylish and hasn't been changed for 30 years, doesn't have electronics"

Does this still exist?

We have a Whirlpool fridge that we bought as a short term replacement but ended up keeping through the remodel (much to the horror of our architect) because it works so well. It's regular depth, freezer on bottom. Only 33" wide but something about the interior design makes it incredibly efficient for us, a family of 5 who cooks and entertains frequently. Once in a while if the fridge is overstuffed then milk in the back on top will freeze, but that's maybe twice a year. Those big shelves on the interior door are great for holding tons of condiments and drinks which is great for the kids to be able to get by themselves.

Otherwise we have a bunch of Bosch stuff and a Capital rangetop, all of which is nice and works well. At $1k or so the fridge is the runt of the litter, but as often happens with the runt, we love it the most.

Yeah, Friedajune, downmarket models still exist. They're often by special order only. Others are in non-standard sizes. You're not going to find them on the floor in showrooms, but maybe some in shops dealing with the market segment that's looking for them. Otherwise, they have to go through the catalogs and order it.

Example of above. No razzmatazz. Old fashioned GE top freezer fridge (though also comes in stainless). Probably been making it for decades. Analog controls. (ETA, I had a Kenmore with the same looking main controller which was from the 1980's.) I've had good experiences with older GE coolers. Even with the Chinese company now owning them, I wouldn't hesitate to buy one of these. It's basic. But I would bet that it works reliably.

circling back here- would love to see continuing updates or recommended appliances

Anyone know of a side by side Refrigerator by LG that has good ratings. I have had bad luck with LG laundry set. Side by side is easier on me. Went to independent store that sells Maytag, Whirlpool, GE Profile. With a 36" width and 2.2 cf he couldn't find anything for me. I want regular depth. He Said maybe have to get LG. Help if you can.

We flip houses so we don't usually put high end appliances in them unless the neighborhood warrants it. We usually do a Bosch dishwasher and Whirlpool everything else. Have had no issues. My own home had Whirlpool appliances for 15 years until we remodeled and went high end. I never had an issue and indeed our 17 year old whirlpool fridge and dishwasher are still running strong, we gave them to a relative.

Whirlpool used to make high quality appliances, including the best dishwashers. I've just been horrified by the reports now not just about abject failures and design/engineering flaws that make "features" unfunctional, but also total lack of response or remedy. Even so, there are likely many units that are serviceable. There would have to be or they'd be out of business. It's hard to recommend them, however, given their current reputation.

Caroline, do you check back with the buyers several years after the sale to see how the appliances are working out?

hoping to "revive" this thread. Would love to see current recommendations. Not everyone has a $10,000 appliance budget.

Sheilaaus122 I agree. It's a tragedy that a $10,000. budget doesn't last for many years. Then we do it again.

To keep this relevant I would like people to name the appliance in the laundry or kitchen posts not only by brand but the serial numbers good or bad.

Also, places like Amazon and Consumer Report have reviewers who don't give essential information when they hand out 5 stars. If you get rid of the people who feel it is necessary to post a review weeks or months after they get it out of the box, they give a distorted report and at a quick glance an overall review comes close to a perfect score. I have gotten caught on appliances, computers, and televisions. Add the incentives given to some reviewers who feel the need to write what the sellers want to see and the reviews are useless. Best Buy is famous for choosing the reviews. I won't shop there because they are reviewed as sleezy. We can do better here on reviews that count.

I purchased GE refrigerator and dishwasher 2 years ago, and replaced my gas range and OTR microwave with GE Profile as well about a month ago. I've been very happy with all of them. The dishwasher especially cleans everything wonderfully I haven't seen a speck of food remain on a single item.

Well I am clearly not one to act quickly. I am still researching and thinking. So I decided to play with google a bit more and found best gas ranges under $1000. It linked to a CR article which to my astonishment had a Samsung range which was previously I think $999 or so and is now $599 at both Lowes and HD.

There was another article where CR said the best brands in terms of reliability/least repairs for gas ranges were Maytag, Whirlpool and Frigidaire---- and the worst were LG and Samsung. Then it lists as one of the best models a Samsung.

Needless to say I am still digesting this but I just might eat my words about no Samsung products. this is the Samsung range go figure!

I spent about $5,000 on new LG kithen appliances in 2016. NEVER AGAIN WILL I BUY LG or buy something from Home Depot. The dishwasher came broken but I didn't realize it until 4 days later when I had a load ready to run. Home Depot insisted that I had to have it repaired. There is only one repair company for LG that is 2 hours from me. After another 3-4 weeks of waiting for the part and repair, I had a working dishwasher. My double oven gas range worked well for about 10 months then one of the thermostats went out. It was repaired under warranty. The microwave was damaged by Home Depot during install, so it was swapped out for another one since I reported it right away. A terrible experience. I will be going back to Whirlpool or GE for next appliances.

lemoncakz,

We are building a new home and are in the market for new appliances.

GE appliances are being considered.

Could please share the GE model numbers you purchased?

Frigidaire are also being considered.

Does anyone have any information they could share about their Frigidaire appliances?

Thanks

I share everyone's desperation. I will add that the washer and dryer and refrigerator I buy will have to be my last. I am elderly and can't afford to buy yet another one if these don't work out. So, I have bought nothing as I know that 4 years from now it will be trashed. Contractors are a factor. My LG washer flooded on the first wash. It went down several floors of my building. Then my dryer died on time at 4 years.

When I ask for the product number on an appliance, I am desperate. Some will help and some won't. Home Depot employees are stuck. They have nothing that is a sure thing. LG, Samsung and a few others. I look the salesman in the eye and ask if this is a good one and a man I have known for 30 years will say it is one of our best sellers. He must feel as awful as I do. But he does not carry anything that has acceptable reviews.

Along with all the hardship in this country we don't have affordable good products anymore. What has happened to Quality Assurance and getting what you paid for?

When I purchase my next washer and dryer, I plan to get Speed Queens.

sheilaaus122 - CR rates for function on their overall scoring and not reliability which, in my opinion, makes the CR ratings less useful and somewhat misleading. I gave feedback to CR and suggested that they should include points for reliability in their overall score rating so their overall scores would be more accurate and less misleading. If a consumer has to repair a Samsung or LG appliance on average once or twice a year, then is it really the best appliance? This is even more important when the regular repairs are a significant percentage of the purchase price.

Does CR no longer give brand reliability charts like these?

Almost 3 years ago I bought an LG fridge and double-oven range. I wasn't thrilled with either of them. The lower oven was barely functional, although the top oven and cooktop were fine. I have also found out that there are no service people for LG and Samsung in my area. I also bought a Bosch dishwasher and loved it.

i moved about 7 months ago and inherited a regular GE range. The top is impossible to clean but otherwise works great. I bought another Bosch dishwasher. The first one was defective and replaced under warranty but I am happy with the second one, although they don't dry dishes that great. My Whirlppol fridge developed a leak so it is also being replaced under warranty. My Maytag washer/dryer have been fine, although the "fancy" top loader doesn't do anything for me.

i think a lot of Kenmore are being produced by LG (not positive about that) so that brand is off my list. This is unfortunate because my "old-fashioned" Kenmore washer/dryer worked just fine when they sold with the previous house.

I'm going to throw this one out here, not a common name and was once maligned as an "apartment grade" appliance.

http://www.premierrange.com/rangeP36.php

I've had mine 8 years. No repairs,no fuss.It just works, and it looks good doing it.They do come in smaller sizes, quite economical, can be ordered through Lowes or Menards. I cook 99% of our meals, can,freeze, butcher our own chickens and heat the water for scalding. Make jams and jellies,gravy, eclairs, roast 25 pound turkeys and make the occasional wedding cake. They have minimal electronics so not much to go wrong.

Oh, the Premier Pro Series can also be lit manually when the power goes out.

Dishwasher- a big shout out for Maytag MDB8959SFZ4

All stainless inside, grinder not filter and heater element in the bottom. It washes like dishwashers used to wash.It dries pretty good too. I don't pre rinse, just scrape and put it in.

https://www.maytag.com/kitchen/dishwashers-and-compactors/dishwashers/top-control-dishwashers/p.MDB8959SFZ

If you use the powerblast and high temp setting it will clean au gratin pans,lasagna pans without any presoaking ,pretty much anything I throw at it. It runs at least once a day,frequently twice. I'm not in love with the racks,they aren't adjustable and thick stoneware plates lean foreward but they still get perfectly clean .

I think we paid about 600 for it a year ago at Lowes.

I got a GE dishwasher instead of a European one because it holds more. It was sub$1000. If you keep the filter clean, it's great. It really cleans. I don't pre-rinse.

I got a Maytag Gemini back when it was the only double 30" range--I wasn't ready to remodel and it for the space. Actually delayed the remodel 3 years because it was so great.

oneanddone I agree with your point on reliability. It appears because there is none anymore they leave it off. It is the most important info and cars are surely judged this way along with maintenance. Consumer Report i has no standards for the reviewers and so I drppoed them. Most of the reviewer‘s should not be reviewing the product that they just had installed and give it a happy face. Mostly irredentist info but they do and give it a five star review which skews and disregards reliability and maintenance. I know CR are a good organization but they are suffering from lack of quality management products to review except for cars. Maybe they should put out at the end of the year a separate updated guide of the year in review of appliances and since they are not being paid by any companies it would be a beacon of public information.. people should know that two of the most popular brands LG And Samsung have very poor repair service.. if you can find someone. Another sign of nobody wants to work on cheap equipment. In all the long years of buying and using washers and dryers and the kitchen appliances I never needed a service call. Not once. But now I need knew appliances after 30 years and am unable to part with my money ..

mdln - CR has the reliability charts, but CR does not count the reliability information towards the overall score when CR rates the appliance. Some shoppers just look at the score and don't take the reliability information into consideration. I don't see why reliability should not be scored and added into CR's overall rating for the appliances.

CR also doesn't indicate how bad the repair problems are and they don't indicate how many times the same appliance had to be repaired. When I read owner reviews on Best Buy, Home Depot and Lowes for Samsung and LG then I read about frequent repairs for the same appliance or technicians that are unable to repair the appliances or that technicians can't get the necessary parts to repair the appliances within a reasonable amount of time. For GE and Whirlpool appliances, I don't read as many reports about these types of issues in owner reviews when they need to repair their appliances.

Because of the severity of these reliability and repair problems, I read more owner reviews for LG and Samsung where the appliances have to be junked and replaced with new appliances.

Don't get me wrong, CR is a good place to start for appliance research, but in my opinion CR does not do a good job of capturing a clear picture of the reliability and repair issues for LG and Samsung. Reliability is one issue, but what about ease of repair or the cost of repair or the frequency of repair for the same appliance? The only info that CR provides is whether the appliance needed a repair within a designated time frame.

BTW, CR currently is reporting LG at 14% (lowest) and Samsung at 18% (middle) on repair rates for front load washing machines. Maytag has improved to 17% and Electrolux has improved to 18%.

Yes it's becoming more and more a crapshoot. Years ago we really went by the specific recommendations in CR (we used to subscribe to the magazine and honestly referred to it like a bible--- that has changed greatly). My nature is to generally do a fair amount of research for a purchase but more and more the research is confusing. I do try to make an educated purchase but it's getting to be more and more a leap of faith--- and hoping luck works out.

Chickemama thank you for the specific model recommendation for the Maytag dishwasher. The link you provided woudln't work for me but I did find it at Lowe's.MAYTAG hopefully this link works:)

FWIW, I did purchase a Whirlpool Front load washer at Lowe's this summer and so far so good. On another note I do like that it is American Made.

Crapshoot is right. These companies know they’re putting out bad products and don’t do anything about it. Behind the name of the company you see is probably another company that is used every day that made the product. I may be better off just going to the laundromat. I can give my clothes to someone there and they will wash and dry them and I can pick them up within a couple of hours. Really not that inconvenient

I have Frigidaire or Whirlpool in my rentals and I have not had much problems with them in terms of repair.

In my own experience of owning multiple houses, reliability of appliances has not been a problem for me. They are all reliable. The bigger issue is how well they work. I personally use pretty high end appliances at home. For example, my refrigerator has a digital temp setting. Cheaper ones have cold/colder/coldest.

I am leery of LG and Samsung. They seem to sell the 'oo-laa -laas' and charge you a lot for them. I want functioning simple appliances in rentals. I think what you get for price are the features at higher end. The more features you have, the more that can break.

We will repair rental appliances maybe 1 time. After that, we replace the appliance if it has problems.

For example, the DW repair cost is $200 minimum, ie house call minimum in our neck of woods. It just doesn't make sense to try to repair a lower priced one. We would chuck it and replace it with new.
Frigidaire Gallery DW aprox $500

With a broken Miele, I feel that i have to give it a try. (full disclosure: I have a Miele at home and Boschs in other rentals and have not had any problems with any them in a reasonable amount of time.)

Miele DW approx $2000

In one old house, our replacement appliances are expensive because the sizes of the cutouts are not 'regulation' sizes. They are smaller than the common size. We had to buy expensive appliances, not because of the brand, but because of the irregular sizes. Size makes a big difference in cost: more than the brand.

Standard 36 inch refrigerators are much taller than they used to be 20 years ago. If your cut out is shorter than the standard size, you may have to double the budget. We sure did!

Kaismom, "Standard 36 inch refrigerators are much taller than they used to be 20 years ago. If your cut out is shorter than the standard size, you may have to double the budget." This is my exact problem. I would have to take out my cabinets to put one in.

Maggie,

I would absolutely give the laundry service a try. It could relieve the immediate stress of the appliance situation and buy some time to make a less pressured decision .

Also, could you post a photo of your fridge & cabinets here and in the Kitchen forum? There are some true geniuses of cabinet manipulation . It could be less expensive to have a cabinet removed or modified once than to purchase a shorter fridge.

I am remodeling my kitchen and plant to buy 4 new appliances. Generally I do a lot of research before I make big purchase. The problem I am having is everything I look at has bad reviews even if Consumer Reports rated it well. A few years ago I ran into this problem with a different house. My gas stove injectors went for the 2nd time an we were going to buy a new stove but ratings were terrible. I didn't have the $2,500 to spend on brand that was reliable. I couldn't make a decision so finally my husband gt tired of me and ordered the injector and replaced it himself. We still have that stove on that property.

This time I have to bite the bullet though. All new cabinets etc would look crazy with the old appliances (mostly 1986 when house was built) plus the electric stove isn't well insulated and makes kitchen hot . We will add over the range microwave even though I hate to lose the older (not 1986 but forgot when) microwave that works awesome. Even the cook and reheat settings are accurate. I've had at least 3 microwaves in other house and none work as well. It's a Kenmore.

We are thinking of purchasing through Costco because of the extra warranty 2 years + 2 years if you use their credit card + free installation and haul away. Looking at Samsung suite of products with French Door refrigerator with outside water and ice dispenser, microwave, electric range and dishwasher for $2599. sale through end of month. I could buy same $ at Best Buy but would have to pay for installation and haul away or local appliance store similar.

Has anyone purchased appliances from Costco? We've had great luck with TV, computer, mattress and like that you can return for 90 days if you don't like but since you have to return I don't think it would work with appliances. Also Samsung per customers has bad customer service. Consumer reports rates LG best for percent of repairs. I no longer trust Whirlpool - they used to be great but rate of repair is highest now.

Meanwhile m washer and dryer are ancient but they work and they are in the garage so I'm not buying new unless the break and last year I thought the time had some for the dryer but my husband opened it and it was broken belt and he fixed it. Glad I married a talented man.

I have not purchased appliances from Costco but maybe over on the laundry forum I know I read about someone purchasing through them for the extra warranty. I have not heard anything negative about purchasing through Costco. I just personally didn't prefer the models they were offering but they definitely do give the extra coverage and I believe the removal/installation. Certainly worth taking advantage of. it.

Did you look online? They have many online

https://www.ajmadison.com/refrigerators/

This web site allows you to punch in the refrigerator size and see what fits.

Do you need a washer/dryer combo or a refrigerator in the current size?

Again, that web site is great for the sizes.

gle2011 - since you asked about Frigidiare... we just built a house and I went with the Frigidaire Pro line. Moved in in May, the 36" pro induction cooktop cracked in late July/early August. The part is not available, may never be available according to Frigidaire. Also not under warranty. The warranty is not the issue, the issue is not being able to get a part for an appliance less than 6 months old. Will most likely have to buy a new appliance so, I would consider all options EXCEPT Frigidaire if I were you.

Whirlpool has started selling a side-by-side refrigerator that has an interior capacity of 28.4 cu. ft. It's on sale now for $ 1,200, which is a very competitive price for that size of interior. The ice machine is built into the door so that allows for an extra top shelf on the freezer side. It also has finger print resistant, stainless steel.

While Consumer Reports does not give Whirlpool a good reliability rating for their french door refrigerators with ice makers, they do give Whirlpool a good reliability rating for their side-by-side models. Since this is a new model there aren't a lot of reviews so far, less than 100, but most of them are good. The stainless steel version is model # WRS588FIHZ, but you are more likely to see the black stainless steel version, model # WRS588FIHV, in stores. It's priced $ 100 more at $ 1,300 due to the black stainless finish.

The Classic Plus model Miele dishwasher with the upper utensil rack. Is $1100. . .Here If you have to spend less I'd buy a model off CL like we did. I wouldn't buy any Samsung products even with the Costco warranty unless Costco will take it back when no parts are available or it repeatedly breaks.