Six years ago I wrote a scathing review of KitchenAid customer service. Since then I purchased a Sub Zero refrigerator and have had the exact opposite experience. Amazing support, you get to talk with a live person, etc. I haven't had any major issues with this new refrigerator but they always send a technician out (free of charge under warranty) and he takes care of the appliance, explains everything to me, etc. This appliance is designed to last 20+ years, KitchenAid, Whirlpool, LG, Samsung and others are good for about 5 years if you're lucky. It's a big investment to purchase a Sub-Zero, but I think in the long run you may find it doesn't cost any more than replacing one of these cheaper brands every 5 years or so.

I'm in the market for new appliances and have spent time trying to anaylize the best decision. Each company offers different coverage so you have to be careful with that. I just purchased a fridge, range, and microwave and the extended warranty only offered a continuance of the manufacturers basic warranty which does not include control boards which I see as the major defect. I opted out. I still have many major appliances to purchase and may change my mind if I find better coverage. I can't see the odds in paying for it. Many people recommend the inexpensive Lowe's type warranties, but where I live the options are limited. I can't purchase a counter depth fridge off the floor much less an Electrolux appliance. On-line the prices don't compare to others with different warranties. It's a complex walk and at this point I decidided not to be taken advantage of. But it's a very important decision that I'm analyzing in the next few days.

Consumer Reports does a great job of reviewing cars. Their advice is spot on. But, kitchens? Not so much. Heck, in their annual kitchen review, soapstone wasn’t included in countertop reviews until 6 years ago, and even at that, it was filled with misinformation. Miele wasn't on their radar, either, and, they were way behind in including SubZero fridges, too. wdcruise is a Whirlpool fanboy. He has a tendency to call high end appliances, “fancy pants.” He’ll tell you a basic Whirlpool fridge is as good as SubZero...which is hilarious. I‘m not saying you need to get the top of the line in each “high end” appliance brand, but I can assure you that any Bosch dishwasher will out perform your Maytag (which you said you hate), and other, less expensive brands. We have the 800 series, and love it. However, there have been posters here who have the lowest Bosch, the 100, say it does a great job. It’s just noisier, and doesn’t have as many cycles. Miele is the other top brand to consider. There are two appliances I would not cheap out on, and that’s the vent hood, and the fridge. Wdcruise is suggesting you consider Home Depot for a hood. You will not find a quality venting system there. I’m not the first person on this site to say that. Go to an independent appliance store...not a big box store...to get your hood. There are several high end quality hood makers. Vent A Hood and Modernaire, are two. Many people like their Wolf hoods. When we were doing our research, we found the Wolf too noisy. We got a Vent A Hood, and are very satisfied. It does a great job containing odors, grease, and any steam or smoke, and is pretty darn quiet, even on high. As for fridges, I have 40 years of experience with SubZero. Our first, a 36” over/under, was still going strong at 36 years old, when we sold our home. In our new (to us) home, we installed a SZ 42” French door, paneled. Great machine. It fits a ton of food, and keeps food fresh for long periods. Almost 4 years now, and not a lick of trouble...unlike the stories I’ve read about LG, Samsung, and others. Also, as has been suggested by several posters, if you stay away from through the door water and ice, you’ll reduce the chances of needing repairs. That goes for any brand. Oh, and btw, SZ has the best costumer service in the industry. I would suggest you find an independent appliance dealer for all your appliances. Their salespeople are much better educated about the various brands, than those at HD, Lowe’s, and the like. If you purchase all your appliances from them, they’re likely to bump you up to a higher model dishwasher, at no cost. That’s what happened to us, anyway. Also, many independent stores have their own repairmen, who are certified to service Miele, Bosch, Thermador, SZ, Wolf, etc. Should we have a problem with any of our appliances, we just have to call our independent store, Appliance World (Huntington, Long Island, NY), and they’ll take care of everything. Well worth the piece of mind.

We've never had a Bosche or FP appliance but we have a 14+ year old Wolf dual fuel range that we purchased from Airport Appliance in Hayward and a 6 year old SZ fridge that we purchased from Contra Costa Appliance in Walnut Creek. For our current remodel projects, we purchased a SZ under-counter fridge for our coffee bar in our primary suite, a SZ under-counter fridge/freezer combo for our wet bar in our kitchen, and we're considering a Wolf induction range. We purchased all of these items from Contra Costa Appliance. If you're open to purchasing Wolf/SZ, then I highly recommend working with John at CCA! We purchased an extended warranty from Airport Appliance for our oven and never used it, so we skipped the extended warranty for our fridge. Plus from personal experience we know Wolf/SZ bends over backwards to help their customers even after their appliances are out of warranty, so we decided to roll the dice and self-insure potential future repairs. YMMV. ;-) Once our extended warranty expired, we used Box Appliance several times for some issues we experienced with our oven during the pandemic. While their service calls aren't cheap and we had to wait a very long time for parts, we were very pleased with the service we received and really liked their techs, especially Gabriel at Box Appliance. For LG washer & dryer repairs, we highly recommend Alex at Linet Appliance Repair. He's very responsive and we found his rates reasonable. Hope that helps!