Appliance Brands

[bcrdukes]

Fellow Revsceners,

I'm in the market for a new place, and have noticed a dozen or so placed I've seen in person have Samsung appliances.

I know Samsung has gotten into the home appliance game a while ago, as with LG. I am more familiar with the usual suspects in the home appliance game, including a few niche brands.

Based on some anecdotal evidence an experience of people we know, I've seen the following:

Maytag / Whirlpool: One and the same company now. Older units seem to be very reliable. Not sure about the new ones.

LG: Not entirely sure but we have a stacked washer/dryer at my parents place. It's okay, but not the world's best. It was one of the early model years when they got into the game. It's been quite reliable so far.

Kenmore: I think most of these are re-brands? (Not sure.) Seem to be reliable, but unsure of what they are like these days.

GE: I don't know anyone with GE appliances, so unsure of quality/reliability.

JennAir: Most of our appliances at my parents house are JennAir and are 35+ years old. They've been very reliable, but obviously not cutting edge anymore compared to today's standards. An acquaintance of mine moved into a new unit and pretty much everything that could wrong, went wrong. I understand they are marketed as premium appliances under the Electrolux group. Oven lights turns on by themselves, cook tops turned on by themselves (WTF?!) and lights would go flashing crazy like a BMW on a bad day. Tough one here haha

Bosch/Miele/KitchenAid: I personally don't know anyone whose got Bosch/Miele/KitchenAid appliances, so hard to say.

Blomberg: My current unit has Blomberg appliances (fridge / washer / dryer, and dishwasher.) Been good overall. Had one part replaced in the fridge under warranty, and good so far. I think the rollers/drum in my dryer are on the way out, or at least need some kind of servicing (will find out what's wrong this Wednesday.) Obscure brand, but has been good otherwise.

I'm probably missing a handful of brands. Hoping some of you guys can chime in on your experiences. Thanks!

[donk.]

Roll the dice and buy what you want ��

[Traum]

One of my previous apartments came with new GE everything -- gas stove tops, oven, fridge, regular sized washer and dryer. During my time there, both as a resident and as landlord for something like 4 - 6 years, they have all worked flawlessly. I thought the appliances were of high quality, and they even withstood the abuse from my tenants when I no longer lived there.

I've had some terrible experience with Whirlpool washers and dryers. They were utter garbage. We bought a set of apartment-sized ones for our tenant when the existing set died (unsure of brand now). I think they lasted maybe ~3 yrs while having 1 major failure some time beyond the 1 year warranty mark. We later replaced that Whirlpool set with another Whirlpool set -- I know, but the tenants needed something right away, and there wasn't anything else in that size in stock at the time -- and that second set lasted maybe 2 or 3 years, with its final year being intermittently non-functional. Don't waste your time or money on these. Their slightly cheaper prices are totally not worth your trouble. Another thing was, both the washer and dryer were noise AF. Not good in a small apartment at all.

We replaced the pos Whirlpool set with an entry level model Bosch set, and the Bosch were absolutely fantastic. And they were very quiet too. Perhaps because they were an entry level model, they really weren't that much more expensive than other brands.

[punkwax]

Just like TV’s avoid Samsung and LG if you want something that lasts.

[beatdownvictim]

I avoided samsung washer dryers, went with LG. Would avoid the 2 for kitchen appliances though.

However LG tvs are the best. My LG oled shits on my kuro all day.

When i was choosing appliances it was miele vs thermador, saved 12k with thermador. Plus im a shitty cook so...yeah

[Jmac]

Consumer Reports recommended brands (multiple recommendations in each category):
- Dishwasher: Bosch, Thermador, KitchenAid, Miele
- Microwave: Panasonic
- Ranges: GE, LG (Electric); LG, Cafe, Samsung, GE (Gas)
- Refrigerator: LG, GE

[Teriyaki]

Did a full reno in the kitchen a few years back and got a full set from Samsung. Fridge, Range, Dishwasher etc. No issues with any of them so far.

Our old place had Whirlpool appliances, and the fridge broke right outside the warranty. Technician said it was a super common thing that they go bad right around this time. Washer also went bad, sensor failure that cost way more in labour than parts.

[bcrdukes]

I've narrowed down my top three properties.

1. My favourite property is a turn-key solution. Well-taken care of by owners, beautifully renovated, with lots of attention to detail (near flawless.) The only thing that irks me is they replaced all their appliances in 2019 with Samsung - Fridge, stove, dish washer, microwave/hood fan, and washer dryer. I kind of wished that they didn't, so it would leave me with some room for negotiations.

2. Second property has all new Maytag appliances, I think (I have to check my notes.) They're all brand new, so I'm not 100% hell bent on this.

3. Unit #3 is a weird one. They have a mix of LG (fridge) Whirlpool stove/oven, Bosch dish washer, and some bizarre Maytag washer/dryer with a super old skool logo on it (never seen this one before.)

If I were buying a fixer-upper, or were renovating, then this would give me the freedom to pick and choose what to get, but given that most of these are turn-key units/move-in ready, it would be silly to just rip out all the year-old appliances to throw something in I pick and choose. The Samsung one is a weird one for me because I am of the opinion that planned obsolescence is part of their manufacturing and marketing process.

[Mikoyan]

Full Reno eight years ago. Samsung glass top range and fridge. No issues. Miele dishwasher. Back then if you wanted the cutlery tray, it was that or Bosch mainly. Wanted the tray for chopsticks. No issues at all .

I have the old school black and brown Maytag washer and dryer. The things will probably outlive me. Seriously though, they're all analog so they can actually be fixed easily, unlike the new ones.

[cafe22]

We switched from a whirlpool stackable washer and dryer to a GE one 2 years ago. They were the only brands still offering vented compact (24") dryers. We liked the design and sturdiness of the Bosch and Miele units, but both were ventless and were over $800 more.

The GE dryer started having noise issue and I had to go back and forth with the manufacturer to ask for repairs and finally a full replacement. The whole process took 9 months.... The washer has been working fine though and I like how straight forward it is without all the gimmicky tech.

The stove, fridge and dishwasher from Bosch. Ultimately it was decided based on looks and sell point for our condo rather than on performance.

My parents have all Samsung appliances in their home. They went with the lower end models which do not have the latest tech, but it's been working flawless so far the past 5 years.

[cdizzle_996]

My 3 year old, $3200 Samsung fridge just packed it in after 3 years....

[bcrdukes]

Originally Posted by cdizzle_996

My 3 year old, $3200 Samsung fridge just packed it in after 3 years....

Wow, that sucks. What exactly happened, and did warranty cover anything? Another acquaintance of mine also had the same thing happen to them. Had solid Maytag fridge for 20 years, and one day, wife needed to keep up with the Jones' and got the Samsung fridge. Unit died a miserable death 1.5 years in. Samsung couldn't figure out what was wrong. They were pretty much out of pocket on costs and ended up replacing it with another Maytag.

[bcrdukes]

Originally Posted by cafe22

We switched from a whirlpool stackable washer and dryer to a GE one 2 years ago. They were the only brands still offering vented compact (24") dryers. We liked the design and sturdiness of the Bosch and Miele units, but both were ventless and were over $800 more.

The GE dryer started having noise issue and I had to go back and forth with the manufacturer to ask for repairs and finally a full replacement. The whole process took 9 months.... The washer has been working fine though and I like how straight forward it is without all the gimmicky tech.

The stove, fridge and dishwasher from Bosch. Ultimately it was decided based on looks and sell point for our condo rather than on performance.

My parents have all Samsung appliances in their home. They went with the lower end models which do not have the latest tech, but it's been working flawless so far the past 5 years.

How long have you owned your Bosch appliances for? Any issues?

[cdizzle_996]

Originally Posted by bcrdukes

Wow, that sucks. What exactly happened, and did warranty cover anything? Another acquaintance of mine also had the same thing happen to them. Had solid Maytag fridge for 20 years, and one day, wife needed to keep up with the Jones' and got the Samsung fridge. Unit died a miserable death 1.5 years in. Samsung couldn't figure out what was wrong. They were pretty much out of pocket on costs and ended up replacing it with another Maytag.

There’s been a major design flaw for years with Samsung fridges. Inside the back panel there’s a condenser, with a heat element that is supposed to direct any condensation down a drain tube for evaporation. Over time (in my case every 3 months) the drain tube freezes solid and condensation drips under the crispers (.5L every few weeks on either side). Not to mention was causing all my food to freeze, no matter the temp setting on the fridge.

My warranty expired 5 months ago so I was SOL. I tried a few DIY tips that worked for people online (wrap a piece of copper line off the heater down the hole). It worked but still froze over time.

My final straw was last week. My wife and I were at the dinner table and we hear water spraying. The drain tube had froze, which apparently caused the plastic water line to the filter to freeze and explode. (Thank god we were home).

I ended up tossing it on marketplace for $750 explaining the issues. A fridge mechanic gave me full asking and said he’s fixed thousands ($100 in parts, 2hrs labor - $700 fix for the consumer)

I’ve had the KitchenAid KRFF507HPS for a few weeks now, so far so good.

[tiger_handheld]

Kenmore: I think most of these are re-brands? (Not sure.) Seem to be reliable, but unsure of what they are like these days.

Sears house brand. wont be able to find. Made by Frigidaire, Electrolux, Whirlpool and tagged as Kenmore. All my appliances are Kenmore.

[bcrdukes]

Originally Posted by cdizzle_996

There’s been a major design flaw for years with Samsung fridges. Inside the back panel there’s a condenser, with a heat element that is supposed to direct any condensation down a drain tube for evaporation. Over time (in my case every 3 months) the drain tube freezes solid and condensation drips under the crispers (.5L every few weeks on either side). Not to mention was causing all my food to freeze, no matter the temp setting on the fridge.

My warranty expired 5 months ago so I was SOL. I tried a few DIY tips that worked for people online (wrap a piece of copper line off the heater down the hole). It worked but still froze over time.

My final straw was last week. My wife and I were at the dinner table and we hear water spraying. The drain tube had froze, which apparently caused the plastic water line to the filter to freeze and explode. (Thank god we were home).

I ended up tossing it on marketplace for $750 explaining the issues. A fridge mechanic gave me full asking and said he’s fixed thousands ($100 in parts, 2hrs labor - $700 fix for the consumer)

I’ve had the KitchenAid KRFF507HPS for a few weeks now, so far so good.

Wow, that is terrible.

Thanks for sharing. I'll have to keep this in mind.

Re: Kenmore - I forgot about Sears.

[Teriyaki]

With Sears gone, don't think you can find Kenmore around anymore can you?

[bcrdukes]

Originally Posted by Teriyaki

With Sears gone, don't think you can find Kenmore around anymore can you?

I just checked, and it appears you still can.

Kenmore, as a brand, still exists, and as tiger_handheld mentioned, a bunch of different manufacturers likely re-badge existing products, or build them to Kenmore's specifications. Kenmore is owned by Transformco, acting as the vessel since Sears filed for Chapter 11 protection.

[cafe22]

Originally Posted by bcrdukes

How long have you owned your Bosch appliances for? Any issues?

Had I since the condo was built, so about 5 years now.

No issue yet. (touch wood). We went for the Bosch upgrade because we liked how clean and simple the machines looked.

[underscore]

If you want to fix anything rebrands are a pain because the brand on the badge will have no support and you'll have to sort out the matching model number from the people who actually made it.

My parents old place had a mish mash of high end models and everything had problems or just broke. From what I can tell high end stuff is just as likely to crap out as the cheap stuff so I just buy the cheapest one that has the features I want and I'll just replace it if it breaks without worrying about it. 5.5 years on all the Frigidaire stuff in the kitchen, 3 on the Samsung washer/dryer, no issues.

[ime2006]

Find your budget first.
then, balance out in each appliances in your budget.

As for brand recognition, Gaggenau > Miele = Sub Zero / Wolf > Thermador = GE Monogram > JennAir > GE (GE, Profile, Cafe) > Electrolux = KitchenAid > LG > Samsung > Maytag > Frigidaire >Whirlpool > Amana

Also, each brand has its own strong category.
Such as Sub Zero is known for building best fridge in years. But it costs same as a toyota corolla.

Fridge and Laundry, go for LG for sure. Bosch is not bad too, now it has dual compressor in its free standing fridge. Its quite amazing.
Microwave, go for Panasonic for sure...i think most of us know it.
Dishwasher, Bosch is very famous with their Dishwasher. Cost round 1000 +/- , anything lower than that, i wouldn't touch.
Gas range, go with GE Cafe or profile...hands down performance compare to other brand. Except Professional brands such as Wolf or Miele...etc.
Electric range, i would go with Induction range now, but need to make sure your amperage is enough to supply. Super fast and safe!!! high heat and super easy clean. Never stick. GE Cafe again the winner.





.

[Doubl3_H]

Sub-zero fridge, early 90s, no issues still running like new.

You get what you pay for, just like everything else in life.

Gas range/range tops = gaggenau, Miele, wolf, viking. My Miele hood fan is very powerful, dual extractors 1200cfm.
Dishwasher = Miele, Bosch. My Miele dw is very quiet, barely hear it running.
Fridge = Sub-zero, gaggenau, Miele.
Steam oven = gaggenau, Miele.

I think for appliances, esthetics and design of your house plays a huge role, alot of these high end appliances can be panel finished and integrated into your kitchen for a clean and modern look.

[TOS'd]

Have the same Samsung fridge for the last at least 13 years with no issues. Doesn't have smart features, just has the water/ice dispenser. The only thing we've been replacing regularly is the in-fridge water dispenser filter.

[bcrdukes]

Originally Posted by Doubl3_H

Sub-zero fridge, early 90s, no issues still running like new.

You get what you pay for, just like everything else in life.

Gas range/range tops = gaggenau, Miele, wolf, viking. My Miele hood fan is very powerful, dual extractors 1200cfm.
Dishwasher = Miele, Bosch. My Miele dw is very quiet, barely hear it running.
Fridge = Sub-zero, gaggenau, Miele.
Steam oven = gaggenau, Miele.

I think for appliances, esthetics and design of your house plays a huge role, alot of these high end appliances can be panel finished and integrated into your kitchen for a clean and modern look.

Not going to lie, but at the risk of coming off as a newb, I have never heard of Sub Zero fridges until this thread. I'll take a look into this as part of my research.

The property I have my eye on has everything Samsung, and while it isn't an eyesore, it's evident that the general design and look/aesthetics of the house was not considered into the purchase. It would suck to just throw them out/sell on the market again seeing as the appliances are a year old, and I have no real reason to spend wads of cash on appliances again, especially after land transfer taxes, legal fees, and whatever comes with closing costs.

Interesting part on the Miele hood fan; I always thought Asian brands like Sakura and Pacific were at the top of their game.

Which model number of hood range do you have? This is likely something I will replace, depending on where I end up buying.

[ime2006]

Originally Posted by bcrdukes

Not going to lie, but at the risk of coming off as a newb, I have never heard of Sub Zero fridges until this thread. I'll take a look into this as part of my research.

The property I have my eye on has everything Samsung, and while it isn't an eyesore, it's evident that the general design and look/aesthetics of the house was not considered into the purchase. It would suck to just throw them out/sell on the market again seeing as the appliances are a year old, and I have no real reason to spend wads of cash on appliances again, especially after land transfer taxes, legal fees, and whatever comes with closing costs.

Interesting part on the Miele hood fan; I always thought Asian brands like Sakura and Pacific were at the top of their game.

Which model number of hood range do you have? This is likely something I will replace, depending on where I end up buying.

Hood fan is not that easy...

There are chimney, insert, pro, under cabinet...etc styles.

You need to check your duct size first.

Miele dual blower can do 1100 CFM, not 1200 CFM, which means you will need 10 inch duct. Also, it will cost close to $4000
Also, that hood has to be 36inch wide, so dual motors can fit in.
Otherwise, the blower has to be external mounted outside your house.

If you cant have 10inch duct, don't to anything more than 700 CFM.

Typical houses, might have 6-8inch duct.
Town houses, Apartment might have 5-6inch duct.

Basically, if you only have 6-8 duct size. Sakura or Pacific brands are still very good for the power.
They are rated at 680 CFM.

Sufficient cfm calculation is like this -> Total amount of Gas Cooktop burners BTU / 100 = sufficient CFM.
If you have electric stove or cooktop, normally, 600 CFM is more than enough.