What is your Favorite Brand of household appliances?

[corbe]

   I've had good luck with Whirlpool appliances, so after spending $150 in parts to save a quiet 20yo Whirlpool Refrigerator/Freezer that is slowly giving up the Ghost, I gave up and bought another Whirlpool, to be delivered in a couple of weeks.  I've had bad luck with Frigidaire and Samsung appliances. 

[Gefn]

Growing up my parents bought all major appliances through Sears.

[Applewood]

Growing up my parents bought all major appliances through Sears.

My parents bought almost everything at Sears.  Appliances, TVs, clothes, shoes, linens, tools, paint, lawn mowers, you name it.  The local Sears had a candy counter that sold gummy-like candies my Dad liked.  So every time Mom went to Sears, she had to being home a bag of these candies for Dad. 

As an adult, when I bought my house, I followed the tradition and bought appliances and paint at Sears.   Awful.   I still have my refrigerator, but I'm actually looking forward to it giving up the ghost.  Worst refrigerator ever.  Buying more Samsung now. 

[thackney]

[Applewood]

@thackney

If I had the room for it and the financial means to afford it, that's what I would buy -- top of the line, professional grade.  Every time I go to the annual hone show and see these professional chef kitchens, I get depressed.  LOL 

[thackney]

@thackney

If I had the room for it and the financial means to afford it, that's what I would buy -- top of the line, professional grade.  Every time I go to the annual hone show and see these professional chef kitchens, I get depressed.  LOL

The Viking set up we have looks like the one pictured.  A couple months after the remodel was finished Hurricane Harvey took it out.  Made me sick to put it in the dumpster.  Exact same model used in the rebuild.  My wife loves to bake and it was one of the promises I made her to move into rural land.

[roamer_1]

[libertybele]

Definitely GE.  We replaced a dishwasher with a high end Samsung and it lasted all of 18 months.  It was going to cost more to repair it than it was worth.  So ... we went down and bought an inexpensive GE dishwasher, nothing fancy, but it lasted over 15 years before we sold our home. It cleaned like no other dishwasher we've had and it was quiet.  We also left behind a GE washer and dryer that we bought over 20 years ago -- never a problem.

The new home we moved into came with all Frigidaire appliances ... not impressed ... but they came with the house, so we'll see.

[Applewood]

Definitely GE.  We replaced a dishwasher with a high end Samsung and it lasted all of 18 months.  It was going to cost more to repair it than it was worth.  So ... we went down and bought an inexpensive GE dishwasher, nothing fancy, but it lasted over 15 years before we sold our home. It cleaned like no other dishwasher we've had and it was quiet.  We also left behind a GE washer and dryer that we bought over 20 years ago -- never a problem.

The new home we moved into came with all Frigidaire appliances ... not impressed ... but they came with the house, so we'll see.

Unfortunately, these days all major appliances are made to die in a very short time.  It's all that electronic/computer [bleep] they all have.  When my last washer and dryer died within days of each other, I was told both suffered from dead motherboards and to replace those would cost $600 each (not including labor).  For $1200, I might as well buy a whole new set.

And that's what the manufacturers want you to do -- buy new every few years -- to maximize their profits.  My aforementioned lousy refrigerator doesn't have all that technology, so it's about ten years old and will likely last a while longer.  But the next refrigerator won't last nearly as long. 

[roamer_1]

Unfortunately, these days all major appliances are made to die in a very short time.  It's all that electronic/computer [bleep] they all have.  When my last washer and dryer died within days of each other, I was told both suffered from dead motherboards and to replace those would cost $600 each (not including labor).  For $1200, I might as well buy a whole new set.

And that's what the manufacturers want you to do -- buy new every few years -- to maximize their profits.  My aforementioned lousy refrigerator doesn't have all that technology, so it's about ten years old and will likely last a while longer.  But the next refrigerator won't last nearly as long.

Speed Queen. Heavy Duty. Still has wholly mechanical controls. Best available today. Seven years in since new, I recently took them out and apart for a general maintenance look-see. Still like the day they were made. Not a single point of wear.

[berdie]

Speed Queen. Heavy Duty. Still has wholly mechanical controls. Best available today. Seven years in since new, I recently took them out and apart for a general maintenance look-see. Still like the day they were made. Not a single point of wear.

I had an appliance repairman tell me "Speed Queen" several years ago. They are expensive little puppies.

[roamer_1]

I had an appliance repairman tell me "Speed Queen" several years ago. They are expensive little puppies.

Bulletproof. Seriously. Nuff said.

[Applewood]

Speed Queen. Heavy Duty. Still has wholly mechanical controls. Best available today. Seven years in since new, I recently took them out and apart for a general maintenance look-see. Still like the day they were made. Not a single point of wear.

It's too bad we can't get machines without that computer nonsense anymore.  A friend has an old washer/dryer pair and I keep telling her when they malfunction to get them fixed if possible.  Her dryer was acting up recently.  Took a while to find a repairman who could actually fix the thing.  I guess most of the younger guys only know what to do with the newer models.  She was lucky this guy had a supply of old parts too.  With older models, finding parts can be difficult, if not impossible. 

[roamer_1]

It's too bad we can't get machines without that computer nonsense anymore.  A friend has an old washer/dryer pair and I keep telling her when they malfunction to get them fixed if possible.  Her dryer was acting up recently.  Took a while to find a repairman who could actually fix the thing.  I guess most of the younger guys only know what to do with the newer models.  She was lucky this guy had a supply of old parts too.  With older models, finding parts can be difficult, if not impossible.

But you can... That's what I mean about Speed Queen. They do have a cheap line, and those are computerized... But their heavy duty line is still 100% mechanical controls.

I look for that particularly in home appliances. ZERO computerization, ZERO IoT.

But, wrt them Speed Queen washers and dryers, I am not a very good example, Shoot them things never do nothing but loaf... Being Heavy Duty, I stuff em full with one load once a week, and that's all she wrote... They hardly ever get stretched out unless folks are in town, and spring and fall cleaning time. I doubt I will ever buy another... I will get another 15 years out of em easy.

[Wingnut]

I voted Other:

[Axeslinger]

I voted Other:

I bet those models have high maintenance costs

[Wingnut]

I bet those models have high maintenance costs

If you Lease, it works out to be cheaper over the 20 year life expectancy of the machine.

[roamer_1]

I voted Other:

The thing I am really kicking myself over from the divorce is letting her have the magic hamper.

[corbe]

   And the early withdrawal penalty is substantial on that particular brand.

[Wingnut]

   And the early withdrawal penalty is substantial on that particular brand.

Use the Fluff and Fold setting and you'll be okay. 

[Axeslinger]

Use the Fluff and Fold setting and you'll be okay.

Hahahahaha

[bigheadfred]

My favorite brand is whatever costs between $50-$150 at the thrift stores.

[bigheadfred]

I bet those models have high maintenance costs

Right. So do as @roamer_1  says and go to for the heavy duty ones.

[Elderberry]

I picked up a 60's vintage Kenmore Gas dryer when I got outta the Navy in 78 fer abt 60 bucks. Kept it running for 20 yrs or so. I shoulda never got rid of it. Its only problem was it had a "hot wire" gas igniter. I replaced it with a spark igniter I rigged up with a car coil powered by a triac light dimmer. As long as I periodically lubed the bearings it never gave me a bit of trouble. I may have changed the belt a time or 2.

[roamer_1]

I picked up a 60's vintage Kenmore Gas dryer when I got outta the Navy in 78 fer abt 60 bucks. Kept it running for 20 yrs or so. I shoulda never got rid of it. Its only problem was it had a "hot wire" gas igniter. I replaced it with a spark igniter I rigged up with a car coil powered by a triac light dimmer. As long as I periodically lubed the bearings it never gave me a bit of trouble. I may have changed the belt a time or 2.

Been there done that... It was the big pot metal pulley in the back that finally did it in. I rebushed it several times, finally going to a bearing, but when that went, there wasn't enough meat left in the center of that pulley to make do, and i was left with either machining a new pulley or finally chunkin the thing. 

[Elderberry]

The heat played hell on those bushings. I never had to replace one, but I sure cleaned and relubed them over an over an over. I know you're to oil bushings, but I used synthetic wheel bearing grease instead.

[bigheadfred]

The things you see when ya ain't got yer 12 gauge. @Cyber Liberty @mystery-ak

[Cyber Liberty]

The things you see when ya ain't got yer 12 gauge. @Cyber Liberty @mystery-ak

Trespassers will be shot.  And thanks, @bigheadfred

[bigheadfred]

Trespassers will be shot.  And thanks, @bigheadfred

Thank you. Nice shot.

[roamer_1]

The heat played hell on those bushings. I never had to replace one, but I sure cleaned and relubed them over an over an over. I know you're to oil bushings, but I used synthetic wheel bearing grease instead.

I almost certainly used Kendall Super-Blue... Shoot, I would be using it still, but I can't find it anymore. But that was in my grease pot at the time... And yeah, I am talking about a decade or more fussing with that stupid pulley. I could no longer get the OEM bushing (which also supplied thrust IIRC)... I remember refacing an oil-lite bushing a couple times... and several iterations later, was in brass and grease  (drilled for a zerk fitting)... The final iteration was a sealed bearing, but that took too much of the shoulder and eventually failed.

Should have took the time right off the bat to replace the pulley with a steel or aluminum one (pot metal, really?), and I would never have had all the grief from it. But I was young at the time, and impatient. Older is wiser I guess, because I would not have played nursemaid to it now, and would have done a proper job off the get-go.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Bulletproof. Seriously. Nuff said.

I had the same good fortune with them. Lasted 15 years (washer) doing big loads often. The dryer went even longer (I replaced the element once).
When we had the money, we replaced them with the ('water saving','energy efficient',) Whirlpool Duet, washer and dryer pair, which quit in two years, washer first, because of motherboard issues, and which had other problems on the way, from eating socks to shredding clothes, then the dryer which had an in case flash fire because there was a 1/2" gap between the filter housing and vent pipe, which eventually filled the case with very fine lint. (Most acrid smoke I have ever come across, and I was a firefighter for four years). The MOBO went out in that, too, not long after cleaning it out, checking all the wiring and closing the gap in the vent line.

Never again.

Currently running Amana and after five years of hard use I hear some backlash in the gears on the washer (top load, big tub), and on the dryer, have replaced the drum rollers, refurbished the timer, and replaced the door switch, but those machines have been running almost 8 hours a day since we got them.

In the meantime, I keep my eyes open for another pair of Speed Queens in case...because I can open them up and fix them.

[rustynail]

I almost certainly used Kendall Super-Blue... Shoot, I would be using it still, but I can't find it anymore. But that was in my grease pot at the time... And yeah, I am talking about a decade or more fussing with that stupid pulley. I could no longer get the OEM bushing (which also supplied thrust IIRC)... I remember refacing an oil-lite bushing a couple times... and several iterations later, was in brass and grease  (drilled for a zerk fitting)... The final iteration was a sealed bearing, but that took too much of the shoulder and eventually failed.

Should have took the time right off the bat to replace the pulley with a steel or aluminum one (pot metal, really?), and I would never have had all the grief from it. But I was young at the time, and impatient. Older is wiser I guess, because I would not have played nursemaid to it now, and would have done a proper job off the get-go.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Kendall-5677867-L-427-Super-Grease/dp/B074FY448C

[roamer_1]

https://www.amazon.com/Kendall-5677867-L-427-Super-Grease/dp/B074FY448C

@rustynail
Yes, and thank you... I know.
I meant that I can't get it locally anymore. 
Call me crazy, but shop consumables are more reliable through the old-school warehouse network. I can't stand running out of stuff I need all the time. But I DO very much miss Kendall products...

[roamer_1]

Never again.

Currently running Amana and after five years of hard use I hear some backlash in the gears on the washer (top load, big tub), and on the dryer, have replaced the drum rollers, refurbished the timer, and replaced the door switch, but those machines have been running almost 8 hours a day since we got them.

In the meantime, I keep my eyes open for another pair of Speed Queens in case...because I can open them up and fix them.

I find appliances to be a lot like tires. I quite buying used tires a long time ago. The best 75% of a tire is in the first 25% of the tread. I will still buy used rubber but only if it is pristine with the nubbins still on em. Doing otherwise was actually costing me more in real money and grief.

Same kind of thing with appliances. I buy em new anymore... The chances of finding good ones on the used market is between slim and none, as I have to rely on what's coming down the river... while buying new, I can point directly at the ones that ARE good to the exclusion of all others - like Speed Queen heavy duty w/ mechanical controls... Pay once and never again. Mo bedda.

[Wingnut]

The thing I am really kicking myself over from the divorce is letting her have the magic hamper.

Why is it that my magic hamper always seems to miss a spot?  I think it is defective!

[roamer_1]

Why is it that my magic hamper always seems to miss a spot?  I think it is defective!

Well my hamper now doesn't work at all. All I do is fill it up with dirty clothes... And I mean tamped down with a stick... No matter what, the clothes NEVER leave the hamper, not to mention winding up neatly folded in my drawers... And if I just throw them on the floor, well, there they lay. It's the strangest thing...

I think the dang thing's busted.