Maytag Machines After Whirlpool Buyout - What Remained?

[mrstickball]

Hi everyone, I am working on a documentary regarding the entire history of Maytag from 1983-2006 and then post-buyout. I think I have everything I want "Done" but I still have a few eras that I am trying to really understand and flesh out.

It really surrounds the products Maytag offered right before, and right after the buyout.

My understanding is that when Whirlpool bought out Maytag they basically slaughtered most of the designs they made. They axed the Dependable Care (ugh), Performa/Norgetag and the Amana/Speedqueen/SAV washers, then of course the Samsung-built Neptunes.

Did they save ANY of the Maytag designs in any way, or shape? I've had reasonable experience with the "Whirltags" , but for the life of me, can't think of anything on them that they may have retained from all of what Maytag had done over its lifetime.

But also having said this, the question extends to their other products like Dishwashers, Refrigerators, and Stoves. Whirlpool still has the refrigerator plant in Amana Iowa. I assume they kept all or most of the tooling there?

 

[combo52]

What was left of the buyout after whirlpool bought Maytag?

Whirlpool kept the Amana refrigeration plant in Amana, Iowa. It’s still busy producing great refrigerators.

They kept some parts of the magic chef range factories, and they’re still using that for some of their ranges, mostly the higher end slide in models.

They kept the all new Maytag dishwasher plant in Tennessee for about two years because it was such a modern plant, but the Maytag tall tub dishwasher had so many problems that whirlpool decided after two years that they just weren’t gonna fool with it anymore and build all their dishwashers in Findlay, Ohio, and closed the Tennessee factory.

Maytag had already closed Galesburg, Illinois refrigerator factory, and moved the refrigeration production other than the Amana plant to Mexico.

Whirlpool tried to get out of the Samsung agreement as quickly as possible, but they ended up selling the little 24 inch Samsung washers and dryers for about two more years because of obligations they couldn’t get out of.

There was simply no reason to keep any of the Maytag laundry factories, Maytag, a cheap in the stuff to the end. The dependable care was no longer competitive or efficient to build, likewise with the Neptune front load machines, even though they had worked a lot of bugs out of them they weren’t competitive at all with what whirlpool had.

Maytag came out with a number of innovative products in the last year’s like the two and one clothes dryer and the wide by side refrigerator. I talked to a Maytag sales rep a few years ago, and he said Maytag had an incredible number of interesting things on the drawing board that they were considering building. It might’ve been interesting to see what those designs were.

John L

 

[tomturbomatic]

Maytag slapped their name on Admiral refrigeration products. Those must have been made in the Galesburg plant since even Maytag saw what a disaster it was. The doors on the side-by-sides did not line up and were almost impossible to line up. It was very obvious when you looked at the boxes straight on like in so many kitchens.

 

[maytag85]

The only thing that really remained after they were bought out was the name, nothing else.

 

[whatsername]

Whirlpool also kept the Maytag-designed DishDrawer competitor, which I believe never saw the light of day as a Maytag, only as KitchenAid and Kenmore Elite

 

[grnappliance]

Maytag's Commercial Units

Some might recall that after the takeover, the control panel for Maytag's commercial units remained the same when the DD internals were installed. I'm referring to the machine with the digital display and the black buttons, although the one with the knobs stuck around for a little bit too. Even today, on the commercial belt drives that Whirlpool has, the Maytag's control panel still resembles the original design.

On a side note, we also have Maytag here in New Zealand if you're interested in digging into that. Since the 1980s, Maytag washers from Newton, IA were shipped to and distributed in NZ by the Gooder Equipment Co, evidently being tooled for 240V at the factory. Pretty much every platform of Maytag since the 80s can still be found online without too much trouble.

I've got an Orbital Fabric-Matic myself from '89, and it still runs very well. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished video, and hopefully, you get all the info you need. All the best!

 

[DADoES]

 
<blockquote>Whirlpool also kept the Maytag-designed DishDrawer competitor, which I believe never saw the light of day as a Maytag, only as KitchenAid and Kenmore Elite</blockquote> The first-generation KA was a rebadged F&P.

 

[combo52]

Maytag designed dishwasher drawers

Hi Glenn, yes indeed the original KitchenAid dish drawers were F&P built, we got quite good at working on those because they were quite a few problems with them. We even worked on a lot of the models that were labeled.F&P

The Maytag designed and built dish drawers look to be a superior product to the FNP models, but they didn’t hold up well at all, and they didn’t wash near as well as the FNP models, but it was a neat machine.

One of the last KitchenAid Maytag designed dish drawers that I worked on was for Ruth Bader Ginsburg at her home in the water gate condos had to replace the drawer tracks on the upper drawer. They fell apart.

I did see the Maytag designed and built dish drawers with the Kenmore name on them.

John L

 

[woodjack99]

I want to say somewhere around the late 2000s/early 10s they were making some machines that looked like modern versions of the iconic late 60s/70s center-dial ones that became synonymous with the name "Maytag." Don't ask me the models, but they had gold trim like the machines of 75-80, the big main dial in the center once again, and instead of pushbuttons it was little dials for the settings.

 

[neptunebob]

Those washers were Whirlpools

Also Whirlpool closed their refrigerator plant in Evanville, Indiana about that time but I guess that was always a Whirlpool facility.

 

[circlew]

Whirlpool Evansville, IN

Those facilities were formerly Seeger, International Harvester, and Servel. Whirlpool acquired all of them between 1955 and 1958. Link provides additional info.

https://www.courierpress.com/story/...-lesson-refrigerator-capital-world/397103002/

 

[DADoES]

 
<blockquote>WoodJack99:  I want to say somewhere around the late 2000s/early 10s they were making some machines that looked like modern versions of the iconic late 60s/70s center-dial ones that became synonymous with the name "Maytag." Don't ask me the models, but they had gold trim like the machines of 75-80, the big main dial in the center once again, and instead of pushbuttons it was little dials for the settings.</blockquote> The 100th anniversary of Maytag laundry occured in 2007, after Whirlpool bought the brand/company.

Whirlpool produced at least a couple Maytag-branded "Centennial" models for that year with gold highlights on a white center-dial console and labeled "100th Year Anniversary Dependable Care" on the lower-right corner.  There were other "Centennial" center-dial models that followed until VMW introduction, not labeled with the anniversary text.  Several had stainless steel baskets.  These are direct-drive with mechanical timers.  There are no cycle progress lights, the timers are labeled for cycle sequences.

2020-05-31 AW Thread 83214

2020-12-02 AW Thread 85361

 

[gelaundry4ever]

centennial

The ones with the big dial and direct drive is the centennial.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

Hi everyone, I am working on a documentary regarding the entire history of Maytag from 1983-2006 and then post-buyout. I think I have everything I want "Done" but I still have a few eras that I am trying to really understand and flesh out.

It really surrounds the products Maytag offered right before, and right after the buyout.

My understanding is that when Whirlpool bought out Maytag they basically slaughtered most of the designs they made. They axed the Dependable Care (ugh), Performa/Norgetag and the Amana/Speedqueen/SAV washers, then of course the Samsung-built Neptunes.

Did they save ANY of the Maytag designs in any way, or shape? I've had reasonable experience with the "Whirltags" , but for the life of me, can't think of anything on them that they may have retained from all of what Maytag had done over its lifetime.

But also having said this, the question extends to their other products like Dishwashers, Refrigerators, and Stoves. Whirlpool still has the refrigerator plant in Amana Iowa. I assume they kept all or most of the tooling there?

Maytag is no more. It's a glorified Whirlpool.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

The only thing that really remained after they were bought out was the name, nothing else.

This is still true today. Their tagline is "What's inside matters". They still look and feel cheap.

 

[Chetlaham]

<blockquote>WoodJack99: I want to say somewhere around the late 2000s/early 10s they were making some machines that looked like modern versions of the iconic late 60s/70s center-dial ones that became synonymous with the name "Maytag." Don't ask me the models, but they had gold trim like the machines of 75-80, the big main dial in the center once again, and instead of pushbuttons it was little dials for the settings.</blockquote> The 100th anniversary of Maytag laundry occured in 2007, after Whirlpool bought the brand/company.

Whirlpool produced at least a couple Maytag-branded "Centennial" models for that year with gold highlights on a white center-dial console and labeled "100th Year Anniversary Dependable Care" on the lower-right corner. There were other "Centennial" center-dial models that followed until VMW introduction, not labeled with the anniversary text. Several had stainless steel baskets. These are direct-drive with mechanical timers. There are no cycle progress lights, the timers are labeled for cycle sequences.

2020-05-31 AW Thread 83214

2020-12-02 AW Thread 85361

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I just want to say I think that these are the most beautiful direct drives every built, hands down. I love the styling, the stainless tub, the color, the window lid. Incredible design. Whirlpool also offered some BOL single speed versions of these machines all the way up to TOL. I think Whirlpools best direct drive lineup ever excluding the early 2000s Kenmores. These pics really get me. WOW! This is how imagine the direct drive if it were in production today.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

I just want to say I think that these are the most beautiful direct drives every built, hands down. I love the styling, the stainless tub, the color, the window lid. Incredible design. Whirlpool also offered some BOL single speed versions of these machines all the way up to TOL. I think Whirlpools best direct drive lineup ever excluding the early 2000s Kenmores. These pics really get me. WOW! This is how imagine the direct drive if it were in production today.

They need to go back to these! I want my clothes washed and rinsed properly!

 

[Chetlaham]

They need to go back to these! I want my clothes washed and rinsed properly!

Absolutely. The direct drive was and is a perfected design. The pinnacle of clothes washing. All Whirlpool had to do was re-tool their assembly line and there would've been 1992 Kenmore quality going around. This is what people actually want.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

Absolutely. The direct drive was and is a perfected design. The pinnacle of clothes washing. All Whirlpool had to do was re-tool their assembly line and there would've been 1992 Kenmore quality going around. This is what people actually want.

So much for being "outdated". That's a lie! Try getting cologne smells out of your laundry or tough ground-in dirt with these new machines! The Speed Queen Classic and commercial heavy duty series Whirlpool/Maytag are the closest you'll get to the direct drives!

 

[Chetlaham]

So much for being "outdated". That's a lie! Try getting cologne smells out of your laundry or tough ground-in dirt with these new machines! The Speed Queen Classic and commercial heavy duty series Whirlpool/Maytag are the closest you'll get to the direct drives!

The term would be timeless classic. Once something is so evolved it becomes perfected. The passage of time does not make it obsolete or outdated.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

The term would be timeless classic. Once something is so evolved it becomes perfected. The passage of time does not make it obsolete or outdated.

Exactly! What do people not understand!

 

[Chetlaham]

Exactly! What do people not understand!

That what people are told is progress isn't always progress.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

That what people are told is progress isn't always progress.

You will never see such high tech stupid crap in an apartment complex at all. Gee. I wonder why?

 

[Chetlaham]

Sadly, its inching its way there too. Sadly. I miss those old 48 step 7.5 degree increment timers.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

Sadly, its inching its way there too. Sadly. I miss those old 48 step 7.5 degree increment timers.

At least the Whirlpool commercial and the Maytag counterparts move the water. Have you seen videos of lg washers trying to do a normal cycle in their front loaders? I've heard the pump on these cavitating. Give me an old school whirlpool/maytag even if it's a direct drive.

 

[pierreandreply4]

<blockquote>WoodJack99: I want to say somewhere around the late 2000s/early 10s they were making some machines that looked like modern versions of the iconic late 60s/70s center-dial ones that became synonymous with the name "Maytag." Don't ask me the models, but they had gold trim like the machines of 75-80, the big main dial in the center once again, and instead of pushbuttons it was little dials for the settings.</blockquote> The 100th anniversary of Maytag laundry occured in 2007, after Whirlpool bought the brand/company.

Whirlpool produced at least a couple Maytag-branded "Centennial" models for that year with gold highlights on a white center-dial console and labeled "100th Year Anniversary Dependable Care" on the lower-right corner. There were other "Centennial" center-dial models that followed until VMW introduction, not labeled with the anniversary text. Several had stainless steel baskets. These are direct-drive with mechanical timers. There are no cycle progress lights, the timers are labeled for cycle sequences.

2020-05-31 AW Thread 83214

2020-12-02 AW Thread 85361

View attachment 309447

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View attachment 309450

View attachment 309451

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call it strange may be my toughs here speaking but they need to bring back on the market these washer dryer set they look way more precise than today washer dryer top load front load in other word they need to bring back washers and dryers with electromechanical timers

 

[Chetlaham]

call it strange may be my toughs here speaking but they need to bring back on the market these washer dryer set they look way more precise than today washer dryer top load front load in other word they need to bring back washers and dryers with electromechanical timers

Not strange at all. Many people feel this way but have no place to express it or act on it. This is literally how I imagine a 2025 model Maytag Washer. Fully electromechanical direct drive. Metal Singer timer. Heavy duty switches and a 1HP motor. 50/50 mixing valves. Total customer control. Precise options. Yes a bit BOL in execution, but I don't care. I love what I love and that is what matters I think.

 

[panasonicvac]

Absolutely. The direct drive was and is a perfected design. The pinnacle of clothes washing. All Whirlpool had to do was re-tool their assembly line and there would've been 1992 Kenmore quality going around. This is what people actually want.

Not me. I'd rather have Whirlpool go back to making the Neptunes or even the Duets than go back to making the Direct Drives. One of the drawbacks on my DD is how too aggressive the agitator is, it'd shred up on some things like rugs for example. My old Neptune or Duet never did that because that's the beauty of front loaders, they're so much more delicate. My aunt replaced her old DD with a Duet that has a Maytag name on it, she likes it so much better. Otherwise she would've kept it still if they were in fact perfect washers.

 

[Chetlaham]

Not me. I'd rather have Whirlpool go back to making the Neptunes or even the Duets than go back to making the Direct Drives. One of the drawbacks on my DD is how too aggressive the agitator is, it'd shred up on some things like rugs for example. My old Neptune or Duet never did that because that's the beauty of front loaders, they're so much more delicate. My aunt replaced her old DD with a Duet that has a Maytag name on it, she likes it so much better. Otherwise she would've kept it still if they were in fact perfect washers.

Even on low speed? Did you try extra slow/slow for the rugs? Kenmore was ideal with those speeds IMO.

Though the original Duets were more gentle over time regardless.

 

[panasonicvac]

Oh yes but even with the low speed, it wouldn't have as much turnover as the front loader which is what I want. Thank goodness my aunt now lives next door where my DD lives at because I could take anything else over to wash at her place instead of using the DD. Or I could go over to my uncle's that also lives next door where my DD is at and use his front loader as well, he too once owned a DD as well before switching over to a Duet but his was the Kenmore version of my aunt's Maytag. At my grandfather's cabin, he had a Maytag Neptune stackable which I thought was the most perfect set for his place. When it got accidently thrown out due to the flood last year, my other uncle was nearly close to getting a GE that was a top loader stackable. I was able to successfully convince him that top loaders were not the way to go especially the one he was thinking of getting which is trash in my opinion. So I was able to have my uncle get the Speed Queen SF7 because he wanted a 5 year warranty and the SQ was the only one that offered it. I go volunteer at a place once a week that uses a couple of UniMac stackables which are the commercial version of the SF7 and it's one of my new favorite sets so I'm happy I got the cabin a SQ, it's just as close as the old Neptune if not better.