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Maytag had lots of competition

More than a half dozen companies beat them out with the automatic, including of course Bendix, Blackstone, whirlpool, General Electric, Westinghouse, and there’s probably a few others.

By 1955 whirlpool was probably building five or 10 times as many automatic washers per year as Maytag and that continued throughout history, Maytag never got close to catching up. They were not a hi volumecompany. They were selling a high priced quality product.

Maytag washers and dryers hovered around the 10 to 15% of the market range just about where Speed Queen is getting to today.

John L
 
I gave my old red trim, round Maytag wringer to a nice Amish man, who wanted to pay me but I said No, I know it will be going to a good home. His neighbor that transports him and does his social media ( I saw the ad on Craigslist looking for Maytag wringer washers). The neighbor did call me recently to say the washer was turned into a gas model and gifted to a young couple with a newborn. I just could not understand that Amish can use gasoline but not electricity, like the Mennonites can use all the modern conveniences.
 
That is what was great about this largely conservative company. They didn't change for the sake of change.

There is something to be said for familiarity,steadiness and reliability.

They never had to stamp "HEAVY DUTY" on their consoles before the '80s because you KNEW what you were getting with a Maytag.

I personally never owned one but would love to grab a refurbed one.

My only experience with the pitman drives was from laundromats and I just loved their wash action and their sound.

Even if you didn't own a Maytag, you knew their reputation for longevity and rock solid reliability.

Chet I concur with you. It really is a shame that we don't have ANYTHING like this today that we can buy new.

Unfortunately Speed Queen is the only maker that comes somewhat close and Whirlpool has lost the plot.

Real shame that we continue to put up with the disposable toys made today.
 
"They never had to stamp "HEAVY DUTY" on their consoles before the '80s because you KNEW what you were getting with a Maytag."

Around the late 70's, Maytag printed stickers for dealers to put on non TOL consoles that stated "Heavy Duty" which was kind of an obvious tacky afterthought. I occasionally see them on machines from that time period on Craigslist/Facebook Marketplace.
 
My 1984 511 washer and 410 dryer had those tacky stickers which I promptly tore off. Yes, you knew if you bought a Heavy Duty Maytag it would last and you didnt need to brag with a stupid sticker. Mine still do about 1 load a week and have only had only a $28 part in all those 41 years. Too bad they dont do those magazine ads of someone that had a great Maytag.
 
Oh wow never knew that. Unfortunately Maytag followed the herd and failed. Yet they had Maytag stoves in the 50s ? That's a shame though that they weren't really able to compete with GE and Whirlpool for a full appliance line.

Unfortunately, missteps and greed get the best of people.
 
Maytag didn’t sell nearly as many machines as Whirlpool/Sears, but would run and run for many years, still see them out there from time to time. If a company like Maytag only had 10% to 15% market share back in the day while Whirlpool had the largest market share but yet you still Maytags everywhere, just shows how much Maytag perfected the design and quality.

Maytags are like cockroaches, impossible to kill. They literally just keep on running and running forever. Literally the only repair my Maytag A606 needed was a new inlet valve, that was literally it after 50 years. Think that’s the first repair ever made to that particular machine in all of its existence so far. A Whirlpool or Kenmore on the other hand from that era would have had every component replaced at least once by this point.
 
Was that Maytag A606 in continuous use for 50 years Sean? I would like to know what the output was between Whirlpool and Maytag washer production.

Considering Maytag only had to build for themselves while Whirlpool supplied every Sears store in the nation not to mention their own models.

Whirlpool certainly didn't do bad for such a mass produced design.
 
Reply #26

The Maytag A606 appeared to have been sitting for a good 20 to 30 years since the timer was stiff. Was used on and off for about 4 years until the inlet valve gave up the ghost, got set off to the side until I could get the new inlet valve installed.

Don’t really know what the story was with my Maytag A606’s, but the guy I bought it from got it from a friend since he knew he was into older stuff from that era. Probably came from a storage unit by my guess, or came out of a garage. More than likely the original owners bought them new in 1973, used them for a number of years, moved into a townhouse or duplex that already came with a washer dryer set, got set off to the side.
 
There's a neat article out there (Business Week?) where Fred II explains the Maytag philosophy on how they avoid 'change for the sake of change', and that they only introduce new features when it's truly warranted and thoroughly evaluated.

Now I do love those late 50's annual styling changes from the other guys...great for short term sales, but long term the MT approach made more sense. Reduced inventory and tooling, a consistent brand image, reduced warranty risk of 'gimmicks' that didn't work. And a reasonable assurance your appliances would match if you had to replace one...or were holding out to add a dryer.

In the 70's, MT capitalized on this in dealer training to 'mix-and-match' their offerings since BOL was similar in style to near TOL, so you could tailor a pair to the customer's needs. Whereas the competition went to serious lengths to distinguish their model tiers.
 
"Unfortunately Maytag followed the herd and failed."

WP gained market dominance in other areas besides laundry or dishwashers by making strategic investments or outright taking over other companies.

Maytag either sadly bought garbage brands it didn't need (and shouldn't have touched) and or didn't know what to do with what they had.

Maytag got their mitts on Caloric and Amana which properly managed could have done wonders. Jenn-Air could have been a high end brand to reach other segments of market Maytag otherwise would be punching above it's weight.

http://assets.whirlpoolcorp.com/wp-content/uploads/history_100years_factsheet.pdf

On another note increasingly post WWII appliance market was going with brands who offered a complete range of kitchen appliances.

Dealers eager to capture sales potentially lost when Mrs. Average American Housewife wanted all her major appliances to "match" needed to have a full range to offer. Developers and others in RE market increasingly went with one company for entire major appliance range.

Look at General Electric, they had everything from HVAC to major and small kitchen appliances.

Maytag never would have survived doing just domestic laundry appliances (with perhaps dishwashers) alone. SQ manages but they also have a strong commercial/industrial/OPL/laundromat market.

Maytag long has had an commercial side for laundry market, but they're not up there with Dexter nor SQ for vended/OPL and not a major player in industrial laundry equipment.
 
I think another reason why Maytag avoided charging things just for the sake of doing so is it made for parts that could be interchangeable. If you look at the Maytag HOH’s produced from 1966 to 1975, was easy to interchange timers and other parts. For example, if someone in 1966 bought a Maytag DE306, 10 years later the timer gave up the ghost, could easily installed a 407 timer if that’s all the tech had on hand at the time. Washers were similar as well, timers were interchangeable.

If it was any other dryer from that era, good luck trying to install a different timer since other models in other companies lineup’s were built around that particular price point, timers were only specific to that particular model.

Whirlpool on the other hand couldn’t keep a model around from one year, makes finding replacement parts impossible, I know, it’s been absolute hell trying to find a replacement timer for my Whirlpool. Even the appliance junkyard in Arizona doesn’t have it, even after looking for one high and low. A Maytag on the other hand, you can just install one from a model below and it will work.
 
The thing is, did any other manufacturer really innovate to make our lives better than Maytag did concerning laundry care?

Does anyone need every bell and whistle just to wash clothes ?

Definitely not, but it's fun when you can try all the latest "bells and whistles" and who doesn't like to play ?
 
"Does anyone need every bell and whistle just to wash clothes ?"

No, but if you're in business of manufacturing consumer appliances or other goods you need to get people to purchase new things, this regardless of want.

Appliance manufacturers took a page from automobile makers coming out with new and improved lines every year or so.

Once pent up demand for automatic washing machines post WWII began to wane appliance makers only had basically new home purchases to drive sales. Other markets including Madame redecorating her home or otherwise deciding to have new appliances. Another market took advantage of rapid changes and developments in major appliances that did often make "old" appliances seem out of date.

Keep in mind back in day there was a very healthy trade-in/resale market for major appliances. One could trade in a not so old fridge or washing machine and receive credit towards new modern version. Dealers fixed up old appliances and sold them as "second hand" which was another big market.





 
Problem was darn things often outlasted their original owner

That goes double for their wringers.
 

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