Kenmore D&M to Whrilpool Transition

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potatochips

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Sep 9, 2016
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Does anyone have any pictures of or experience with the first few Kenmore DWs made by Whirlpool around 1984? Where did Sears place these machines in the lineup, were they TOL machines compared to the D&Ms? Was there an increase in Kenmore reliability by CR when the Whirlpool machines first started to show up?
 
The most

noticeable change was sound. They were all great machines. They were phased into the Kenmore lineup with at least four cycles, and displaced D&M rather quickly.
D&M was sold to WCI and soon closed.
My dad serviced for Sears and the one complaint about the D&M's was it's roto rack which could squeak. They were very reliable, as Whirlpools also. Similar pump pressure and cleanability.
Final D&M Kenmores had fixed upper racks.
The Whirlpool Powerclean pump module improved cleaning, and became the Kenmore Ultra Wash. Virtually trouble free until they began using micro switches for cycle buttons.
 
The very first I remembered was in a fall/Christmas mail out catalog that featured the new UltraWash on the back cover.  Very sexsy with all black console and black glass look panel. 
 
The difference was night and day:

The WP PC sourced machines were much better built, more reliable and much higher performance than the D&M machines.  Where the Whirlpool sourced machines failed was in the rusting out, clogging up, flooding the kitchen and starting fires categories.  They just wouldn't do it. LOL!!!

WK78
 
One very big plus for the D&M made Kenmore portable units was the user friendly unicouple and power cord that pulled out of the compartment at rear top left.  IIRC,  D&M provided  longer hoses as well.  People with a Sear's  portable to the right of the sink often did not  have to roll the machine.   
 

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