This is a test. This is only a test......

[pulltostart]

For the purpose of this test, let's assume that "money = quality", i.e., the higher the price, the higher the quality of the product (might not always be the case, but that assumption makes this test easier). Would any of you care to take all of the brands sold under the Whirlpool umbrella and rank them in order of most-to-least, or highest-to-lowest? This can actually be a 2-part test: "Base Test" - rank the brands that were "pre-Maytag acquisition; "Extra Point Question" - rank the entire list of brands that now constitute the Whirlpool family since the Maytag acquisition.

I am aware of the following PMA brands (alphabetical order): Estate, Kenmore, Kitchenaid, Roper, Whirlpool.

I am aware of the following Maytag additions (alphabetical order): Amana, Jenn-Air, Magic Chef, Maytag.

Others? Corrections? Have fun.....

Lawrence

 

[veg-o-matic]

Don't forget to add Admiral to the Maytag list.

veg

 

[maytagbear]

Inglis

is in the Whirlpool list somewhere, as well.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[panthera]

Bauknecht

Was added on to improve their image in Europe...and, ultimately compete against the Bosch/Siemens and Miele stuff in the 'States.
Over here, Bauknecht and Ignis rank as their highest quality, Whirlpool (except their microwaves) lowest.
Of course, whirlpool has a good name over here in one area: cooking. Their microwaves, cooktops and combi- venthoods/microwaves are as good as their washing machines are bad.

 

[hairybigman97]

Very teed off

I am some what teed off guys, a guy from this web site has added me to their msn messenger. His name is Richard I am angry that he did not ask me, I have confused him with another Richard I know. I have removed him and blocked him, if he had only asked. Love and best wishes guys hairybigman97

 

[lavamat_jon]

Hate to say this...

...but what's wrong with that? Sure, it might have been better if you were asked, but just randomly adding you in the faith of being able to make friends with another fellow washer lover surely doesn't deserve to be removed/blocked? I personally think that shunning somebody who introduced themselves is more rude than not asking for an email address first. There is enough anger in the world without it having to enter our unique community.

(Besides, this could have been put in as it's own thread in the Super forum, than added to this thread which has nothing to do with it)

Just my opinion...

Jon

 

[lavamat_jon]

Whirlpool washing machines

Panthera,

What's so bad about Whirlpool washing machines? I always thought they were pretty good value for money, especially since many other machines of worse quality sell for equivalent prices. IMO I've always found them to be quite well built & sturdy too, compared to equivalent priced Indesits or Hoovers. I also know people with Whirlpool machines which have been pretty reliable for them... perhaps they just got good ones .

Jon

 

[agiflow]

I have had nothing but good reliability from WP washers or WP made washers. Over here in the states...they have good quality across the board, from washing, cooking, refidgeration, etc...

I must confess i really do not like the tall tub plastic s**t they are calling dishwashers though. I really hope they get their act together with those disposable toys.

 

[mixfinder]

The Thread Folks?

Hello People!
We're avoiding the original question asked.

Whirlpool Brands. I would buy the Whirlpool Label. Put em in a bag and they all wash the same. Kitchenaid has a plain Jane cabinet, Kenmore has more bells and whistles and Roper is louder. Consumer rates Roper higher is repair quality, than its sister brands. Go figure?

The Maycorp Family. I bought Maytag, but I like the current graphics and design of the Amana cabinet the best. Maytag was the best in is original presentation. Speed Queen and Amana had the fastest wash cycle and Magic Chef did an incredible job in cleaning a huge load. After Maycorp put them in a spinner and plucked some of each, the compramise was a much better Magic Chef/Norge and a less stellar Maytag. Amana, IMHO does better as a Norgetag than a Speed Queen.

General Electric and Hotpoint are one in the same except more of the Hotpoints come with a one piece agitator and IMHO on the short stroke machines a one piece agitator doesn't clean large loads, well. GE is a good washer buts gets progressively louder as it ages. The Hotpoints are down rated at consumers because of noise.

My experience with the reliability of newer appliances is about the same as the older, but whether or not they will last in perpetuity will remain to be seen.

The biggest difference I see in today's appliances is service. The quality of materials used in the maufacture of newer machines makes it harder to hold the tolerances. Most of the service who come are disheartened and speak whistfully of the old days or how glad they are they're close to retirement.

Kelly

Don't make me drive take my drive belt off!! You guys be nice!!

 

[agiflow]

My take on WP would be in this classification of washers:
1. KA
2.Kenmore
3. WP
4. Estate
5. Roper

I think KM and WP are pretty much the same now...no distinction left.

Roper and Estate more or less budget brands and i am pretty sure the only seperation there would be is the name.

KA has a different warranty for it's machines and the ENTIRE outer cabinets are porcelain enameled. Though when i was looking for a washer a few years ago i could not find KA .

Oh well.

 

[irishwashguy]

and let us not forget----------

Cosco has it's own line of appliances made by Whirlpool--"Kirkland", which is just an Estate washer and dryer, just a little bit cheaper, perhaps,and while we are on the whole whirlpool thing, i was in Best buy on Tues, they had brand new Ingis washers and dryers for sale!! They looked a little lower end TL.I had never seen that before in the US, new.

 

[pulltostart]

Furthermore...

Whirlpool private-badges some appliances for IKEA. They're not bashful about it, the appliances clearly say "IKEA by Whirlpool".

 

[panthera]

Jon,

there is no question about the quality of vintage Whirlpool products - and their cooktops, microwaves and venthood/microwave combinations are really unique - at least here in Germany.
But the company made some decisions back in the 1990s that had a direct effect on product quality.
Whirlpool decided to move into the European market and chose Germany as one of their first...nearly said victims...distribution areas. There, that sounds much more impartial.
They introduced the "service by free agent" concept. Instead of having dedicated serivce people (yes, they do again today so nobody write me this is wrong, please) they just rang up any old fool in your area and had them come look at your machine. If the in-duh-vi-du-al was competent enough to find the problem, they then had to contact Whirlpool who whould then send the replacement parts to them...
You had at least two appointments (and in Germany service people only worked (1990's folks, not today, so no "but that is not true's here, ok?") M-F, 9-4.
You got to miss two days of work. Minimum.
But the machines were so badly made - not my opinion, but that of every single consumer testing service -
that Whirlpool quickly decided they needed to rethink things.
They bought Baukneckt - an old brand with an excellent reputation (especially for service) and began selling their thoroughly rotten machines under that brand name.
Lot's of folks fell for it.
At the same time, they introduced an 8-year extended parts warranty (was expensive) and brought back "real" service people and a hotline.
Ok, looks like they were trying, huh?
Wrong.
Soon as things got back to where folks had a little trust in them again they closed down all their quality European plants and went back to worst quality production.
Because the heating and cooling appliances - esp. for Ikea are pretty good, folks tend to make a mistake and buy their bad laundry stuff.
Once.
Ok, I know I will now get all sorts of flames for this, but that is the way it was and is.
I confess - I worked with them for several years and got to know their internal policies over here in Europe. (I left them, they still wanted my services, they always paid me promptly, no axe to grind there...) Certainly there are a lot of good folks who know what they are doing in the company, but the managers running the show from the 'States are neither interested in their shareholders nor their workers nor their customers.
Ok, now everyone can say what a horrid person I am and how wonderful Whirlpool is...

 

[askomiele]

Well I have HAD 2 bauknechts. They worked well for 2 years after that they were junk. The electrician were I bought them said to me that it would be better to replace the machines. He told me about the bad quality of the bauknecht and whirlpool products. My dishwasher leaked after 2 years and the drum of my dryer broke after 1.5 year. So I replaced them. No more whirlpool or bauknecht for me.

 

[lavamat_jon]

Wow!!! I didn't know... and here was me thinking Whirlpool washers were good value for money!

Jon

 

[panthera]

Jon,

I think it depends to a very great extent on just who is available to service you.
If you are located in an area where the only service centre is one from Whirlpool, then it would be stupid not to buy their products - regardless of my opinion of the firm.
If, however, you were to live somewhere where you could get service quickly and conveniently, then no - I should never recommend the brand to anyone.
This has been a very hot topic for a very long time with lots of folks absolutely furious with me for feeling the way I do - and others just as vehemently defending my point of view.
I will leave it at that - and hope that somehow, someday, Whirlpool will be returned to the hands of capitalistic management and taken away from the people who are now trying to destroy the firm in order that they might make a short term profit.

 

[agiflow]

This has been a very hot topic for a very long time with lots of folks absolutely furious with me for feeling the way I do - and others just as vehemently defending my point of view.
I will leave it at that - and hope that somehow, someday, Whirlpool will be returned to the hands of capitalistic management and taken away from the people who are now trying to destroy the firm in order that they might make a short term profit.

Is this not the end of what capatalistic management becomes?

 

[foraloysius]

My brother and SIL had problems with their Bauknecht appliances too. They bought a dryer and it had problems already on the first day. It had several more repairs in it's life. It wasn't as horrible as the washer though. In the first year it had five repairs. It worked for a while and then more problems occurred. Several more repairs until they got the message it needed another repair what would cost €500.- ($600.-). Out went the washer (and the dryer with it). The washer was only 4 or 5 years old. I like the older Bauknechts, but never go near a Whirlpool Bauknecht. And ofcourse then the idea that the Duets and Hetties are coming from that same factory... Oy vey!!!

 

[lavamat_jon]

Wow. Remind me never to buy a European made Whirlpool (or Bauknecht) washer!!! Have to say though, that our built in Whirlpool integrated fridge is great, but then, a fridge doesn't really have to stand up to the same sort of use and abuse of a washer, dishwasher or tumble dryer .

I have to say, the whole problems that the HE3ts and Duets had when they first came out back in '01 doesn't seem too surprising now.

Jon