today 's kenmore washers

[pierreandreply4]

hello

i don't know if its just me but i think that today 's kenmore washers have lost their charm ever since they stop making them with the side opening lid just look at the picture?

Thank you and have a nice evening

 

[vintagesearch]

i thought the same thing! what is it? maybe kenmore wants to "look" like whirlpool. first they used to have infamous side swing lid which i dig and a separate "Speed" switch i always liked that! now everything is just like the whirlpools no side swing lid automatic cycle in timer boooooooooooooring!!! i like whirlpool but now that we have an older kenmore i like it a whole lot more!!!

 

[kenmoreguy64]

I think it's all a matter of economics

I think the reason that Kenmores are more 'Whirlpoolesque' is because it's cheaper to use the same parts on both machines. Back in the day Kenmore sold so many more machines than Whirlpool that they could command anything they wanted to for their units and it made cost-effective sense. I am unsure what Kenmore's volume is today vs. WP's, but with appliance superstores becoming more and more common, competition is more keen, so it is therefore necessary to hold down costs. Using the same lids, sharing agitators and using common timers are ways to make manufacturing more economical. All at the cost of a brand's identity, which I completely agree with you is fading.

 

[drewz]

YOU ARE CORRECT!...KenmoreGuy64

A couple years ago Whirlpool began cost effective production changes one big start was with the "Kenmore Lid", I am not positive but someone told me that the Whirlpool vs. Kenmore rebadge in sales is close to 50/50.

But then again lets look back to some of 1955-56 Kenmore's (non LK models) they had the huge lid like the new Kenmores today.

Just like Kenmore switches the series every 10 years, 70 series, 80 series, 90 series, and now today we have again 600 series, 700, series, and 800 series. Whirlpool's motto keep them all confused!

 

[tuthill]

I think Kenmore washers lost all their charm when they got rid of the belts

 

[pulsator]

I agree with you on that Jed, however, I must admit I simply ADORE the gigantic slow-moving KitchenAid agitators!

 

[kenmoreguy64]

I agree with you too Jed. While I don't usually come out and say anything negative about a direct drive or about the company that makes them (I very much respect Whirlpool for the way they've handled their parts over the years), to me there is absolutely no comparison between a late production belt drive and a direct drive made a few months or years later.

The belt drive sounds have a certain "class" whereas a direct drive seems to clunk, pop, and whizz at all the wrong times. Would I use one vs. something else on the market today, YES, but am I glad I have my belt drives to use? Another affirmative!

 

[xyz]

I think that from my point of view that they went with the side swinging door to avoid the lid from banging (over and over) the timer control and wearing it to peices. Any comments on my theory?