Who was the largest and most advanced technologically in your opinion?

Automatic Washer - The world's coolest Washing Machines, Dryers and Dishwashers

Help Support AutomaticWasher.org:

whirlpool technology

I've always thought whirlpool had the most technology considering they were the first to use neutral drain since the beginning. I could've sworn they were the first to use perforated tubs exclusively. Surely they had all the technology and computers for research and develop laundry products.
 
Whirlpool/KM machines were always ahead of their time. I think the fact that Whirlpool made laundry appliances for Sears for many years, probably made them one of the top sellers. The Kenmore top loaders were, IMHO, ahead of their time in development of their higher end WP made machines. They were one of the first to offer a "dual-action" agitator which greatly improved turnover, especially for bedding and stiff jeans. I'll always remember their Lady Kenmore piano key machines that were made in the mid-1960's. They would have been my favorite at the time, save for their anemic spin speed. Towels often took 90 minutes to dry.
 
Frigidaire and Westinghouse

Were premium brands but not the largest, GE had the largest facility to build appliances, GE and Hotpoint sold more because they were generally aimed at a less affluent market, Usually small mom and pop stores as well as big dept stores sold GE or Hotpoint, for instance Hotpoint was Lowes hardwares main brand from the time they were in a small downtown store in North Wilkesboro on up until they had hundreds of stores around the country, As a rule GE was, at least in my hometown, aimed at the working man, generally cheaper, Frigidaire and Westinghouse were sold to the bankers and lawyers.All that being said Whirlpool i believe sold more laundry equipment simply because of Sears.
 
In my view, whirlpool basically made the same machine from the late 1940s to circa 1986.  They were good machines, but I wouldn't associate them with "advanced technology". 

 

By all means Whirlpool deserves credit for the dual-action agiatator, but let's not foget that Maytag was first with an agitator circa 1920.
 
Whirlpool Vs. GE

It's amazing that GE was the largest appliance manufacturer under 1 roof. What about overall? I wonder how big the Clyde factory was when they switched to the design 2000 platform.
When did they expand when Maytag got involved? I suspect the ones on my old dorm came out of that Clyde factory.
 
largest factory

I think I see it that GE was the largest appliance manufacturer under a single roof. I wonder how big Whirlpool was in the 80s compared to now. I would assume GE was smaller than Whirlpool overall, but please correct me as I assume that GE was #2 at the time.
How big was the Clyde facility back then compared to now?
 
Whirlpool made only laundry equipment until they acquired Seeger Refrigerator Co. and Estate Range Co. (from RCA) in 1955.

GE-Hotpoint had a full line of appliances many years earlier. In the 1930's they were making ranges, refrigerators, dishwashers, washers, water heaters, furnaces and air conditioners.

Maytag only had laundry equipment most of the time. For short periods of time they sold ranges and refrigerators manufactured by others. Later they started making dishwashers. Other items were added when they purchased other companies, such as Admiral, Norge, and Magic Chef.
 
clyde factory

When did Whirlpool's Clyde factory grow and become more automated? Did they close their St. Joseph factory and integrate operations? How were they able to fit Maytag later on? When did they surpass GE in terms of the volume of laundry and overall size?
 
Whirlpool and GE

I remember when my babysitter had a Whirlpool direct drive washer that would clean anything when I was at her house during the day sometimes even after school. When I had a plastic tub GE, I thought of her due to how the agitation behaved. I never knew GE retooled their laundry line to take on Whirlpool and Maytag until I did a bit of research. Maybe that's why Whirlpool was the world leader because they came out with the direct drive before everybody else copied their agitation.
 
Whirlpool

May have not been the largest manufacturer with their own brand, but when you consider what they built for Sears then they were by far the largest at least in laundry, When GE opened appliance park in Louisville and consolodated their production with Hotpoints in the late 60s early 70s then id say they had the largest factory.
 
whirlpool and GE

I thought whirlpool was #1 followed by GE due to their own and the Kenmore lines, considering GE/Hotpoint had only 15% in the laundry market especially when they came out with the plastic model T washer in 1995 which took on leaders like Whirlpool and Maytag.
 
Back
Top