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Sears sales people

You'd be amazed at how many so-called Sears online sales associates were ignorant of the fact that Kenmore is just a name Sears slaps onto it's appliances produced by others.

On several occasions, either via online chat or telephone conversation I'd inquire as to who the manufacture was of a product, their response was "Kenmore".

Needless to say the chat or conversation ended right then and there.
 
Kenmore

As far as I remember, Kenmore didn't manufacture anything. For example, my Kenmore dishwasher model# starts with 630, which means it's a Bosch. Oh, speaking of which, I've seen a video where a guy rants about why his $1000 dishwasher sat there broken for 2 months. I am not sure if the video is up anymore. I think it was called "Sears repair service sucks!"
 
I have noticed that too with Sears...

But somehow I always knew that mostly Whirlpool made Kenmore products.  I do remember though seeing a Whirlpool dishwasher years ago and it did not look at all like a Kenmore, this is when they were made by D&M.

 

It is like I always read that NASA made the best spacecraft that took mankind to the moon.  NASA is NOT a manufacturer, they turned to the aerospace companies at the time to manufacture space hardware.
 
Reply# 83

In particular I was shopping for a new kitchen fridge at the time, one Kenmore caught my eye.

Turns out it was manufactured by Samsung, you could not GIVE me any major appliance made by "Samsuck".
 
Jerome, I couldn’t agree with you more. As I’ve said many times in the past, LG and Samsung should of just stuck with making electronics and should of stayed out of the appliance industry. Their appliances are an embarrassment.

Midea is also the same. A high volume of complaints for their dishwashers went as followed, several of them rusted out on the interior within its first year….I have never ever seen that happen before within one year or less. Real nice face materials they used.

It would be nice if consumers weren’t forced to buy high tech garbage cause with all dishwashers and washers nowadays being controlled by electrical components it’s difficult to figure out what’s the best and what will last the longest and give the best performance. We can’t have anything mechanical at all anymore it’s just too difficult to produce apparently. Leave the tech out of appliances already, if there’s one thing we’ve learned since they began the overly high technology in appliances over the past decade or so it’s that It’s similar to a bad ex boyfriend, it doesn’t last long, it’ll drive you insane, & it’s quite unreliable.
 
high tech appliances

If anybody knows how to make high tech appliances properly, that would be Speed Queen. I am sick and tired of these dishwashers that are so quiet yet they don't clean anything. By the way, I wish Whirlpool would've dropped these puny high tech toy pumps and just put in real motors in them. I am convinced that Whirlpool is still using their global wash system as I don't see anything about them upgrading their wash system to the microclean or dual power filtration on their own models.
Also, what the heck is up with their motors that soft start? What dishwasher detergent and rinse aid does Midea recommend?
 
Real Dishwasher

If you want a real dishwasher that would be the Whirlpool PowerClean Filter module. Hands down the best dish cleaning mechanism ever built. The Power Clean was the height of energy efficiency because for the spotless job it used a small amount of energy and water. The Tall tubs that retain cups of water in the horizontal sumps and pumps needing many water change outs to compensate waste on orders of magnitude more water and energy when also factoring all the pre rinsing and extra scrapping prior to loading. PowerCleans were a built in garbage disposals. You also don't need soil sensing, dishes are either pre-rinsed or they're not. You don't need sensors to look at a load and guess whether they're punch bowls and glasses (light wash) everyday dishes (Normal) or Pots and Pans (Heavy).  When dishes are put in as is they soil level typically fits into 3 categories and the real world showed that. When people pre-rinse because their DW can't clean, yes sensors that can shorten and reduce the cycle are advantageous. 

 

 

If everyone were like me the Power Clean would not only be found today in 95% of all Kitchens but the main wash would take the Potscrubber approach having the option of being long and runing the heater all the way through it.      
 
whirlpool dishwashers

Didn't Whirlpool switch their design over to the microclean wash system or do they still use the global wash system on their own models? Either way, the spray action seems weak. I am sick and tired of puny pumps. I want my dishes blasted clean. Not rained on! Unfortunately, the lawn sprinkler in a box is what's being foisted and forced onto the general public. I bet I can pee harder than that stupid wash system Whirlpool is using. I'm sure chetlaham and others who are like minded would agree with me.[this post was last edited: 8/6/2024-00:13]
 
I have had a Whrlpool dishwasher for nearly 30 years now. I dont know or care what wash system it is. I pack it full of dishes and turn the dial on once or twice a week and everything comes out fine the next morning. I always buy a better product that will last, hopefully. 40 years ago I bought my Maytag washer and dryer. Granted they cost twice what a Kenmore was but these babies still run like new, so why buy something new. I will keep my old that still works. If and when I have to replace anything, guess I will have to.
 
quality

I expect top notch quality. I expect it not just in the performance, but I also expect it in the build quality, reliability, durability, ease of service, longevity, performance, and customer satisfaction. That is what I expect. And, I also expect a sensible design.
 
Jerome, you reading my mind again LOL? (kidding) None the less you took the words out of my fingertips. Machines have to deliver beautifully in all categories to which for me there are many. If that means spending more upfront to avoid repairs and premature failures down the road then I am all for it.  
 
stupid crappy models

I swear, these companies are still churning out stupid crappy models of washers and dryers. Dumbed down temps, weak agitation, and flimsy quality. Look at Whirlpool's removable agitator. Oh, we now need a brush to clean your clothes!
Whatever happened to lots of water that is just enough to cover the load during wash and deep rinse? Maybe they added that brush because they realize how stupid crappy the wash action is. And, that's probably why they added that stupid faucet. Dammit, if I wanted to use a faucet, I'd pretreat a piece of the dirtiest clothes in a laundry tub if available or the kitchen sink or a bucket to do a mini presoak, or simply allow me to start the water a few minutes just to saturate the stained item. If there are any washers that should have soft laundry brushes that balance dirt and stain removal and fabric care, they should be in a front load washer. And, I expect my laundry to fully submerged, if not fully saturated at least. @chetlaham, I know what you're thinking. There should be water recirculation at all times during wash and rinse. Whirlpool should know better. They think we're stupid.
 
stupid crappy models

I think most of the fault lies with Federal mandates regarding water and energy usage, hence the atrocious machines most appliance manufacturers have foisted upon the uninformed consumer.

However, Alliance Industries cleverly sidestepped these mandates with the TC5 by providing a heavy duty cycle which yields outstanding wash performance.

The Fed mandate applies to cycles named "normal", of which SQ does provide and evidently meets those standards in it's "Normal-Eco" cycle.

This begs the question of if SQ can do it, why not the others?

I suspect it's corporate greed for Whirlpool, Haier, etc. not to follow that path...
 
corporate greed

I suspect that Whirlpool is the leader with corporate greed. As for Speed Queen Alliance, I'd stick with the heavy duty cycle as the normal cycle. If anybody could use soft laundry brushes in their machines, it would be Speed Queen, especially in their perfect wash models to provide better dirt/stain removal/fabric care. I think they could put some roller brushes in their front loaders that could be engineered to never snag clothes or get clogged, along with powerful water recirculation pumps and a fresh water spout that blasts thick sheets of water for the best wash performance in a reasonable amount of time possible.
 
Whirlpool is the leader

Undoubtedly...

Case in point:

My next door neighbors are several renters who share an Amana POS washing machine of which 1 of the renters said the landlord recently purchased new from Home Depot.

The same tenant told me that the machine goes off-balance at the slightest provocation, no matter how careful they are in distributing the load of laundry.

I told him I have to agree, as I can hear it banging away as it attempts to self-destruct, wondering how much longer the machine will function as such.

I'm glad they don't do laundry until daylight, mindful of the banging raucous the woeful machine produces...
 
Re:#106

I have a BOL Roper RTW4516FW that I’ve owned for 5 trouble free years. It’s essentially the sister ship of the Amana that your neighbors have. In five years of use with ALL kinds of loads it has NEVER once gone out of balance. I’ve washed heavy king size bedspreads and blankets, throw rugs, king size bed pillows, mixed loads of all types and it never skips a beat. And it’s quiet too. It’s never needed any service, no new belts, no adjustments. I fully expect that this washing machine will give me at least another 5 more trouble free years at the rate it’s going. Not bad for a machine that I paid $379.06 for, a Speed Queen TL would cost more than 3 times that much.

Plus is washes and rinses every load thoroughly, no matter the size of the load. I’ve owned 23 different washing machines over the last 52 years and this Roper is in the top 5 for washing, balancing and dependability. My sister has the Amana of which you speak and she loves her washer too.

Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.

Eddie
 
Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it

Why in the world would I want a machine which uses plastic components for critical functions such as switching between agitate and spin modes?

Components which are proven to fail, not to mention the ass backwards design of suspending the outer wash drum.

Did I mention the plastic outer wash drum as well, a design which is well known for harboring mold and bacteria?

I'll stick with my recently refurbished Speed Queen top loader, I choose not to be a sucker when it comes to present day Whirlpool machines, as many have.

I'm glad that you've found happiness with your machine, however do realize in my post that I stated that the POS Amana my neighbors are saddled with is a recent purchase.
 
whirlpool stupid crap

If Whirlpool wants to improve on their stupid crap, they should build these machines properly. They should've put stain laundry brushes in the baffles in their front loading washers with soft bristles that are gentle on fabric while removing tough stains. What if you need to get out ground-in dirt? Whirlpool's HE washers just won't do! Since they're the leader in laundry, you'd think they're experts in fabric care. Apparently not!
 
Reply# 99

Shown here is the outer tub on my recently refurbished 2018 Speed Queen top loader, while I certainly would not want to eat off it, it's nowheres near as filthy and disgusting as the one shown in the video.

The surface dirt was easily removed with Simple Green and Scotch brand green scrubbing pads.

kalanikaau1-2024080619594407113_1.jpg
 
Another outer plastic tub problem-they can be sensitive to temp changes.Say like you have a hot water wash-then the stupid required cold water rinse.This can cause stress cracks in the outer plastic drum.Have seen MANY cracked out plastic drums at the swap shop junkyard.Metal tubs-drums don't have that problem.They can truely last the life of the machine and possibly salvaged after.
 
Outer tub material

Plastic outer tubs are superior to porcelain on steel outer tubs, they last much longer they do not stress crack. I have never seen that once on any machine, not just whirlpool.

Porcelain on steel tubs eventually rust, it’s the number one problem when people are trying to restore old belt drive whirlpool washers it’s becoming one of the big problems for people that are restoring Maytag dependable care washers, you have a plastic tub in 50+ Years it will be in fine shape.

There is no difference in the possibility of mold or mineral buildup between plastic and porcelain outer tubs In fact, plastic tubs are much easier to clean and don’t seem to get the hard cement like buildup that you get on a porcelain on steel outer.

Washing machines with hanging suspension starting with the 1949 Whirlpool Belt Dr. machines on have always had a much more rigid cabinet because the cabinet supports the weight of the tub, etc. it just makes for a superior machine as far as staying rigid and staying in place compared to multi piece cabinet designs That can rattle and get flexed out of shape.

99% of automatic washers sold for residential use worldwide have a plastic outer town. It’s one of the least frequent problems, now if you want to talk about making it out of real stainless steel that’s another issue. The only residential washing machine available with a stainless steel outer tub is a Speed Queen front loader in the United States.

We have replaced far more porcelain on steel outer tubs in Speed Queen top load washers then we have replaced plastic outer tubs and all of the over 100 million built whirlpool top load washers over the past 40 years, I will say it’s nice that Speed Queen has a lifetime warranty on the outer tub But you may have to jump through hoops to get a free tub out of them, especially when the machine is older.

John
 
Reply# 106

I would assume the POS gets pushed to the curb and whatever limited amount of metal it may have gets recycled into a new Hyundai's front fender or a 2" section of 1/2" rebar, it would not be cost effective to replace the plastic drum.

Recycling the machine is EXACTLY what the manufacturer is hoping you'll do and to buy another POS from them.
 
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