Grumble, grumble, another appliance rant

[edlegault]

FIL has a large Kitchenaid side-by-side built-in refrig/freezer. Bought new in May, 2006. Kitchenaid had to build it to order. First one didn't arrive. Had to order/build a second one. Piece of junk. If you keep a door open more than a few seconds, like to clean a shelf, it powers off and it takes jumping through hoops to reset it and get it on again. Ice maker lasts about 3 months then goes out. Not sure how many times it has been replaced. Has two compressors. Replaced one when about 3 years old.

Also has a KA double electric oven. Have had to replace the door hinges on one or the other ovens about a total of 5 times at about $350 a pop. Replaced the fan in the top for the third time right before Thanksgiving. $333, again. Also replaced a control circuit board once at at over $300. So in 6 years have spent over $2000 in repairs after warranty on the ovens, above whatever it cost.

We had a KA dishwasher, top of the line. Noisy. Piece of junk. Lasted about a year before pump and macerator failed. Repair estimate was more than it was worth. Bought a top of the line Maytag DW. Wonderful machine. Very Quiet. No more Kitchenaid for us.

We do have a heavy duty KA mixer. Wonderful, except it fell apart once and had to rebuild it.

 

[Travelover]

.......... Also replaced a control circuit board once at at over $300. ..........

These control boards are built in time bombs and ridiculously priced, because they know you aren't gonna gin one up in your shop.

 

[dmccarty]

When I bought my Kitchenaid. 15 yrs ago. I think I paid $800-$900. What are you guys paying for these appliances.Are you buying the lower line less expensive mods ??

I forgot the Bosch dishwasher model but it was one of the higher end models but not THE highest. We caught it on sale at Sears, Sears is always having sales, and it looks like it was about $1,000. Now you would think I would know what the danged thing cost but the order and delivery was all %^&*() up. The wifey had to call and complain about the bill a couple of times. We just got a credit card statement and I think bill is about right but the wifey has to check the numbers since she bought the thing. In spite of the issues, buying from Sears was cheaper than from Lowes.

Bosch has a bunch of different models. The major differences we noticed are the rack layout, number of setting the washer handles, either 10 or 14, and a full stainless steel interior. Not sure I really care about the SS interior but I did not lock a half SS and half plastic interior. The washer we bought holds far more than the old Maytag. The Bosch is larger and was a tighter fit into the space. We paid $650 for the first Maytag back in the late 90s. I think the new Maytag we bought in 2004 was around $800.

I checked for parts availability. A site we use to buy parts for the Maytag had the Bosch control board and other parts we might need. They were cheaper than Maytag. I noticed that many of the parts they had listed were not in stock. I HOPE that meant that they just were not being ordered. They had plenty of Maytag parts in stock.

Later,
Dan

 

[kenmac]

I'll take the ss interior over plastic any day

 

[Chuck52]

We bought a high end Kenmore a few years ago that was built by Bosch. SS interior. Works great so long as you don't run things like allspice berries in it. Those berries are just the right size to catch in the strainer and then catch other debris which plugs the drain completely. It is easy to get the cover off and clean the strainer once you know it is there. Thanks for posting the link to the parts place. I just looked at basket clips there and when I get home I'll see which one of several types is what is missing on mine. They seem to have all the basket parts, so the only problem will be that I'll pay several dollars to have a $1 part shipped to me. OTOH, knowing the number, I may find it locally. There's an appliance repair place in town that has a pretty good selection of odd parts. I think they might order it for me, too, which would probably save the shipping cost.

Chuck

 

[Oaktree]

Who was the genius who thought it would be a good idea for the condenser coils in refrigerators to be underneath it where they catch lots of dust and are a real PITA to clean? I'd say maybe one person in 10 thinks to clean them every 6 months or so.

 

[mjarrels]

Once had an old stove I bought from a garage sale that use to be in the old NAS Whidbey Island sea plane base victory housing (around WWII). Small three burner stove top and small oven. Looked like **** but worked fine, I used it in the garage for many years for water bath canning and drying herbs.

mark

 

[newbury]

Talk about things lasting -
First rule is put it on a quality surge suppressor.
Get the LEAST complicated item that will do.
We had what I considered a GREAT refrigerator, cavernous, efficient. After about 5 years the fancy in door ice maker went out. $150 for the part to fix it, $300 plus total for a service call.
I made ice in an ice cube tray. My daughter got PO'd and during a flight of dumbness got the other three kids together and bought a new, smaller one for SWMBO for Mother's day and had the old one hauled off. The ice maker failed after about 3 years. I'm back to ice trays.

I've got a freezer my Father bought in 1963.
I moved it to Mississippi this spring


still worked well.

Things today are rarely built to last, if they were you'd never buy another one. A friend had a refrigerator die because of a power hit. He was incensed at the cost of a service call, pulled out the circuit board, got incensed at the cost of the circuit board and replaced a transistor, and put it on a surge protector.

Planned obsolence is the new American way.

 

[mjarrels]

Was watching Andy Griffitt the other day and aunt Bee was fussing about the refrigerator repairman from Mt Pilot charged her $7.00 for a repair.

mark

 

[studor]

My vote would be against anything with the Maytag name on it -- we inherited new Maytags in the kitchen (fridge,stove,dishwasher) and they have all been a disaster. Dealing with Whirlpool was even more of a PITA. I have had good luck with cheapies from Gibson (Frigidaire/Electrolux) and Moffat ( General Electric) Both of those brands have run for 15 and 10 years respectively with no repairs or issues.