FORTers' consumer reports

[Margaritaville]

Originally Posted by Melitta

My appliances are a mix of brands.

Washer ~ Admiral, about 10 years old.
Dryer ~ Roper, about 8 years old.
Refridgerator #1 ~ Magic Chef, 14 years old.
Refridgerator #2 ~ Crosley, 14 years old.
Dishwasher ~ Maytag Quiet Series, almost 5 years old and a piece of junk.
Stove ~ Kenmore, a year old at Christmas and so far so good. This stove replaced a 14 year old Magic Chef. The Magic Chef needed a new heating element, but Mr. Melitta wanted to upgrade, so we replaced the whole thing.

My conclusion is I have had better luck with the "off" brand than brand name. I will never buy another Maytag. The dishwasher has been a problem since right after the first year. Googled the dishwasher the other day and wouldn't ya know it, tons of negative responses. Everyone was having the same problems as me. Guess that is what I get for not checking it out first.

Melitta - I have to agree with you - it seems over the last 20 years or so, every time I buy an off-brand appliance it lasts forever and has no problems. And every time I decide to spend a little extra to get "the best" - I end up getting junk. What is up with that??

example - we purchased our newest home 3 1/2 years ago - hated the dishwasher it came with (don't even remember the brand) and replaced it with a brand name (forget, sorry) - but then it wasn't good enough either, and we went for broke and replaced it with a Bosch. I spent almost $1000 on the damn thing because it is supposed to be the best and practically silent - and the thing doesn't dry worth a damn and isn't nearly as quiet as advertised!!!

[Google]

 

[dagwood]

Originally Posted by famita

That's so surprising about Maytag-isn't that the commercial where the guy never has anything to do because the product is soooo good? or maybe it's because he's just lazy and doesn't want to fix the problem!

It's because the company never tells him anything because the customers can't get ahold of Maytag. My fridge broke and I tried calling every day for a week and would be on hold for an hour each time, not matter what time of the day I called. Their customer service sucks and I ended up paying for the repairs myself because I could never get a hold of them to hold up the warranty.

[Melitta]

Originally Posted by Margaritaville

Melitta - I have to agree with you - it seems over the last 20 years or so, every time I buy an off-brand appliance it lasts forever and has no problems. And every time I decide to spend a little extra to get "the best" - I end up getting junk. What is up with that??

example - we purchased our newest home 3 1/2 years ago - hated the dishwasher it came with (don't even remember the brand) and replaced it with a brand name (forget, sorry) - but then it wasn't good enough either, and we went for broke and replaced it with a Bosch. I spent almost $1000 on the damn thing because it is supposed to be the best and practically silent - and the thing doesn't dry worth a damn and isn't nearly as quiet as advertised!!!

I was just looking into reviews for the Bosch since I heard those are the best. Not good reviews for them either. I am just waiting for my dishwasher to die altogether and then I will be getting another "off" brand. It is hilarious to read the reviews for the dishwasher I have. As I said earlier, it is the Maytag Quiet Series and most of the reviews for it were, "Yep, it is as quiet as stated! That is because it is being used as a dish drainer after I get done washing them by hand.

My house was all Magic Chef appliances. I still have the original refridgerator, although it probably needs to be replaced just for energy rating, it is 14 years old. The dishwasher we replaced because it seemed to not clean very well after we moved. Had we known it was in the water causing the problem, we would probably still have it. Even with the whole house water filter we now have and using Lemishine, the Maytag still sucks. Door handle broke the first year, they are on 2 year back order for those. Didn't know when we bought it, that it has sensors in the bottom of it (wasn't stated anywhere, except in fine print on the troubleshooting guide) that it will leave water in the bottom to keep the sensors covered. We all know what standing water does. Gross. I use a turkey baster to suck all that water out before I wash a new load. Probably would be easier to just hand wash my dishes!

[dagwood]

I like magic chef. When I moved in my new house all the appliances were MC. My fridge died after 13 years and I just replaced my dishwasher last year, mostly because the door was broken and needed a stool to hold the door up when it was open. The stove is still going strong.

[Rattus]

In trying to find reviews for the Maytag double oven, I only came across one:

Oven make good food when I buy it. Then oven make big fire. Fire burn down my kitchen. You no buy oven.

Did the oven go very, very wrong, or did she leave something in too long? Anyway, she still gave it a two-star review.

[Melitta]

Dagwood, do they still make Magic Chef? I Googled, but wasn't really getting anything. I would buy Magic Chef again in a heartbeat!

[Melitta]

OK, after looking a little more closely, maybe I won't buy Magic Chef again. Looks like Maytag owns Magic Chef and Maytag is now owned by Whirlpool.

Companies owned by Maytag/Whirlpool...

Maytag Corp.
(now owned by Whirlpool)

Admiral (USA)
Atlantis
Crosley (except a/c's, also see Whirlpool)
Gaffers and Sattler
Gemini ( 1 )
Hardwick
Jade
Jade Range
Jenn Air ( 3 )
Magic Chef (major appliances only)
Maytag ( 2 )
Neptune ( 1 )
Norge

[buglover]

Wow. They have quite a monopoly on the industry.

[Veruka]

Originally Posted by buglover

Wow. They have quite a monopoly on the industry.

Until you figure in all the brands covered under the GE umbrella, and the Sears umbrella.

[Rattus]

Originally Posted by Veruka

Until you figure in all the brands covered under the GE umbrella, and the Sears umbrella.

Actually, in my search for consumer reports on the stove I want, I read a few times that some Kenmore (Sears) products are built by Maytag. No idea if it's true or not.