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Is a Maytag still a Maytag

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hardwood
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2008-07-19          155404


The wife's Maytag drier just bit the big one, it is eleven years old and probably isn't worth a service call, so we are probably going drier shopping later today. I think this is our third set of Maytag's in 46 years, they just seemed to run almost forever without any problems. They always cost more but seemed to be worth it. Now since the buyout, takeover, whatever happened to Maytag, is a Maytag still worth the extra cost or are they just a rebagged sometning else that isn't worth the extra cost? Frank.



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auerbach
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2008-07-19          155405


Major appliances are like tractors. They're simple, hardy, and design proven, but when they need servicing you get the wrenches or spring for a service call. (Actually, Frederick Maytag started his company in the 1890s making farm equipment.)

We always stuck to Maytags, so every time Consumer Reports did a test that includes Maytags (fairly often) we checked so we could feel good. But we never did. In terms of problems, their washers, driers, fridges, and diswashers rate just a little better than half-way up the list of brands. So we're convinced that the best aspect of Maytags is their advertising.

To answer your question, new "Maytags" are actually made by the company that took it over, Whirlpool. But it might be a simple problem like a rusty terminal or broken belt, and a service call for diagnosis might cost less than the built-in charge for pickup, delivery, and installation. If not, go to your nearest library and ask a staffer where you can find Consumer Reports. ....


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kwschumm
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2008-07-19          155406


When Whirlpool bought Maytag they closed all the factories and laid off almost all of the employees. Now Maytags are rebranded Whirlpool machines, and the legendary quality is gone. They are trading on the name now. ....


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Art White
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2008-07-19          155409



It's just amazing what can happen with stock market driven business! Look what the futures just did to us for the price of gasoline!
Aol just had a big article about the decline of Maytag in quality. ....


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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
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2008-07-19          155411


I probably kinda went against the grain here but there is a new Maytag humming away as I write this. I'm supposed to be retired but it seems time is always at a premium around here so going drier shopping today just wasn't going to happen. I called the Maytag dealer we have done business with since forever at about 9:30 AM he recommended a model 5801, I said bring it, at 11:30 the delevery men left with my check for 495.00 and the Mrs. is drying clothed again. Frank. ....


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auerbach
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2008-07-19          155412


You did the right thing because we retired gentlemen need dry clothes and contented wives. She can bask in the legendary quality of Maytag (not knowing that they went belly-up mainly because of quality problems, mainly with their disastrous Neptune line that led to multi-million-dollar class-action suits) and you can feel happy that she has a Whirlpool, a pretty good brand. ....


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kwschumm
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2008-07-19          155413


No problem with that, a working dryer is better than a broken one accompanied by wet clothes and an unhappy wife. We're waiting for our Frigidaire's to break one more time (seven service calls in seven years), and when they do they'll get replaced with Bosch. It would probably be cheaper to buy new domestic units every 4-5 years but I just can't pull the trigger on another poorly made set. ....


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hardwood
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2008-07-19          155420


It's kind of hard for us old guys to accept the throw away mentality of todays world. Yes the clothes are dry, the wife is happy, supper smells good, what else counts? I filled out the mail in warranty card a bit ago, they always ask for your income category which I never fill in. I always wondered that if I would mark my income as 100,000.00 or more if they would call and tell me I could have afforded better stuff. Frank. ....


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auerbach
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2008-07-20          155434


They ask the annoying question about income because advertising media, especially print ones, specify the demographics (mainly age, sex, income) of their readership. You only need the receipt to make a warranty claim; there's no requirement for the so-called warranty card to be sent back. ....


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kthompson
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2008-07-21          155473


Not saying Maytag did not have good appliances but I have used almost totally the Whirlpool line who bought Maytag and owns many others. They have been top notch for us. If you read many reports on quality of home appliances you see many of the high price brands out there have more problems than the old, lower price name you have known for years. kt ....


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auerbach
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2008-07-22          155517


Schumm:

Yes, Whirlpool dismissed the Maytag workers when they closed the Maytag factories (except for a few employees who were relocated). Did you know they gave the Maytag CEO and Board members five years salary as severance? Maytag went under because of the executive, not the workers, but the Maytag CEO had once been a Whirlpool executive. For a firm that deals with keeping things clean, .... ....


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cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000
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2008-07-22          155539


We switched over to Speed Queen commercials after the last pair of Frigidare Gallery front loaders barely made it out of the warranty period before kicking the bucket. Had the best luck years ago with the old GE brands. ....


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kwschumm
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2008-07-22          155540


Speed Queen, no *that's* the name I was failing to remember. If they had a set that would fit where we need to put 'em they'd have another customer. ....


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cutter
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2008-07-22          155542


They may have a set now since they make a homeowner's line. Given the choices other than them, I would go with Sears. We own a Bosch dishwasher and hate the thing. ....


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kwschumm
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2008-07-22          155543


You hate your Bosch dishwasher? Ours is the only appliance in the house that has NOT broken in eight years. We love it. Last time I looked at Sears washer and dryers they were made by Frigidaire, and they are the ones we have had so much trouble with. In fact we don't buy anything from Sears anymore. ....


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cutter
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2008-07-22          155544


The silverware basket allows forks to drop through it and stop the rotating head, the lack of a food grinder (which makes it quiet) means you need to clean a rotted food basket regularly in the drain portion (they all have that) so your final rise water swirls around that thing and whatever is in it is in your rinse (even if cleaned each time), the thing cleans terrible on anything less than its most intensive wash cycle. On a positive note, it was easy to install and level.

I have threatened to reinstall our old Kitchen Aid (which I kept) but the wife gets a bit upset about that. If I did it again it would be Kitchen Aid. ....


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kwschumm
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2008-07-22          155546


Hmm, we have none of those problems. Apparently we don't have the same model :) ....


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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
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2008-07-22          155547


Even living less than a hundred miles from the Maytag plant in Newton, Ia. I really never kept up on what happed far as why they were bought out or even who bought them, that is why I asked the initial question about a Maytag still being a Maytag. Kinda on the light side, when I mentioned to the Mrs. about maybe looking at sometning other than a Maytag I got a reply something like take a hike fella it's gonna be a Maytag. I looked around the house later in the day on Saturday and the only two brands of anything we own are Maytag and Amanna. I remember something similar happening to Amana a while back, so in the same tone, is an Amanna still an Amanna? Frank. ....


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cutter
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2008-07-22          155548


If memory serves, that company was bought out as well. ....


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kthompson
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2008-07-23          155556


Link below on ownership if Amanna.

To me the problem with Sears or a private label as theirs is you have no idea who made it. For years Whirlpool made Sears laundry machines.

At to Kitchen Aid is not that also part of the Whirlpool family? Speed Queen use to have a stainless steel tub, their big selling point. Did not realize they were still in business.

Frank, there was a Maytag plant about 50 miles from me. It was amazing how little news it made when it was closed. Forgive me for not remembering, who was it here who worked for Maytag and had to move due to the sale? kt ....


Link:   Goodman owns amanna

 

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yooperpete
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2008-07-23          155559


I just read this morning that Whirlpool brands include Maytag, Amana, KitchenAid and Jenn-Air. A few years ago Consumer's Report listed Whirlpool as having some of the best washers and dryers. We have a Whirlpool set and my wife dislikes the dryer's cool down cycle since it leaves the clothes wrinkled. We have a GE microwave and flat top stove that both seem to work great. The KitchenAid dishwasher also works great. Their all about 10 years old now. ....


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cutter
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2008-07-23          155561


Speed Queen still has the SS tub on both washer and dryer and has metal gears rather than plastic in the transmission. Wife loves the machines. Sears uses Whirlpool for the top loader, at least they used to and were great machines. The front loaders are rebadged Frigidaire and perhaps some others now. ....


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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
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2008-07-23          155563


Kt;I'm remewmbering the same guy who used to be here on TP, but I can't remember what he used for a user name either. I think he moved to Wisconsin after Maytag closwd. Frank. ....


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DennisCTB
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2008-07-23          155565


Quote:
Originally Posted by hardwood | view 155563
Kt;I'm remewmbering the same guy who used to be here on TP, but I can't remember what he used for a user name either. I think he moved to Wisconsin after Maytag closwd.Frank.


I think that was IowaFun.

Dennis ....


Link:   Iowafun thread

 

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kthompson
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2008-07-23          155576


Thank you Dennis. There was conversation about what he would change that to due to the move. Good the finger does not affect the brain. :) kt ....


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Woodie
Join Date: Jun 2004
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2008-07-23          155589


I just seen an article where GE is looking at selling off their consumer appliance divison as it doesn't 'fit' into their business model.
On made in the USA has anyone seen or heard of the Staber brand -they are made in Ohio. They be expensive- base washer is $1300. from their web site they show the entire production and guts of the unit. Stainless steel drum and tub and they claim to use mechanical switches vs electonic switches and controls. JUST one weird thing about the washer is --its a top loader but the drum is mounted horizontal! We used a machine in Germany very similar to the Staber, but on a smaller scale...my wife was impressed with the quality of the wash and how much dryer the clothes came out, that prompted my search for other washers like that one in Germany and came across the Staber. So I'm wondering to hear if anyone has had or knows of experiences of Staber. They sell mostly direct to user and say you don't need a svc tech -- they will walk you thru the repairs over the phone. ....


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AnnBrush
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2008-07-29          155698


A lot of the choices are made by manufacturers based on different criteria:
Metal gears: Stronger but noisier
Plastic (usually nylon) Not as durable but VERY quiet

So if you spec the strength or durability needed for the gear and the nylon one matches or exceeds it which gear is better - the nylon one of course (it will function as spec'ed but will be quieter.

The simple comparison of metal vs plastic or stainless steel vs enameled is WAY too simplistic. I have had numerous sales men tell me to buy stainless steel facade appliances just because they are in fashion (and they are way more expensive). I will tell you from experience that stainless steel shows off ALL the dirt and fingerprints really well, give me the white painted sheet metal any day my, you wont be able to see the dirt or marks on my fridge. Now all of a sudden which one is better?

Which is better: a thin crappy grade stainless steel drum (which will eventually rust by the way) or a thick high quality enameled or (in my Maytag) plastic drum. Who knows since you don't get the specs on the steel quality used or the other information needed to make the choice appropriate for YOU. ....


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kwschumm
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2008-07-29          155699


Some of the design choices are more complex than they seem on the surface but others certainly are not. For example, on our Frigidaire front loader the drive belt is about the size of a thick rubber band. The service guy called replacement of those belts their "bread and butter". Then there's the cost-cutting choice they made to eliminate any sort of screen to prevent loose change from getting into the pump and destroying the impeller. And the entire drum assembly is suspended by springs that fatigue and break every ~500 loads, dropping the heavy water-laden drum right on top of the motor. Don't get me started on the dryer.

They put some real thought into the criteria specified for those designs :( ....


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cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000
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2008-07-29          155700


I generally look at the entire package when I determine if something is well built or not. I have yet to see plastic wear better than metal when it comes to gearing, at least not any plastic a washing machine company would pay for.

I could not agree more relative to those Frigidaire units. The dryer belts were not as big a problem as the plastic and felt that the drum rides on, what a joke. You could always tell when they needed replacing, some clothes would get stuck between the drum and frame and were ruined.

As for the washer, I did the shock absorber replacement as well. What a rotten setup.

....


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kwschumm
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2008-07-29          155701


Yeah, I forgot about the el-cheapo press fit plastic-and-felt gizmo that served as a front "bearing" for the drum. What a joke! ....


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cutter
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2008-07-29          155702


I'll never forget that after the last butt chewing from the boss when it ate another expensive blouse. The last I might add; it went out to the curb after that, still working in all its glory. ....


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