Does the Brand Name of Your Appliance Really Matter?
Untangling the ties between brands and manufacturers can be complicated but at Authorized Appliance Repair we fix them all.
Are you in the market for a new fridge, freezer, washer, dryer, cooktop, or other major appliance? At first glance, it can seem like you have a tremendous variety of brands to choose from. In reality, many of these brands are actually owned by the same parent company and manufactured to the same standards using the same mechanical designs and materials. While there will still be variety in features from model to model, from brand to brand the difference may be mainly a matter of perception.
Who Makes What
- The Amana, Maytag, KitchenAid, and Jenn-Air brands are owned by Whirlpool
- Costco’s Kirkland brand appliances are made by Whirlpool
- Frigidaire and GE are owned by Electrolux (GE’s appliance division got bought in September 2014)
- Kenmore appliances may be made by Whirlpool, Electrolux, Samsung, or LG depending on the model
Are Brands Irrelevant?
Though Amana, Maytag, KitchenAid, and Jenn-Air appliances may look different on the outside, the mechanical design of comparable models is often identical from brand to brand. So if the appliances themselves aren’t really that different, why do parent companies continue to produce so many different brands? There are several reasons for this.
In one sense, it is a marketing decision that parent companies have made to help the retailers that sell their products. Though the big box stores have eroded this practice somewhat, in the past it was common for appliance dealers to successfully share the market in one geographical area because one offered one brand name and the other offered another, though both inventories were made by the same parent company.
Another benefit of having multiple brand names is that parent companies can then target multiple different markets at once. For example, a company can manufacture lower-end machines under a separate brand name than their flagship models without worrying about a lower-quality product tarnishing the more expensive brand name of their finest products.
How to Choose Your Appliances
Now that you understand that brand name distinctions aren’t as useful as you may have thought, how are you supposed to choose your appliances? The answer is to focus on models and features rather than brand names alone. Also, remember to take a salesman’s word with a grain of salt. They want to paint their wares in the best possible light. For an honest and unbiased opinion on the reliability and potential repair costs of a given manufacturer’s products, consider asking an experienced appliance repair tech for advice. After all, they have seen all kinds of appliance problems first hand and they can tell you from experience what to expect.
At Authorized Appliance Repair, we work on all brands of appliances from any appliance manufacturer, so you can always call us for help with whatever brand or model you end up buying.
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