What brand of home appliances to buy?

Recommendations from Fuse HVAC & Appliance Repair for the purchase of new appliances are repair experience in the cities of Santa Clara, San Jose, Milpitas, Campbell, Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, Mountain View, Saratoga, Los Gatos, Los Altos. Los Altos Hills, Cupertino, Morgan Hill, Gilroy, San Martin.

Usually the customers asks me in those cases where repair is not cost-effective, what to buy instead of a broken appliance. I present here for you a list of my recommendations:

If the repair of the refrigerator failed, the recommendations for purchasing by brand will be like these:

1. GE (General Electric) – it happened that GE makes the best refrigerators – they have the least problems with the seal system, they are very common and spare parts for them can always be found. Repairability is high. Frequent problems are a common problem with control boards and sensors.
2. Kenmore refrigerators are simple and reliable. As it is known Kenmore is just a brand – under which other different companies produce – GE, Whirlpool, etc. As a rule, they have a simple engineering solution and they are also quite understandable for repairing.
3. Refrigerator Samsung – Samsung makes good electronics and bad mechanics – mechanical parts quickly break down, plastic leaves much to be desired. The sensor in the refrigerator box is bugging up very often and the ice is formed on the tube – this is the most common problem, but it can be solved for inexpensive.
4. Refrigerators BOSCH – I rarely meet them, but I meet them. As a rule, they all work fine. I can safely recommend. Few things are bugging up and spare parts are expensive.
5. Whirlpool and KitchenAid refrigerators – modern refrigerators of these brands can be put on the last place – I cannot recommend them to buy except for those models where the thermostat is simply used as a temperature controller. Frequent problems with electronics, frequent problems with the seal system, complex, wise construction. It often happens that the parts are discontinued. This is a problem, because the fridge is just for throwing out.
6. Electrolux, Fridgidaire – are the worst electronics, if there is any problem, then it is the control board. I do not recommend it at all.
7. LG – never ever buy LG refrigerator with linear compressor – they are very bad. They can won’t last 1.5 year and warranty will cover only part, not labor.

These are the 4 major popular brands in the US.

There are also premium brands – they are rare, because they are few who can buy them, but nevertheless their repair is also found. These brands I can safely recommend Viking, Thermador (the same as BOSCH but only in a beautiful wrapper), Sub-zero (the best).

Trends go to the fact that I can recommend to buy only the simplest refrigerator- without electronics, just with the temperature control with the help of a thermostat – without any control board, sensor touch panel, display and etc junk. Simpler is good. From the fact that you buy an expensive refrigerator – food and beer in it won’t taste better. Don’t bother with marketing.

If the repair of the washer failed, the recommendations for purchasing by brand will be like these:

1. Front load – this is LG – in general it’s understandable maintainable construction, spare parts are always present, reliable – usually it should take about 8-10 years before the first breakdown. Reliable mechanics.
2. TOP Load, front load – Kenmore (80 series), Whirlpool are without any electronics, just with a simple ticking timer – you just need to wash. Believe me, that’s all you need. Additional functions are a complete bluff and waste of your money. Simple design as a Kalashnikov assault rifle. I like these washing machines. Reliable and durable. The newer washing machines began to use cheaper details and as a consequence they are quickly wear out, but it’s easy and quick to change them for inexpensive price. If it’s an old washing machine, which is 15-20 years old, it’s better to fix it, because it may work for 15-20 years more.
3. I do not recommend buying Samsung washing machines – they work until total decay about 4-5 years. Then it’s easier to throw than fix it. Poor, low-quality mechanics. Machine like this – just falls apart.
4. BOSCH – I changed drane pumps a couple of times – a reliable German car – I recommend, but repair will be expensive – because of difficult to parse construction.
5. Whirlpool, MAYTAG and GE are reliable, but the spare parts are extremely expensive – replacing the spider in this way will cost 600-700 dollars for spare parts and about 385 for replacement. Is it worth it? No!

If the repair of the dryer  failed, the recommendations for purchasing by brand will be like these:

1. LG – if you want something electronic.
2. Kenmore, Whirlpool – are good reliable driers – if to take with timers, then they are the best, simplicity of construction and reliability.
3. Samsung – is not bad drier, easy to repair, but it’s not reliable, it will be 2-3 years before the first breakdown, maybe if you’re lucky 4-5 years.
4. GE – are not bad driers, but usually with a complex design. Difficult to repair – expensive parts. I do not recommend it at all.
5. BOSCH – difficult to repair, but reliable – I can recommend, but repair will be expensive.

If the repair of the dishwasher failed, the recommendations for purchasing by brand will be like these:

1. Kenmore, Whirlpool, KitchenAid – simplicity of design and construction – spare parts are always available.
2. BOSCH, Thermador – are reliable as a German tank. Difficult to repair. The repair is expensive. The cost of spare parts is average. As a rule, spare parts are available. A common problem is drain pump.
3. Samsung – is buggy technique, stuffed with electronics and sensors – I do not recommend it.
4. If you have an old Fridgidaire, then it’s better to fix it. Never buy a new Frididaire or Electrolux – it’s just a horror – I do not recommend to buy it at all.

If the repair of the microwave failed, the recommendations for purchasing by brand will be like these:

1. The best GE (General Electric) – spare parts are always available, they are sometimes expensive, but once in no time. You can always fix it. I recommend.
2. Samsung, LG – Samsung and LG make good electronics – I can recommend.
3. Sharp – is excellent – I have Sharp. =)
4. Fridgidaire, electrolux – I do not recommend. Difficult to dismantle.
5. The others are cheap brands.

If the repair of the stove\range failed, the recommendations for purchasing by brand will be like these:

1. I can safely recommend GE – simple design and available spare parts.
2. Whirlpool, KitchenAid – are not bad and good. I recommend.
3. Samsung and LG – 50 to 50. As luck would have it.
4. BOSCH is good one. Highly recommended.

If the repair of the oven failed, the recommendations for purchasing by brand will be like these:

Here everything is ambiguous. All are good. Everything had problems. It’s hard to say, something concrete. Take what is on the wallet, but I better recommend gas with igniters such as igniter.

If the repair of the double wall oven failed, the recommendations for purchasing by brand will be like these:

Here, everything is ambiguous too. The control board usually breaks as a result of using the Self Clean function. I cannot recommend anything concrete – all have the same problems.