Fix or replace washer and dryer?

[Sleepyluke]

Not many stand alone stores left around here. Mostly the owners retired and closed up. Sears was our go to for appliances. Well, at least I know I won't have any out of pocket repair expenses for five years with the warranty.
I am still a little put off at how hard it was to even find someone who fixes LG. And that there was a week wait for a service call.

Well done on the warranty for free replacement. You may find about the same number of people will work on a Samsung. Little bit better on parts availability, but still too many "fancy" parts that fail routinely. I imagine it was a Lowe's salesman that told you they never get returned. Our local/regional appliance store typically won't show you LG or Samsung unless you specifically ask for them and even then steer you away.

 

[barkley]

Just preference - I don't like the idea of a big p[propane tank buried in my yard.

got it. very uncommon here for an underground tank at a residence and the wait list for the larger ones can be several years long (we waited over 2 years to upsize our and that was before the pandemic drove demand through the roof).

 

[Cadiewampus]

Interesting. That was the issue we were having with LG. None of the big appliance repair companies service them. There is one guy who does, and he is a former Sears repair person. We bought the LGs from Sears.

For what its worth we have had Samsung front load washer and dryer for at least 8 years and not one bit of trouble. Now you could not give me one of their refrigerators

 

[Cadiewampus]

Well, we don’t exactly choose them - the customers do their own selections, based on an allowance, at our supplier. To your question though - far and away the most reliable (and that’s not to say they are perfect by any means) is anything in the Whirlpool line. That manufacturer includes Maytag, which is basically equivalent to Whirlpool, KitchenAid and Jenn-Air as upgrades and Amana as a more price conscious option. All these brands are built with the same basic platforms and same basic parts, quite easily accessible because most of the manufacturing is done in the US.

When we reno’d our current place I went with a full set of Frigidaire (manufactured by Electrolux) because I needed a very specific size of fridge. They’re now 18 months old and we have needed service on the fridge more than once and the OTR microwave handle broke right off because the “bolts” are made of plastic. In our previous home 10 years ago, we fitted it with a full set of KitchenAid and on balance, they were better in every way.

And I will add here that in general, with any brand, most service issues are with fridges and washers, due to the various water lines and sensors they now have. All these new, fancy and often superfluous features now available, especially anything wifi enabled, are the road to heart ache. We now sell all our homes with a “SmartHome” package because the market demands it. It includes things like remote programmable thermostats, camera door bells, wifi and motion sensor light switches, motorized window blinds, garage door openers and appliances and a few other things. All of it relies on stable wifi connectivity and (very often glitchy) 3rd party apps to function. All of it is just problems waiting to happen. I can’t even describe how it has increased the burden of warranty calls and overall customer dissatisfaction because there is just no way to overcome some of the issues.

In my experience todays Whirlpool lines are biggest pieces of crap out there (long story) so much so that we replaced a 13 month old washer and dryer. Now I do have an older fridge and dishwasher of theirs that are very good.

 

[kdonnel]

Yep, so called "durable goods" aren't so durable anymore. And even if you want to fix something, getting parts can be impossible. And I am in California where the law requires parts to be available for at least 7 years after you buy a new appliance. There is no enforcement, however, of that law. Which may explain why the warranty Lowes gives on parts and labor for five years includes a clause that if an item can't be fixed, they will replace it with a comparable new model.

One of the drivers of our economy is consumer spending. An engine behind consumer spending is planned obsolescence.

I always enjoy the Stuff You Should Know podcasts.
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119...obsolescence-engine-of-the-consumer-46411733/

Durable goods are not as durable as in the past on purpose.

https://thesustainableagency.com/blog/the-history-of-planned-obsolescence/

 

[Sidney Land]

We had our trusted appliance repair man fix our top-loading washer, but he said if this part replacement doesn't hold up then it gets more complicated and expensive. And he was right, a month later it was acting up again, so we bought a new front loading washer - Electrolux - and we've been very happy with it. Just another data point.

 

[tvguy]

Well done on the warranty for free replacement. You may find about the same number of people will work on a Samsung. Little bit better on parts availability, but still too many "fancy" parts that fail routinely. I imagine it was a Lowe's salesman that told you they never get returned. Our local/regional appliance store typically won't show you LG or Samsung unless you specifically ask for them and even then steer you away.

Any theory as to why Lowes would want me to buy Samsung over other brands? Other than the sales lady directed us to it after we asked which brands they get the fewest returns on? Face it, no matter how well you educate yourself, it is a risk. A brand that built models that lasted 20 or 30 years .........20 to 30 years ago......may not be building the same quality equipment today.
Looking at the regional and high end appliance retailers here really hasn't been helpful. They all seem to carry GE, Maytag, Speed Queen, Samsung, Whirlpool and Fridgidair. One also carries Electrolux, Amana and Hotpoint......they are the ones that do not carry LG. . One carries Bosch, Miele, and Asko.