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[Webinar] Kitchen Appliances to Avoid in 2024

The Most Reliable Appliance Brands for 2024

January 25th, 2023 | 8 min. read

By Steve Sheinkopf

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The Most Reliable Appliance Brands 2023

Are you sure you want to read this?

It's pretty grim.

Service for appliances is not a popular topic these days.

In this article, you will learn the most reliable appliances you can buy.

Finding reliability statistics on appliances is incredibly difficult, if not impossible.

Although these statistics cannot guarantee that your new refrigerator will function perfectly, your odds will certainly be better.

It's important you read the entire article before you buy your appliances.

In certain areas, making service part of your decision is better than buying any appliance based on reliability alone.

 

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Why You Should Read This Article

We recently had our 100th-year celebration.

I brought my seven-year-old daughter and introduced a senior technician as "one of the guys who keeps Dad sane."

Everyone thought it was funny.

However, I wasn't joking.

It is honest feedback based on repair rates from over 37,000 service calls logged by our service department just last year.

Many bloggers and websites use this data and distort it to sell through affiliate links.

How We Calculate Appliance Reliability

We determine the reliability of our appliances by dividing the number of products we serviced by the number of products we sold in 12 months.

Whenever a service technician is sent to your house, it counts as a service call.

One of the benefits of having a huge service department of 35 technicians is data collection.

We will be in 130-150 homes today, fixing appliances that are less than a year old and under warranty.

Now, let’s look at the most reliable appliance brands for 2024.

The Most Reliable Appliance Brands for 2024

1. Gaggenau - 4.9% Service Rate

Previous Service Rate in 2022: 9.4%

Gaggenau-Kitchen-at-Yale-Appliance-in-Boston-AIS-2023

After reading all that, Gaggenau’s service rate has been improved significantly from 9.4% to 4.9%.

Then again, the pandemic probably didn't change their supply and demand too much.

Gaggenau is the exclusive cooking line from Bosch.

It is German-designed and manufactured in France. You can do anything with a Gaggenau appliance.

Their coffee system has 34 different automatic programs for different coffee drinks.

Additionally, Gaggenau's ovens have more modes and ways to cook than any other brand.

You can even control the percentage of steam in their steam ovens and their oven temperatures in 1-degree increments.

2. LG – 5.1% Service Rate

Previous Service Rate in 2022: 4.5%

LG-Counter-Depth-MAX-InstaView-Refrigerator-2024

LG being the second most reliable appliance brand is surprising because French door refrigerators are their second most popular appliance.

Refrigerators, especially French doors, have been problematic for every brand in the past.

LG settled a class action lawsuit in 2019 over their inverter compressors.

Over the last few years, LG refrigerators have been more reliable than any other brand. They have sold a mix of ranges, washers, dishwashers, and dryers, all with advanced features.

Much like Miele, LG manufactures their core components like motors and compressors in-house rather than outsourcing their components like most other companies.

LG Studio - 6.1%

Previous Service Rate in 2022: 7.4%

lg-studio-appliances

LG Studio is a higher-end sub-brand of LG.

LG Studio's appliances have more advanced features in all categories, like washers, dryers, ranges, wall ovens, and refrigeration.

They sell more cooking appliances than laundry appliances.

GE Profile – 7% Service Rate

Previous Service Rate in 2022: 6.8%

GE-Profile-PFW950SPTDS-Washer-and-Dryer

GE Profile is GE's upscale refrigerator, dishwasher, laundry, and cooking line.

We separated GE Profile from Café Appliances, their most featured line (which ranked just out of the top 10 for reliability).

I thought their less-featured GE line would be the most reliable, but that number also includes their laundry units.

GE Appliances – 7.3% Service Rate

Previous Service Rate in 2022: 10.1%

GE-Appliances-Smart-Kitchen-Hub

GE's service rate reflects mostly their laundry. Their ranges and refrigerators are basic and less featured than the Profile and Café series.

Miele – 8.6% Service Rate

Previous Service Rate in 2022: 10.4%

Miele-kitchen-at-yale-appliance-in-hanover

Their dishwasher, laundry, and wall oven categories are excellent.

Miele's appliances are incredibly sophisticated, with 110-volt heat pump dryers, advanced washers, and dishwashers with automatic dispensers.

Their cooking appliances have menu-driven controls.

Miele manufactures more of their components than anyone else on this list. As we mentioned earlier, most brands outsource various parts for their appliances.

Bosch - 8.8%

Previous Service Rate in 2022: 10%

bosch-kitchen-at-yale-appliance-in-hanover-2

Their dishwashers are the second most reliable to LG but their refrigerators, ranges, wall ovens, and stovetops are also popular. 

Last year their induction ranges were the best. 

Thermador – 10% Service Rate

Previous Service Rate in 2022: 10.5%

Thermador-kitchen-display-at-yale-appliance-in-hanover-2023

It is hard to believe any company selling mostly built-in refrigerators, pro ranges, wall ovens, steam ovens, cooktops, and rangetops can be on this list.

Thermador's reliability improved dramatically when Bosch bought the company in the 1990s.

When Thermador was part of another company, Masco, their former sales manager, bristled when he learned of the many problems.

He was legit mad.

That is until he bought a Thermador wall oven for his house. The wall oven didn't work - I call that poetic justice.

But that was then.

Thermador is now owned by Bosch, a German company with a process-driven approach, even at the high-end.

Comparing Service Rates from 2022 and 2023

"I expected more issues as manufacturers must have used different suppliers to fix their broken supply chains."

I wrote that last year.

In addition, the direction of our company has changed. We've started selling more GE Appliances, LG, LG Studio, and SKS (Signature Kitchen Suite).

We've stopped selling Whirlpool and Maytag.

Samsung is was not part of our portfolio during the pandemic.

We want fewer brands to optimize our service and ability to stock parts and repair quickly.

Why Are Products Less Reliable Now

A few years ago, when asked this question, I used to mention that energy standards played a part in their change.

I would also say, "They don't make them like they used to."

Then, I’d add a positive spin to it and say that new refrigerators have a positive benefit in terms of energy savings.

Old refrigerators could cost up to $500 a year, while a new refrigerator would only cost around $50 a year.

In the last few years, there may have been problems with manufacturers finding new suppliers.

All manufacturers struggled with overwhelming demand in 2020-2023 and did the best they could.

Why Some Appliance Categories Are More Reliable Than Others

best-front-load-washers-in-hanover

Specific categories like washers are more reliable than French door counter-depth refrigerators.

The most reliable brands sell more reliable categories and basic, builder-grade appliances, but exceptions exist.

Some of the best brands on this list have little support available when there is an issue. I say that a lot in this article, but it needs to be repeated.

Buy a reliable brand, but also find the best support.

I recommend searching online for service and service providers for your appliance research.

Lastly, I read tons of comments on the Home Appliance Blog and our YouTube channel. No brand is immune from issues, even the most reliable.

The Most Reliable Appliances for 2024

The most reliable appliances historically are grills and microwaves. Ventilation hoods, washers, dryers, and dishwashers are reliable as well.

If you are looking to buy warranties, those categories, historically, are not worth buying a warranty for. We will see about that this year.

A front-load washer may be an exception because of the high repair cost.

Pro Tip: Do not buy an extended appliance warranty unless you have a local appliance service team available.

The Least Reliable Appliances for 2024

Counter-Depth French Door Refrigerators

French-door-counter-depth-refrigerators-at-yale-appliance-in-hanover

The ice maker of a French door refrigerator is still an issue.

Ice cubes traveling through a warmer refrigerator continue to be a problem.

Over the last few years, reliability has improved for refrigerators until this year. French door counter-depth refrigerators have a high service rate.

We don't see many compressor problems anymore, but more annoying issues like doors not properly closing.

Professional Ranges

Professional-Ranges-at-Yale-Appliance-1

Professional ranges with high-output burners have problems with gas igniters.

Usually, it is not an issue because you can have four to seven burners on a pro range.

However, these pro ranges are larger units with more features like grills, griddles, steam ovens, and multiple burners, with the possibility of more issues than a regular four-burner range.

A 60-inch range is twice as big as a regular range, with plenty more to break.

The most reliable brands sell fewer refrigerators and pro ranges. Instead, they sell more reliable appliances, such as dishwashers, microwaves, and compact washers and dryers.

Brands like BlueStar are disadvantaged because they sell primarily pro ranges and built-in refrigerators. Reliability is about numbers between similar companies.

How You Should Use This Article

You want to use this article as a resource to compare similar companies with equivalent products, such as LG and GE.

Then, you want to look at the best of each category, like dishwashers, washers, ranges, and refrigerators.

We will have those individual reliability posts published by the end of February.

There will be links to those articles at the bottom.

We represent the fewest brands than any other appliance store of our size to maintain our service quality. We don’t want to stretch our service department too thin.

Also, a few brands still have known service issues.

Although social media inflames every problem, you should still look at reviews on the product, the repair services, and the store.

See what happens after the sale. How are those problems solved?

Doing so will give you a good insight into how you will be treated.

Why Reliability Matters More Now Than Ever: The Problems with Appliance Service

Let's say you buy or lease a car.

Somewhere in that transaction, you are led through a spotless service department.

It's a given when buying a car.

Do you want to terrify your car dealer? Give them an eight or less on your survey.

That affects their NPS and Net Promoter Score.

Punishment will come swiftly from corporate.

However, buying appliances varies from purchasing a vehicle because 95% of appliance retailers do not have a service department.

Most manufacturers do not have a service department either.

NPS for appliances?

You will never get a call or survey (except from us).

When you buy from a retailer and a brand without service, you are almost guaranteed to have problems with no way to fix them.

We started in service in the early 1990s because a local appliance service agent nearly burnt a customer's new kitchen to a crisp while fixing their range.

Buying reliable appliances is the best way to avoid service problems.

The average turnaround nationwide on a repair is 90 days (about three months) between scheduling the repair, the technician arriving, and your appliance being fixed.

However, buying appliances from a brand or store with an available service department may be the better long-term strategy.

Every appliance will have an issue eventually.

Massachusetts has many choices like Hunter Appliance, Poirier Sales and Service, Doyon's Appliance, Barron's Major Brand Appliances, and others.

Nationally, GE and Whirlpool have the largest service networks.

If other stores tell you not to worry about it (and they will), look at a typical day at Yale in the graph below:

Yale-Today-Delivery-Service-and-Installation-graphic-1

Service is by far our largest department. We have 35 service technicians and are actively looking for 30 more.

Then again, these guys and the many people who supported them logged just under 40,000 service calls last year:

yale-service-tech-team-hanover

For perspective, we were in nearly every house in Braintree, Massachusetts servicing an appliance.

That’s a lot of people.

One Last Issue to Consider: Appliance Delivery

Our service rates are probably much lower than the national average. Many "service" problems are veiled as delivery and installation issues.

For example, if you are in California and buying off the internet from a retailer in New York, that appliance will travel a long distance through many people and warehouses.

The chances of damage and service-related problems increase greatly.

Lastly, the shortage of skilled labor has affected delivery, especially skilled installers. Water leaks and other problems attributed to appliances often start from a lack of experience.

Once again, and I know I often say this: check store reviews before buying any appliance.

Better yet, download our free Appliance Delivery Checklist to help you.

The Most Reliable Appliance Brands: Key Takeaways

If you buy a whole kitchen, there is a good chance you will need service.

Bosch, Thermador, and GE's lines have the best technician support and parts availability, at least in Boston.

Your area could be different. Most appliance brands, unlike automobile manufacturers, offer minimal service.

Finding competent service should be part of your buying decision, along with price, installation, and delivery.

Additional Resources

Have questions on appliances? Read the Yale Appliance Buying Guide with the 10 most frequently asked questions, the best time to buy appliances as well as detailed profiles of all the brands. Well over 1 million people have read a Yale Guide.

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Why Should You Trust Us?

It seems that every appliance review has nothing but glowing comments about almost every product, yet you read customer reviews and they are almost universally bad.

We are here to fill in the disconnect. We'll give you the best features, and the drawbacks as well, including reliability based on over 37,000 calls performed by our service team just last year. Our goal is to give you ALL the information so you know what's right for you.

Please consider subscribing or adding to the conversation in the comments below. We appreciate you stopping by.

Steve Sheinkopf

Steve Sheinkopf is the third-generation CEO of Yale Appliance and a lifelong Bostonian. He has over 38 years of experience in the appliance industry, and he is a trusted source of information for consumers on how to buy and repair appliances.

Steve has also been featured in numerous publications, including the New York Times, Consumer Reports, The Boston Globe, Bloomberg Radio, the New York Post, The Wall Street Journal, and Entrepreneur, for his knowledge of how to buy appliances and appliance repair.

Steve is passionate about helping consumers find the best appliances for their needs, and he is always happy to answer questions and provide advice. He is a valuable resource for consumers who are looking for information on appliance buying, repair, and maintenance.

Despite being the worst goalie in history, Steve is a fan of the Bruins and college hockey, loves to read, and is a Peloton biker. The love of his life is his daughter, Sophie.

A Note About Pricing

Pricing on this blog is for reference only and may include time sensitive rebates. We make every attempt to provide accurate pricing at time of publishing. Please call the stores for most accurate price.