Who Really Makes Your Appliances? A Guide to Relabeled Brands and What They're Worth

So, you bought this BlueStar freestanding refrigerator for $4,295.

The salesperson told you BlueStar was the best.

Unfortunately, this refrigerator is actually made by Beko.

You can buy it for $1,799.

Ouch.

In this article, you'll learn who makes what labels and the price differences.

Sometimes, the price gap isn’t so bad.

Other times, you could be paying a lot more without realizing the identical model is much cheaper.

By the end, you'll know how to avoid these industry landmines and make smarter buying decisions.

The First Rebranding Fail: What Cadillac Taught Us About Relabeled Products

Slick marketing to sell average products is standard in other industries.

That branded, pressed Egyptian cotton shirt you wear to work?

It exists for far less without the premium label.

I remember the first catastrophic rebranding example from when I was a marketing major in college.

We were assigned the Cadillac Cimarron.

The car that destroyed the brand.

It was a Chevy Cavalier with leather seats and a Cadillac logo.

Almost like our BlueStar example from earlier.

Searching for something positive, I brought my grandfather along for a test drive.

He was a Depression-era guy and a huge Caddy fan.

In fact, he once swore that if he ever became successful, he would buy a Cadillac and trade it in every year.

After the drive, I asked him what he thought.

“I hate it,” were his exact words.

My grandfather never hid his true feelings about anything.

Soon after, he stopped buying Cadillacs.

But Caddys aren’t appliances. You won’t spend fifteen thousand dollars more just for a bit of leather.

So let’s look at who makes what.

Who Really Makes Your Appliances?

Why Do Manufacturers Rebrand the Same Appliances

The key for any factory owner is to keep the factory producing.

I remember being in a Sharp TV factory in 1986, watching Curtis Mathes TVs being produced.

For factories, it’s more efficient to produce at higher volumes - even if that means selling to a competitor.

The competitor now gains access to a product without the cost of building their own factory.

Many companies can’t manufacture every product themselves, so they outsource what they can’t build.

You see this often with premium lines.

BlueStar makes refrigerator columns and pro-style refrigerators, but outsources their standard refrigerators to Beko.

Rebranding Within the Same Line

Let’s say you’re the CEO of Whirlpool.

You have a choice:

Spend money on researching and developing new products.

That’s always the best strategy, in my opinion.

However, you can make more and sell more by offering the same product with different aesthetics under different labels.

This strategy is far more common.

Why?

Because it’s easier in the short term.

The legendary Whirlpool Vice President of Sales, Sam Abdelnour, was once asked:

Does your company really have the stomach to make truly proprietary products for JennAir?

“I don’t know,” was his answer.

In the long term, you let your innovative competitors eventually beat you to market.

Samsung and LG have done so. At least for now.

Now you know. Let’s look at some examples, in no particular order.

Examples of Relabeled Appliances by Brand

Sharp Microwave Drawers

The drawer is a great design, safely tucked away under the counter.

But as you look more closely at features and prices, just understand that Sharp makes it for every other brand.

That’s right. Don’t spend $2,000 on that Sharp microwave just yet.

Somehow, Sharp makes it better looking for everyone else.

Most of those companies, like Thermador, JennAir, and Monogram, offer rebates when you buy their other appliances.

Amana / Whirlpool / Maytag / KitchenAid / JennAir

The old, independent Maytag was the best company.

Their products were solid, and their people were even better.

Until they weren’t.

Then Whirlpool bought the company, closed the plant in Iowa, and started building Maytag-branded Whirlpool laundry.

In fact, most Amana, Whirlpool, and Maytag products are similar.

They didn’t stop there.

Have a look:

They’re mostly the same range.

"Mostly" means KitchenAid adds another power burner compared to Whirlpool, plus a warming drawer.

JennAir adds a bit m ore power and swaps the warmer for a baking drawer.

Bosch / Thermador / Gaggenau

The BSH Group has some innovative appliances, but also some redundancy.

Integrated Refrigerators

Thermador recently updated their designs, but all three models are made in the same Turkish factory.

In fact, Miele is also made in that same factory.

By the way, don't be surprised. Many appliances are made in Turkey.

We'll get to that a bit later.

Dishwashers

They're all made in the same Bosch factory in North Carolina.

That $1,399 Thermador dishwasher is eerily similar to the $899 Bosch.

Don't get too upset.

It's free when you buy other Thermador appliances.

Cooktops

I could say most cooktops are similar across every brand.

Take the Thermador Freedom, for example. It's very similar to the Gaggenau, but with fewer features.

Gaggenau also doesn't use the word Freedom.

Bosch Professional Induction Stoves

I remember seeing these 30- and 36-inch stoves at a trade show years ago.

The units looked nice. Then I checked out the oven and asked, "Who’s making this for you?"

A smaller oven is a hallmark of an Italian brand.

SMEG, an Italian brand, makes the Bosch Pro Induction.

GE / GE Profile / Café / Monogram

One day, about 30 years ago, our GE rep showed us the new Profile line.

“Hey Ron,” I asked,

“What’s the difference between this new Profile and the better GE stuff we sold last week?”

I’m not very well liked in this industry.

Anyway, Profile was GE’s better stuff.

So, let’s take a look at the GE, Profile, and Café counter-depth French door refrigerators.

Pretty similar. Most people buy the Café for the color and accents.

But here’s what’s weird about Profile and Café.

Look at these dishwashers.

The Profile is quieter and less expensive than the Café.

But it has no color.

LG / LG Studio / SKS

LG does a pretty good job of keeping the brands distinct.

They simply give better features to the higher-end labels, with some overlap.

Take these SKS and LG Studio wall ovens, for example. It has speed cooking on the top and steam assist functionality.

But the prices are a bit higher.

For wall ovens, you'll also see a lot of similarities among models like the Profile, Café, and Monogram French door wall oven.

Electrolux / Frigidaire

We haven’t sold Frigidaire and Electrolux in a while.

But these ranges look similar:

Electroluxc 36" Gas Freestanding Range ECFG3668AS ($4,499+)

 

Frigidaire Professional 36" Gas Range PCFG3670AF ($5,199+)

 

Frigidaire, the less premium brand, is actually more expensive. It also has one more power burner.

The refrigerators were similar as well when we sold them.

Samsung

Samsung doesn’t outsource.

This is a quick but important contrast to all the other brands discussed.

Premium Appliance Relabeling

Typically, premium lines will outsource some, but not all, of their products.

Again, they can’t make everything. It's cheaper to put a label on something already built.

Most will outsource their microwaves, at the very least.

Viking

Viking manufactures all of its cooking appliances, ventilation, and grills.

They outsource the dishwasher and refrigerator to Beko.

Microwaves are mostly outsourced to Sharp.

Sub-Zero / Wolf / Cove

Sub-Zero does not want to sell freestanding refrigerators, so they don’t outsource.

Their focus is on premium appliances. The company only outsources at the edges of their cooking lineup.

Cove is a dishwasher line produced by Sub-Zero in Kentucky.

Wolf manufactures most of their cooking appliances, except for their microwaves.

Their steam ovens and coffee systems are made by a Swiss manufacturer.

Miele

Miele is a family-owned company based in Germany.

They manufacture most of their products to the component level, including stoves, dishwashers, and laundry machines.

They even make their own steam oven.

However, their refrigerators are made in Turkey. Their freestanding refrigerators are produced by Liebherr.

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How Can You Tell if It's Relabeled

Well, most companies relabel. Just look at the specifications when comparing models.

If a refrigerator has identical capacity in the refrigerator section - or in both the refrigerator and freezer - it’s probably relabeled.

Should You Stay Away From Relabeled Appliances?

Not necessarily.

My dad’s Café refrigerator has an interesting control panel and the ability to dispense hot water.

I like it.

But the Café costs less without that feature.

Sure, the Thermador dishwasher costs more, but it ends up being free in a package.

💡Expert Tip: Use the rebates to your advantage on the premium side for Thermador, JennAir, and Monogram. Buy a microwave drawer instead of the free hood.

In certain cases, the prices can be way off for absolutely nothing.

You should be wary of that.

That’s your key takeaway.

Know you can buy it cheaper, but check the features and rebates.

Stay away from egregious upcharges that come with no added value.

Then again, you might want to pick another store if your quote or purchase includes a lot of overpriced relabeled appliances.

Additional Resources

Looking for more help on appliances? Get our free Appliance Buying Guide with the 10 most frequently asked questions, their answers, features on the major brands, and advice for the best buying strategies. Well over 1 million people have read a Yale Guide.

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