General Discussion

sinkingfeeling

(55,917 posts) Tue Jun 17, 2025, 10:12 AM Jun 17

Let's talk about American manufacturing quality. This is a Kitchenaid dishwasher, [View all]

made in Findlay, Ohio by Whirlpool. I paid close to $1100 for it and it was installed in February 2023. It had a two year extended warranty. The entire left, bottom seam of the stainless steel tub came undone. Started leaking down my basement wall around January. Took me awhile to realize the wall wasn't wet from rain and only happened when I ran the dishwasher.

So, I spent $142.25 for a plumber who replaced water line last Wednesday. Still leaked, and they came back out the next day and pulled it out. The plumber said to call an appliance repairman. He came on Friday ($135) and said there was no way to repair the tub.

Interestingly, although both Kitchenaid and Whirlpool list customer service phone numbers on their websites, neither will take complaints nor let you speak to a real person.

My take is I spent alot of money to put in a top of the line appliance that fell apart in 2 years. I had a GE, bought locally at 60% off ($400) due to some trim piece that came unglued, installed yesterday for a mere $240.
I had to replace it because I'm putting the house on the market in 2 weeks.

86 replies

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Let's talk about American manufacturing quality. This is a Kitchenaid dishwasher, [View all] sinkingfeeling Jun 17 OP

I feel ya. Warranties - extended or not, are usually bullshit. harumph Jun 17 #1

Years ago I bought an extended warranty for something from walmart Tribetime Jun 17 #77

Appliance quality has been declining for the last 25+ years. Clouds Passing Jun 17 #2

Maytag is also owned by Whirlpool. They bought out Amana as well. sinkingfeeling Jun 17 #5

THIS malaise Jun 17 #11

Appliances and electronics are not meant to be repaired today, just thrown away and replaced with new ones. sop Jun 17 #29

Agree with you , sop debm55 Jun 17 #38

Yep, it's really a shame. Pinback Jun 17 #49

We have had an Amana fridge for the past 25 years. Keeps going strong. Clouds Passing Jun 17 #72

We usually buy German made (cars, major appliances). nt Celerity Jun 17 #3

Agree, love my Bosch appliances! EastBayGuy Jun 17 #37

Ditto here. Bosch have been great for me. Dave says Jun 17 #73

Indeed malaise Jun 18 #83

We bought a Whirlpool washing machine at Lowe's - it failed less than 18 months later . . . hatrack Jun 17 #4

The electronic on my drier went out Johonny Jun 17 #14

Planned obsolescence, also causes almost all of the pollution Blue Full Moon Jun 17 #6

Must be related to our "Kenmore" refrigerator. Kid Berwyn Jun 17 #7

Get this straight: These are not your grandfathers' manufacturers. They all left when Sears left. Jit423 Jun 17 #8

Yep, I left a 31 year old, side-by-side Amana refrigerator and a 25 year old Kitchenaid dishwasher in my house sinkingfeeling Jun 17 #10

What made this Kitchenaid "top of the line" over the GE flvegan Jun 17 #9

Second most expensive model offered by KitchenAid. They were ranked by Consumers' Reports to be reliable. sinkingfeeling Jun 17 #12

So "second most expensive" is top of the line? flvegan Jun 17 #16

Yeah, more bells and whistles. The GE one even has more. sinkingfeeling Jun 17 #22

Expensive and Kitchenaid are interchangeable. Conjuay Jun 17 #20

I found Consumer Reports over the years to be moniss Jun 17 #40

Kitchen Aid Superba DENVERPOPS Jun 17 #41

Branding. Many of them are made in the same factories from mostly the same parts by the same people Bluetus Jun 17 #44

No surprise OC375 Jun 17 #13

Thinking American consumers value 'new' & bells & whistles over quality Attilatheblond Jun 17 #27

How to evaluate quality Mosby Jun 17 #28

Consumer Reports. If you don't subscribe, go to your public library for it. Hekate Jun 17 #35

Everything produced has 'Flipped" DENVERPOPS Jun 17 #43

I hear you peggysue2 Jun 17 #15

I knew a couple who worked warranty repair call center MagickMuffin Jun 17 #17

That's why there is a high demand for cars built before Conjuay Jun 17 #21

Where would that be? Mosby Jun 17 #30

Totally Agree DENVERPOPS Jun 17 #52

A car manufacturer is only required to produce replacement parts for ten MichMan Jun 17 #80

Not sure of that, DENVERPOPS Jun 18 #82

And this is not just true of American made appliances malaise Jun 17 #26

Yes indeed, the Warranty Center handled calls for all appliances MagickMuffin Jun 17 #32

They WAY overcomplicate them now Cosmocat Jun 17 #18

A welded seam on a stainless steel tub isn't that complicated. sinkingfeeling Jun 17 #24

BOSCH dishwasher CountAllVotes Jun 17 #19

It's hit and miss with BOSCH IrishBubbaLiberal Jun 17 #34

Sorry to read this CountAllVotes Jun 17 #60

But... dishwasher is used a LOT IrishBubbaLiberal Jun 17 #62

This one is maybe 20X a year CountAllVotes Jun 17 #66

Too bad Speed Queen doesn't make dishwashers Rstrstx Jun 17 #74

I have an old KitchenAid Blender refurbished that I have had forever Beringia Jun 17 #23

American Factory Johnny2X2X Jun 17 #25

Prefer LG Products djacq Jun 17 #31

It's all meant to be replaced Oneironaut Jun 17 #33

It doesn't seem any brand is reliable anymore. We've currently got a Maytag refrigerator I'd like to take Vinca Jun 17 #36

I hear you. Give Peace A Chance Jun 17 #51

My washer and dryer are Maytags... Archae Jun 17 #79

I had a Samsung refrigerator that was so loud and the ice maker went out after 4 years and needed to replace it kimbutgar Jun 17 #39

I also had a problem with a Samsung refrigerator phylny Jun 17 #65

I had a Samsung refrigerator Delarage Jun 17 #67

I also called and they replaced the ice maker and a year later the ice maker stopped working kimbutgar Jun 17 #71

That stinks Delarage Jun 17 #75

Strangely enough... jmowreader Jun 17 #42

THe worst part of the story is the service not the build quality Bluetus Jun 17 #45

We bought a dishwasher through IKEA Old Crank Jun 17 #46

FYI -there is class action $$ available deadline June 18 off-the-clock Jun 17 #47

The compressor went out on my refrigerator. appleannie1 Jun 17 #48

We HAD the same model purr-rat beauty Jun 17 #50

Everything must be cheapened to keep the price down because the deflated dollars bucolic_frolic Jun 17 #53

Try here for up-to-date and thorough reviews Try Harder Jun 17 #54

Most people I know are looking KT2000 Jun 17 #55

In the nineties, I was standing in line to get a trigger for drill I'd borrowed. ... marble falls Jun 17 #56

As someone who has repaired a lot of appliances over the years... CaptainTruth Jun 17 #57

Brand names can be misleadng calguy Jun 17 #58

I had same dishwasher.. broke twice Bluesaph Jun 17 #59

My brother and his wife redid their kitchen a few years ago. rsdsharp Jun 17 #61

I bought Samsung appliances 2 years Luciferous Jun 17 #63

Our middle daughter and son-in-law bought a refrigerator phylny Jun 17 #64

I hate that everything is getting computerized. It just breaks faster, and costs more to fix. mucholderthandirt Jun 17 #68

Oh, and my mother still has the dryer she got in 1974! mucholderthandirt Jun 17 #69

100+ years and FORD still can't build engines. WarGamer Jun 17 #70

I worked for them. It was always multigraincracker Jun 17 #78

We bought a Bosch. It's been great. CanonRay Jun 17 #76

I've got a Speed Queen washing machine with twist 'n' click analog controls. No computer boards. It's like a 1964 Maytag NBachers Jun 18 #81

I've had good luck with Whirlpool and Amana Mysterian Jun 18 #84

Whirlpool builds KitchenAids, Maytags, and Amanas. All the same. sinkingfeeling Jun 18 #86

An Entire Economic Segment... ProfessorGAC Jun 18 #85