Introduction
People love Whirlpool products! Their series of washer and dryers and refrigerators are second to none and easily some of the best in the business from our experience, even going head to head with the likes of LG and Samsung for top picks. It’s no wonder they are some of our most requested used appliances people buy from our store. Even when their products do have issues, they are very easy for us to fix and find replacement parts and generally last for a very long time for the most part.
For these reasons, Whirlpool is one of our favorite brands to sell, used and new. They are almost like the Toyota or Honda of the appliance world (enters Scotty Kilmer) when it comes to reliability you can count on in our opinion. The reliability you get from them is out of this world. In this post, we explore the origins of the company and try to figure out the secret sauce behind their success and whether the company’s products are still worth buying in 2023 and beyond.
The History of the Whirlpool Corporation
How did Whirlpool even begin anyway? Their origins lie over 100 years ago when founder Lou Upton had the idea for an electrified washing machine and secured the patents according to Investopedia. The company was created in Michigan and has since become a top Fortune 500 company with a valuation of over $21 billion! What started out as a small, humble idea morphed into a large-scale operation with many manufacturing facilities all over the United States. Whirlpool is also the owner of the Hotpoint brand, and unsurprisingly, those sell out quickly too!
Did you know that Whirlpool also owns Maytag? If you ever wonder why your Maytag appliance does its job so perfectly, you can thank Whirlpool for engineering their high quality and standards into the Maytag line as well. Whirlpool basically buys out smaller companies and brands and then standardizes their expectations across the board to improve the long-term quality of these lines.
What Are Some of Whirlpool’s Brands?
We already mentioned Maytag for instance, but even we were shocked to learn that they also own these brands too:
1. KitchenAid
2. Amana
3. Jenn-Air
4. Consul
5. Hotpoint
They’ve had other brands too in the past but like all large multinational companies do, they sell them off to others who might be able to improve their profitability. In this way, Whirlpool has always played the long game in acquisitions and prospects. That’s a reason why they’ve owned Maytag since the year 2006!
Range of Home Appliance Products from Whirlpool
It’s also not surprising to anyone that Whirlpool sells a huge variety of different products aimed at as many people as possible. Here’s just a small fraction of what they sell and manufacture:
1. Washers
2. Dryers
3. Microwaves
4. Freezers
5. Cooktops
6. Wine Centers (even this shocked us!)
7. Trash compactors
8. Ranges
You know a company is doing things right when they have their claws into so many different kinds of appliances! It makes it so much easier for consumers to buy exactly what they need and go with a company that they can rely on for so much more.
The Quality and Durability of Whirlpool Home Appliances
One big reason why Whirlpool products last as long as they do is because the company is constantly testing their stuff and also has stringent quality controls in place. Their warranties are also some of the best in the business, offering up to 10 years! With such long warranties and best manufacturing practices, Whirlpool is a stable, reliable name you can trust.
Consumer Reports also rates Whirlpool very highly on their refrigerators, dishwashers, and washing machines too! It’s incredible how they are able to remain so consistent with the quality they bring no matter how different each product is from each other.
Technology and Innovation at Whirlpool
Whirlpool is so ahead of the game that they’ve even developed their own proprietary technology called Ozone Airfresh, which puports to wash delicate clothes even without detergent or water! This is a game changer for selling appliances to countries where access to water is limited. It’s awesome that Whirlpool understands these concerns and challenges and has put a lot of research and development towards developing solutions worldwide, and not just at home either.
Does Whirlpool Have Good Customer Service?
According to JD Power & Associates, Whirlpool was ranked one of the highest, scoring above 880 for many of their brands. If you’re still not convinced Whirlpool products are worth buying, we don’t know what else to tell you. The numbers and stats don’t lie!
What Are the Average Prices of Whirlpool Appliances?
Right now, Whirlpool products can be found at reputable buyers like Best Buy and sell anywhere from $700 to up to $4000. They are a bit more expensive than other brands, but they make up for it for their quality and high standards in general. That’s not to say that customers haven’t reported problems or issues however, but it’s safe to say that their products are worth buying as long as you also purchase additional warranty from the place you’re buying from them, just in case!
Pros and Cons of Whirlpool Home Appliances
There are so many pros as we’ve discussed, but here’s a summary:
1. Long Lasting
2. Very Reliable Overall
3. Excellent Warranty Options Lasting 10 Years
But not even Whirlpool is perfect. Here are the cons of their inventory:
1. Generally Expensive
2. Don’t Always Fit Smaller Spaces
But all in all, Whirlpool home appliances are a great choice to buy, especially new. Even the used ones are a bargain if you can find them cheap and can verify with the seller that they have been fixed. Make sure you go with a seller that offers their own in house warranty too so if anything happens, they have to fix it for you!
Conclusion
Whirlpool makes so many different products and owns a lot of trusted brands you may have seen many times before. From their humble origins in Michigan to where they are today, it’s incredible to see how far the company has come along over the decades and continues to generate record profits and revenue from so many satisfied customers.
Whether you’re looking for open box or used Whirlpool appliances, we have your back. Contact us if you’re interested in buying from us if you live in the Metro Atlanta area! We will see you soon. And thank you for reading today.