There are seemingly a million options in each appliance category, and it can be difficult to know where to start. One idea: Simplify your search and narrow it down to a couple of the best appliance brands. Not every company is equal—each one has its strengths. “Some brands are very well known for specific product(s) they make or for producing quality appliances,” says Gary McCoy, appliance expert and Store Manager at Charlotte Area Lowe’s. Design, smart features and technology, cost, and energy efficiency are all important factors. After talking to McCoy and conducting many hours of our research, we’ve whittled down the best appliance brands for you to consider. What We Researched Our Top Picks Why You Should Get It The brand has everything from basic appliances to options packed with smart features. Keep in Mind Once you start looking at the smart appliances, the cost goes up exponentially. What makes LG one of the best appliance brands is the fact that it has something for everyone, from sleek and reliable basics (their 4.5 cubic foot Large Capacity High Efficiency Stackable Front Load Washer was featured in our best front-loading washer roundup) to tech-loaded luxuries. The smart features are the brand’s bread and butter, such as the ThinQ app for wifi-enabled appliances that allows you to control them from afar and analyzes usage to automatically optimize user experience. These features will cost you though—for reference, LG refrigerators start at $777 for the relatively basic 20 cubic foot Top Freezer Refrigerator with Multi-Air Flow and Reversible Door and go all the way up to $8,999 for the high-tech 26.5 cubic foot Built-in Side by Side Refrigerator with SpacePlus & In-Door Ice. Product Details: Product Range: Refrigerators, dishwashers, ranges, ovens, cooktops, hoods, microwave, washers, dryers, dehumidifiers, and air conditioners | Warranty: Two years Why You Should Get It With over 70 years of experience, GE offers a wide range of appliances at a variety of price points. Keep in Mind The GE Appliances Factory Service, which provides expert repairs, isn’t available in every state. GE has spent over 70 years developing its reputation as one of the best appliance brands with stellar products and customer service. Over that time the brand has designed an impressive range of appliances, from the typical refrigerators and dishwashers to the more speciality warming drawers and trash compactors. The most affordable appliance from GE is the 0.7 cubic foot Countertop Microwave Oven. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the Profile 30” Smart Built-In Convection Double Wall Oven with Right-Hand Swing-Side Door. Outside of the kitchen, it offers laundry machines, including the 4.8 cubic foot High-Efficiency Stackable Smart Front Load Washer and 7.8 cubic foot 10-Cycle Electric Dryer we named the best smart stackable washer and dryer set, as well as the 7.8 cubic foot Stackable Steam Cycle Smart Electric Dryer we named one of the best dryers. If you’re a fan of GE’s quality but looking for something it doesn’t have, look into Monogram and Cafe, two brands under the GE umbrella. Note that the GE Appliances Factory Service, which takes care of the entire family of brands, is available in 39 states—which means 11 states don’t have access to the company’s expert repairs and will need to outsource. Product Details: Product Range: Refrigerators, ranges, dishwashers, cooktops, ovens, freezers, range hoods and vents, warming drawers, trash compactors, washers, dryers, water heaters, air conditioners, air systems, microwaves, toasters, ice makers, espresso machines, stand mixers, coffee makers, air fryers, food processors, and blenders | Warranty: One year Why You Should Get It The smart features and design customizations are very unique to Samsung. Keep in Mind They don’t offer standard, budget-friendly finishes. If you’re still exclusively associating Samsung with cell phones, computers, and televisions, you’re missing out. Its technological innovation is beyond impressive, earning its title as one of the best appliance brands. One of the standouts of Samsung appliances is the ability to customize colors and finishes with the Bespoke Design Studio on the website. The brand definitely has luxury nailed, but doesn’t offer the entry-level finishes like regular white and black that other brands do. If you’re in the market for multiple new appliances, you can purchase one of its kitchen packages at a major discount or build your own bundle instead. You also can connect all of your Samsung smart home appliances and devices to the brand’s SmartThings app. It allows you to perform tasks like send cooking instructions to your oven, set energy usage goals, automatically dispense detergent and softener to your washer, and much more. Case in point: One of the best smart dryers, the 7.5 cubic foot Smart Dial Electric Dryer, has a separate dryer in the unit for delicates and can even use AI to recommend your most-used cycles. Product Details: Product Range: Refrigerators, ranges, dishwashers, microwaves, ovens, cooktops, range hoods, washers, and dryers | Warranty: One year Why You Should Get It Whirlpool is known for reliable, durable appliances and the brand prioritizes value. Keep in Mind It doesn’t offer super premium, high-tech options. In 1948, Whirlpool invented the first automatic washing machine, and since then has expanded from just laundry care to the kitchen as well. The evolution has definitely paid off: Whirlpool’s 25.2 cubic foot French Door Refrigerator with Ice Maker snagged a spot in our roundup of the best refrigerators. Whirlpool also impressed us with its 4.5 cubic foot High-Efficiency Stackable Front Load Washer with Steam and Tumble Fresh and the 7.4 cubic foot Stackable Electric Dryer with Wrinkle Shield, which features a remarkable 37 different wash cycles to choose from. The brand does offer smart appliances, but if you’re looking for super premium features like freezer drawers that automatically slide out, look elsewhere. It’s developed a loyal fan base over the years for being at the cross section of durability and accessibility. Case in point: The maximum price is at least $1,200 less than the other best appliance brands on our list. Product Details: Product Range: Refrigerators, ranges, ovens, dishwasher, microwaves, cooktops, vent hoods, trash compactors, washers, and dryers | Warranty: One year Why You Should Get It The premium appliances are beautifully designed and have innovative features. Keep in Mind Even the entry price point is expensive. Enjoy high-end European design stateside with Miele appliances, which are manufactured in Germany. Even the most basic appliances in the line don’t come cheap, but to be fair, even the most basic appliances surpass others in craftsmanship. Miele’s claim to fame is its dishwashers, which are known to be super reliable and surprisingly silent. Consumers also love its compact laundry machines—and so do we. In addition to being very elegant looking, the Front Load Stacked Laundry Pair offers 20 wash cycles and 19 drying cycles. It won a spot in our lineup of the best stackable washer and dryer sets despite the splurge-level pricing. Ever the innovators, Miele has a partnership with Loxone that allows you to connect your solar power to your washing machines, tumble dryers, and dishwashers so they can run automatically. Product Details: Product Range: Refrigerators, ranges, ovens, microwaves, cooktops, hoods, dishwashers, drawers, freezers, bottom mounts, microwaves, and coffee machines | Warranty: Two years Why You Should Get It The aesthetic is unique among the best appliance brands, and you can even customize your bases and finishes. Keep in Mind Because of the distinctive look, it would be very noticeable if your appliances didn’t match—and a full set is pretty spendy. If you’ve ever been underwhelmed by the aesthetics of appliances, you’re going to fall in love with Cafe appliances. Launched by GE in 2018 to fill a gap in the market for design-forward options, the brand’s four bases and six finishes have become instantly recognizable. You can pick from its standard combinations—matte white with brushed bronze is particularly popular—or customize your own online for an extra fee. The one caveat to this: You won’t be able to see what it looks like in person until it arrives. The smart appliances have some cutting edge features, for example a convertible zone in the 4-Door Quad French Door Refrigerator with flexible temperature settings and the ability to automatically reorder dish detergent for the Top Control Built-In Dishwasher on your phone. All of this next level design and technology does come with a price, and here’s the thing: Considering just how recognizable Cafe appliances are, you’d probably want to spring for a whole set, which would add up very quickly. Product Details: Product Range: Ranges, ovens, cooktops, microwaves, ventilation, warming drawers, refrigerators, ice makers, dishwashers, espresso machines, coffee makers, countertop ovens, and toasters | Warranty: One year Why You Should Get It Its appliances combine affordability with dependability, and many of the cheapest options are still Energy Star certified. Keep in Mind You won’t find many premium features Not every best appliance brand needs to have all the bells and whistles. In the case of Frigidaire, manufacturing thoughtfully designed basics that will last is its strength. In fact, we named the 13.9 cubic foot Top Freezer Refrigerator one of the best refrigerators specifically because of how well it combines affordability with efficiency. Though the brand got its start in—you guessed it—refrigerators, and definitely still thrives in that space, it has since expanded into all the major appliance categories. (One of its best sellers is the Front Control Built-In Dishwasher.) We love that you can find plenty of Energy Star certified options at entry level price points. The Frigidaire Professional line is also fairly impressive. Take the Double Wall Oven: It has the usual cooking modes, plus more niche ones like no preheat, steam bake, and air fry. Although the lack of smart functionality in their appliances is intentional, in terms of Frigidaire Professional, it’s a bummer considering that it’s a high-end range that could be elevated further. Product Details: Product Range: Refrigerators, freezers, ranges, cooktops, ovens, dishwashers, microwaves, hoods, air conditioners, ice makers, garbage disposals, HVAC, washers, and dryers | Warranty: One year Why You Should Get It Their upper-premium and mid-range series are fan favorites. Keep in Mind The value you get is dependent on which series you select. As one of the best appliance brands, Bosch is known for three things: reliability, customer service, and design. Value, however, depends on which series you’re purchasing from—we recommend the 800 or 500. The best-seller is the 800 series, which is upper-premium in both price and features, making it a fair deal. The 500 series has less in terms of features and is more budget-friendly. Bosch has many top tier dishwashers, and some like the Top Control Tall Tub Dishwasher are even specifically designed to be paired with a custom panel that blends in with your cabinets. All of the models are whisper-quiet courtesy of a sound-absorbing base, layers of insulation, and grind-less food filtration. Bosch is also one of the best refrigerator brands, with us naming their 800 Series Counter-Depth French Door Refrigerator with Ice Maker among the best refrigerators. This is because of the FarmFresh System that significantly reduces food waste by absorbing ethylene, balancing temperature and humidity, circulating fresh air evenly, and absorbing tough food odors. You can pair Bosch’s smart appliances with the Home Connect app, which gives you the power to preheat your oven from anywhere, automatically select the right laundry mode for your clothes, and more. Product Details: Product Range: Dishwashers, refrigerators, washers, dryers, ovens, cooktops, ranges, microwaves, range hoods, coffee machines, and warming drawers | Warranty: Two years When it comes to the best appliance brands, each one has something unique to offer. For example, Cafe has a unique aesthetic, Whirlpool is all about durability and value, and Samsung offers a host of innovative smart features. Our top pick, LG, combines reliability with impressive capabilities. Because of how big a footprint appliances make in the home, aesthetics matter. The industrial, modern look that Miele excels in is very on trend right now, and some brands like Samsung are even introducing color. “A popular and classic finish is stainless steel, which is incredibly durable and is harder to scratch and dent,” McCoy says. “Apart from aesthetics, you’ll want to think about how you’ll be using that appliance in your daily life,” McCoy adds. For example, a top-rated washing machine may be on sale, but if it’s compact and you’re a family of six, it’s not going to make your life easier like appliances should. For some, the smart features some of the best appliance brands like LG offer nowadays are simply a luxury. For others, the way they improve quality of life becomes nonnegotiable. “Customers are often surprised to learn what smart appliances can do once they’ve done their research. If you’re considering buying an appliance, be sure to look into how smart technology can uplevel your experience,” McCoy says. Some smart appliances offer visible key features, like Samsung's Family Hub refrigerators that include a built-in touchscreen display and can stream music, display photos and recipes, and more. But many appliance brands also offer more subtle smart features such as temperature control or timers through their compatible apps. Price is an incredibly important factor to consider when you’re looking at appliances that cost hundreds or often thousands of dollars. One way to figure out your budget is to start by researching how much you’d have to pay for your ideal features, finishes, etc. If you have a certain brand in mind, know that the best appliance brands will have different series that range from entry-level to premium. Besides shopping sales, there’s another way McCoy recommends saving: “Consider buying them in sets—for example, a washer/dryer combo will sometimes cost less when purchased together.” If energy efficiency is important to you, look for Energy Star-certified appliances. According to McCoy, “they extend less energy to operate and, in turn, may cut down your energy bill in the long run.” Using less energy is also a win for the environment. To get an idea of exactly how many kilowatt-hours per year they may use, check out the energy guide available with every appliance in-store and online. Larger appliances tend to last longer than smaller ones. “On average, larger appliances like a refrigerator can last up to 13 years,” McCoy says. “A washing machine can last anywhere from eight to 14 years, depending on the amount of use it gets.” On the other hand, “smaller appliances like a microwave or a toaster oven should be replaced more often and can last up to ten years.” The best time of year to buy appliances is during a major sales holiday like President’s Day, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, and Black Friday. You’ll also have more luck toward the end of the year when businesses are trying to clear out space for the newest models. You can, and may want to when dealing with a distinct aesthetic like Cafe’s, but it’s not necessary. “We find people like to mix and match their appliance brands based on features and prices that work best for them,” McCoy explains. Quincy Bulin is a writer who covers products and home topics for Better Homes & Gardens, making this story the ideal intersection of her work. To find the best appliance brands, she conducted hours of research and consulted Gary McCoy, appliance expert and Store Manager at Charlotte Area Lowe's.:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Best-Appliance-Brands-BHG-tout-aca5a01f854d47a9affc7984f8596a1f.jpg "The 8 Best Appliance Brands Including LG, GE, Samsung, and More (1)")
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