• by Karl Greenberg , July 16, 2014

Once you have an appliance, you have it for years. But satisfaction with the machine will drive one's choices not just for that device, but for other home appliances in other categories. And it will influence your recommendations to others. All of which is good news for LG, Samsung and Kenmore Elite, which dominate the appliance business in J.D. Power's 2014 Laundry Appliance Satisfaction Study and 2014 Kitchen Appliance Satisfaction Study.

Whirlpool, the exception to the Korean brands and Kenmore Elite, shows up in the top three only once, and that’s in the French door refrigerator category, where it is second to Samsung. In side-by-side fridges, Kenmore Elite is number one, followed by the Kenmore general brand and LG. Kenmore Elite also ranks highest in dishwashers, followed by LG. Samsung is highest in microwaves with Kenmore Elite second. In ranges, ovens and cooktops, Viking follows Samsung, with LG third. Same for over-the-range microwaves: Samsung highest in customer satisfaction and Kenmore Elite second. Kenmore Elite ranks highest with top-load washers, followed by LG and Samsung. Samsung ranks highest in customer satisfaction for front-load washers, followed by LG. That ranking is reversed for clothes dryers. 

And the trio continues to dominate in top-load washers, front-load washers, and clothes dryers. Other brands considered in the rankings are Maytag, Electrolux, GE, Frigidaire and Amana. In dishwashers that list includes Bosch, which is third after LG KitchenAid, and Fisher & Paykel. And in cooking machines, Jenn-Air is there.

Quality and reliability are the most important qualities driving drive loyalty and consideration across every appliance category, with stoves or clothes dryers. Within categories, ease of use is critical for clothes washers and dryers segments, features for cooking appliances, and ease of use in refrigerators. Across all segments, 30% of customers that J.D. Power surveyed said they “definitely will” recommend their appliance brand to others and 23% say they “definitely will” repurchase the same appliance brand in the future.

The study surveys for nine categories of appliances including clothes washers and dryers; dishwashers; cooktops/ranges/ovens; over-the-range microwaves; and refrigerators and freezers, measures satisfaction on ease of use, features, performance and reliability, noise level and energy efficiency, price, styling and appearance, and warranty. It is based on 6,600 evaluations from customers who purchased major appliances during the past 24 months. The Kitchen Appliance Satisfaction Study is based on more than 3,600 evaluations.