Our venerable sibling publication Consumer Reports gave a dehumidifier from Soleus Air their “Best Buy” rating. Now it’s off the list and off store shelves after the manufacturer sent a stop-sale notice to retailers. There’s no consumer recall yet, but Amazon did reach out to customers and let them know about the issue. [More]
appliances
Should GE Make My Matching Washer And Dryer Match Again?
By 6.28.13
Mary’s GE washing machine began to dance around the room, but not in a lighthearted, anthropomorphic-appliance sort of way. It was more of an irritating, the-washer-is-broken situation. Fortunately, the solution was simple. All the technician had to do was take the washer off the pedestal that’s meant to raise the appliance and make loading and unloading easier. Great, but, um…what about the dryer? [More]
Tricks Of The Trade From A Craigslist Appliance Salesman
By 6.24.13
It’s a good thing there are go-getters out there willing to not only put some elbow grease into running a successful business, but then also offer up tips for anyone else who might want to become an entrepreneur in the same vein. To wit: A guy who’s managed to develop a profitable career buying and selling appliances on Craigslist. And he’s willing to share how he does that. [More]
Letter To President Gets Samsung’s Attention, Repaired Microwave
By 6.7.13
Laurence was disappointed that he dropped a few hundred dollars on a microwave, and didn’t get to enjoy it for very long. He isn’t sure exactly how long a microwave that cost a few hundred bucks should last, but figures it’s somewhere between “two years” and “forever.” Right? [More]
LG Agrees To Cover Defective Dryer’s Parts, Changes Its Mind After Repair Visit
By 4.26.13
Gary’s household bought a washer and dryer made by LG, and the dryer has never worked correctly. That’s what customer service and repair services are for, though, right? So he came to an agreement with LG about splitting the cost of a technician visit and any repairs, with the company paying for parts and Greg covering the cost of labor. Then the technician came, and the company promptly changed its mind, leaving Greg to cover the whole repair cost. Greg is not pleased. [More]
14 Months After Delivery, Sears Still Won’t Actually Install Dishwasher
By 4.18.13 — Updated: 4.29.13
Lots of people happily hand-wash their dishes because they don’t want a dishwasher. That’s not the case for one California man, who has washed his dishes by hand for more than a year even though he wants and can totally afford a dishwasher. In fact, he, um, had a dishwasher the whole time. It’s just that when he bought it from Sears, they sort of half-installed it and wandered off, and he couldn’t get anyone at Sears to help him. [More]
You Really Don’t Need To Pay $70 For LPG Conversion Kit Delivery From Sears (Or Anyone)
By 4.2.13
Matthew bought a gas dryer, but needed one that runs on liquid propane. He only discovered this after installation. No big deal: you can get a little tiny converter, which fits in a small padded envelope. Or would, if Sears were willing to mail it. Which they are not. [More]
It’s Totally Not Cool That My Fridge Stops Working And Tells The Wrong Temperature
By 3.8.13
When you spend more than two grand on a refrigerator, you sort of assume that it will keep your food cold. At least, Kim did. The fridge is less than a year and a half old. Whenever the power goes off, even if just for a few seconds, the refrigerator starts slacking off on its keeping-things-cold duties. The gauge says that it’s at the proper temperature, but it’s inaccurate. The refrigerator’s contents, including her infant son’s medications that need to stay cold and a large supply of frozen breast milk, thaw or warm. It’s happened four times since December. [More]
GE Wants To Spend $836 For Repairs On My $500 Washer That Does The Harlem Shake
By 2.21.13
Reader Philip bought a new washer and dryer on sale last year after Black Friday. They were finally delivered when the family moved into a new house last week. When the time came for the inaugural wash, the machine made a loud banging sound and hopped around the room. GE sent a repairman who, on orders from GE, thought that gutting the washer was an ideal solution. Philip disagreed, pointing out that he would constantly fear a dryer motor fire and would prefer a new replacement, what with the washer/dryer set being newly delivered and all. GE would much rather spend more than the replacement value of the appliance. [More]
Sears Saves The Day When Self-Cleaning Oven Fails And Whirlpool Shrugs
By 2.20.13
A few weeks ago, we shared some photos that reader Susan sent us of her new Kitchenaid oven. Its new-fangled self-cleaning system was pretty terrible at a key function: actually self-cleaning. “So… every time you want to clean your cool new oven, you’ll be scrubbing it yourself!” she wrote. That’s not a very good feature. [More]
Perhaps You Would Like A Fridge With A Built-In Sodastream Or Hot Water Dispenser
By 2.15.13 — Updated: 4.15.15
Many of our friends and readers are big fans of the Sodastream, a device that lets you make your own sweet (or not-so-sweet) fizzy beverages at home. What if you could combine a refrigerator water/ice dispenser with the at-home carbonation technology of the Sodastream? Don’t rush to the patent office: Samsung has already introduced that product. It hits stores in April. [More]
I’m Stuck Without A Vacuum When My Dyson Gets Sucked Into A Black Hole
By 2.12.13 — Updated: 2.13.13
Dyson vacuum cleaners have so much cachet that they’re a hot item with shoplifters. Reader Peter isn’t so thrilled with his Dyson, though. He was somehow under the impression that spending $400 on a device with a famously good warranty meant that getting his vacuum fixed or replaced would be a swift and simple process. It was not, but to be fair: the problems weren’t entirely Dyson’s fault. [More]
How Long Can I Expect A Fancy $700 Microwave To Last?
By 2.12.13 — Updated: 2.13.13
The GE Café Series of appliances is very nice-looking: sleek and covered with stainless steel. JLP renovated his kitchen a few years ago, and bought this lovely suite of appliances. There’s a problem, though: the over-the-range microwave. The touchpad has stopped working, and will cost $450 to replace. The real question is this: is it unreasonable to expect a microwave with a one-year warranty to last for five years? What about a microwave that costs as up to $1,000 to replace with the same model? [More]
My Advanced New Self-Cleaning Oven Needs A Lot Of Help To Clean Itself
By 2.8.13 — Updated: 2.20.13
Susan’s new Kitchenaid gas range is pretty nice, but she writes that exciting advancements in self-cleaning oven technology aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. Whirlpool’s Aqualift self-cleaning system seemed to be a technological advance comparable to see-through dishwashers, but she reports that her oven only cleans the bottom center, and not the sides or the corners. You know, the parts that you want your self-cleaning oven to take care of for you. [More]
Sears’s Definition Of ‘In Stock’ Differs From Reality
By 1.28.13
Matt needed a new refrigerator, and he needed one quickly. Well, his tenant did, and he needed to pay for it. He saw that Sears had one available for immediate delivery, and even advertised on their site that they could help consumers out in appliance emergencies. Sweet! Only their definition of “in stock” differs from the real meaning of that term. The refrigerator isn’t in their warehouse. They can’t deliver it. They’re waiting to get more from the manufacturer, and have to leave Matt and his tenant in limbo. [More]
Sears Dishwasher Breaks After 3 Weeks, Or Doubles As Automatic Floor Mopper
By 1.14.13
Kat didn’t say why she thought it would be a good idea to get a new dishwasher from Sears, but it didn’t seem like such a bad idea at the time, either. As an American over the age of twenty, she most likely remembers a time when the Kenmore brand name denoted quality, appliance salesmen didn’t kick you out of the store to go home and shop online, and dishwashers were supposed to last for longer than three weeks. [More]
Maytag Repair Bumbling Leaves Us Without Fridge For Five Weeks
By 1.8.13
Kristine’s family has managed for a month without a refrigerator. Sure, if you’re a single person who subsists on takeout, that’s not so hard. Try being a family with small children and eating out of an ice chest for more than a month…starting just after Thanksgiving [More]
I Am Not Happy With My LG Range Because Cookies Should Not Be Set On Fire
By 1.8.13
Cookies are made by baking them in a hot oven for a short amount of time. Generally, this does not involve setting them on fire, unless you’re Doug. Not because he and his wife are running exciting experiments in culinary gastronomy, but because their LG oven, purchased in 2011, is defective. It heated up above 625 degrees and the upper heating element wouldn’t turn off, resulting in flaming cookies and a family frightened for its safety. They hadn’t even been using the range for a year yet, but since they bought it in advance and stored it while their kitchen was renovated, the one-year warranty is up. [More]
