Have you ever stashed a spare shirt in your bag in case you spilled something, or brought along a spare pair of shoes in case you got a blister? Former General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt reportedly took similar precautions: According to company insiders, he brought an extra jet along with him on some business trips in case the first one broke down. [More]
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Report: Former GE CEO Brought Along An Extra Empty Plane On Some Trips
By 10.19.17 — Updated: 10.20.17
GE To Phase Out CFL Bulbs In Favor Of LED
By 2.1.16
Both retailers and consumers are increasingly choosing higher-efficiency LED lights over incandescent and compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs, and General Electric is responding, announcing plans to end CFL production in favor of providing more LED options.
[More]
GE Selling Its Appliance Business To China’s Haier For $5.4 Billion
By 1.15.16
A month after giving up on the idea of selling its appliance business to Electrolux, GE has found a new buyer willing to pay big bucks for the company’s slate of washers, dryers, and fridges. This time, it’s the China-based Haier Group, which will pay $5.4 billion to take over this portion of GE’s business. [More]
To The Extent That Obvious Attempts At Viral Advertising Can Be Art, This Is It
By 9.30.14
While I am not one to wax on about lightbulbs, I do desperately adore actor Jeff Goldblum. So sure, this ad by GE for its lightbulbs is definitely a blatant attempt to “go viral,” as the people who think they sound hip say, but it’s also utterly weird and great. And also Jeff Goldblum. [More]
What You Need Is A Smartphone-Controlled Air Conditioner
By 3.19.14
We’ve already introduced you to the smartphone-enabled piggy bank and smartphone-enabled egg tray. What new wonders will the wizards of gadgetry bring us next? How would you like to control your air conditioner from your smartphone? Wait a minute…that one might actually be useful. [More]
Gree Adds 21 Models Of GE Dehumidifiers To Massive, Slow Recall
By 1.30.14
If you have a GE dehumidifier in your home, time to check the serial number: Gree Electric Appliances has recalled 350,000 dehumidifiers sold between April 2008 and December 2011 because they could potentially overheat and cause a fire. If this recall sounds familiar, it should: Gree already recalled 2.2 million dehumidifiers sold under brand names that you might recognize like De’Longhi, Frigidaire, and Kenmore. Customers have complained to Consumerist that this recall has been slow and crappy. [More]
Should A $800 Dryer Last Longer Than 2 Years?
By 9.11.13
When we talk about electronics and home appliances on this site, the question that frequently crops up is how long consumers can expect an item to work before it needs expensive repairs or dies altogether. Reader Karen spent $800 on a General Electric dryer for her then-new home waaaay back in 2011. Less than two years later, the plastic power button on the appliance’s front broke. The repair cost? $485. [More]
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]
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]
Even Bestselling Authors Aren’t Immune From Shoddy Home Depot Warranty Repair Work
By 2.19.13 — Updated: 6.26.14
In spite of the completely nonexistent rumor that making the NY Times bestseller list grants an author access to a level of customer service reserved for elite celebrities, it turns out that no one is immune to a bad repair job that can ultimately result in $20,000 worth of damage. [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]
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]
October Recall Roundup: High Chairs, Herring, And Metal Shards
By 10.16.12
In this months’ recalls: wood cleaner sprays users in the face, wooden porch swings collapse, there’s Listeria everywhere, and an unusual number of herring products are recalled for unrelated reasons That number: two. [More]
Over 1 Million GE Dishwashers Recalled As Flames Shouldn't Be Part Of The Rinse Cycle
By 8.9.12
If it’s too hot, sure, you need to get out of the kitchen. But it shouldn’t be literally too hot because your dishwasher is on fire. To that end, GE is recalling around 1.3 million of its dishwashers due to a possibility for the heating elements to fail and cause fires. [More]
GE Makes Customer Happy By Actually Responding To, And Resolving, Problem
By 5.2.12
GE may not have the best public image — and it’s certainly no help that it was portrayed on 30 Rock as a lumbering dinosaur left over from a bygone age — but one Consumerist reader says he was pleasantly surprised by how well the company responded to his problem. [More]
Own GE Appliances? Get To Work On Your Upper Body Strength
By 4.13.12
With the approval of your physician, there’s no time like the present to start a rigorous exercise program. Doubly so if you own any General Electric appliances. See, Jack owns a stackable General Electric washer and dryer. GE was happy to sell him a 5-year extended service plan, but balked at actually sending a repair person to his house. Once he finally talked them into sending someone to fix his washer, he learned that he and his wife would have to move the dryer from on top of the washer themselves. What’s the problem? It only weighs 150 pounds. [More]
GE Doesn't See The Problem With An Oven That Won't Cook Anything
By 1.25.12
For some reason, Terry expects the GE range with double ovens that he bought just a few months ago to do unreasonable things, like heat up to a consistent temperature, or perhaps cook some food. But his roasts remain un-roasted, and his cakes won’t bake. What’s wrong? None of the technicians GE has sent see a problem with the oven. [More]
GE: Missing Socks Are Running Away From Us
By 6.10.11
If you’ve lost a sock, or two, or three in the laundry, GE wants to help. Actually, GE wants to help your socks, which, according to the manufacturer, are running away from insensitive consumers who don’t treat them right. Actually, the whole thing is a marketing campaign designed to promote GE’s washers and dryers. Where is Jack Donaghy when we need him? [More]
