After the terrible October Storm of 2006 when we lost power for three days and our basement was flooded because the sump pump had no electricity to work, we found that the water in the basement also killed our two dehumidifiers. We bought two new GE dehumidifiers and they worked well…until now. One of the GM dehumidifiers died last week (the other one still works but I’m guessing its life might be ending soon, too) so I did some research and decided to order the Frigidaire dehumidifier. We have a Frigidaire microwave, oven, and refrigerator. All problem free.
The Frigidaire FFAD3533W1 Dehumidifier is quiet and works well. If the GE dehumidifier dies, I’ll buy another Frigidaire FFAD3533W1 Dehumidifier for that part of the basement. Do you use a dehumidifier? Do you have a favorite? GRADE: too soon to tell, but so far so good
Remember when appliances were made in America and lasted forever? My parents bought their washer and dryer the year I was born and both lasted for almost 30 years and through three houses. Likewise their coffee pot. They had similar success with stoves and refrigerators until they moved into a new house in the early aughts and since then no appliance has lasted more than ten years. The decline in GE quality products has been incredible and I blame it all on that monster Jack Welch (may he burn in Hell) who almost singlehandedly destroyed American industry. Glad to hear you are having better luck with Frigidaire. I’m moving into a house with all fairly new Frigidaire appliances.
Byron, I share your disgust with Jack Welch who was obsessed with making money, not providing quality product. GE Appliances has been majority owned by Chinese multinational home appliances company Haier since 2016 when the real General Electric sold it. GE Appliances is still one of the largest appliance companies in the United States and manufactures appliances under several brands, including GE, GE Profile, Café, Monogram, Haier, and Hotpoint (Americas only, European rights held by Whirlpool Corporation). Haier has the right to use the GE brand name until 2056. No way I would buy any GE appliance!
Ah, the joys of home ownership.
No, we don’t use a dehumidifier and never had to . Also, do not have to worry about flooding – no basement! sixth floor!
Jackie tried to buy a new refrigerator because the one we have – yes, it’s a Frigidaire – is kind of old. But the doors into the kitchen are too small to accommodate the one she wanted, so would entail taking the frame down and putting it back on, or else buying a smaller appliance. We have room in the kitchen, it’s just getting it in and out. But it still works well and the super said it is better made than the new ones so we should just keep it as long as it keeps the food cold.
Anyway, thank you for stimulating the economy.
Jeff, we have a similar issue in our kitchen where the refrigerator can only be a certain size (smallish) to fit in the space available. But, with just Diane and me, the smaller fridge isn’t a problem. Plus, we have another, larger, refrigerator in the basement mostly for wine and extra food if we’re entertaining guests. I’ve talked to several repairmen over the years and they all say that the new appliances are poorly built and designed. The older appliances have more quality: more metal and less plastic.
The new ones do tend to be quieter. They are particularly quiet when they break.
Don’t buy a Miele dishwasher till some further notice that they have stopped being, as I used to say in response to Audi ads in the ’80s, a triumph of German confectionary (my parents were quite happy with their 1978 Audi 5000, then made the mistake of buying a 1985 Audi 5000S, on which every possible breakable aspect broke, often repeatedly…the car which all but killed Audi in the US, at least). Miele vacuum cleaners I can recommend. My sister and her wife filled their redone kitchen with Miele appliances…the only one which broke catastrophically was, you guessed it, the dishwasher, and about a year sooner or later than ours did.
Our LG washer and drier are giving us petty hassles right now. The old Kenmores in the house when we moved it did break permanently, but were, indeed, thirty-forty years old.
Todd, I can recommend the Bosch dishwasher. Ours is quiet and energy efficient. I have friends who bought “quality” European cars over the years and every one of them got “burned” by the cost of parts to fix them. Shipping a part from Europe can cost four figures.
I will look at the Bosch. What I wonder is, will it still be working seven years in?
Todd, when I went to CONSUMER REPORTS for the ratings of dish washers, Bosch had the top FIVE positions! We’ve had our Bosch since 2019 with no problems: http://georgekelley.org/new-bosch-dishwasher/
Well, the problem with the Audi wasn’t so much the cost of replacement parts, as the constant need to have it repaired, and without the arguable history of unreliability one had with a Jaguar or the like. Everything broke including the sunroof.
This was also the model of Audi 5000S that 60 MINUTES did the segment about it accelerating when one put on the brakes. Happily, that was one of the few things that didn’t happen with my parents’ car.
Product durability is as rare as good customer service. If nothing else, the computerized parts quickly become outdated. We managed to eke out 10 years on our previous Mac before, more and more, it stopped talking with other systems once it was unable to upload new software.
Fred, we have two iPads that can’t be upgraded with new software so they are basically expensive coasters.
My first real job, when I was 18, was working for GE’s major appliance repair office in White Plains, NY! I started at $1.50/hr!
Technically, my employer was a temp agency! I was hired for a two-week stint and stayed 11 months before joining the Army. The hottest product of the day (1966) was the Portacolor TV! There were always a bunch of them in the shop!
I think Linda got a small dehumidifier but it doesn’t get used much!
Bob, at one time GE quality was good. Not today. My mother loved her GE stove that worked flawlessly for 30 years!