news

The 13 best home appliance brands our labs have tested

Jun 04, 2021 admin

— Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed’s editors. Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission.

It’s no secret that large appliances can be pricey, and when you’re spending that kind of money on something that you’ll use daily for upwards of a decade, you want to make sure you’re getting exactly what you’re paying for.

Buying an appliance on a whim can be risky, which is why you want to do your research first. Here at Reviewed, we have a dedicated team of expert appliance testers with years of experience behind them that do the work for you.

Our team has tested every major appliance brand out there and put washers, dryers, refrigerators, ovens, and more through rigorous testing in our labs in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The goal is to provide our readers with unbiased data so they can make the best possible choice for their needs. Plus, returning appliances takes a lot of effort and often involves a restocking fee—and no one wants that.

To help you get started on your appliance research, we’ve compiled a list of the 13 best appliance brands we’ve ever tested (presented in alphabetical order). We’ve also included specific appliances that have earned an Editor’s Choice award, meaning they’re Reviewed-approved for their incredible performance.

1. Bosch

The best from Bosch:

If you’re looking for a new dishwasher, be sure to check out Bosch’s selections. Our labs have tested about 45 different dishwashers in four different categories over the last year, and Bosch’s offerings have come out on top in nearly all of the areas.
The Bosch 800 Series SHPM88Z75N is the best dishwasher you can buy, topping our rankings for the best third-rack dishwasher, stainless steel dishwasher, and ultra-quiet dishwasher. This model runs quiet enough that you can’t hear it from the next room over. Our labs also tested its ability to remove stains from dishes and found that, even without first scraping off the dishes, it was able to remove 99.5% of stains on its heavy cycle. Bosch also uses a CrystalDry feature powered by zeolite minerals to perfectly dry your dishes—even those pesky Tupperware and other plastic containers that usually come out of the dishwasher wet.

Aside from this particular dishwasher model, Bosch manufactures high-quality fridges, ranges, and ovens, and we’ve tested many of them. The brand has also embraced smart connectivity in its appliances, allowing users to control appliance settings with its Bosch Home Connect app. You can’t go wrong with one of its high-quality appliances.

Browse appliances from Bosch at Appliances Connection

2. Electrolux

The best from Electrolux:

Electrolux has an amazing selection of appliances for the laundry room. It makes our favorite washer and dryer set, front load washer, and best washing machine.

Sweeping all three of these categories is the Electrolux EFLS627UTT washing machine. Its dryer pair, the Electrolux EFME627UTT, comes in to create the winning pair of our favorite washer and dryer set. The washer excels at removing tough stains in both its 46-minute Normal cycle and 15-minute Quick cycle. This is also the first washer to have a specific compartment for detergent pods that helps the machine more evenly distribute product so your clothes come out smelling and looking clean. The dryer has simple controls and a quick dry cycle that lasts only 15 minutes with the temperature never getting hot enough to damage clothes but is still hot enough to dry clothes completely through.

Electrolux also has a great selection of ranges, fridges, and more, some of which are available in the brand’s stunning black stainless steel. If you want to outfit your entire home with Electrolux products, know that the brand is also committed to sustainability with a new line of sustainable products.

Browse appliances from Electrolux at Appliances Connection

3. Frigidaire

The best from Frigidaire:

If you’re looking for appliances with consistent quality, Frigidaire is one of the best kitchen appliance brands to consider. It blows the competition out of the water in several categories, including our favorite French-door refrigerator, overall best refrigerator, counter-depth refrigerator, and best induction range.

You can basically fit your entire kitchen with Frigidaire appliances and experience amazing quality at every turn. The Frigidaire FG4H2272UF is our favorite high-end French-door refrigerator, counter-depth refrigerator, and overall favorite refrigerator of the year. It has amazing storage options—including a snack zone—and excels at maintaining a consistent temperature. If you’re looking for an induction range, the Frigidaire FGIH3047VF is our top recommendation.

Frigidaire is also one of the top brands in induction cookware with range appliances that offer faster boiling times and more specific temperature control. When testing the Frigidaire FGIH3047VF we found it can bring six cups of water to boil in just four minutes.

Browse appliances from Frigidaire at Appliances Connection

4. GE

The best from GE:

GE is renowned for its quality and customer service under the names Monogram, Café, Profile, and GE. Aside from refrigerators, freezers, cooking products, dishwashers, washers, and dryers, GE makes a number of small appliances (like the popular nugget ice maker) that are worth looking into.

GE excels in both the kitchen and laundry room, making our favorite wall oven, portable dishwasher, and top-load washer.

The GE Cafe CT9050SHSS is the best wall oven we’ve tested, which boasts smart home technology by pairing with your Amazon Alexa device. It’s a bit pricey, but it performed the best out of all the wall ovens we tested in terms of broiling and roasting capabilities.

If you live in an apartment or have a space without a dishwasher, you should consider a portable dishwasher from GE. These handy appliances don’t have to be installed into your kitchen and you don’t need to mess with any plumbing to get it working. The GE GPT225SSLSS is our favorite, is only $700, and it cleans dishes just as well as regular-sized dishwashers.

Browse appliances from GE at Appliances Connection

5. Haier

The best from Haier:

Haier is a GE sister brand with many of its offerings being smaller and less expensive than the flagship—but this doesn’t impact the quality. Most of these appliances are branded as “born for the city,” or appliances that are good for apartment living.

For example, French-door refrigerators are a sought-after look for a kitchen, but they can be quite costly. Haier provides a couple of affordable French-door refrigerator options that our labs have tested, and they can’t be beaten for the price. The Haier HRF15N3AGS is our favorite one for under $1,500. It’s much smaller than typical French-door refrigerators, and although it doesn’t have a lot of extra features, it gets the job done. This refrigerator excels at maintaining even temperatures over long periods of time, making it a reliable option.

Browse appliances from Haier at Appliances Connection

6. Kenmore

The best from Kenmore:

The best washer and dryer under $500

If you’re buying a new home or renting a place that does not come with a washer and dryer, do not fear—there are plenty of affordable washer and dryer options out there that don’t compromise on performance quality. Case in point: Kenmore. The brand sells a number of affordable fridges, ranges, and more. Originally sold exclusively at Sears, you can find the brand at other retailers now, including Amazon.

The best affordable washer and dryer combo we’ve ever tested is the Kenmore 20232 washer and Kenmore 60222 dryer. Each appliance is just under $500, meaning that you can purchase the set for about $1,000. Our testers found that the washer performs as well as other washers that are almost double the cost. The drum isn’t that large, so you might need to do laundry more frequently, but you can ensure that your clothes are coming out clean and stain-free. The dryer makes for the perfect affordable duo. It uses a moisture sensor to dry your clothing without wasting additional energy, a feature most other dryers in this price range lack.

Browse appliances from Kenmore at Amazon

7. KitchenAid

The best from KitchenAid:

The best dual-fuel range

The iconic brand known for its wildly popular stand mixer also makes some solid large appliances that are worth investing in. We’ve tested dozens of its dishwashers, smart ovens, and more over the years, and we’ve seen that they perform reliably time and time again.

KitchenAid’s standout is the KitchenAid KSDB900ESS; it is also our favorite dual-fuel range. It has a combined oven capacity of 7 cubic feet, a steam rack, a wireless meat probe, and self-cleaning technology. One of the most impressive features of this range is its fine-tuned temperature controls. We were able to turn the gas burners on between 95 degrees and 100 degrees, which are some of the lowest temperatures we’ve seen with the pilot light still burning. It's the ideal temperature to keep dinner on the stove warm without the worry of burning it.

Browse appliances from KitchenAid

8. LG

The best from LG:

LG is well-known in the appliance world and comes in hot with a variety of quality kitchen appliances, includes the best drying dishwasher, affordable dishwasher, side-by-side refrigerator, and double-oven range we’ve ever tested. Not only is it consistently reliable in the kitchen department, but it offers fun features like door-in-door fridges, air fryer modes in oven ranges, and more.

Our favorite drying dishwasher is the LG LDF5545SS—the only dishwasher that produced 100% dry dishes after all of its cycles and it removed stains almost as well as a Bosch dishwasher that is twice the price, making the LG an affordable pick, as well.

With three doors, the LG LSXS26366S is our favorite side-by-side refrigerator. Simply press a button on the outside of the fridge and a door-in-door storage compartment will open that’s ideal for grabbing quick drinks and snacks without disrupting the temperature in the main refrigerator. Our favorite double-oven range is the LG LDG4315ST, which has even convection baking.

Browse appliances from LG at Appliances Connection

9. Maytag

The best from Maytag:

The best dryer

After testing 18 solid dryers, the Maytag MED8230 comes out on top of our list. Although it's a bit pricey, it has virtually no other cons. This dryer is larger than average, and it dries clothes quickly and efficiently. Even bulkier items like comforters dried 100% of the way through at quick speeds during testing. This dryer also boasts smart features that notify you if clothes get balled up and need to be rearranged, and there’s even a rack for drying shoes.

Maytag offers a great 10-year limited parts warranty program, which is a relief knowing how expensive the machines can be. You can also get free returns within 15 days.

We’ve also tested other Maytag appliances like refrigerators, washers, and dryers and found them all to have a similarly great performance.

Browse appliances from Maytag

10. Miele

The best from Miele:

The best compact washer

If you’re not looking for a stacked washer and dryer combo, but still want a compact washing machine, we highly recommend the Miele WWH860 WCS. You will need to do more loads of laundry than you normally would with a traditional, larger washing machine, but these compact machines are made specifically with apartment renters and smaller living spaces in mind. One of our favorite features of this washing machine is its TwinDos, which allows you to pre-fill your detergent and bleach into compartments that automatically dispense the perfect amount of liquid for your wash cycle. Most importantly, in our tests, this compact washer did an exceptional job of thoroughly cleaning clothes and removing stains.

We’ve also tested other washers, dryers, and dishwashers from Miele and appreciate the strong performances this German brand’s appliances deliver. While Miele appliances are more expensive than average, they’re still worth every penny for the incredible performance.

Browse appliances from Miele at Appliances Connection

11. Samsung

The best from Samsung:

The best gas range

While typically known for its incredible line of TVs and electronics, Samsung still stands strong in the large appliance space among other top name brands. We’ve tested Samsung refrigerators, gas ranges, and more, and we love the performance and luxe feel to them. Samsung has also begun offering more trendy styles for appliances to fit in with a more modern space.

Samsung makes our favorite gas range, the Samsung NX58K9500WG, which preheats faster than other similar ranges we tested, and includes five sealed burners on top, a warming drawer for keeping side dishes warm, and a griddle that can rest on top of the appliance. During our tests, the convection fan was excellent at evenly baking cookies and cakes. This range is a bit expensive but offers amazing quality and consistency for cooking and baking.

Browse appliances from Samsung

12. Thermador

The best from Thermador:

The best high-end dishwasher

If you’re looking for a luxury appliance, check out Thermador. The brand makes aesthetically pleasing ranges, fridges, dishwashers, and more that we’ve tested and love. Yes, these products come with expensive price tags, but if you want excellent performance and plenty of compliments from your guests, it's worth it.

Thermador makes the best high-end dishwasher we’ve ever tested, the Thermador Sapphire DWHD770WFM. This dishwasher has a sleek design with blue interior lighting (hence the name) and a cycle timer that is projected onto the floor. Neat right? It also has smart capabilities with the Home Connect app (it’s the same smart system that its sister brand Bosch uses), so you can run your dishwasher without leaving the couch. The bells and whistles are definitely a nice treat, but our labs found the performance of the dishwasher is just as nice. The Pots & Pans cycle excels at removing food stains and caked-on mess, and the StarDry technology ensures that dishes come out of the dishwasher completely dry and ready for the cabinet.

Browse appliances from Thermador at Appliances Connection

13. Whirlpool

The best from Whirlpool:

The best laundry center

As the name suggests, Whirlpool specializes in “water-based” appliances like dishwashers and washers (it even sells its own laundry detergent). But the brand also makes dryers, wall ovens, ranges, microwaves, and more that we’ve tested and approved. You can use most newer models with Whirlpool’s new smart app.

When testing laundry centers, the Whirlpool WET4024HW came out as the best of the best. Laundry centers are great for apartments or other compact spaces as the dryer is stacked on top of the washer. We love the Whirlpool one specifically because, although it’s compact, it’s still able to handle a full basket of laundry. More importantly, this laundry center removes stains like a pro. It’s also the only laundry center that clearly displays how long the cycles last.

Browse appliances from Whirlpool

The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest deals, product reviews, and more.

Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

← Older Post Newer Post →