Maytag Sold to Whirlpool

[John Cunningham]

We have lost another long running company name to history last week.
Ironically we had nothing but problems with our Whirlpool washing machine so I went out and purchased what may be one of the last Maytag washers. So far she runs smooth. Hope it lasts like my Maytag engine. I think we should all be greatly concerned about the exit of manufacturing from our country.

[Kevin O. Pulver]

Sad to say John, but NOTHING made today will run as long as those older Maytags. They are just plain made cheaper now. And the salesman had so much trouble with balancing on the high-end Maytag front loaders, that he didn't even want to sell us one. We bought a Fischer-Paykal instead, a New Zealand offering that has no transmission. It uses a direct drive motor that reverses back and forth to agitate. Consumer Guide rated them very high. Anyone looking for a washer check them out. Kevin

[TBuchanan]

A Maytag family member , Fritz still makes some really good beer . Anchor Steam .

[Pentode]

Just came across this post so Im a bit late....

I have been to the Maytag plants in Newton and the smaller parts plants as well and cant help wonder what will happen to what I consider a major piece of history. My reason for the visits were electrical/mechanical infarared inspections and had a dedicated escort through every corner of the plants. Aside from the "modern" looking products rolling through the lines and the front lobby areas the place looks very much like a typical early 1900's era manufacturing plant.
The tour starts off in the engine house that holds the old but active plant switchgear with busy open frame compressers sucking in 4160 VAC and spinning at 450 RPM inside beautiful open frames. Down the long wooden floors to the large boilers that bear the makers artful brass tags and more large older motors running some serious combustion fans. The rubber house that makes the molded hoses all had wooden plank floors along with those old green top light reflectors that were still running the 300+ watt lightbulbs backed up with slat type florescent fixtures, smoking was allowed on the production floors except chemical areas.
The sintered gear line was a bit more modern if you consider 1950s as "up to date" but still had an older feel and look. The only modern building I can recall was the electrical component and transmission production plants that were seperate all together.

Now whirlpool in itself has a long history and I do remember visiting a few of the small products plants and they also had a slightly dated feel however not like Maytag by any means.

As far as the appliances are concerned both Whirlpool and Maytag made some great washers and driers, when I moved I kept my old RCA-Whirlpool washer and dryer and was able to get a propane orfice for the top mounted burner. Both have florescent lights for the controls and work just like new despite being 30 years older than I am! My mother has the generational Maytag wringer washer with the old electric motor, we pulled the twin 2-stroke decades age and it sits in the shop with hopes of running again... Its well pickled so it will be an easy one to run, mom never cared for the 2-stroke smell in the clothes.

I was at the local Menards this evening and happen to notice the butt-ugly podlike washers and dryers with the thousand buttons and that damn Energy Star sticker on them, who the hell came up with these ergonomic turds in the first place??? Are they that much better at getting skid marks out than the old machines? What really bothered me the most was I happened to catch a molded in "Made In China" next to the part number of the top control section. If I want something made in china I will go to Wal Mart but dammit keep that off my major appliances! Its going to be a very sad day when my Mason jars are made overseas in some sweatshop, very sad indeed.

Had to post.
Pentode

[Motormowers]

I have a 1962 Maytag A101 washer that still looks and runs like new. Up until the late 80's they were the Mercedes diesels of washers in that you couldnt kill em. I also agree with our losing so much manufacturing here. Trouble is the ones we've lost already will never come back. In time our work force will be comprised of people with really really good paying jobs or Wal-Mart type low paying menial jobs. The average middle class person will be down with the welfare immigrants.

[Acre Farm]

Originally Posted by Motormowers

Trouble is the ones we've lost already will never come back. In time our work force will be comprised of people with really really good paying jobs or Wal-Mart type low paying menial jobs. The average middle class person will be down with the welfare immigrants.

Move to NY... it's that way now.
I worked at Sears a couple years ago and Whirlpool made a good machine. Maytag on the other hand, made a great machine. It's sad to watch high quality names get gobbled up by lesser quality, higher volume companies.