Which Company Makes Frigidaire Appliances And Where They're Manufactured

We take many simple pleasures for granted, one of which is that large, sometimes-noisy appliance in the kitchen that holds all of our perishable foods: the refrigerator. Back in the day, enjoying a cold glass of juice wasn't as easy as opening the door of the fridge and pulling out a chilled jug. What you might not know is that you can thank the company Frigidaire for developing the first self-contained refrigerator, aka the first refrigerator that could operate in a suburban home. Known by several names over the years, the Frigidaire brand of appliances is currently owned by Electrolux Group.

Electrolux Group purchased Frigidaire in 1986. Today, it's so well-known that Frigidaire is one of Electrolux Group's main selling brands in North America. Frigidaire's appliances themselves are manufactured in a few different countries, but quite a few of the products are made in the U.S. Appliances in the States are manufactured at production units located in Springfield, Tennessee; Anderson, South Carolina; and Kinston, North Carolina. The company also has a production unit in Juarez, Mexico, though the North American region is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.

In the early 1900s in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the Guardian Frigerator Company broke into the market, selling appliances. By 1916, it was beloved for its self-contained refrigerator that used compressor technology, and by 1918, it caught the attention of William C. Durant at General Motors, who invested in the company until eventually buying it out in 1919. From then on, the brand became known as "Frigidaire."  

Frigidaire spent the next forty years developing never-before-seen technology for refrigerators and freezers, such as better insulated metal linings, drawers, and a fully-steel version of the appliance. Just take a look at this vintage Frigidaire Sheer Look Beauty refrigerator ad to see how much the appliances have changed over the decades. During this time, the company also introduced new products, offering everything from cooking ranges to washers and dryers. In 1979, Frigidaire was acquired by White Consolidated Industries, which was then purchased by the Electrolux Group, and both companies fell under a single umbrella. 

Over the years, Frigidaire has been named as one of the best refrigerator brands, according to reviewers, which is easy to imagine given that the company is credited with inventing the industry's "first SmudgeProof black stainless steel suite of appliances" and even the "first glass door refrigerator," as reported by Electrolux Group. Some customers find that Frigidaire is one of the most overpriced appliance brands, so it's certainly worth taking the appliances' reviews with a grain of salt.