Has The Quality Of Whirlpool Kitchen Appliances Gone Downhill? Here's What Consumers Say

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Whirlpool is a longtime giant in the appliance industry. In recent years, however, this colossus of contraptions has been on the downturn, according to customers. It's no secret that some kitchen appliances seem to last forever, while others seem to sputter out in a couple years. But, Whirlpool owners en masse are saying that their recently purchased items have already broken down.

Disgruntled customers have taken to the internet to sound off their quality complaints. One Reddit thread inquires, "Does anyone else feel like around 2020ish, whirlpool appliances became garbage? Their stuff gets worse by the year. At this point I'd recommend a Samsung over a whirlpool." An apparent retailer affirms, "I sell appliances too, and I can sell 100 ge [General Electric] refrigerators and maybe 1 or 2 have an issue right out of the box. For whirlpool stuff if I sell just 10 refrigerators I have issues with 2 or 3 within the first month. It's gotten really bad." 

In March, Whirlpool released a service bulletin for nearly all of its top-load washing machine models, sharing that there is a major control board malfunction issue for all units made from January 2023 to May 2024. Considering Whirlpool plants crank out thousands of washing machine units every single day, that's a major financial hit. In April, Whirlpool announced that it was laying off 650 workers at a production plant in Iowa – a grim affirmation of what seems to be a larger downward trend for the company. All in all, consumer confidence seems to be at a low, and there's an explanation behind the once-trusted brand's declining quality.

Whirlpool (which also owns KitchenAid and Maytag) has faced numerous issues with its business operations and profitability. The company reported a net loss of $82 million in the first fiscal quarter of 2026, reflecting a 7.5% drop in sales of major appliances in the North American market. The company cites the broader decline of the U.S. economy and skyrocketing cost of living as a deterrent for customers to shell out for new appliances. Meanwhile, the decline of the U.S. housing market means fewer and fewer new homes will need to be outfitted with a full set of appliances (a cost of roughly $12,000 per home). However, the role that Whirlpool's apparently widespread quality issues play in those dwindling sales remains to be seen. 

Customers say Whirlpool refrigerators are experiencing longevity issues — and it isn't just the fridges either. Elsewhere on social media, a similarly frustrated customer on Facebook shares a testimonial in which they outfitted their entire kitchen with a new refrigerator, range, dishwasher, and microwave from Whirlpool, only to find the icemaker broke within the first six months, and the dishwasher quit after just two years (right after the warranty ended). Commenters chime in, "We bought an extended warranty to try and cover ourselves. And Whirlpool customer service is some of the worst I've ever experienced." Word to the wise: Other affordable dishwashers outperformed Whirlpool in a recent Consumer Reports review. Before investing in a major purchase from Whirlpool (or any manufacturer), neglecting to check the warranty or customer reviews are two of the most common mistakes to avoid when buying new kitchen appliances.