8 Kitchen Appliance Brands That Are Way Overpriced, According To Reviews

No, you're not imagining it — many kitchen appliances have been getting worsein recent years. From convection ovens to coffee makers and washing machines, nothing lasts as long as it used to. This is due to a complicated web of shifting regulations, global supply chain challenges, and consumer preferences, with everyone trying to save money on kitchen appliances while also expecting each gadget to be more sophisticated than the last.

Adding more features adds more opportunities for things to go wrong, and it also increases costs for both manufacturers and consumers. At the same time, a higher price tag leads to higher expectations. As a Redditor explains on a thread about Miele dishwashers: "People are much more critical of a premium product than an inexpensive one. If your $300 dishwasher kinda sucks, you got what you paid for. However, when one pays $2,000 for a dishwasher, they'll be more upset at minor imperfections."

Some companies have managed to maintain their reputation for providing value, but those eight kitchen appliance brands are not among them, as each is consistently called "overpriced" by their own customers. If you have a kitchen appliance that's not doing so well, you should know that some upgrades are not worth it. Here are the worst offenders for over-promising and under-delivering.

With its stylish machines for every room in the house, GE Appliances has established itself as a one-stop-shop. It's got kitchen staples like dishwashers and garbage disposals, a wide range of options, and even trendy items like countertop ice makers. Such state-of-the-art appliances come at a cost, of course, but a good appliance can justify a steep price. Unfortunately, judging by customer reviews, that expectation isn't always met.

One disgruntled Yelp review says: "It's really frustrating to spend so much on a GE front load washer only to have problems after just two years... With the high price of these appliances, it's disappointing to see more negative reviews than positive ones lately." Those negative reviews speak to the lackluster performance of GE's microwaves, dishwashers, refrigerators, and more, indicating a drop in quality across the board, especially since GE's change of ownership in 2016. "GE appliances almost always show up with some sort of physical damage," writes an appliance salesman on Reddit. "Been that way for the past few years now. I honestly think they cheaped out on their logistics." If only those saves could be passed down to consumers, GE wouldn't be on this list.

Electrolux, which also owns Frigidaire, is a manufacturer of everything from vacuum cleaners to beverage coolers. It also makes popular induction cooktops, which are becoming more mainstream as gas stoves become less prevalent. One could reasonably outfit an entire kitchen with Electrolux appliances but, according to customers, they should think twice before doing so.

"Their products are absolute garbage," reads one ConsumerAffairs review. "I purchased a dryer in March of 2022. Within 3 months it began shaking and rattling... The problem was never fixed and I don't think this piece of junk will make it to the 3 year mark..."

Unfortunately, that experience with Electrolux appears to be quite common, with other reviewers complaining of expensive appliances that stopped working properly shortly after being purchased. If the company offered better customer service, perhaps that would mitigate the issue. Instead, many say that slow or no response from the brand only made matters worse. One even goes so far as to call the company a scam, saying: "I am surprised the government has not shut this ponzi scheme down."

For over a century, Maytag built a solid reputation for making American kitchens more convenient, efficient, and reliable. While it may not be the flashiest name in the game, it remains a popular choice for ovens, cooktops, and more. However, according to recent reviews of its once-renowned refrigerators, Maytag's priorities may be changing, to the detriment of its consumers. It seems like Maytag fridges have become far less dependable than they once were, often resulting in costly repairs and frustrating interactions with an indifferent customer service team.

One particularly painful point of contention appears to be the brand's warranty, which doesn't always cover what customers expect. This means that those with a defective appliance often wind up paying much more than the original price tag, rendering the product overpriced in the long run. As one owner of a $2,159 Maytag refrigerator puts it on ConsumerAffairs: "Maytag wanted to charge us an arm and a leg to replace any of these items even though the refrigerator has a plaque on the side of it that says it has a 10 year parts warranty... We are so disappointed in this cheap product that was so expensive!"

JennAir is a high-end appliance brand that sets itself apart by offering luxury features, custom panels, and unique finishes. It introduced a collaboration with world-famous interior designer Kelly Wearstler, it has its own branded cooking app, and produces statement pieces like mixed-metal ranges and fridges with a snakeskin-print interior.

Given the stylish aesthetic and high price point of JennAir kitchen appliances, one would expect the quality to be top-notch. Unfortunately, according to customer reviews, the opposite is just as likely to be true. JennAir machines might be good-looking, but they're not always trustworthy, leaving many to wonder if they've paid a premium for a pretty face and nothing more.

"They do not stand by their product," says one customer on ConsumerAffairs. "Our appliances are lightly used. The cost of replacements was over $10,000. Why bother? You're better off buying a $5,000 suite and replacing them if they're not up to snuff." On Reddit, a user claiming to be a veteran of the kitchen appliance industry agrees, sharing that: "JennAir just isn't worth the money now, for most people," and that it "charges as much as other luxury brand products, which it doesn't deserve." You may want a beautiful, on-trend kitchen, but if it doesn't function properly, what's the point?

Designed in New Zealand and available around the world, Fisher and Paykel has made a splash with its connected smart home appliances and chic, integrated style that blends machines into their surrounding cabinetry. This is not a brand for homeowners who prefer a vintage-style kitchen, but for those whose tastes lean state-of-the-art, Fisher and Paykel is appealing. It isn't cheap, though, and many who've splurged on the company's fancy appliances say they aren't worth the price.

"Expensive garbage," is how one Redditor describes the high-end brand. "Ten years ago I spent nearly $2,000 on a Fisher and Paykel washer and dryer. Since that time, not a year has gone by without there being a problem with one or the other. I have spent more than I paid for the appliances in repairs."

On ConsumerAffairs, reviewers are equally unhappy. A quick scroll through the comments reveals multiple accounts of dishwashers that leak, refrigerators that break, and gas ranges that never function properly. "I have a refrigerator and a gas range from Fisher and Paykel," reads one. "It is the worst decision I made. $6,000 refrigerators and $4,500 gas range. Yes it looks beautiful! But the functionality is 0 for both."

LG is a household name sold in big-box stores across the world, and its ubiquitous presence makes it feel like a reliable brand. Those who own LG TVs and stereo systems seem happy enough, so it would stand to reason that the brand's kitchen appliances are at least good enough. Unfortunately, that's not the case.

A prime example of this discrepancy is LG refrigerators, which customers claim are particularly overpriced. With over 4,000 reviews on ConsumerAffairs, fridges from LG have only a 1.1-star rating, largely due to malfunctioning parts. One known issue with a faulty fridge compressor led to a class action lawsuit filed in November 2024, but while that may be one of the biggest grievances among consumers, it's far from the only one.

"After 7 years the entire refrigerator stopped cooling," reads one review. "I would not recommend this brand to anyone. They make sure they continually drain money from consumers. They are not making quality brands." On Reddit, reviewers are even more emphatic, with one saying: "They are worse than junk! I've had mine less than 2 years. Two of the shelves and the refrigerator door piece is held together by duct tape... Terrible!"

Don't let your positive experience with Samsung TVs convince you that the brand's kitchen appliances are worth buying. While the company does manufacture ovens, microwaves and washing machines, there's a reason why those products receive less praise than its entertainment appliances. That reason is that, for the quality, they are woefully overpriced.

Across social media, the consensus is that Samsung kitchen appliances look nice, but don't perform well enough to justify the cost. One Redditor who was convinced to take the plunge says of their experience: "Garbage. Absolute Garbage. I cannot say enough bad things about Samsung appliances. The only thing worse is their support, who will tell you nothing is covered under the warranty."

Of the many kitchen appliances that Samsung sells, the refrigerators might be the most disappointing. Of the over 4,000 reviews on ConsumerAffairs, the vast majority are negative. Unhappy customers cite flawed filtration systems, issues with leaking, broken ice makers, and terrible customer service for their dissatisfaction. One says: "I purchased all my home appliances from Samsung, expecting quality and reliability. It's now been seven years, and since 2023, every single appliance has failed... This has been the worst brand experience I've ever had. Poor quality, poor support, and no accountability. Avoid Samsung appliances at all costs."

From ovens to food processors to espresso machines, Bosch makes all the appliances one kitchen could possibly need. It's also widely considered to be a reliable brand, frequently recommended by salespeople and critics. It's surprising, then, to see that online reviews from actual customers are quite mixed.

Of the over 1,380 ratings for Bosch appliances on ConsumerAffairs, 800 have only 1 star. Take a closer look, and you'll see that the culprit is inconsistency, with some products deemed worth the brand's premium pricing, and some decidedly not. Social media tells more or less the same story, with users warning that while Bosch may make good dishwashers, its refrigerators should be avoided at all costs.

Not only is Bosch's quality inconsistent across appliances, but it appears to have gotten worse over time, leaving repeat customers with a bad taste in their mouth. One reviewer on ConsumerAffairs explains: "I purchased my second Bosch refrigerator, not as high quality as the 14 yr old that went to the dump. No egg holder, no butter dish. The drawers are not as sturdy as the first one. Totally a lower quality, but the price was exceptionally high for the low value. We are not stupid consumers, we know what it should be." Just like so many other things in this world, Bosch appliances aren't what they used to be.

When customers are unhappy, they take to consumer sites like Reddit, Facebook, Yelp, and Consumer Affairs to voice their frustrations. That's where we went to find recent reviews of popular appliance brands, to see which ones consistently earn negative feedback. We focused on reviews left within the last year, and those that mention value, to determine which big-name kitchen appliance brands are overpriced.