Why Customers Say GE Kitchen Appliances Are Way Overpriced

General Electric was once one of the most prominent companies in America. As the name suggests, it made and sold a vast range of electrical goods, but American consumers were perhaps best acquainted with its home appliances. For decades, General Electric was a major brand for ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers, and more. But despite the iconic pedigree, today's GE kitchen appliances often draw customers' ire.

Buyers of new GE kitchen appliances often complain that they quickly develop issues. One Reddit user with all GE Café appliances reported that "we've already had to replace our induction range as it fried itself somehow." The dishwasher and refrigerator also developed issues, the latter of which they expect to replace. But even some customers who like their GE kitchen appliances concede that they were too expensive.

Complaints about GE's kitchen appliances seem to cover the whole brand, but they're especially common for the Café lineup. Another Reddit user claimed that "multiple sales reps have said the Café series is overrated and overpriced." One unfortunate homeowner who posted in a Houzz forum even spent nearly $16,000 on a full Café suite, just for the refrigerator, dishwasher, and oven to arrive damaged. Not only that, but the replacement dishwasher sprung the same leak as before, and the replacement oven was more damaged than the first.

Issues like damaged or nonfunctional units are why GE is unfortunately one of the most overpriced kitchen appliance brands. Appliances should never arrive in non-working condition, especially at four-figure price points that can add up for a whole kitchen. But vintage GE appliances are still bought and sold in working condition decades later. So, what happened?

The brand known as GE Appliances is actually owned by a Chinese corporation, the Haier Group, which bought the venerated appliances division from General Electric in 2016. People commonly speculate that quality standards dropped under new ownership, even though Haier has also made kitchen appliances for decades, and many GE Appliances are still made in the U.S.

If you're in the market for any new kitchen appliances, customer testimonials suggest that GE is not the move. But Costco sometimes has great deals if you buy its appliances online, which could lower the GE price enough to make it worth the dice roll — or better yet, just pick up a brand with fewer complaints instead.