Do you remember the Maytag repairman who had no repairs to do, because the products were so good that repairs were unheard of? Well, I decided to outfit my new kitchen with all Maytag appliances. From the start (first time on), the dishwasher leaked. I replaced it with the same model. That Maytag dishwasher also leaked immediately. I paid an extra $100 and upgraded to the next-best model. That worked. It is still going strong after one year.

The $1,000 Maytag double-door, side-by-side refrigerator quit working just after the warranty ran out, after 55 weeks. That cost me three weeks' downtime, rotted food, and enormous inconvenience in this hot weather. It also cost me $238 to have a technician come and replace a $38 starting device. I talked to my son about the problem. "You are lucky," he said. "My Maytag caught fire."

He is now outfitted with all Bosch appliances. I am going German next time around, too.

This entry was submitted by Dan McCarthy and edited by Rob Spiegel.

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