J.D. Power: Samsung Satisfies In Majaps

By Steve Smith -- TWICE, 8/26/2009

Westlake Village, Calif. - Samsung was the big winner in the latest J.D. Power and Associates reports on customer satisfaction with major appliances, with the Korean manufacturer being No. 1 in three of five main categories.

In the annual J.D. Power studies released today, Samsung was No. 1 in overall customer satisfaction for clothes washers, clothes dryers and refrigerators. Kenmore Elite was No. 1 in dishwashers and LG was No. 1 in the ranges, cooktops and ovens category.

LG was the only brand to be among the top three in all five major appliance product categories.

Price, not surprisingly, was a main deciding factor in picking a specific brand and model, the study reported.

Some of the other factors measured in the Laundry Appliances Study and the Kitchen Appliance Study were ease of use; available features (such as the number of settings available and appliance capacity); operational performance (including energy efficiency, noise level and how well the appliance functions); styling and feel; and warranty.

In all segments included in the studies the importance of price in the appliance purchase decision and as a driver of customer satisfaction has increased notably from 2008.

"Consumers are scrutinizing the value of new appliance purchases much more carefully than in recent years," Dale Haines, senior director of the real estate and construction industries practice at J.D. Power and Associates. "Fortunately for consumers, most major appliance brands produce highly reliable products, so good values can be found at a wide range of price points."

The 2009 Laundry Appliances Study is based on responses from more than 4,000 consumers who purchased clothes washers and more than 3,800 consumers who purchased clothes dryers from a retail store, their new-home builder, or received one through other means (such as a gift) during the past 24 months. The study was fielded between March and April 2009.

The 2009 Kitchen Appliances Study is based on responses from 3,387 consumers who purchased dishwashers, 4,067 consumers who purchased cooktops/ranges/ovens and 4,247 consumers who purchased refrigerators through a retail store or their new-home builder, or received one through other means (such as a gift) during the previous 24 months. The study was also fielded between March and April 2009.

For a complete list of the rankings in each category, click here.