J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Appliance Brands Respond to Challenging Market to Regain Highest Rankings

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., July 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --While customer satisfaction with appliances has declined slightly from 2011, some manufacturers have managed to differentiate their brands and increase customer satisfaction, regaining previously held high rank positions, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Laundry Appliance Satisfaction Study(SM) and the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Kitchen Appliance Satisfaction Study(SM) released today.

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In the Laundry Appliance Satisfaction Study, now in its seventh year, Samsung ranks highest in customer satisfaction with clothes washers and clothes dryers, repeating its performance from previous years. In the Kitchen Appliance Satisfaction Study, in its eighth year, Samsung ranks highest in satisfaction with refrigerators; Bosch ranks highest for dishwashers; and Kenmore Elite ranks highest for ranges, cooktops and ovens—all manufacturers repeating performances of previous years.

"As the economy improves, appliance manufacturers are looking to maintain and grow their market position by opening new manufacturing plants and launching new product lines," said Christina Cooley, senior manager of the home improvement practice at J.D. Power and Associates. "Customers increasingly want more from their appliances, and manufacturers are working incredibly hard to differentiate themselves in a competitive market in terms of offering products that are easy to use and have innovative features, while maximizing value."

Customer satisfaction is measured in six factors: performance and reliability (including how well the appliance functions, noise level and energy efficiency); features (such as the usefulness of settings available and appliance capacity); ease of use; styling and appearance; price; and warranty.

Laundry Appliance Satisfaction Study

Clothes Washers
Samsung ranks highest in customer satisfaction with clothes washers for a fourth consecutive year, achieving a score of 824 on a 1,000-point scale. Samsung performs particularly well in three factors: performance and reliability; price; and styling and appearance. Samsung is followed in the rankings by Kenmore Elite (816), LG (814) and Electrolux (797).

Clothes Dryers
For a fifth consecutive year, Samsung ranks highest in customer satisfaction with clothes dryers (822). Samsung performs particularly well in three factors: performance and reliability; ease of use; and price. Following Samsung in the rankings are LG (818), Electrolux (799) and Kenmore Elite (798).

Kitchen Appliance Satisfaction Study

Refrigerators
With a score of 807, Samsung has regained its highest ranking in customer satisfaction with refrigerators, a position it held from 2005 to 2010. Samsung performs particularly well in the features and price factors. Samsung is followed in the rankings by Sub-Zero (802), Kenmore Elite (786) and LG (777).

Dishwashers
Bosch ranks highest in customer satisfaction with dishwashers, a position it held from 2006 to 2008. With a score of 801, Bosch receives particularly high ratings in the performance and reliability factor. Bosch's high overall performance is due to score increases in all six factors. Bosch is followed in the rankings by Miele (797), KitchenAid (792) and Kenmore Elite (790).

Cooktops/Ranges/Ovens
Kenmore Elite (810) ranks highest in customer satisfaction with ranges, cooktops and ovens. With a year-over-year increase of 19 points, Kenmore Elite achieves the largest improvement of any brand in this segment and regains the highest rank position that it last held in 2006. The brand consistently improves in every aspect of the customer experience and performs particularly well in the performance and reliability and price factors. Kenmore Elite is followed in the rankings by Wolf (803) and Viking (802).

Consumer Tips
Research conducted by J.D. Power's Consumer Insight and Strategy Group(1) finds that consumers are looking for products that make their lives easier and allow them to enjoy more time with friends and family. With that in mind, J.D. Power offers the following tips for consumers shopping for kitchen and laundry appliances:

• Keep budget considerations in line with how long you plan to own your appliance. If you plan to keep an appliance for many years, it might be worth spending more money for a brand that offers strong reliability.
• Seek out the appliance/brand that will best meet your needs in terms of features and ease of use. Choosing a brand that is overly complicated that provides features you will rarely use may have a negative impact on your overall satisfaction with the appliance.
• Take advantage of your time at the retailer to have them demonstrate the operation and function of the appliance.

The 2012 Laundry Appliance Satisfaction Study is based on responses from more than 4,600 customers who purchased clothes washers and/or clothes dryers during the past 24 months. The study was fielded between January and February 2012.

The 2012 Kitchen Appliance Satisfaction Study is based on responses from more than 4,100 customers who purchased dishwashers; more than 3,800 who purchased cooktops/ranges/ovens; and more than 4,600 who purchased refrigerators during the past 24 months. The study was fielded between January and February 2012.

Power Circle Ratings Legend:
5 – Among the best
4 – Better than most
3 – About average
2 – The rest

About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company providing performance improvement, social media and customer satisfaction insights and solutions.  The company's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies
McGraw-Hill announced on September 12, 2011, its intention to separate into two public companies: McGraw-Hill Financial, a leading provider of content and analytics to global financial markets, and McGraw-Hill Education, a leading education company focused on digital learning and education services worldwide. McGraw-Hill Financial's leading brands include Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, S&P Capital IQ, S&P Indices, Platts energy information services and J.D. Power and Associates. With sales of $6.2 billion in 2011, the Corporation has approximately 23,000 employees across more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.

Media Relations Contacts:
Syvetril Perryman; Westlake Village, Calif.; (805) 418-8103; [email protected];
John Tews; Troy, Mich.; (248) 680-6218; [email protected]

No advertising or other promotional use can be made of the information in this release without the express prior written consent of J.D. Power and Associates. www.jdpower.com/corporate

(1) Research conducted by J.D. Power's Consumer Insight and Strategy Group to track social media activity includes information gathered online from July 2011 through July 2012.

SOURCE J.D. Power and Associates