J.D. Power Reports: Product Performance and Reliability are Key to Overall Customer Satisfaction with Laundry and Kitchen Appliances; Warranty Importance Increases

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., July 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --While customer satisfaction with major appliances is primarily driven by performance and reliability, warranty has become increasingly important during the past few years, according to the J.D. Power 2013 Laundry Appliance Satisfaction Study^SM and the J.D. Power 2013 Kitchen Appliance Satisfaction Study^SM released today.

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The Laundry Appliance Satisfaction Study and the Kitchen Appliance Satisfaction Study, now in their eighth and ninth years, respectively, measure customer satisfaction in five categories of major home appliances: clothes washers; clothes dryers; dishwashers; cooktops/ranges/ovens; and refrigerators. Overall customer satisfaction is measured in six factors: ease of use; features (such as the usefulness of settings available and capacity); performance and reliability (including how well the appliance functions, noise level and energy efficiency); price; styling and appearance; and warranty.

While product-specific factors continue to drive satisfaction with kitchen appliances in 2013, the importance of price and warranty increases in 2013. Both warranty and ease of use have a larger impact on satisfaction with laundry appliances in 2013 than in 2012.

The length and scope of warranty contributes approximately one-tenth to overall customer satisfaction across all major appliances, which has increased by nearly 2 percentage points during the past three years. For laundry appliances specifically, there has been a similar increase in the importance of the ease of use factor, which is the second-most-important driver of satisfaction in 2013 and represents approximately one-fifth of the overall customer experience. For kitchen appliances, the price factor has increased in importance by 2 percentage points and comprises about 15 percent of overall customer satisfaction in 2013.

"We continue to see a tightening of scores among the highest-ranked brands, which is very telling in that, although specific brands have specific strengths, in the end there are a number of brands delivering an outstanding customer experience," said Christina Cooley, director in the home improvement industries practice at J.D. Power. "In this extremely competitive environment, brands that have already proven themselves through their products will likely be able to further differentiate through their relationships with their customers, as demonstrated through their warranty, and ultimately providing a consistent and strong value message that incorporates both the product and long-term relationship with customers."

Laundry Appliance Satisfaction Study

Clothes Washers
Samsung ranks highest in customer satisfaction with clothes washers for a fifth consecutive year, achieving a score of 822 on a 1,000-point scale. Samsung performs particularly well in three factors: performance and reliability; ease of use; and price. Samsung is followed in the rankings by LG (818) and Kenmore Elite (816). Kenmore Elite and Electrolux also perform above the clothes washer industry average.

Clothes Dryers
LG ranks highest in customer satisfaction with clothes dryers (821). LG performs particularly well in performance and reliability; ease of use; styling and appearance; features; and warranty. Following LG in the rankings is Samsung (820).

Kitchen Appliance Satisfaction Study

Refrigerators
With a score of 817, Sub-Zero has regained its highest ranking in customer satisfaction with refrigerators, a position it held previously in 2011. Sub-Zero performs particularly well in ease of use; performance and reliability; styling and appearance; features; and warranty. Kenmore Elite (807) follows in the rankings.

Dishwashers
Kenmore Elite ranks highest in customer satisfaction with dishwashers with a score of 812 and achieves particularly high scores in ease of use; styling and appearance; features; and price. Kenmore Elite is followed in the rankings by KitchenAid (803). Bosch and Miele also perform above industry average.

Cooktops/Ranges/Ovens
Kenmore Elite (819) ranks highest in customer satisfaction with ranges, cooktops and ovens for a second consecutive year. The brand performs particularly well in ease of use; performance and reliability; and features. Kenmore Elite is followed in the rankings by Wolf (810) and Samsung (808).

Consumer Tips
J.D. Power offers the following tips for consumers shopping for kitchen and laundry appliances:

• Fully understand the appliance's warranty. Read it over carefully to determine what it covers and for how long. If you have questions, ask both the retailer and the manufacturer directly.
• Understand the difference between the standard warranty and an extended warranty and the associated benefits so that you can decide what makes the most sense for your purchase.
• Shop based on your specific needs related to function and style.
• Don't wait until after the purchase to figure out how to use the appliance or its special features. Ask the salesperson to explain and demonstrate the appliance's functions as well as to discuss the regular maintenance required.

The 2013 Laundry Appliance Satisfaction Study is based on more than 7,800 evaluations from customers who purchased clothes washers and/or clothes dryers during the past 24 months. The study was fielded between January and February 2013.

The 2013 Kitchen Appliance Satisfaction Study is based on more than 4,000 evaluations from customers who purchased dishwashers; more than 3,900 evaluations from customers who purchased cooktops/ranges/ovens; and more than 4,500 evaluations from customers who purchased refrigerators during the past 24 months. The study was fielded between January and February 2013.

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

About J.D. Power
J.D. Power 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. Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power has offices in North/South America, Europe and Asia Pacific. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power is a business unit of McGraw Hill Financial.

About McGraw Hill Financial
McGraw Hill Financial (NYSE: MHFI), a financial intelligence company, is a leader in credit ratings, benchmarks and analytics for the global capital and commodity markets. Iconic brands include Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, S&P Capital IQ, S&P Dow Jones Indices, Platts, CRISIL, J.D. Power, McGraw-Hill Construction and Aviation Week. The Company has approximately 17,000 employees in 27 countries. Additional information is available at http://www.mhfi.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. www.jdpower.com/corporate

SOURCE J.D. Power