Have you ever wondered where are Kenmore appliances made and who makes them?
Kenmore is a well-known American company that has a large share of the US market for kitchen appliances, such as refrigerators, dishwashers, freezers, grills, dryers, and vacuums etc.
But did you know that Kenmore does not make its appliances? That’s right, Kenmore is not a manufacturer, but a brand. Kenmore is only in charge of the design and marketing of its products, while its partners take care of the manufacturing and production.
But you might be looking for the partners who are making the appliances and where they are located.
Then the answer might surprise you, as Kenmore appliances are made by some of the well-known companies such as LG, Daewoo Electronics, Whirlpool, and Panasonic.
So let’s find out more information on the manufacturing of Kenmore appliances, whether they are a good brand, what their current market share is, and what customers say about Kenmore.
Table of Contents
Transformco: The Owner of Kenmore
The Kenmore brand is owned by Transformco, a company that was formed in 2019 after acquiring the assets of Sears Holdings Corporation, which filed for bankruptcy in 2018.
Transformco also owns other brands of Sears Holdings Corporation, such as Kmart, which was a subsidiary brand of Sears Holdings from 2005 to 2019.
Some other brands, such as Craftsman and DieHard, are also owned by Transformco. Transformco markets and sells its appliances through retail outlets like Sears and Kmart, which it owns after the acquisition, and also through online marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay, and Lowe’s.
However, Transformco does not have any manufacturing facilities of its own. It depends on other companies to produce Kenmore appliances according to its specifications and quality standards.
These companies are OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) of the products of Transformco, which means they have contracts with Transformco to supply its Kenmore appliances.
Whirlpool: The Main Manufacturer of Kenmore
One of the main OEMs that is manufacturing products for Kenmore is Whirlpool which dates back to 1947 when Whirlpool introduced an automatic, spinner-type washer sold by Sears under the “Kenmore” brand.
In 2023 Whirpool is still making some of the main products for Kenmore such as washing machines, refrigerators, dishwashers, and matching dyrers which makes it the largest supplier of Kenmore products.
Whirlpool has a market cap or net worth of $6.24 billion as of December 1, 2023.
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Its manufacturing locations are in 10 countries worldwide with the majority of whirlpool locations in the United state which is 10 which are: Amana, Iowa; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Cleveland, Tennessee; Clyde, Ohio; Findlay, Ohio; Greenville, Ohio; Marion, Ohio; Ottawa, Ohio; and Fall River, Massachusetts.
Also, they have manufacturing plants in Italy, Mexico, India, Poland, Brazil, Slovakia, Russia, the UK, and Argentina.
But the other locations which are outside of the US serve their local market so mostly for the US market Whirpool manufactures its products in the US for Kenmore and other brands they have contracts with such as KitchenAid, Maytag, Amana, Jenn-Air, and Consul in which most are now owned by Whirlpool.
Whirlpool uses a unique code system to identify the manufacturer of Kenmore appliances. The first three digits of the model number, followed by a dot, indicate the manufacturer. \
For example, a Kenmore appliance with a model number starting with 110. is made by Whirlpool. Other codes used by Whirlpool are 106, 562, 665, and 198.
Is Whirlpool Made by Kenmore?
As we have discussed earlier, Whirlpool is the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) that manufactures products for the Kenmore brand.
Whirlpool is one of the major manufacturers of Kenmore appliances. Whirlpool has been manufacturing Kenmore appliances since 1947 when they first introduced an automatic washer for Kenmore, which was sold by the Kenmore brand at that time.
Therefore, Kenmore and Whirlpool are different companies. Whirlpool is the manufacturer and supplier of the products, and Kenmore is the brand under which they are sold.
Other Manufacturers of Kenmore
Besides Whirlpool Kenmore appliances are made by different OEMs, such as LG, Electrolux, Panasonic, Daewoo Electronics, Amana, and Cleva North America. Each OEM manufactures different products for Kenmore, so finding the OEM of every product is a bit difficult task, as Kenmore has a large collection of products.
However, you can track them down using the product code. I am giving you a table below that shows the codes for each OEM. You can use this table to find out who made your Kenmore appliance and what model it is.
To use the table, first check the model number on your Kenmore appliance, which is usually located on a sticker or a tag somewhere on the appliance.
The model number is a combination of numbers and letters, and the first three digits before the decimal point are the most important, as they indicate the manufacturer of the product.
For example, if your product model number is 96274100, the first three digits are 110. This means that your appliance was made by Whirlpool. Check the table below to find the manufacturer of your Kenmore appliance.
Table to find out the Kenmore appliances original equipment manufacture:
| Code | Manufacturer |
|---|---|
| 103 | Caloric |
| 106, 110, 111, 596, 665, 795, 796 | Whirlpool |
| 253, 417, 587, 628 | Electrolux |
| 362 | General Electric (GE) |
| 401 | Daewoo Electronics |
| 790 | Frigidaire |
| 111 | Samsung |
Where are Kenmore Elite Refrigerators and Washer Made?
Kenmore Elite refrigerators, freezers, and dishwashers are a premium line of Kenmore appliances and are made by different manufacturers, depending on the model. Some of these companies are Whirlpool, Electrolux, and LG.
To identify the manufacturer of your Kenmore Elite appliance, you can look at the model number, which is usually found on a metal tag or sticker on the appliance itself. The manufacturer is indicated by the first three digits of the model number, followed by a dot.
If you want to know more about the specific model of your Kenmore Elite refrigerator or dishwasher, the best way to get the most accurate and latest information is to visit the official Kenmore website or contact their customer Care.
Where are Kenmore Grills Made?
Kenmore grills are made in the United States by Permasteel, a company that specializes in outdoor cooking products.
Permasteel was founded in 2004 and has been producing grills for the Kenmore brand since 2011 when it launched a partnership with Kenmore and began selling them through Sears and Kmart.
In 2013, Permasteel became a key supplier for Kenmore and an exclusive manufacturer of Kenmore Elite grills.
In 2017, Permasteel signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Sears for Kenmore grills and accessories, which was renewed for another five years in 2020 which means they are still producing Kenmore grills in 2023.
Where are Kenmore Dryers Made?
As for the other products of Kenmore which are manufactured outsourced from different OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) same is the case with Kenmore dryers.
Most of the dryers are made by Whirlpool, but some are also made by companies like Samsung, LG, Electrolux, Panasonic, Cleva North America, and Winia Electronics.
Kenmore Pro dryers were made by Electrolux until 2017, but then the contract was given to LG, which has been making them since then.
Kenmore also has an upscale line of products called Elite, which are made by LG and are known for their smart features such as voice control, wifi, and steam cycles.
Where are Kenmore Vacuums Made?
Kenmore vacuums are made by Cleva, an American company headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, United States. Cleva was founded in 2007 and the company sells wet and dry vacuum cleaners for homes and gardens and also supplies them to other brands like Kenmore.
Before 2016, Kenmore had a contract with Panasonic, which ended that year. Since then, Cleva has been making the Kenmore vacuums.
Who Sells Kenmore Appliances Besides Sears?
Sears is the original and main retailer of Kenmore appliances, but it is not the only one. You can also buy Kenmore appliances from their official website product page, or various online retailers such as Amazon, Lowe’s, The Home Depot, Target, and many others.
You can also visit the Kenmore official website’s where to buy page, where they have listed their partners and retailers from which you can buy Kenmore appliances.
Is Kenmore a Good Brand?
Kenmore brand is one of the most popular and reliable household brands in the USA and they have been in business for so long. The first product they made was a sewing machine which was in 1913 and after that, they kept on improving their product quality and features.
They were given the Women’s Choice awards for the most recommended home appliance brand in the USA, which was based on a national survey done across the country in which thousands of women participated.
Also, they have a mix of reviews on some online retailers like Amazon and Trustpilot, but it depends on the usage of the product and also personal experience with some products.
You can see the image below from the Consumer Report, where up to 70% of consumers give a positive rating to Kenmore.
Overall, Kenmore is a brand you can trust as they have been in the business for so long. They will not lose the brand reputation they have built over the years by providing unreliable products.
Is Kenmore Still in Business?
Kenmore is still in business despite the bankruptcy of its former owner Sears in 2018. After that, Kenmore was acquired by Transformco, a company that was formed in 2019.
The new owner Transformco also owns other brands like Craftsman, DieHard, and Kmart. However, after the bankruptcy of its former owner, Kenmore is facing challenges in the competitive and dynamic home appliance market.
Because of the bankruptcy of their previous owner, they lost some of their market share and brand value. Moreover, they also have to deal with technological advancements and consumer preferences and expectations.
But Kenmore is not going anywhere as they are adapting and evolving to survive and thrive in the future.
Is Kenmore Owned by China?
Kenmore is an American brand of home appliances that has all its operations running in America with no presence in China. However, the OEMs that Kenmore partners with for their products may be of Chinese origin, but the products for Kenmore are mostly made in the US.
Conclusion
To sum up, Kenmore Appliances is a renowned name in American households and has won the Women’s Choice Award for the most recommended home appliances brand. It has faced many ups and downs, most importantly when its previous parent company, Sears Holdings, went bankrupt in 2018 and was acquired by the new company, Transformco.
However, Kenmore is still reliable and has a good market share in America, as consumers are still trusting its products. This means that it is not going anywhere and is adapting to the new technological market shift
I am Jack Neel, a mechanical engineer, researcher, and writer. I created this website to share my knowledge about different brands and products with you. I research the manufacturers behind the brands and provide you with the information you need to make smart buying decisions.
