Premier appliances are made by Peerless-Premier Appliance Company, an American-owned and privately held manufacturer of gas and electric ranges headquartered in Belleville, Illinois, formed in 1982 through the merger of the Premier Stove Company, founded in 1912, and Peerless Enamel Products Company, founded in 1928.
Premier is one of the few remaining fully independent range manufacturers in the United States, designing and making its own tools and dies, stamping its own range parts, applying its own porcelain enamel finishes, and assembling complete gas and electric ranges entirely in-house.
Peerless-Premier Appliance Company has been privately held by a group of American investors since 1986 and operates two manufacturing plants, with its primary facility spanning two square blocks in Belleville, Illinois, and a second plant in Clinton, Kentucky.
Knowing that Premier is a complete vertical manufacturer, controlling every step from tooling and stamping through enameling and final assembly, helps explain how the company has survived as an independent American range maker for over 110 years while larger competitors consolidated or moved offshore.
This article covers who makes Premier appliances, where they are produced, who owns the brand, its history, how it compares to a rival, and whether the appliances are any good.
So let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Who Makes Premier Appliances?
Premier appliances are made by Peerless-Premier Appliance Company, which performs every manufacturing step in-house rather than outsourcing components or assembly to outside suppliers.
The company designs its own tools and dies, stamps its own sheet metal range parts, applies porcelain enamel finishes to raw steel components, and assembles those parts into complete gas and electric ranges entirely at its own facilities.
Premier manufactures gas and electric ranges in 20-inch, 24-inch, 30-inch, and 36-inch widths, including the stainless steel Premier Pro Series introduced in 2000, which has since expanded to a six-burner 36-inch model.
Peerless-Premier also markets ranges under the Eagle, Modern Chef, Mark Royal, and Heritage by Orbon labels following its 1985 acquisition of the Orbon Appliance Corporation sales division, as confirmed in Peerless-Premier’s company profile.
Where Are Premier Appliances Made?
Premier appliances are made at Peerless-Premier’s two manufacturing plants in Belleville, Illinois, and Clinton, Kentucky, with both facilities employing American workers throughout the production process.
The Belleville, Illinois facility spans two full city blocks and houses the company’s complete manufacturing operation, including tool and die making, metal stamping, porcelain enameling, and final range assembly.
In 2005, Peerless-Premier moved some production jobs from Belleville to its newer Clinton, Kentucky facility, citing more favorable wages and the need to remain competitive against lower-cost Mexican manufacturing alternatives.
The company uses as many domestically sourced parts as possible across both facilities, sourcing globally only where specific components are not available from American suppliers, in keeping with its published Made in America policy.
Who Owns Premier Appliances?
Premier is owned by Peerless-Premier Appliance Company, which has been privately held by a group of American investors since 1986, following the company’s formation through merger four years earlier.
The Premier Stove Company was founded in 1912 in Belleville, Illinois, by Maurice G. Klemme and Arthur C. Krebs, manufacturing cast iron, coal, and wood stoves before transitioning to gas and electric ranges as those technologies became standard.
Peerless acquired all capital stock of Premier in November 1975, with Premier operating as a wholly owned subsidiary until the two companies formally consolidated into Peerless-Premier Appliance Company in January 1982.
Peerless-Premier’s full corporate history and current private ownership structure are documented on Premier’s official company history page.
What Is the History of Premier?
Premier Stove Company began in 1912 manufacturing cast iron, coal, and wood stoves, later developing combination coal and gas ranges and eventually a complete gas range lineup as fuel preferences shifted.
Peerless Enamel Products Company was organized in 1928 specifically to supply porcelain enamel to the numerous stove manufacturers then operating in the Belleville, Illinois area, a region historically known for its metalworking and foundry industry dating to 1873.
Peerless and Premier formally merged in January 1982, and the combined company purchased the manufacturing facilities and tooling of Eagle Range in 1981, expanding its brand portfolio while consolidating production efficiency.
A 1997 fire damaged the Belleville facility’s enameling furnace, temporarily furloughing about 380 workers, but the company resumed production after arranging alternative porcelainizing suppliers, demonstrating the resilience that has kept Premier independent for over a century.
Premier vs Capital: How Do They Compare?
Premier and Capital are both American-manufactured range brands, though they differ significantly in market positioning, manufacturing scale, and historical heritage.
Premier focuses on accessible, value-oriented gas and electric ranges built with complete in-house manufacturing control, drawing on over 110 years of continuous Midwestern range production experience.
Capital positions itself at the premium end of the market with handcrafted 304 stainless steel construction, extensive RAL color customization, and a stronger media presence through Food Network and Bravo placements.
For buyers who prioritize a complete vertically integrated American manufacturer at an accessible price point, Premier offers a genuinely different value proposition than Capital’s premium customizable positioning.
Are Premier Appliances Any Good?
Premier appliances are well regarded for their straightforward reliability and the company’s complete vertical manufacturing control, which gives Peerless-Premier direct quality oversight at every stage of production.
The company’s motto, “Built to Last,” reflects its century-plus focus on durable, no-frills ranges designed for long service life rather than high-tech features or premium finishes.
Premier’s continued operation as one of the few fully independent American range manufacturers, after surviving the consolidation that absorbed many of its Belleville-area competitors, speaks to the company’s manufacturing discipline and financial stability.
Buyers seeking advanced smart features or extensive customization should look toward premium competitors, as Premier’s strength lies in dependable core range functionality rather than cutting-edge technology.
For buyers who want a genuinely American-made, fully vertically integrated range from a manufacturer with over a century of continuous production, Premier is a dependable and historically significant choice in the value-to-mid-tier range category.
For more on related American-made appliance brands, see Who Makes American Range Appliances and Who Makes BlueStar Appliances.
Frequently Asked Questions About Premier Appliances
Who makes Premier appliances?
Premier appliances are made by Peerless-Premier Appliance Company, an American-owned and privately held company headquartered in Belleville, Illinois, formed in 1982 through the merger of Premier Stove Company (1912) and Peerless Enamel Products (1928).
Where are Premier appliances made?
Premier appliances are made at two American manufacturing plants: the primary facility in Belleville, Illinois, spanning two square blocks, and a second plant in Clinton, Kentucky.
Does Premier make its own parts?
Yes. Peerless-Premier designs and makes its own tools and dies, stamps its own range parts, applies its own porcelain enamel finishes, and assembles complete ranges entirely in-house, making it a fully vertically integrated manufacturer.
What sizes do Premier ranges come in?
Premier manufactures gas and electric ranges in 20-inch, 24-inch, 30-inch, and 36-inch widths, including the stainless steel Premier Pro Series with a 36-inch six-burner configuration.
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.