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When the United States government applied trade tariffs in 2018, you’d think that it’d be American brands that would lead a resurgence in bringing manufacturing jobs and pride back to the United States. Sadly, many American brands stayed in China, evidently gambling that a future president would lift the tariffs (credit to both Presidents Trump and Biden for keeping them in place).
Some American brands aren’t even American brands anymore. For example, if you buy a GE washing machine, you’re not buying an American product. You’re buying a product from the China company Haier, which bought the GE name in 2016.
It turns out that it’s South Korean companies that have led the charge in building new plants in the US. LG has had a plant in Clarksville, Tennessee since 2019, and Samsung opened its plant in Newberry Country, South Carolina in 2018. I was easily able to find the model that LG makes in the US (the #1 pick below), but Samsung is so tight-lipped on its country of origin (and users on Reddit are still reporting getting ones made in China) that I can’t find one of their models to recommend, as much as I would love to.
This article does a nice job in dispelling the common myth spread by people who oppose tariffs, that tariffs will necessarily drive up consumer prices. This is especially true of an industry like washing machines. Even if it a brand can hire a contractor that makes its products at slave labor prices, the quality assurance in China is going to be spotty, and the shipping price enormous.
Any corporate executive who doubles down on making these in China is not going to last long in his position. No one wants to lug a 200 pound machine into their house (or walk-up apartment!) only to have it break in a year and dump it into landfill. Consumers are smart enough to shop for products that last.
There are also some companies that never left the US, such as Speed Queen and to a certain extent, Maytag.
This model isn’t only one of the best models you can buy that’s not made in China, it’s the best model you can buy anywhere, according to both Consumer Reports and Wirecutter.
LG’s customer service is unequivocal about where these are made. Sure enough, they come out of LG’s factory in Tennessee.
Surprisingly, the price is comparable or even lower than most brands that are made overseas. Made in the USA quality. Top rating. Supporting local communities in the USA. Why would anyone NOT buy this?
You can get it shipped directly from the manufacturer, or find it at a retailer like Best Buy, Home Depot, or AJ Madison. Check with your local utility company to see if you can get a rebate on top of it.
LG also makes this HE top load washer, model WT7150CW, also rated highly by Consumer Reports. LG is a little more tight-lipped as to where is this is made, but they do give this advice on a Home Depot review:
You will need to either look at the carton that the ENERGY STAR® Qualified LG 5.0 cu. ft. Mega Capacity Top Load Washer with TurboDrum™ Technology, Model # WT7150CW ships in or look at the nameplate attached to the washer to see its Country of Manufacture/Country of Assembly. LG Electronics is a multinational corporation that maintains manufacturing facilities all over the world and some of our Top Load Washers are also manufactured in our 829,000-square-foot home appliance manufacturing facility near Clarksville, Tennessee.
This usually indicates that this same model is produced in facilities around the world. Outside of Tennessee, they do many things in South Korea, Mexico, and China so you’ll need to look at a physical box to make sure it’s not made in China.
If you’ve ever lugged a basket of laundry and a pocketful of quarters to a laundromat or a college laundry room, chances are you’ve used a Speed Queen.
These washers are famous for their reliability; experts say that even their consumer models can be expected to last 25 years or more. They do tend to cost more, but this is where you need to ask yourself—would you rather buy a more expensive washer dryer that works reliably for decades, or a cheaper one that lasts a few years?
They’re made in Speed Queen’s factories in Ripon, Wisconsin.
You’ll find these at authorized dealers like AJ Madison and Appliances Connection. They also sell a more affordable but just as reliable top load washer.
This model is also highly rated by Consumer Reports. There are varying reports of where these are made nowadays; some people report it being made in Mexico, and one lucky reviewer claims to have gotten one made in Italy. It gets rave reviews for its variety of wash cycles and settings, its quiet operation, and its deep cleaning.
Their Home Depot listing on Canada does confirm that Mexico is the country of origin, at least for units shipped there. I would call ahead to make sure. Order online and then before they deliver it ask someone to check the box. Or just go to a physical store to see it yourself.
It’s available direct from the manufacturer or from retailers like Home Depot, AJ Madison, or Lowes.
Maytag, of course, is well known for being an American brand dating back to the late 1800s when they made wooden tub washing machines. Even after their acquisition by Whirlpool in 2006 they continue to have assembly plants in the USA, most notably in Clyde, Ohio and Fall River, Massachusetts.
While there are complaints around the Web of Whirlpool switching to low cost components (which unfortunately is a reality these days), the nice thing about these washing machines is that you can generally find a repair person in your neighborhood should things go wrong.
The MHW6230HW is a model that has tons of great reviews and is especially praised for its powerful cleaning and ability to fill the wash bucket with extra water.
Maytag does state clearly on its Web site that this model is made in the USA, and they confirm it in Home Depot product listings. You can buy it direct from the manufacturer, or from Home Depot or Lowes.
Hint: to find other Maytag washers that are made in the USA, go to any product on Maytag’s Web site, and look for this under “Additional Features”.
If you’re looking for the best washer that money can buy, you’ll want to look into Miele. That majority of their products are still made in Germany. Like Speed Queen, these are known for lasting, and lasting, and lasting. You can’t go wrong with anything that Miele makes
This particular model is highly rated by Wirecutter as their best “upgrade” pick. You can buy it at AJ Madison or Appliances Connection.
If anyone knows the model(s) that are made in the USA, especially coming out of the Samsung plant, I’d appreciate if you could leave a comment.
Do you know of any other washing machines not made in China? I would appreciate any tips.