Kenmore Appliance Repair

Kenmore has never built an appliance. It's a name Sears put on machines other companies made, and who built yours is the most important thing to know before any Kenmore repair. The model number tells you. The first three digits are the maker: 106 is Whirlpool, 795 is LG, 253 is Frigidaire, and so on. Once you read that, a Kenmore stops being a mystery. It's a Whirlpool or an LG with a different name on the front, with that maker's parts, repair manuals and usual problems. Skip that step and you're guessing. It also means two machines that look the same from the front can be very different to get parts for. So we read the model plate before we order parts, not after.

We quote a flat rate before starting, and nobody here works on commission. So a cheap repair stays a cheap repair, not a pitch for a new machine.

• Elite refrigeration
• Top-load and front-load washers
• Gas and electric dryers
• Built-in and portable dishwashers
• Gas and electric ranges

1. Read the first three digits of the model number

   If you own a Kenmore, this is the most useful thing to know. Kenmore is a name, not a factory. 106 means Whirlpool built it, 795 means LG, 253 means Frigidaire. That number tells us the parts, the repair manual and the problems it's likely to have.

2. The first three digits change the repair, too

   On a Whirlpool-built Kenmore, a warm fridge with a cold freezer is an airflow problem. On an LG-built one that runs nonstop with both sides warm, it may be the sealed refrigerant system, and that can cost several times as much. Same name on the front, different fridges.

3. Take a picture of the model plate now, before anything breaks

   It's usually inside the fridge on the left wall, inside the washer lid, or on the back of the cabinet. Having it on your phone makes the first call a lot faster.

4. Age matters more than with other brands

   Sears hasn't sold many of these in years, so a lot of the Kenmores still running are old enough that whether we can find the part, not what it costs, decides if it can be fixed at all.

5. A dead washer is often the lid switch

   No matter who built the Kenmore, the washer won't spin unless it can tell the lid is shut. It's a cheap part and a common cause.

A Kenmore is a Whirlpool, LG or Frigidaire underneath, so whether it's worth fixing comes down to that maker, not the Kenmore name. What's different about Kenmore is age. Sears hasn't sold many of these in years, so a lot of the Kenmores still running are old enough that finding the part, not what it costs, decides if we can fix it at all. We figure out the maker and the age from the model number before we quote.

• Who makes Kenmore appliances?

  Other companies. Kenmore is a name, not a factory. The first three digits of the model number tell you who built yours: 106 is Whirlpool, 795 is LG and 253 is Frigidaire.

• Why does the model number matter so much on a Kenmore?

  It tells us what we're really working on. Once we know it's a Whirlpool or an LG underneath, we've got that maker's parts, repair manuals and the problems it's known for. Without it, we'd be guessing.

• Are Kenmore parts hard to get?

  It all comes down to who built it and when. A newer Whirlpool-built Kenmore is easy. An older one may need a part that's hard to find now, and that's a different conversation.

• Is a Kenmore worth repairing?

  That comes down to whoever built it. What's different about Kenmore is age. A lot of the ones still running are old enough that whether we can get the part, not what it costs, decides it.