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Jenn-Air

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Jenn-Air, now part of the Whirlpool empire, maintains an upscale image but many of its customers are deeply disappointed to find they didn't get the quality they thought they were paying for. Many, like those below, bought an entire kitchenful of Jenn-Air appliances. Others got off light and are unhappy with just one or two appliances, listed in the box to the right.

Janell of OKC, OK August 30, 2009

Today, August 30, 2009, our Jenn-Air sidexside started burning, smoke pouring from underneath the doors. An electrcal burn smell prededed the smoke by at least 15 minutes. So we were investigating the kitchen for the burning source when I noticed the refrigerator smoking. I called the Maytag service line at 5:30 CDST. They had just closed, so no one took our call. We were directed to use the website, which I will do next.

Carl of Hixson , TN July 11, 2009

We purchased a new Jenn Air range to replace a 7 year old Frigidare range that has a bad computer board, which is no longer available, rendering the Frigidare useless. The new Jenn Air was installed yesterday. This evening my wife set the oven to bake a cassrole. After only two minutes, the display flashed "POWER LOSS", then went dark. No controls worked. Relays started clicking like mad. Fearing the thing might catch fire, I switched off the breaker. This is a brand new range and it immediately failed!! This is intollerable!

When I checked over the range after I got home from work, I was sorely dissappointed at the quality. Jenn Air is not high-end; it is Whirlpool crap, just like the Frigidare that couldn't be fixed. We've been without a range for over a week, having to eat out every night and now the 1,400 we spent on a new one was a waste. We have contacted Home Depot and demanded they remove the range from our house and refund our money. I don't want a brand new anything that immediately fails; it's bound to be a lemon, and I don't want to deal with it. I want my money back so I can purchase a quality appliance made by someone other than a Whirlpool company.

Fran of Salisbury, MD July 5, 2009

I bought a Jenn-Air downdraft stove in 2000. It was the third Jenn-Air I'd purchased, and I loved my first two. From the beginning, though, this unit was a mess. It arrived with insulation jamming the ventilation fan for the convection oven. The spark unit for the left burners broke more than once and had to be replaced. The BTUs on the left side never worked correctly. The front burner charred food, while the rear barely warmed it. The grease drain had to be unclogged every few days because there was a kink in the line. As often as not, turning on the right front burner shorted out the mother board, so I'd get error messages and beeping and could not get it to re-set without throwing the circuit breaker.

This went on the entire time the unit was under warranty. I kept thinking that 'this time' it'd be fixed forever. As the warranty came close to expiring, I contacted Customer Service. The people were very polite. They reviewed the history of the machine and told me that it was clear that this unit was a lemon. However, they told me that I'd waited "too long" to complain and there was nothing that could be done. They offered to give me a 15% discount on a new machine. I countered with the suggestion that they give me an extended warranty for the life of the machine, say 12 years. I was told that was a very creative suggestion, but they could not accept that. It was the 15% offer or nothing. I asked why I would want a new machine if this one was a piece of junk. Besides, the features that attracted me to the Jenn-Air in the first place -- the different burners, grill, griddle -- were no longer available.

Today, the machine started giving me the 'error' beeps without any interaction on my part. It just started going on its own. Resetting the circuit breaker did nothing. I can start the burners with a match, but I don't know what I will do when I need to use the oven. I've spent the afternoon on the web, looking for gas downdraft slide-in units. Aside from the Jenn-Air, there appears to be only the Wolf Unit for nearly 4k, plus the downdraft vent for another 700. I've gotten a bit of revenge. I've talked two friends who were renovating their kitchens into not buying Jenn-Airs, but that really does nothing to help me.

Andrew of Oakville, ON June 16, 2009

I recently visited a distributor that carries your product and was not impressed with the service that I received. I currently own a Jennair Downdraft electric stove and would like to replace it as we have now owned this one for 22 years. My wife and I went to Tasco Distributors in Mississauga and the gentleman that served us was not willing to give us a printout of the product that we were interested in unless we gave a deposit. He informed me that he does not work for free; whatever that implies, I'm not quite sure. I am currently comparative shopping as most individuals do. My question to Tasco is, "How does one decide on a particular product without receiving verbal product knowledge information and literature?" We decided to leave the premises and asked for the salesman's business card and the name of the owner. He returned with the manager's business card and refused to print his name on the card. I proceeded to tell this salesman that his service was terrible and indicated to him that I was going to inform all of my interior design students that I teach at 4 colleges not to do business with this company. Believe me, students pay attention to stories like this one. The manager threatened to have me removed from the premises and didn't even bother to ask what the problem was. Great manager! I just wanted to let you know about my Jennair experience. Thanks for listening. 244 Jennings Cr Oakville, ON Canada

Gregg of Yorba Linda, CA December 31, 2008

We bought a Jenn Air 36 glass cooktop back in July. Had it installed in August. The first night we cooked on it the glass cracked in 2 places. We called Jenn Air since it was supposed to have a 1 year warranty. They sent out a service rep, not even affiliated with Jenn Air. He said that it was an impact crack from something falling on the glass. We told him how it actually happened and we were basically told we were lying.

I called back the Rep at Jenn Air and he said that they have to go by what the rep said. They would not cover the crack under warranty. My next step was to contact Howard's Appliances (the place where we bought the cooktop). They said to contact the manufacturer for the warranty. I told them the story and after about 10 phone calls they agreed to fix the glass. That was 4 months ago! Each time I call I get a new run around, a new drop dead date, and nothing ever gets done. I just want a refund and don't ever want another Jenn Air product again! It has been stressful and time consuming trying to get this problem resolved!

Freddie of Louisville, KY December 24, 2008

Purchase Jenn Air double oven free standing range model JDR8895AAW when I built a new home. Since that time the gas cook top has shorted out on two different occasions with repair by Jenn Air technicians and now I am dealing with another electrical problem, the lower oven turns itself on the temperature holds at 170 degrees which also makes both ovens completely useless so now I have a 1500.00 Jenn Air range that is useless for baking. These products are less than 3 years old.

Connie of Santa Rosa, CA December 17, 2008

I am looking for a replacement part for my Jenn-Air, model number JMW9530DDAB. They stopped making it 2007. However, they currently make 15 additional models that use this part. I am frustrated that Jenn-Air/Whirlpool will not support their products. I thought legally they had to have replacement parts for at least 10 years. The unit is only a 2003. I have had zero help from their customer service people. To replace the whole unit will cost me 2,900. I thought they were a top of the line product with great customer service. I will never buy a Whirlpool or Jenn-Air again.

Hannah of New Bern, NC December 15, 2008

As I read this website I was shocked to see how many complaints were of the same nature I am having with my Jenn Aire smooth top range. I purchased a slide in Jenn Aire range on April 22, 2006 and paid 1,488.15 for it: model number JES8750BAF, Serial number 11231150JE. ON June 26, 2006 the top cracked over the right large front burner. The parts and labor was covered by warranty.

On November 13, 2008 the right large front burner burned out at the center part of the element. The parts were covered under the warranty, but I was required to pay 158.00 for labor cost. About a week later (the first time I turned on my oven) the front panel that controls all the electronics went out. The service man came and told me it was a 400.00 part that would be replaced by warranty but I would have to pay another 147.00 for labor cost. I was told the part would be in on December 15, 2008 (today). When I called to confirm my appointment for service, I was told the part was on back order until December 30, 2008.

You might imagine how angry I got with Christmas Eve only 9 days away and I am expecting about 100 guests at my home. Each Jenn Aire Service Representative I talked with gave me the brush off and refused to get me to Jeff CEO of Jenn Aire. I was finally able to speak with a Mr. --- who stated he was with Consumer Affairs Board for Jenn Aire, but he was of little reassurance that my range will be repaired before Christmas. Telling me to call Customer Service in two days. I can now understand the Customer Service Representatives non-caring attitude-they have heard this complaint 1000's of times before.

What I can not understand is not having corrected the problem years ago. When a call about a problem with the burner and power panel comes into Customer Service, it should be channeled directly for him to deal with. I would like to be included in any class action law suit against Jenn Aire. The repairs on my range in less than three years have far exceeded the original cost of the range when it was new in 2006. This is a true indication that Jenn Aire is scamming the public and doing nothing about it.

Georgia of Allons, TN December 15, 2008

November of 2007, I went to Lowe's in Cookville, Tennessee to purchase a four burner gas range with a downdraft. The salesman showed me Jenn-air Model JDS9860BDS, which had only two burners and a grill but said I could purchase two additional burners (170) which would give me four burners and a grill. I went home and read the literature and went back and purchased it.

About six months later the range was installed and within a month I realized that when you replaced the grill with the two burners, the controls to these two burners are set on HIGH and are only minimally adjustable and therefore burns most foods before they are properly cooked. I immediately began calling the service dept of Lowe's who told me to call Jennair directly. After perhaps two dozen calls to Jennair, a serviceman finally showed up six months after I began calling for a service call.

He was dumbfounded as to why these two burners could not be adjusted. He then called Jennair and was told they could not be adjusted because thats the way it was engineered! I then began calling Jennair and Whirlpool Corp and was told at every turn SORRY, THATS THE WAY IT WAS ENGINEERED Now, common sense says that there are valves that adjust as the two burners on the right side of the range work perfectly. All I ask is that the two valves that control the burners on the left side of the range be changed to conform with their literature for this model. Jennair's literature for Model JDS9860BDS, states under the control section: INFINITE BURNER CONTROL SETTINGS obviously not true! Talking to people at Jennair and Whirlpool is like talking to a tape recorder!

Annikki of St-Bruno, QC December 11, 2008

The custom-control burner on our Jenn-air cooktop (JEC9530ADB) conked out after exactly 12 months of use. We had to pay for the technician's first visit, then for the second when he came to install the part which luckily was under warranty. After exactly 12 months of use the same part has conked out AGAIN! Not only is Jenn-air insinuating that we are using it improperly, now the part is NOT covered anymore and costs 250 (plus labour, of course).

I am hesitating to have it fixed; what if it breaks down again in a year? I would have spent the same amount that it cost in repairs in 3 years! After reading about the awful quality of Jenn-air products and their horrible customer service I feel like sending the thing back to them. Why would the part be under warranty once and not the second time when it clearly is poorly designed?

We are without use of the biggest & fastest burner, the one we use the most!

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