Amana Vs. Whirlpool Appliances: What Are The Major Differences?

When choosing the right appliances, it can be difficult to discern one brand from the next. After all, each of them proclaims themselves to be the best in the industry. So, how can you truly tell the difference between the two?

Whirlpool is one of the most recognizable brands out there. Another brand in the Whirlpool family, Amana, is a name that keeps gaining traction. So, which is the better choice given that both are under the same corporate umbrella? Amana is thought to be the simpler, more affordable option of the two. You are more likely to find more features on a Whirlpool appliance, but that will come at a higher cost.

For those who are unaware, the vast majority of brands that you see for home appliances, power tools, and the like are all connected in some way. More often than not, a brand that you have heard of – likely Whirlpool in this instance – has a plethora of brands under its control.

That is the case with Amana. The Whirlpool Corporation has a number of well-known brands under its wing. Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Consul, and Amana are among the most well-known. So, when comparing the two brands, the question turns to the differences in Amana and Whirlpool products.

Now that we know that Amana is actually a Whirlpool brand, what is really the difference between the two? Aren’t you just getting the same product with a different name? We will get into the differences in the physical appliances themselves in the next section.

The true difference, however, has nothing to do with the product. The real difference between Amana and Whirlpool is in the marketing budgets. National brands like GE, Frigidaire, and Whirlpool all have a huge advertising presence. Even Maytag, who falls under the Whirlpool umbrella, has a fairly substantial marketing budget.

It’s not to say that Amana has no marketing presence, but it does not stack up to the giants of the industry. That said, it does not mean that the Amana line of products is inferior in any way.

Amana dishwashers, like many of their other offers, are considered to be more affordable than the big name brands. Their line of dishwashers ranges from just a few hundred dollars and usually cap out at about $600-$800.

The caveat is that you are trading a lower price for lesser features. For some, that is a more than fair tradeoff. Besides, how many different modes do you really need to wash some dishes? If you are looking for an affordable dishwasher that gets the job done without bells and whistles, Amana is a perfect brand for you.

As mentioned in the prior section, the main difference between Whirlpool brand dishwashers and their Amana counterparts is the price and number of features. Take the Amana ADB1500ADS, for instance. At $600, it is one of the more expensive options available from Amana.

It comes with a fair number of features given the reputation of the line, too. It has five different cycles: heavy, normal, SoilSense, 1-hour wash, and soak & prewash. Each cycle is designed to deal with different levels of grime and stuck-on food respectively.

The SofSound technology, a staple of Amana, operates at about 55 decibels. While that is much quieter than most of the older models out there, there are some dishwashers that come in as low as 39 decibels. That is practically inaudible.

The controls are fully integrated and have an LED display. Perhaps the best feature is that it is Energy Star rated. That means less water used, lowering your utility bills over time. To see these features in action, click the video below.

Amana is pretty clear about what it offers: an affordable, dressed-down dishwasher. It isn’t going to wow anyone with a plethora of features and functions. Amana also understands that not everyone can afford a high-end dishwasher for their home.

If you are working on a budget of $600 or under, then you can’t go wrong with Amana. It has more than enough cleaning cycles to get the job done and won’t cost you an arm and a leg. There are fancier brands and models out there, but sometimes those things can just seem like bells and whistles.

On the other side of the coin, there is Whirlpool. Their name brand is associated with the other premium brands on the market. Unlike those other premium brands, they do not carry the price tag that some of the others do.

Whirlpool’s appeal is that they have a little of something for everybody. You can get a minimalist model for under $500 but can also find a modern dishwasher with all the bells and whistles if you so choose.

Whirlpool offers a comprehensive price range for their appliances in general. Starting at a few hundred bucks and going well over $1,000, there is a dishwasher for everyone’s taste that has the Whirlpool logo attached.

Most other dishwasher manufacturers use a similar spray system. Whirlpool differentiates itself with its total coverage spray arms. These arms make use of 21 different nozzles through a high-pressure spray system.

Together, they work to get each dish cleaned and rinsed properly. Whirlpool realizes that people load their dishwashers differently. The total coverage spray arm is as close to a “universal cleaning function” as it gets, regardless of loading preference.

One thing that really separates Whirlpool dishwashers from Amana is their smart dishwasher offerings. Whirlpool has a couple of dishwashers with home automation functionality. As you can guess, these are at the top of the price range.

That said, they include a plethora of features. More cycle types, a control lock mode, maintenance suggestions from the machine, automatic ordering, and smart home integration are all new features. You can even link these smart dishwashers up to your smartphone through an app to gain even more control over your dishwasher than ever before.

Whirlpool has become a nationally trusted brand for a reason. Their appliances, particularly their dishwashers, are some of the best on the market. All despite not having the price tags that some of the luxury brands carry.

Whirlpool is built on versatility. You can reasonably find a quality Whirlpool brand dishwasher for a few hundred dollars or one that has all of the features you could want for just over $1,000. There are so many choices when it comes to Whirlpool that there really is not a comparison between it and Amana.

As is the case with most things in life, it all comes down to personal preference. That said, by comparing the two side by side you can see the differences immediately.

Amana is a more cost-effective brand. It is not a “cheap” brand by any means. They build quality appliances that will last a long time. But those appliances aren’t going to come with a whole lot of features, either. Fewer features keep the costs down and makes them more affordable.

Whirlpool provides more versatility and selection. You can get stripped-down Whirlpool appliances that don’t have a lot of features or you can get one that comes with all the bells and whistles. Whirlpool offers something for just about every household and budget.

When you stack them up in that regard, Whirlpool is clearly the better brand. You can get all the features that you want out of their dishwashers. With Amana, you are kind of restricted to a simpler set of choices.

The winner: Whirlpool. When it comes right down to it, there are simply more comprehensive offerings from Whirlpool. You can get a “cheap” dishwasher from Whirlpool without sacrificing in terms of settings and features.