ApplianceAdvisor Appliance Report JENN

The New Appliance Report from ApplianceAdvisor.com

JENN-AIR (a division of Maytag which is a division of Whirlpool)
800-688-1100
Maytag's brand of upper middle-end appliances

2006 Kitchen & Bath Show Introductions
No notes, no press kit, no images........were they there this year?

2005 Kitchen & Bath Show Introductions
Semi-Pro Range
30" pro range with new knobs and new handles JDS9861. This model does not exist on the Jenn-Air website as of 12/06.
http://www.applianceadvisor.com/2005Appliancephotos/2005Maytag2.jpg

Other Fancy Fridges
Fridge w/glass door
French doors fridge allowing wood overlay

2004 Kitchen & Bath Show Introductions
3 Door Fridge
Counter-depth French door fridge provides undivided refrigeration space with side by side type access resulting in less space to open the doors, and less space wasted on internal fridge walls. A possible weakness is of course the long poorly insulated mating area between the doors. Also features electronic controls, water dispenser with filter, 19.8 cu ft of fridge space and 5.4 cu ft of freezer space. You could shop this against the LG unit. Retails at $2400.
http://www.applianceadvisor.com/2004Appliancephotos/jennair3doorfridge.jpg

Dual Fuel Pro Ranges and Gas Pro Cooktops
The new Jennair ranges (manufactured by DCS) include the addition of 30" and 36" dual fuel models (this is new) and feature a new 17K BTU burner, and a 15K burner which can be simmered at a 520 BTU level, which scientists say is so low it won't even melt ice. Also features redesigned knobs, grates and handles.
Ovens include two mode convection, "convection bake" and "convection broil"??? What the heck is convection broil? Are not convection and broil mutually exclusive? We have been told by knowing sources that this is a real cooking function allowing simultaneous baking and broiling and that it's offered by many brands. Look, what do we know, we eat Spaghetti O's out of the can.
http://www.applianceadvisor.com/2004Appliancephotos/jennair48prorange.jpg
http://www.applianceadvisor.com/2004Appliancephotos/jennair48prorange2.jpg

A Hand Me Up
Jennair embezzles the Maytag Gemini double oven duel fuel 30" range model JDR8895AA. Jennair unit features 5 sealed burners with from 600 to 16K BTU output. Top 1.2 cu ft oven, and main 4.0 cu ft bottom oven with several bells and whistles including 2 speed convection, automatic convection conversion, and a cook and hold feature. Self clean???? Can't tell, and not yet on the Jennair website to find out.
MSRP of $1700 - $1800
http://www.applianceadvisor.com/2004Appliancephotos/jennairgemini.jpg

The "If You Believe That One, Then Listen to this One" Euro Range Hood
Jennair is offering two Euro hoods, featuring 6 speed blowers with 650 CFM, halogen lighting, and delayed shutoff, and clean filter indicator light. (models JXT8042ADS, and 8142ADS). The hoods are not HVI certified as far as any of the literature indicates throwing the veracity of the performance claims into the realm of Florida real estate, and penny stocks. I have already eaten my left shoe, therefore I will eat my right shoe an old sock and an oven mitt if these units perform any better than 440 CFM.

Knobless Ceran Cooktop
Jennair upgraded their 2003 Custom Control cooktop with this year's 36" Custom Choice cooktop with touch control and a triple radiant element. Features LED displays, and other ceran stuff. MSRP of $1500.
http://www.applianceadvisor.com/2004Appliancephotos/jennaircustomchoicecooktop.jpg

Under Counter Fridge
http://www.applianceadvisor.com/2004Appliancephotos/jennairundercounter.jpg

2003 Kitchen & Bath Show Introductions
Upmarketed Three Rack Dishwasher
Maytag's 2002 Jetclean II dishwasher is now available from Jenn-Air. Features 2 adjustable height racks, a bottom rack for low profile pots pans and utensils, a hard food grinder, stainless steel tub, and turbidity (water quality) sensor. Available Jan 2004 with MSRP of $800 to $1100.
Heavy file:      http://63.111.60.134/images/ja_dishwasher_hi.jpg
Light file:        http://63.111.60.134/images/ja_dishwasher_lo.jpg
http://www.applianceadvisor.com/2003Appliancephotos/jennairdishwasher.jpg

Double and Single Wall Ovens
This new 30" double oven features hidden bake elements, 2 fan speeds, automatic conversion of standard times to convection times, 6 convection cook modes, digital controls, adjustable self clean modes, a warming features. MSRP $1400 for the single oven and $2200 for the double. Availability expected August 2003, but it is November and we don't see it.
http://63.111.60.135/images/ja_wallovencombo_lo.jpg
http://www.applianceadvisor.com/2003Appliancephotos/jennairdoubleoven.jpg

Mini-Height Built-in Oven
Compact 1.2 cu ft oven 30" wide and 22" high being billed as a companion oven or an oven for the bar or pool.   Features a favorite setting allowing owners to program time, temp and method of favorite recipes (we figure 0.0035% of owners use this feature), a cook and keep warm feature. It seems designed for Lasagna, pizzas, flat type food. MSRP $1000. This oven is likely based on the hardware from the Maytag Gemini Range's small upper oven, which for $1450-$1650 includes another oven and a cooktop. Gee, we hope they make money on this little oven unit.
http://63.111.60.135/images/ja_convenienceoven_lo.jpg
http://www.applianceadvisor.com/2003Appliancephotos/jennairminioven.jpg

High Power 36" Ceran Electric Cooktop
Jenn-Air claims that this unit has the highest power element at 3000Watt of any electric cooktop on the market using something they call CustomControl. Jenn-Air also claims ultra low heat, precise temperature adjustment, and consistent temperature. They claim all of this without providing any data or technical description or comparison. We like the knobs. MSRP $630
http://63.111.60.135/images/ja_customcontrol_lo.jpg
http://www.applianceadvisor.com/2003Appliancephotos/jennaircooktop.jpg

Can be Used to Smelt Iron
The new 36" gas cooktops feature a single 17K BTU burner and 4 smaller burners (the Jenn-Air literature does not specify the output of the lesser burners so assume the worst). Jenn-Air claims that 2 of the smaller burners are simmer burners providing minimum output of 650 BTU. Retails $750 to $850.
http://63.111.60.134/images/ja_gascooktop_lo.jpg
http://www.applianceadvisor.com/2003Appliancephotos/jennaircooktop.jpg

Busy Jenn-Air Purchasing Department
1) Built in Clear Cube Ice Maker
35 lbs per day. The ice is clear. MSRP $1500. The cube maker employs the natural process from which impurities are frozen out of ice. For example, the ice that might form over a protected saltwater bay in winter is free of salt. The water is re-circulated in a musical chair kind of way until the music stops and the ice cycle is complete. The remaining unfrozen water, dense with the the impurities removed from the ice, is then flushed.
http://63.111.60.135/images/ja_icemaker_lo.jpg

2) Built in 50 bottle Wine Refrigerator
We are long past being sick of wine coolers. Could there be an appliance less interesting to discuss over a glass of wine? Freezers you say, and we thought so too, until Haier came out with a fantastic one last year. With all the recent studies pointing to wine as the ticket to eternal life we fear that this is not the last one we must critique. This 24" unit features glass door, temperature settings of 42 - 64F, and accessory panels so it can be free standing. MSRP $1300.
http://63.111.60.135/images/ja_winechiller_lo.jpg

2002 Kitchen & Bath Show Introductions
The Luxury Series Built-In Refrigerator
Jenn-Air has pulled out all the stops for the launch of these customizable 42" and 48" side by side refrigerators. The refrigerators are available in stainless steel or with custom panels either in overlay or in a framed design. These fridges can be ordered with 1 of 2 different modular storage packages which include vertically adjustable shelves, adjustable door bins, re-locatable storage drawers, and tilt down baskets. They feature variable speed compressors, Maytag's Climate Zone drawers, and a defrost system which learns. But wait, there's more; there are digital touch sensor controls, a water filter time to clean indicator, a door ajar alarm, and power interrupt indicator which says the highest temperature reached during the outage. (We hope Amana reads this) MSRP starts at $5500 for the stripped down 42" unit and go all the way to $8500.
http://www.applianceadvisor.com/2002Appliancephotos/jennairluxuryfridge.jpg

Thoughts about this Luxury Built-in Refrigerator
Would we be amiss to conclude that the Luxury built-in is the result of the purchase of Amana by Maytag? Didn't Viking buy all the Amana tooling for their built-in refrigerators only to find that the refrigerators that the tooling made didn't pass the July 1, 2001 Federal energy requirements? Did Amana simply foist a dying dog onto Viking? Was Amana hiding the good stuff to keep for itself and a buyer who wanted the whole company? Of course a burst dam of Maytag cash could have rebuilt the line I suppose, but without any facts at all, I prefer to believe the cloak and dagger explanation.

Bottom-mount Freezer
These cabinet depth 20 cu ft units feature plumbed water dispensers accessed with the door open, filter for water and ice, ice making, humidity controlled crispers, adjustable door storage bins and pullout bottom freezer. The open door water dispenser is a negative compromise to allow for custom panel options. Available 4th Qtr of 2002 and priced at $2350.
http://www.applianceadvisor.com/2002Appliancephotos/jennairbottommountfridge.jpg

2001 Kitchen & Bath Show Introductions
Improvements in Gas Cooktops
New 45" and 30" updraft cooktops with countertop-flush full surface curved grates. Updates Jenn-Air's older recessed gas cooktop. Features control knobs each sensibly located near the burners they control. Sealed burners, automatic re-ignition, and a 1-piece maintop eliminates crud cracks and seams. Looks like the 45" has (2) 12K BTU burners, and (2) 6.5K BTU burners than can drop to 850 BTU, and (2) other burners (probably 9.5K BTU or so). 30", 45", and 48" widths. Retail price of $530 to $1800. Nicely done.
http://www.maytag.com/mths/appliance_breakthroughs/default.jsp
http://image.maytag.com/appliance_breakthroughs/images/ApbGasCookTp_hdr.jpg

Cooktop Cartridges are Improved
The Jenn-air gas cooktop cartridge system, which allows for quick substitution of a wok or grill burner for a standard pot burner has been improved with a unified cartridge height, control height and vent height across all cartridge accessories. We still don't like cartridges.

Dacor's Idea Gets Pinched
New slide-in ranges with curved styling. Features a new 2 speed fan control for the convection system for better multi-rack baking, sealed burners, LED touch screen, larger broil element, cooking options such as; built-in meat probe, dehydration, keep warm, rapid-preheat, high speed bread proofing, and delayed start. "Industry-first 1,200 Watt electric baking/browning element in the gas oven, so gas ovens can bake with electric quality", yet still connect to 120V. Is this so different from Dacor's gas-broiler-in-the-electric-oven trick which came out last year? The Press Release says 30", 36", 48" widths and retailing at $1200 to $2100. BUT holy cow now that's real news. A 48" drop in. STOP THE PRESSES. I was to find out that the release was in error. There is no 36" or 48" unit. The prices are probably wrong too.

Seems Kinda Sorta like Thermador's Wall Oven
Redesigned wall oven with curved glass door, clear glass window, and all glass touch screen LED display. 2 speed convection with increased convection fan speed for improved multi-rack baking. 27" and 30" widths. Jennair says "The oven was rated "best vs.another leading brand" by an independent consumer panel". What the heck does that mean? Best vs 1 other brand? And while we are at it, what the hell do consumers know? Retail $850 to $1980.
http://www.maytag.com/mths/appliance_breakthroughs/default.jsp
http://image.maytag.com/appliance_breakthroughs/images/ApbDblWallOvn_hdr.jpg

Pro-Style™ Outdoor BBQ
Did you know that Pro-Style™ is a trademark of Jenn-air? Anyway, Jenn-air has a new pro style 30" wide outdoor grill fabricated by Maytag's Dynasty division. Has (2) 25,000 BTU burners, stainless steel grates, wheels, and cabinets underneath. Available May 2001. Retail $1500 with $200 rotisserie accessory.
http://www.jennair.com/ja/products/main_grills.jsp?cs=0&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&cf=home

2000 Kitchen & Bath Show Introductions
High Speed Oven
Jennair introduces the Accellis 5XP Wall Oven with self-clean, which features a combined electric radiant element, rapidly flowing hot air (you and I might call that convection), and microwaves to cook in 1/5 the time of a normal range. The Accellis will be available 3rd Qtr of 2000 and has a suggested retail price of around $3,500. Has Time Wizard to adapt normal recipes. It competes with other accelerated oven technologies of GE, Thermador, Whirlpool. http://accellis.jennair.com/home.asp