Field manual · Fundamentals

Whirlpool-built economy and store brands: Roper, Estate, Inglis, Admiral, Crosley laundry and the old Magic Chef

Covers: Value and retailer-exclusive brand names that Whirlpool Corporation owns or builds for in North America, ~1989 to today; laundry, refrigeration, dishwashers and cooking. Covers how to recognise the Whirlpool platform under the badge and where the relationship breaks (Magic Chef after 2010, Crosley kitchen products, Roper-coded old cooking).

Cross-checkedBrands: Roper, Estate, Inglis, Admiral, Crosley, Magic Chef, Kenmore5 components

Whirlpool sells the same core platforms under several names aimed at different stores and price points. Roper (Whirlpool since 1989) and Estate are value labels; Inglis is the Canadian name, also sold in the US through Best Buy; Admiral came with Maytag in 2006 and is sold only at Home Depot. For the tech, these units take Whirlpool-family parts, codes and service modes, with simpler consoles and fewer options than the Whirlpool or Maytag twin.

Safety first

  • Same as the Whirlpool platform manual for the appliance.

How it works

Ownership: Whirlpool secured the Roper name in 1989 (GE took Roper's factories in the same settlement), took majority control of Inglis in 1987 (renamed Whirlpool Canada in 2001), and acquired Maytag in 2006 with Admiral, Magic Chef, Amana and Jenn-Air.

Platform sharing: Whirlpool's own parts store lists Roper models (e.g. RTW4516FW) and publishes Roper repair-part lists on its brand sites; third-party listings show the same suspension and agitator parts fitting Roper RTW4516 and Whirlpool WTW4616. Expect a twin Whirlpool model with matching mechanical parts and a different console.

Admiral today: marketed by Whirlpool and sold only at Home Depot, mainly laundry. Older Admiral (pre-1973 Admiral Corp., then Magic Chef, then Maytag) cooking and refrigeration is a different lineage; service those by the parts list of the actual model.

Crosley: the name belongs to a separate distributor, not Whirlpool. Whirlpool builds Crosley top-load washers; Crosley kitchen products have been sourced from other makers, and sources disagree on which, so never assume.

Magic Chef: Whirlpool sold the Magic Chef brand in 2010; it now belongs to CNA International (MC Appliance), which sources compact appliances from other factories. A Magic Chef full-size range from the Maytag era and a Magic Chef compact fridge from today have nothing in common.

Components & tests

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OnCall Tech is a reference tool for trained technicians and can make mistakes. Always disconnect power and confirm with the manufacturer's documentation before you work. © 2026 OnCall Tech. Original content; not a reproduction of any manufacturer document.Generic part photos (not of this brand): Built-in dishwasher with the door open and racks pulled out by Castorly Stock, Pexels License

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Whirlpool-built economy and store brands: Roper, Estate, Inglis, Admiral, Crosley laundry and the old Magic Chef · OnCall Tech