This question often gets answered by sending folks to the list on the Appliance411 site. Have you checked out this link?

http://www.appliance411.com/purchase/make.shtml

We bought KitchenAid KFCS22EVMS model refrigerator last year. in the store it was next to a Viking model - sales person confirmed that it's the same refrigerator both manufactured by whirlpool. they had different trim - handles were different, SS panels had different shine, logo. But inside - almost identical.
we also have IKEA mircrowave - made by whirlpool. trim parts from kitchenaid microwave - a perfect match.

link from JWVideo sums it up. a lot of consolidation happened in the appliance manufacturing in the last 20 years. Only 2-3 big players are left in the US - GE, Whirlpool, Electrolux

Yes, I did see that link, JW, but found it to be completely confusing. Viking's website states that they have their own manufacturing plant ... maybe I read that wrong?, and I didn't see Dacor, DCS, or Fisher & Paykel on that list. Who makes LG?

This post was edited by jellytoast on Wed, Jul 3, 13 at 11:22

Confusing? For sure. Here's what little help I can give you on getting unconfused about the brands you listed.

LG is a large Korean-based conglomerate (competitor of Samsung) which makes a lot of stuff including appliances. You can look them up on WIkipedia. Besides selling under its own name, it also makes fridges (and some other appliances) for Kenmore. For a while, it has made some refrigerators for GE. GE has "on-shored" the french door fridges and has been making them in its own new plant in Kentucky. GE apparently supplies LG with some of the gas stoves that LG sells under its brand name.

Fisker & Paykel, which has owned DCS for about eight years now, was recently taken over by Haier, the Chinese industrial conglomerate, which bought up 90% of the F&P shares. In North America, Haier is mainly known for freezers (it makes the chest freezers for GE, for example). F&P has manufactured refrigerators in New Zealand since the 1950s and started factories elsewhere since then. You can look them up on Wikipedia. At one point, I believe that DCS was assembling bottom-freezer fridges itself in the US (in Ohio or Pennsylvania) and F&P continued that when they took over. I cannot find the reference, however. (My recollection is that I got some info from a thread on Chowhound and followed it back, but I can no longer find that info.)

Dacor does not have a refrigerator manufacturing facility. My information on it came from a long-time local appliance company which had some floor models and sold a few. They confirmed that it came from the same Whirlpool/Amana plant that Viking uses to source its FD fridges. Apparently, they had checked parts and components and found them interchangeable with Whirlpool products.

Viking has had its own manufacturing plant since buying the tooling from an Amana plant in 2000 (this was when Maytag was taking Amana into its own downward spiral that finally ended with the Whirlpool acquisition in 2006). Viking manufactures (assembles) its built-in fridge models, freezers, and outdoor fridges in its own plant, but sources the CD/FD models from Whirlpool. Here is a link from the usually reliable Yale Appliance blog:

http://blog.yaleappliance.com/bid/68354/Viking-vs-Sub-Zero-Refrigerators-Reviews-Ratings-Prices

Also, Appliance 411 does note that Whirlpool's Amana plant makes the CD-FD models that Viking rebrands.

This post was edited by JWVideo on Wed, Jul 3, 13 at 21:24

So, with a little poking around in some of F&P's annual reports, it seems that the former DCS plant in Clyde, Ohio was converted to making laundry equipment for the North American market. DCS/F&P fridges -- at least the SxS models --- are made in former Maytag plants located in Reynosa, Mexico. F&P apparently purchased those Maytag assets from "Whirlpool subsidiaries" at the end of 2008. FD fridges from DCS/F&P are now being made in plants in New Zealand and Thailand. Haven't yet found anything definite about Haier's plans now that it has taken charge of the company.

Can anyone tell me if GIVE refrigerators are manufactured by GE and what the difference is between GE and GIVE? Thanks

Haven't heard of that brand, GIVE. Link to a product web site or seller?

I think it's GE but on Home Depot's website they have GIVE appliances

I scrolled through a few pages of refrigerators, checked the brand pick-lists for the various styles, I don't see it.

Hestan fridge/freezers are made by FHIABA