Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center

I have purchased from Universal a few times over the last 12 years, mostly Miele appliances and they are usually more expensive than Best Buy or Pacific Sales and that was ok because their service was a little more personal. Over the years we have had several hiccups and nothing worth noting on a review. This time is a little different. I’ll spare all the details, here are the highlights. Dan the salesperson agreed that they would not install unless my contractor was there. This was a condition of my purchase. I was also told by the person who called me the day before delivery that she made note for them to call me 30 minutes to 1 hour before delivery. I explained to her that I needed to be there and that my contractor would also be there and we needed the notification. I was assured it would happen. Of course they never called, texted or left a voicemail. They made entry into the home and installed the cooktop without my approval, without any notification and without me (the buyer) being present. The arrival window was 8-12 and by 10am it was installed without anyone knowing about it. This is unacceptable. I was paying a contractor for the 8-12 window and it was a waste of money. When I asked to speak to a manager-Marlene stated she was a manager and had nothing to say other than it was installed and we usually dont call customers. What kind of nonsense is this? She confirmed there was a note in the system to call before arrival. So why didn’t they? She couldn’t offer an explanation as to why. Not even an apology. In my opinion, these folks are pompous and don’t care about customer service. They have a “so what” attitude towards anything you say. I was promised the item would arrive within a week, it was weeks late also without an apology or updates. In my opinion, these people tell you everything you want to hear so they can make their commission. Then they dodge calls and promise updates that never come. There are many choices in appliances, I hope that potential customers can find one that causes less headaches. I will NEVER be purchasing from this company again. *update-less than a week later the installation they did failed. The stovetop stopped working. Just unbelievable.

A big thanks to Tim at UAKC in Studio City! Tim spent a lot of time helping us find a refrigerator that had to fit in a difficult tight space and answering a ton of questions we had. He encyclopedic knowledge was a lifesaver, and the refrigerator arrived and was installed with no issues. Success! Customer experience was fantastic. We heartily recommend!

Go and ask for Dennis and you will not be disappointed! Fantastic service, super responsive, good prices, what more can you ask for? I bought a new Bosch range, hood, oven/microwave combo, and dishwasher. UAKC did the delivery and install as well. No complaints, everything was smooth and easy. I would definitely go back for any appliance needs.

We needed our dishwasher replaced and had a great experience with universal. Our sales advisor Dennis was ultra responsive. 17 year old dishwasher died on Saturday, and after just a few texts on Sunday we had a new install setup for Tuesday with the updated version of our Miele appliance. Even with a minor unexpected install issue on delivery day due to low clearance they were able to come out the following day and solve the issue at no additional change. They also replaced the front cabinet panel on the dishwasher and did an excellent job aligning that panel so it looks and fits much better than before. Their install techs seemed knowledgeable and were able to finish the job quickly within our delivery window. Thank you!

Go elsewhere! I hired Universal's service department to repair my Bosch convection microwave that I originally purchased from them. Over two months, their technician made five repair attempts (with several late and no-show appointments), replacing part after part, leaving the unit in worse condition each time. They finally left me with an unusable appliance and tried to argue that it was in better shape than when they started. They did refund me for the repair attempts but disputed responsibility for the condition the appliance was left in. Bosch later informed me that Universal was not an authorized service company. When I decided replacement was the best path forward, Universal was cooperative on pricing. However, upon reviewing their purchase agreement, I learned that installation and removal are performed at the customer’s sole risk, and the company disclaims responsibility for any damage caused during installation or removal, including damage to the appliance or the home. Management confirmed they stand by this policy. Given my experience with their service department and these installation terms, I chose to purchase the replacement elsewhere. I’m sharing this so others read their contract carefully before proceeding.