From your grandfather’s workshop to your aunt’s kitchen, the chances that they either own or have at least heard of Bosch is very high. Bosch doesn’t just make kitchen mixers; they also produce large appliances and power tools, among many other products.
Bosch (Robert Bosch GmbH) was founded in 1886 by Robert Bosch out of Stuttgart, Germany. In the beginning, the company built engine components for vehicles. Now, their dealings are widely varied but mainly revolve around electronics or technology.
In the consumer goods sector, Bosch manufactures both household appliances and power tools. The company also continues operations with vehicle tech and industrial, energy, and building technologies. Most recently, Bosch is focusing investments in their semiconductor chip production.
For our article, we will be focusing on the consumer goods and appliances division of the Bosch business, otherwise known as Bosch Home. Although the epicenter of Bosch is in Germany, they also operate several North American headquarters. What we’d like to know is if there are also any manufacturing operations in the United States?
Verdict: Are Bosch Appliances Made in the USA?
The majority of Bosch Appliances for sale in the US are made here as well. Other manufacturing sites include Europe, Asia, India, and Turkey.
Here in the US, Bosch operates a home appliances headquarters out of Irvine, CA. Bosch owns two manufacturing factories in America: New Bern, NC, and LaFolette, TN. At these locations, they have over 2,000 employees. There are also technology and development centers located in North Carolina (New Bern) and Tennessee (Caryville and Oak Ridge).
The products they build, globally, include refrigerators, dishwashers, cooktops, ovens, ranges, and laundry machines. So what, exactly, is made here in the US?
Unfortunately, a website search for “Made in USA” yields only one result and is therefore not all that informative.
To find out more, we reached out to Bosch directly. After entering the chat, we asked if there are any product categories that are exclusively made in the USA. Here is the agent’s response:
These answers were a little short, and they left us with more questions. Unfortunately, the agent exited the chat before we had a chance to continue, so we started up another convo with a new representative. Here are their responses to our questions:
Continuing the conversation:
According to Bosch, the majority of the appliances they sell in the United States are made here too. However, given that they own manufacturing facilities across the globe, there is also a possibility that foreign-made appliances are occasionally sold in the US. For that reason, it’s always a good idea to check the serial number tag.
You can find the manufacturing location of a Bosch appliance by checking the serial number label. Here are some examples of what that looks like:
An example:
There are a few exceptions to the “mostly American made” rule with Bosch. As we learned from the Bosch customer service agent, the high-end dishwashers (Benchmark line) are manufactured in Germany. It’s very likely that the lower-end appliances are also made overseas, but in Asia.
All in all, you can expect your standard Bosch appliance, if bought in America, to most likely be made here too. However, to be absolutely certain, you’ll need to verify by checking the serial number tag on your appliance.
Popular American Made Bosch Appliances
Remember to double-check the serial number for the country of origin when shopping.
- Kitchen Machine MUM5
- 300 Series Dishwasher 17 ¾” Black
- 500 Series Combination Oven 30”
Popular Bosch Appliances Not Made in the USA
- Benchmark Built-In Bottom Freezer Refrigerator 36” Flat Hinge
- Benchmark Combination Oven 30”
- Benchmark Single Wall Oven 30” Stainless Steel
