The pastime washing machine was introduced in 1907

Parsons Band Cutter and Self Feeder Company was the beginning of the maytag appliances business and produced farm equipment. This came about in 1893 when Frederick Maytag along with both his sisters husbands went into business with farm implement designer George Parsons after settling in Iowa. Together by 1904 they built the company into the largest thresher brake lining manufacturers and feeder machine manufacturer in the world by introducing safety features into their designs as farm accidents were very common. The most famous farming machines of the time such as the Ruth, Success Corn Husker and shredder were al invented by this company.

The pastime washing machine was introduced in 1907 mainly at first just to give more work at certain periods as the farming implement trade was seasonal and was a wooden hand operated device with an option for wind or tractor power to be utilised through a pulley. These proved popular and an electric powered version was introduced in 1911 followed by a production in 1915 of a small generator to power washers in rural areas. By 1920 maytag was a large company with its own name producing household appliances and making the only aluminium washer tub that proved far superior to the wooden version. The company developed new techniques such as the vaned agitator and started making other appliances such as irons and in 1925 was recognised on the new york stock exchange.

Maytag continued to grow under the direction of Frederick's son Elmer even making profits during the depression, Elmer passed away in 1940 and his son Frederick took charge at a young age of only 29 years. During the second world war washing machine production stopped and the company designed and made products for aircraft such as the Super Fortress, Flying Fortress, Marauder, and the Mustang plus others. After the war washing machine production was started again with another plant for automatic machines also being opened in 1948. Although military equipment was produced again during the korean war this time it was done without the household appliances production being halted.

Expansion and the introduction of new products such as automatic dryers, coin slide laundry machines for commercial use, dishwashers, stoves and fridges continued with Maytag a well established household name. A series of television commercials was begun in 1954 with the well known Maytag Repairman appearing for the first time in 1967 played originally by Jesse White and continued through the decades to follow as the main advertising character for Maytag.

Starting in the early eighties companies were continually being sold and merged with maytag acquiring a few along the way until in march 2006 the whirlpool corporation acquired maytag. This did not spell the end of maytag's machine production as both brands are still producing separate ranges of appliances under their original names its simply that the owners of the companies are the same. A full range of front and top loading washing machines and dryers are still available from maytag with the Neptune and centennial ranges very popular. These can be bought as matching pairs or combined washer dryer units. The vertical stack style machines are also still in production and there are no plans to stop producing any of maytags household appliances so spares and repairs will not be a problem.