NT -- Washing Machines

[Lion EA]

So, I return from a business trip with a suitcase full of dirty laundry and a hamper full at home, too, to find my washing machine (which was diagnosed as terminal in July and given a two-month life -- yes, we'd been shopping, but it was still just a small leak !!) to have advanced to a large leak and the agitator no longer rotating.

Consumer Reports rates the front-loading washers higher than any ot the top loaders. But they say you have to leave the door open (can't run continuous loads!) and have to wash down the drum, door, and gasket and have to run a bleach load without clothes followed by a water load without clothes (doesn't that change the efficiency rating for power and water usage?!) to keep the smell away. And, I'm old and would have to bend down for both the washer and dryer.

I'm leary of Sansung that CR likes as it has only a three-year history. (I'm only on my second washer/dryer: GE for more than 15 years and Maytag for 23 years.) I love having a bleach dispenser, and many of the top-rated washers of either type don't have that. (Maytag does, but isn't rated as high as a few other models.)

I'm sitting here with a sopping wet light load and have a dark load, sheets, towels/rugs, and a white/bleach load to go. Laundry mat? Home Depot for whatever they can install fast?

What's your experience?

[Kea]

We've had a Fridgedaire front loader for about 5 years. It was on sale and eligible for City Water rebate. We do run continuous loads and just leave the door open when we're done for the day. Only need to leave open to have to moisture dry out to keep mildew from growing. We've never run a bleach load or water-only load. My husband built a wood box for under the washer so as not to bend over as much.

Hope that helps.

[michaelmars]

they all sell platforms now to lift it higher off the ground to eliminate bending. Our new one has a cycle to clean it and dry it out which we use every couple of days. Never ran it with bleach or anything like that.

We've had a Fridgedaire front loader for about 5 years. It was on sale and eligible for City Water rebate. We do run continuous loads and just leave the door open when we're done for the day. Only need to leave open to have to moisture dry out to keep mildew from growing. We've never run a bleach load or water-only load. My husband built a wood box for under the washer so as not to bend over as much.

Hope that helps

[jklcpa]

I have a top loading Maytag Centennial that we purchased 3.5 years ago that I mostly like. We've had no problems with it at all. It does have bleach and softener dispensers, and a very nice high capacity stainless steel wash basket. I think it cleans the clothes really well and has lots of settings. It's the first washer that I've ever owned that has a delicate cycle. Husband didn't understand the necessity of this in shopping for the first appliances.

There are two things about it that I would change if I could. The first is that it automatically senses the water level needed once the lid is closed and the machine is started. This feature really does work well and saves water, but not if you are like me and occasionally drop a sock or find one more piece to add to the load after closing the lid. If the lid is opened after the machine is started it defaults to the highest water level. It's possible to raise the lid about 1/4" and slip that wayward sock in, but any more than that and it shuts off and defaults. Annoying! The second thing is that the wash time is the same length of time for all selections no matter whether it's sturdy/extra soiled or delicate with the only difference being the amount of agitation. That seems like a waste of time and electric to me.

I've never owned or used a front load so I can't comment there.

[Guest Taxed]

I have been buying Whirlpool washing machines and dryers for the last 30 years. Generally the machines last anywhere from 12 to 15 years average with a few minor repairs in the middle.

My last washer the main bearing hub seal went bad and the estimate I got parts and labor was around 70% of a new machine so I got a new machine.

One thing I have learned is NOT to overload it with too many towels. Those are bearing and seal killers in the spin cycle.

My mother had a front loader made by Electrolux and the parts were so expensive, I have decided to stay away from them.

[NECPA in NEBRASKA]

We have had Whirlpool Duets for almost 2 years and love them. I talked my husband into spending the extra $ on the stands to alleviate the bending and we have been very happy that we did. We don't run bleach through separately, but he does use it for whites and we have not had the mildew problem. My sister just bought a Maytag top loader that she despises. She was against a front loader and now hates this one because it runs so long and doesn't have an agitator.

[Jack from Ohio]

_{Whirlpool Duet for 8 years now. Not a hitch. 1/3 the water, 1/2 the soap and less drying time. Definitely recommended.}

[Kea]

That's a good point about the soap. The front loaders tend to make the soap "foam-up" more. I actually only use about a 1/4 - 1/3 of a measuring sccop per load.

[JohnH]

What's a washing machine?

(My wife told me I should ask that question and everyone would understand)

[Lion EA]

Thank you for all your comments. (Hubby also polled his church choir.) Comments and Consumer Reports and a patient salesman at Home Depot and hubby who had researched for longer than me led to our decisions. We went with an LG top loading washer with a very large capacity stainless drum and an LG gas dryer on a platform so my old back can bend less. We bought the cheapest color (white) and not a matched set as they are in an unfinished basement. I got my priority list of one of the best ratings on the repair/problems list, bleach dispenser, dryer platform, and some nice extras such as a platform for drying sneakers (I had that years ago on my first GE dryer) and a light in the drum so I can find that elusive sock. Home Depot will deliver by Friday and does free delivery, installation/set-up, and haul away of old appliances. Actually, we are coordinating the dryer installation with the propane tank installation for our new generator this week as the gas company needs to convert the gas dryer to propane (different nozzle) and make the actual connection. Thank you again for all your help.

[kcjenkins]

Back when I had three boys making laundry, I'd have loved a front-loader. Once it was just two of us, tho, with a lot less to wash, a normal top loader is fine.

[Eric]

Our top loaders just died recently (within the last few months) and we went with the Whirlpool Duet based on Consumer Reports ratings and price.

We don't have treated town water, so if we were going to have a problem with musty smells, we would have by now, I think. We always bleach the whites, so that might have something to do with it. We never do an empty load after a bleached load, and haven't had any trouble with getting bleach on things in subsequent loads. The most we've done to clean the washer itself is to wipe dog hair out of the bottom of the rubber seal where it tends to collect.

Our electricity bill was reduced by about $15 on average after the switch. We do a lot of laundry with a couple 2 year olds, but the new washer gets clothes a LOT dryer in the spin cycle than the old one did, and the dryer time is almost always less than half of what it was with our old set.

[Guest Taxed]

What's a washing machine?

(My wife told me I should ask that question and everyone would understand)

Consider yourself very lucky to have such an understanding wife!

[JohnH]

Sh

Consider yourself very lucky to have such an understanding wife!

If you'd seen the expression on her face and heard the tone in her voice, you'd likely come to a different conclusion on this particular matter.

Nevertheless, she is very understanding and I'm grateful to have a blessing like her.

[Lion EA]

Yes, the spin speeds on just about every washer far exceeds my 23-year-old dead washer. I always ran Spin twice to get out more water before putting clothes in my dryer. Now I hope to not do that anymore. And, the capacity is larger, especially with no center agitator, even in top-loaders. Our salesman said he runs a weekly white load with bleach and dries the gasket each load and hasn't had any smells from his front-loader. I have lots of iron in my well water, so try not to use bleach or else everything (clothes, washer, set tub where it drains out to the septic tank) turns orange; and our septic guy doesn't like us bleaching the flora and fauna in our septic tank. I did buy a stand for the dryer but don't need one for the top-loading washer. LG called today to confirm our order and delivery, so I'm getting excited (and our dirty clothes are piling up!). I did manage to dry the wet clothes with several cycles of my dryer, so we have clean light-colored clothes to wear.

[Guest Taxed]

My brother has well water too and he had a contraption installed in the basement to take the minerals etc. out of the water for the washer. It has activated charcoal and some other chemical filter and every 6 months he has to replace the filter.

Without that device everything came out a shade of orange.

[mcb39]

My Grand-daughter and her husband did extensive research. They purchased Electrolux front loaders and love them. All I know is that I thought an Electrolux was a Vacuum Cleaner. (Now, John, be sure to ask "What is a vacuum cleaner?)

These young marrieds thoroughly research everything and then they go shopping with their facts and drive a hard bargain. I love it that we brought her up that way.

[Guest Taxed]

My mother had a Electrolux front loader, but the parts and repair costs are so much more for that brand for some reason??

[Lion EA]

Yes, we have quite an elaborate water-treatment plant in our basement, iron filter, softening with potassium salts, three or more modules. Whenever our toilets start turning orange or we smell sulphur while showering, we change the filter. Used to be every three months, but new -- more expensive -- filters last longer now. But, adding bleach to a load of laundry and forgetting to add lots of Calgon means hubby's tightie whities are orangies instead !! After 23 years, the wash tub is orange up to the water level. The set tub is always orange, but I soak it once in awhile with rust remover. So, I've been limiting bleach loads. I'm hoping the Sanitary cycle will help with sanitizing and de-allergizing so I won't need bleach as often.

[Catherine]

I have an LG front-loader that we bought when the old Whirlpool top-loader died (younger daughter over-loaded it and there went the transmission; new unit not available without more money than a new machine, plus labor).

It was highly rated; holds large loads. I've found that I have to dry towels on LOW speed or they come out too dry to "fluff" in the dryer! Lots of bending (not a big deal for me). If you leave the door open there are no problems with smell.

All that said, I don't really like it. In order for clothes to actually get clean (as opposed to just wet) I have to choose the "water plus" feature with every load. My old machine had a wash cycle about as long as the dry cycle so taht made multiple loads easy; this one has a very LONG wash cycle (about 20 min longer than the old machine), and the dry time is shorter (which is good). If I had it to do over again, I would go for another top-loader, probably like the one you ended up with.

[Jack from Ohio]

Whirlpool make the best front loader period. Ours have outlasted 3 other families' front loaders. Get the platform that goes underneath to raise it up where you can reach it. Benefit: The platforms have drawers in them.

Wife opens the top drawer under the dryer, and her clothes basket sits in the perfect position for unloading. Won't have another kind of washer again. Almost 8 years and ZERO service calls or needs.

[mcb39]

I have my mother's old top loader Whirlpool up at the cottage. I prefer by far to wash clothes there rather than at home with my Maytag because the clothes always get so much cleaner. I used to wonder why my Mom's wash was so much cleaner than mine. Now I know. I have been using it for nine years and have no clue how long she had it before then. Another moot point is that there we have well water;, no filtering systems installed, and here at home we have city water. Go figure.