OT - Washer and Dryer Opinion Request

Fred19Flintstone

Wilma told me our washer is crapping out.  I'm embarrassed to say I've used it only a handful of times and know nothing about it.  Wilma has disliked it for a long while.  It's a front end loader and it emits a funky smell from time to time.  Anyway, Wilma is not too interested in repairing the thing and desires something new.  Since this forum is a great place for opinions on where to spend money, I thought I would ask you Wizards of Smart.  What new washer and dryer should we consider?

Eoin

Separate washer and dryer, combined are too complicated.

Vented dryers are simple and cheap machines, we just buy the basic model Hotpoint and throw it away when it stops being fixable, although lots of stuff on these is easy to repair.

We have Miele washers, German company and made by actual Germans. Built to last, and they do.

Regarding the smell, low washing temperatures and eco detergents can build up goo in the machine. Do a 90 degree wash from time to time (with a machine cleaner), pour boiling water down the tray from time to time and keep the door seal clean and the drain holes in it clear.

Photo Egg

Eoin said:

We have Miele washers, German company and made by actual Germans. Built to last, and they do.

Regarding the smell, low washing temperatures and eco detergents can build up goo in the machine. Do a 90 degree wash from time to time (with a machine cleaner), pour boiling water down the tray from time to time and keep the door seal clean and the drain holes in it clear.

We have a Miele washer as well...it's a beast!

Eoin

Photo Egg said:

Eoin said:

We have Miele washers, German company and made by actual Germans. Built to last, and they do.

Regarding the smell, low washing temperatures and eco detergents can build up goo in the machine. Do a 90 degree wash from time to time (with a machine cleaner), pour boiling water down the tray from time to time and keep the door seal clean and the drain holes in it clear.

We have a Miele washer as well...it's a beast!

Designed to last 20 years.

Legume

When my washer takes a crap, I willl probably replace it with a Speed Queen.

YukonRon

Not Sanyo. Shreds our clothes. Hate them, had warranty work done, then after the warranty expired, had it serviced so many times, we were on a first name basis with repair guy. He told us, they were just a POS, in a very nice way.
We are also in the market as well.

fishlessman

dont buy one of those water saving pieces of crap if its on the first floor. they take near an hour for a load and make a ton of noise with all the beeping noises. have one at camp and they suck, it must go into beeping mode twenty times a cycle

Gulfcoastguy

My LG does pretty well. To keep them from smelling keep the front door and the tray open between loads so they can dry. Also don't use more detergent than suggested, mine has fill marks in the trays. 

I don't do pairs because the dryer will last longer than the washer.

grillman14

Buy a Speed Queen, they are commercial made machines, built to last 25years! and like BGE only sold through Independent Dealers.

REB17

Speed Queen. When the guy installed ours he said it would be the last we'd ever buy. Used in commercial laundry mats.

Kent8621

we have a top load whirpool that we have been very happy with.  only a year into it but does a great job

RedSkip

@Fred19Flintstone

I'd suggest getting a top load washer.  Due to the axis the washer spins on, front vs top, the front load washers tend to throw an eccentric load which can mess with 2 story construction...my laundry room is on the 2nd floor.  Granted the newer designs compensate for this non-uniform loading, but I'm not sure how well.

A top load will spin the clothes in the x-axis around the center of the drum and won't provide the uneven loading on the floor joints.

Also, get something that fits your needs.  If you don't use the delicates, gentle, steam press cycles, then stay away from those add-ons.  They'll just cost you money in the future and it won't be utilized.  Lastly, the aesthetic look of a washer/dryer are fairly fancy these days.  My take is, these units aren't on display of the neighborhood, so why buy something fancy.

1.  Function/Practical
2.  Cost
3.  Aesthetics

Just my $0.02...

Side Note:  If you are doing a few upgrades, may want to put a dryer vent bird guard on the exterior of your house.  I had a bird build a nest in my dryer vent all the way inside the dryer itself.  Too bad my wife caught him off guard, and he wound up in the blower exhaust fan.  Had to use Vise Grips to get his head out, those skulls are tough and will stop the blower form spinning!  

- Skip

pgprescott

Speed Queen is the hot set up currently.

poster

RedSkip said:

@Fred19Flintstone

I'd suggest getting a top load washer.  Due to the axis the washer spins on, front vs top, the front load washers tend to throw an eccentric load which can mess with 2 story construction...my laundry room is on the 2nd floor.  Granted the newer designs compensate for this non-uniform loading, but I'm not sure how well.

A top load will spin the clothes in the x-axis around the center of the drum and won't provide the uneven loading on the floor joints.

Also, get something that fits your needs.  If you don't use the delicates, gentle, steam press cycles, then stay away from those add-ons.  They'll just cost you money in the future and it won't be utilized.  Lastly, the aesthetic look of a washer/dryer are fairly fancy these days.  My take is, these units aren't on display of the neighborhood, so why buy something fancy.

1.  Function/Practical
2.  Cost
3.  Aesthetics

Just my $0.02...

Side Note:  If you are doing a few upgrades, may want to put a dryer vent bird guard on the exterior of your house.  I had a bird build a nest in my dryer vent all the way inside the dryer itself.  Too bad my wife caught him off guard, and he wound up in the blower exhaust fan.  Had to use Vise Grips to get his head out, those skulls are tough and will stop the blower form spinning!  

- Skip

I just purchased front loaders that have the balancing features in the servos. They can stop quick, flip into reverse, then re-spin until the load is balanced well. I was warned against the top loaders as there is no central agitator, and gravity does not work in your favour either to agitate clothing, as the clothes can not fall from top to bottom. I was told that there were lots of complaints because some clothing would not even get wet after a full cycle as they would be stuck in between other clothing and forced up the side of the machine where they stay for the whole cycle. I don't have personal experience with these, so who knows. If you get caught up reading all the reviews on the web, your head will spin, there is always someone who has a bad or good experience with any model. One thing I noticed though, my electric bill went down 10% since we installed the new washer and dryer which was nice

HeavyG

Bought a top load LG washer and matching dryer a few months ago to replace the Kenmore agitator washer/dryer we had for 20+ years.

So far so good.

With the old Kenmore I was used to just turning a mechanical switch to the cycle I wanted and pulling it out to start and water immediately flowing into the tub. With this LG there is a glass "cockpit" panel to select and modify settings and then when you start it goes thru a minute or so of the tub moving back and forth to sense the height of the load and then does a few higher speed spins to sense if the load is/will balance and when it is satisfied that it knows what it needs to know it starts adding water while the tub is still slowly spinning.

Again, being used to an agitator washer, I was curious as to how these top load agitator-less washers do their thing. The LG has a glass top lid so my inner 5 year old just had to watch  for awhile while the washer does its thing. Kinda mesmerizing as the tub would rhythmically move in a CW then CCW motions to build up movement of the clothes/water in the tub. 

The "cockpit" provides a countdown timer to let you know how long your cycle will take. That's been pretty accurate. When it is finished it plays an "ice cream truck" tune.

I did buy an extended warranty just in case I got a lemon. Only the second time I've bought an extended warranty for an item.

The washer is pretty quiet. Our laundry room is upstairs and I have never heard it unless I am at the bottom of the stairs. It hasn't yet had an unbalanced load.

This is the one wwe got (and the matching dryer): http://www.homedepot.com/p/LG-Electronics-5-2-cu-ft-High-Efficiency-Top-Load-Washer-with-Steam-and-Turbo-Wash-in-Black-Stainless-ENERGY-STAR-WT7600HKA/207024919
 

fishlessman

poster said:

RedSkip said:

@Fred19Flintstone

I'd suggest getting a top load washer.  Due to the axis the washer spins on, front vs top, the front load washers tend to throw an eccentric load which can mess with 2 story construction...my laundry room is on the 2nd floor.  Granted the newer designs compensate for this non-uniform loading, but I'm not sure how well.

A top load will spin the clothes in the x-axis around the center of the drum and won't provide the uneven loading on the floor joints.

Also, get something that fits your needs.  If you don't use the delicates, gentle, steam press cycles, then stay away from those add-ons.  They'll just cost you money in the future and it won't be utilized.  Lastly, the aesthetic look of a washer/dryer are fairly fancy these days.  My take is, these units aren't on display of the neighborhood, so why buy something fancy.

1.  Function/Practical
2.  Cost
3.  Aesthetics

Just my $0.02...

Side Note:  If you are doing a few upgrades, may want to put a dryer vent bird guard on the exterior of your house.  I had a bird build a nest in my dryer vent all the way inside the dryer itself.  Too bad my wife caught him off guard, and he wound up in the blower exhaust fan.  Had to use Vise Grips to get his head out, those skulls are tough and will stop the blower form spinning!  

- Skip

I just purchased front loaders that have the balancing features in the servos. They can stop quick, flip into reverse, then re-spin until the load is balanced well. I was warned against the top loaders as there is no central agitator, and gravity does not work in your favour either to agitate clothing, as the clothes can not fall from top to bottom. I was told that there were lots of complaints because some clothing would not even get wet after a full cycle as they would be stuck in between other clothing and forced up the side of the machine where they stay for the whole cycle. I don't have personal experience with these, so who knows. If you get caught up reading all the reviews on the web, your head will spin, there is always someone who has a bad or good experience with any model. One thing I noticed though, my electric bill went down 10% since we installed the new washer and dryer which was nice

i believe the speed queen still has the agitator. the appliance guy in my area recommended this brand

kl8ton

One of the keys to clean clothes:

kl8ton

The above post is a speed queen spec sheet.

Eggcelsior

kl8ton said:

One of the keys to clean clothes:

Meh.

The BIGGEST reason for uncleaned clothes is the "well, more must be better" mentality people seem to have with cleaning products. Too much detergent leads to residue left on clothes that looks dingy/dirty, which is enhanced in FL machines due to less water used. My clothes have never been cleaner, energy star or not.

Smokin_Trout

Whirlpool is made on the west side of the state. We have the largest capacity we could find from them. If you can find someone that gets a discount from them, it's yuge savings, 5 year warranty on washer was $85. 

Keep the lid open on all high efficiency washers. 

Acn

It may sound like a dumb question, but how tall is Wilma?  I have a friend whose wife is right @ 5 ft, they bought a new house that had a new top loader and had to replace it because she couldn't reach clothes on the bottom of the tub.

jtcBoynton

Fred19Flintstone said:

Wilma told me our washer is crapping out.  ....  What new washer and dryer should we consider?

Your washer needs replacing. Why are you also planning to buy a dryer?  We are conditioned by the folks who sell them to think of them together but there really is no reason to buy a matched pair other than looks.  I finally broke the matched set thinking the last time the washing machine broke down.  Bought a nice washing machine and kept the old dryer which is still working well.  Cost wise, buying a single washer without the matching dryer was quite effective.  The store had some non matched machines  that they really wanted to move.  

HeavyG

Acn said:

It may sound like a dumb question, but how tall is Wilma?  I have a friend whose wife is right @ 5 ft, they bought a new house that had a new top loader and had to replace it because she couldn't reach clothes on the bottom of the tub.

I'm 6'1" and my wife is 5'2". Our LG is a top load agitator less model with a huge tub. Even I find it a bit tricky to reach to the very bottom to get some items like socks.

No worries tho - we use one of these:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00THEDNL8/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Fred19Flintstone

Wilma is 5'7" and has not made it a secret she wants a top loader.  Maybe I should look at a Whirlpool because they're made in my state?  It doesn't hurt that they're owned by Kate Upton's family.  It would be my way of hanging a dollar from her unmentionables.

yumdinger

You can go see my post in the "I hate my Fridge" thread.  The conclusion, I don't want a washer that requires balancing, takes longer to clean, creates stinky water that resides near the gasket, Might get out of balance cause damage to my laundry room or my family, and most of all I don't want no STINKING Software updates for my wash machine.

I went Speed Queen 2 years ago.  It is simple and the cleaning method has worked for decades....

I think there is a place in our Tech based lives for simple straight forward mechanical products.  This be one of them.

The Speed queen washer washes my clothes, the dryer dries my clothes.  They don't look fancy and only buzzes when my clothes are done but that is ok.  I don't ever plan on buying another, this thing is built to last.

Eggcelsior

yumdinger said:

You can go see my post in the "I hate my Fridge" thread.  The conclusion, I don't want a washer that requires balancing, takes longer to clean, creates stinky water that resides near the gasket, Might get out of balance cause damage to my laundry room or my family, and most of all I don't want no STINKING Software updates for my wash machine.

I went Speed Queen 2 years ago.  It is simple and the cleaning method has worked for decades....

I think there is a place in our Tech based lives for simple straight forward mechanical products.  This be one of them.

The Speed queen washer washes my clothes, the dryer dries my clothes.  They don't look fancy and only buzzes when my clothes are done but that is ok.  I don't ever plan on buying another, this thing is built to last.

My FL washer does none/requires none of those things. I'd be interested to see one that does fit all those stereotypes.

Jeremiah

@Fred19Flintstone you sir sure know how to make a thread about washers and dryers not suck. 

kl8ton

We went thru a few new washers until my wife found one she liked.  Top loader with agitator. Can't remember the brand/model at this time as it is in storage during a remodel.  Currently living in the in laws house that has a front loader. It stinks up the whole main floor when in use.  It needs the filmy grime wiped out of the door seal every other day.   It runs non stop.  

Eggcelsior

kl8ton said:

We went thru a few new washers until my wife found one she liked.  Top loader with agitator. Can't remember the brand/model at this time as it is in storage during a remodel.  Currently living in the in laws house that has a front loader. It stinks up the whole main floor when in use.  It needs the filmy grime wiped out of the door seal every other day.   It runs non stop.  

Do you leave the door open when not in use? 

Run one(or a few) of the Affresh tabs through it and a load of towels or something with the hottest water setting. That will help abate some of the mold causing the odor. Leaving the door open(even a crack, which is how I do mine) allows everything to dry out, including the gasket, where that crap is growing. My parents had the first Maytag Neptune and this happened(smell, black spots). Leaving the door ajar fixed the issue. I do it on my Duet and have never had an issue in the now 5 years that we've had it. We also have it running daily due to me wearing scrubs for work and the kids. Some of the gaskets pull out so you can wipe behind them as well.

Lastly, and this is probably the biggest thing for FL washers besides leaving the door ajar, what kind of detergent do you use? If it's liquid, this could be a large part of your problem, as liquid detergents leave a residue on your drum and gasket(especially with cold water washes, which most are). I only run powder detergent in mine, along with no fabric softener(same problem). This also helps eliminate the mildew-y smell towels get when wet(which sucks after taking a shower!) as the liquid detergent and softener coat the towels and decrease absorbency, while also inhibiting drying ability. If this occurs, just run the towels through the wash with hot water. That will get the residue out of the fibers. I have done next to no maintenance on my FL beyond the Affresh tabs and replacing the hoses after 5 years to braided metal ones. My set-up is a second floor closet off of the guest bath, so the FL is perfect since it is so much quieter than top loaders.

I have done way too much research on washers after having a top load with agitator tear up my scrubs(which gets exceedingly expensive since I am tall so I need to order brands that sell XLT which are typically premium brands) every 6 months or so. Since getting the FL washer, I haven't needed to by new scrubs which has saved me at least $1000 on top of water savings. The next one I'll likely get is a Bosch or Miele euro-style, since they tap the dryer's 220 circuit so the heater can get the water up near boiling, which is best to keep your whites from getting dingy. I go through a ton of undershirts too.

CoMoBGE

Worked for a company that sold and serviced Speed Queen. The people that bought them had 25+ year old Speed Queen sets and had little problems. I could not recommend the company more. When every other manufacturer uses plastic Speed Queen uses metal. They will never hook up to your wifi but, the set will be a workhorse. I would rather something be reliable compared to something that told me it wasn't working over email!

Fred19Flintstone

That's all very nice for Speed Queen, but can an heir to the Speed Queen dynasty dance like Kate Upton?

Seriously, I'm leaning heavily towards Speed Queen based on the favorable reliability reports.  Wilma has the final say because she's the one using it 90% of the time.  My daughter washes her own clothes accounting for the other 10% of usage.

Thank you all for your insight.