Off topic: I don't like my washing machine

Foghorn

A few years ago our old toploading washing machine died and we got a new Whirlpool HE frontloader.  It never has cleaned our clothes as well as the older toploading machine.  Shortly after we bought it, we noticed this and called for it to be replaced or serviced.  The repair guy came out and watched it do everything it is supposed to do and said "Everything works exactly as it is supposed to.  These new machines are amazing.  They use so little water and they get your clothes even cleaner than the old machines."

When I asked why OUR machine did not get clothes very clean he replied ""Everything works exactly as it is supposed to.  These new machines are amazing.  They use so little water and they get your clothes even cleaner than the old machines."

I gave up and accepted that for every load over the life of the machine we have had to set it for a heavy duty wash with an extra rinse just to approximate the cleaning power of what was previously a standard wash setting.  

Now, it has gotten worse and some of the clothes don't ever get touched by water so we are in the market for a new machine.  

What do people recommend?

Can you get a toploader and get clothes actually clean?  Did I just get a lemon and an ignorant repair guy? Do frontloading HE machines actually get clothes clean (in most cases)?

I look forward to the responses.  Thanks in advance.

thetrim

Front loaders are $hit.  We're getting rid of ours and going back to the top loader.  Companies developed them w/ government subsidies pushed by VP Al Gore back in the 90s for the exact reason you mentioned.  Give the libturds any power, and they will try and rule your life, but end up ruining it in the process.  Put this in the category or toilets that don't flush enough water and take two to three flushes to get the Class I download taken care or.  or, the crappy lightbulbs that hurt your eyes and lake everything look in a strange hue!  Or Michelle O's crappy school lunch program giving kids food they don't want to eat or in such small portions that they don't have enough to eat. 

theyolksonyou

FWIW it's "I hate my washing machine"  that's all I got. 

Gulfcoastguy

My front loader LG works just fine.

thetrim

Gulfcoastguy said:

My front loader LG works just fine.

Give it time...

GregW

I recommend Speed Queen.
I have a pair that I purchased at the first of the year. The Speed Queen set replaced a 30 year old Maytag set. I really believe the Speed Queen set is built as good as the old Maytag set.
The set that I purchased is top loading and is the best they offer in the top load line. It has the electronic controls on both the washer and dryer.

The capacity is much greater than Maytag and it does a really good job cleaning. It's also very quiet.

The set wasn't inexpensive, if I remember the set was around $2000.

I have been told the average life for most laundry sets is around 7 years.
Speed Queen says theirs will last over 20 years in a household environment, I believe they will, they are built like a tank. 

jeffwit

We had a front loader and got rid of it for the reason you are describing. Clothes just wouldn’t get clean. Got a Samsung top loader and love it. And before anyone chimes in about the recall, no, the lid hasn’t come flying off during the spin cycle. 

DoubleEgger

This has been discussed before. A solid choice is the Speed Queen according to the forum. That's what I'll be buying next time. 

bgebrent

Have a front loader Samsung in town and I'd not buy it again.  Front loader LG at the lake has been good.  I always consult CR (@DoubleEgger likes their beer recommendations) but I think its a crap shoot.  Have fun, good luck son.

thetrim

Front loaders make your clothes smell like the inside of a green egg after not using it and keeping the lid closed during the entire monsoon season in Indonesia.

Chief9

We love our speed queen!

Jeremiah

Another vote for the Speed Queen. Plain old white and basic, but well built with quality stuff. Loud though, definitely a doors closed machine. 

texaswig

What are you doing to have clothes that dirty? We've had a samsung front load for about 5 years. Still doing good. When I wash work clothes that have buffing compound and sanding dust all over them I put them on heavy duty cycle.130 minutes. But I hardly get that dirty anymore if I can help it. If I buy again I will probably get one of the huge top loaders. 

theyolksonyou

texaswig said:

What are you doing to have clothes that dirty? We've had a samsung front load for about 5 years. Still doing good. When I wash work clothes that have buffing compound and sanding dust all over them I put them on heavy duty cycle.130 minutes. But I hardly get that dirty anymore if I can help it. If I buy again I will probably get one of the huge top loaders. 

Maybe all your friends are polite.

  

Gulfcoastguy

thetrim said:

Gulfcoastguy said:

My front loader LG works just fine.

Give it time...

It’s been two years. 

Gulfcoastguy

There is an Arm &Hammer detergent with baking soda . It helps with funky clothes. What’s important with front loader washers is to leave the door open after using it so that the tub and gasket dry out.

kl8ton

With the home remodel we went with 2 speed queens.  They work great.  We purchased the model with no electronic control panel. 

Eggcelsior

I've had a Duet going on 5+ years. Never an issue and my clothes don't break down from the agitator. I only use delicate cycle, normal/casual, or bulky for sheets/towels. As drunk as trim seems, his "anecdotes" don't match my own or the vast majority of reviews. How much detergent do you use? It could certainly be a lemon(especially if clothes aren't getting wet) but too much detergent can make your clothes still seem dirty.

caliking

Call me old-fashioned, but i'm a fan of electro-mechanical home appliances vs. more  digital/electronic ones. At least I can try to fix the electro-mechanical stuff, and more often than not, I've succeeded. Fixed the water line valve on the fridge recently for $25 or so and saved about $200.

Our Maytag dryer crapped out last year, after 13yrs of service.  Shopped around for a new one and almost had a stroke when I saw how much those things cost. Decided to fix the old one. Like a champ, SWMBO pulled out a drying rack and started drying clothes in the living room. Just took a deep breath and didn't even roll her eyes at me!

A $7 fuse and $8 switch of some kind later (both from Amazon), no go. Called the Sears repair guy out, and he knew less about the problem than I did. His brilliant plan was something like "I'll order this part for $140 and put it in for $150 labor, but I don't know if that will fix it. Then I'll come out again, and you'll pay $85 for the service call and we'll start all over." Told him to take a hike. Trolled craigslist for a few days and picked up a 3yo Amana dryer for $100. Installed it, and it works better than even the old one did. But it sounds like a freight train in there, which somehow we have learned to live with. 

There were tons of relatively new washer/dryer sets available on CL when I looked. People moving, upgrading for something fancier, etc. Moral of the story - check CL and you'll probably find something that works for you at a reasonable price. 

Yes, I'm a cheapskate. And somehow I ended up with a VERY tolerant wife. 

jabam

Legume

We've had the kenmore version of the duet for 15 years, couple of minor issues, but they work well.  The washer started smelling a few years back, so we're good about leaving the door open and I run a bag of chemicals through there periodically.  Something you get at the store to clean the frontloaders.  I'm sure I could make it up myself for 20% of the cost but it's nitnkuch and seems to work well.

second what @Eggcelsior says about amount of detergent.

also what @caliking says about CL deals.  We got our daughter a set for $550 that was highly rated, huge top loader w/out agitator and only 1 year old.  Not even a scratch.

Legume

But my next set will probably be speed queen mechanical.

bgebrent

Speed Queen seems to be the family favorite.

blasting

I've gone back to a top loader.  

How did they convince us it was the new greatest thing in the world to have a front loader and bend every time?  Not to mention they cost a bunch more and don't get the cloths as clean.  We consumers can be scary gullible.

Mickey

Mickey

Instead of 114 knobs and buttons it just gets stuff clean again. 

Foghorn

Thanks to all who have contributed.   It looks like we may be going shopping for a Speed Queen...

blind99

I'll echo @Eggcelsior

whirlpool duet frontloader, 5 years old. It's got an automatic soap dispenser that we fill with Kirkland liquid soap. Works like a champ. 

Now that ive said that it will leak tomorrow

Mickey

Not sure if they are all "Commerical Heavy Duty " or not and we wanted knobs and not electronics. You can still buy old school. 

kl8ton

Mickey said:

That's our washer!  

Speed Queen:  Making Clothes Washing Great Again!

pgprescott

Speed Queen are the hot setup currently.