Front loading washers

[Irulan]

Time to buy. Who's got one, love it, hate it, what do you have....right now it's a tossup between Fridgidaire and Whirlpool...

[Eden]

Love, love, love my front loader. Not only does it use a lot less water, it really does keep your clothing in good shape much longer. My jeans no longer show any wear from washing - really not at all!

[DrBadger]

I have a new set of front loading washer and dryer.... I LOVE them.

I have the Samsung WF338 series. I got the samsung specifically because my laundry room is on the top floor of my house by the master bedroom, and the samsung washers are supposed to have among the best anti-vibration technology (from everything that I had read). I will say, it is really good... I can tell when it just starts its spin cycle, but then it quiets right down and doesn't shake the whole house. I guess the only down side to them is that the washer does have a really long cycle (about an hour for a load), but given the water savings of the front loader and how much more gentle they are on clothing.

I have also heard good things about the LG and the Electrolux.

Good luck with the search!

[tulip]

My house came with a washer already (top loader). But my brother just got a Bosch Axxis or Nexxt (he got the larger one). I researched the smaller one and it looked really good. Very efficient, good reviews, very quiet.

I was in Lowes today to get paint and noticed a sign that all Electrolux appliances were on sale 30% off. Nice looking washers.

[kjay]

Have had the large Bosch washer and dryer for about six months, and they are wonderful. Very quiet (but Bosch is known for that). I can wash really small loads, and it adjusts the amount of water to the load. Cleans really well, too.

I also have a Bosch dishwasher, and it's so quiet I don't even know it's running.

[Trek420]

LG Thromm, was one of the top rated by CU when I bought it. Love it love it love it love it. The whole remodel idea started when I realized how much more space I'd have, have much more user-friendly the half bath/laundry could be with a stacking washer drier combo. :rolleyes: little did I know what I was starting with that.

The Thromm's available in either gas or electric, fairly quiet for the price, very energy efficient.

[OakLeaf]

We have Kenmore front-loaders in both our homes. I'm pretty sure they're manufactured by Frigidaire and essentially identical to the Frigidaire branded washers of their day. The older one is 11 years old. Lately the spin cycle on the older one seems like it's less powerful than it ought to be, but other than that we've had no trouble with either of them. There's almost nothing that I feel like I need to hand wash any more, only the absolute most fragile things. Everything else is safe in the front-loader.

I pretty much take their word for the water savings and energy efficiency - but it does seem to use less water, and I really like the way that it automatically fills with the right amount of water for the load.

[Irulan]

What about size, 3.7 or 4.0? thx

[Aquila]

I really like mine, too.

But, I worry about mold, so I always leave the door open when I'm not using it, because there always seems a small bit of water. Does anyone else have that problem?

[Eden]

I've never noticed any water staying in mine (Frigidaire Gallery). I'm not sure how big it is.... it just says Extra-Large Capacity...
I believe it adjusts water amount to the load as well, and even though it looks quite small, unlike a top loader you can stuff it quite full and it still washes fine.

BTW - check with your local utility. On this side of the mountains we got a rebate from the utility company for buying a low water use machine. That and the savings in water and electricity made buying one a no-brainer.

[LBTC]

Trek, we have the same machines! LG sisters, we are! :)

Aquila, I always leave the door of the washer open, too. If someone leaves it closed, it gets to smelling mildewy, but I have not actually seen signs of mold.

Irulan, I wash *everything* in it. No more handwashing! And even the drying is gentler - there are loads of things I used to hang dry that get the ultra low treatment now...

Have fun shopping!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[OakLeaf]

Even the 3.1 cubic foot model will wash more than will go in any dryer with similar outside dimensions. Depends on how many people you're washing for, I guess, and how much drying space you have (dryer and/or clotheslines).

I do leave the door and the detergent tray open when I'm not using it. That's no different from a top-loader, but with a front-loader the door could be in the way if it's in a hall or doorway.

[Tuckervill]

Love my Whirlpool set! I have to stack mine, too, because of the space. I didn't get the Bosch that I wanted because when I bought a Bosch dishwasher that ended up needing service within a couple of weeks of purchase, no one within 50 miles of my hick town would work on it.

My w/d really does a good job on cleaning (40 minutes on cold water, with a stuffed full load, too). The dryer works fabulously as well. I dry all my clothes on low and they get dry within 45 minutes, unless I put too many jeans in the load. I, too, leave the door open on the washer, because of the odor that builds up (it says to leave the door open in the manual, and there is a cleaning cycle for the washer). The water accumulates in the little cups where you put the bleach and fabric softener in, but since it obviously recirculates, I don't think that's where the smell comes from. I think my floor is not level, which contributes.

Some day I'll be able to put them side by side, and that will be a happy day (cuz it means I got my new master bedroom)!

Karen

[badger]

I have a new set of front loading washer and dryer.... I LOVE them.

I have the Samsung WF338 series. I got the samsung specifically because my laundry room is on the top floor of my house by the master bedroom, and the samsung washers are supposed to have among the best anti-vibration technology (from everything that I had read). I will say, it is really good... I can tell when it just starts its spin cycle, but then it quiets right down and doesn't shake the whole house. I guess the only down side to them is that the washer does have a really long cycle (about an hour for a load), but given the water savings of the front loader and how much more gentle they are on clothing.

I have also heard good things about the LG and the Electrolux.

Good luck with the search!

Must be in our names, I just bought WF337 in red.

I had such a hard time with replacing mine. The ones I had in the closet were going on 20 years and in that time the machines have gotten larger (in depth). The first pair I got, an LG set, stuck out about an inch. So I decided in the end to splurge and go bling and display the machines and upgraded to the Samsung. Not sure about that AG (silver) technology, but they were on a great sale. I just bought them on Thursday and they're backordered for a month, so no laundry for 6 weeks! (since I replaced them inititally).

[Crankin]

I've had a front loader washer for about 12 years. I can wash tons of clothes in one load and I throw everything in together... no patience for a 70 minute gentle cycle, though I am sure it works perfectly.
In fact, most of the time I use the "quick" wash cycle of 30 minutes and everything comes out clean. I do put my Smart Wool stuff and undies in a washer bag, but that's it.
I wish I had the dryer, too.

[7rider]

Time to buy. Who's got one, love it, hate it, what do you have....right now it's a tossup between Fridgidaire and Whirlpool...

We have a Frigidaire front load (Affinity (http://www.frigidaire.com/products/laundry/washers/front_load/prod_ATF8000FS.asp) model). It's great. As others have said...less water used, clothes are spun nearly dry, so there's less dryer time, too, and everything (except the wool suits) goes in ... we have a 35 minute delicate cycle that's great. Front load machines have a heavy gasket at the door - a water tight seal is much more important at the door than on a top load machine. The Frigidaire does collect water in the gasket (and soap bubbles, too, if we use too much detergent :rolleyes:), so we keep a roll of paper towels handy to soak up the excess. So far, no mildew issues.
They can be expensive to repair, however. We had a Kenmore front load, and the drum needed repair, but it cost more to repair than it did to buy the thing :eek: so we gave it away to a handy guy and got the new ones.

[beccaB]

I like mine for the same reasons other people like theirs, but it has had a few problems. I would go with a higher-end model if you can, and try to buy from a family owned local business even if it's more expensive than a big box store. Customer service is everything, and I have had the WORST possible customer service imaginable from Best Buy.

[SheFly]

I looked at the front loaders, and REALLY wanted one when my machine went a couple of years ago. DH did some research though, and I ended up with a top loader washer and dryer (yes, the dryer is also a top loader) - they are Fisher & Paykel. Very energy efficient, and auto-sensing for water and drying.

Why do I love the top loaders? No more bending! Open both and the laundry goes from the washer directly to the dryer without bending over. I've been very happy with these.

SheFly

[Becky]

We have an LG front-loader that we're very happy with. The wash cycle is definitely longer than our old top-loader, so that takes some planning around, but it's worth it. It uses less water and is much gentler on clothes.

My parents have one of those Fisher-Paykel top-loaders, and are pleased with it.

[Norse]

We have Kenmore front-loading washer and dryer. Love them for the same reasons the others have mentioned but I think the lack of beating up on the laundry is the best. Things do not need to be replaced as often. All those work clothes that say "hand-wash" turn out just fine in the delicate cycle of the front loader - something I never would do when we had the top. As others have mentioned, we also leave the door of the washer open when not in use.

[jobob]

Wahhh, I so want a front-load washer!! But our laundry room is too small to fit one without the door banging into the water heater. :(

Maybe someday we might move the water heater into the garage, or get one of those newfangled tankless water heaters. Either way it'll involve lots of plumbing work, so odds are slim.

So I'll just live vicariously through you all.

Altho, Trek's stacking setup has got me pondering ... :)

[jobob]

The whole remodel idea started when I realized how much more space I'd have, have much more user-friendly the half bath/laundry could be with a stacking washer drier combo. :rolleyes: little did I know what I was starting with that.

Isn't it funny how major remodels can sometimes begin from the smallest projects?

We just finished a full remodel of our master bathroom, which started out when Lee was going to replace the floor tiles and found rotting wood under the tiles. :rolleyes:

[Trek420]

Isn't it funny how major remodels can sometimes begin from the smallest projects?

It started with one word.

After my 5th ALC (counting the one I crewed and the one I led training rides. I now count those because crewing is harder) "coach" Spazzdog ordered me in one word:

"nest!" :cool:

For years my condo was where I ate and slept. :confused: make that slept because the kitchen was non-functioning.

I worried with stacking w/d could I reach the drier. I'm five foot nuthin' but it's very easy.

[HillSlugger]

We bought LG about a year ago I think they were the next down from the top of the line because we didn't want to pay extra for the fancy, full lcd display panel. We've been quite happy with them, but like someone said, there's a potential for problem from left-behind water. We wipe down the door and gasket after each load and leave the door open to air dry.

[short cut sally]

I have the Kenmore Elites H4 series along with the pedestals for each. I've had them close to 3 years I think. I would go out tomorrow and purchase them all over again if they broke down. I am amazed at how they wash and dry the garments. Yes they are an investment compared to regular washer/dryers, but I so love them. The pedestals make the dryer/washer sit at least a good 1 to 1 1/2 feet off the floor, so there is hardly any bending over for me at all when I do the laundry. NOT that I couldn't use the bending to improve the core strength but I'm wimpy:D. I use one pedestal for all my detergents/cleaning supplies and I keep all my bike cleaning stuff in the other one. Good luck with your purchase, you won't regret it.

[Duck on Wheels]

We have a Miele 4660. We chose it because the drum is designed to put less wear on clothes than many other machines; it has a good wool cycle; and it has a superfast spin cycle, almost as fast as our previous machine which was a top loader with a separate extractor. We're very happy with the Miele. Does a nice job of cleaning. Uses less water than our old machine did. And the clothes come out of the spin cycle pretty much dry enough to iron. Not that I ever bother to iron anything :rolleyes:, but this probably saves time and energy on the dryer step of the process.

[msincredible]

We're going to be buying one shortly, we were thinking about Bosch.

[fidlfreek]

Bosch, yup.

I have a small one but am pleased :)

[GLC1968]

We have Maytag front loaders. We have the Neptune washer and the less expensive Atlantis dryer (same profile - so they basically match). The washer spins out so much water that the clothes are practically dry when they come out! Most things are totally dry after just one night on the drying rack or in about 15 minutes in the dryer. Amazing! It really does get clothes cleaner than our old model, too.

I don't leave the door open because the light would remain on. Doesn't anyone else have that issue? I've never had a mildew/mold problem except for the one time my H ran a load and then forgot about it for a week. Ick. One bleach load of white towels and we were back in business (I no longer use bleach and still have no mold issues). We've had ours for just over 5 years now...

[newfsmith]

At work we had a Maytag Neptune. It cleaned those dog-poopied blankets right up. The only problem in 3 years was when a ball-point pen came apart and the little plastic ink cartridge/ballpoint got jammed in the pump. Otherwise if dealt with a lot of filth just fine.

At home, when our 28 yr old top-loading Maytag died, we figured we would never get anything that would outlast it, but we did want to use less water. We got a Whirlpool Duet HT, that we have had for about 3 yrs now. It is great. I particularly like that for bed sheets and towels you have the choice of a cycle that lasts longer and the washer heats the water above what your hot water heater is set for. Since it is a point of use heater, it only heats the water for one wash, so you get the benefits of a really hot wash, without wasting energy. We have not had any problems with it.

[malkin]

I love my Miele stacker set, it works like a dream.

We only needed a washer, but getting the pair allowed us to reclaim enough space to make room to store cleaning supplies, sewing supplies, and actual space for sewing.

[spindizzy]

We just replaced 19 year old washer and dryer with front loader Whirlpool HT. No problems so far. Super quiet washer. We bought Whirlpool because it's easier to get service should something go wrong. It is recommended to leave jar slightly ajar after using it so that water can evaporate and to prevent moldy smell. (works perfect for my family who never close anything!)

Also, it is recommended to use an "Affresh" tablet once a month. My washer has a "clean washer" cycle. Just throw in the tablet, put on the cycle. I've used one once in 4 months. How's that for following directions?:)

[OakLeaf]

I went looking for what in the world is "Affresh" since I'd never heard of it. Turns out it's just oxygen bleach. So, Seventh Generation dishwasher powder or Oxy-Clean bleach should do the same thing.

I was wondering whether crystalline citric acid might be an alternative for cleaning the washer (although as I said, in 11 years it's never seemed to need it, other than popping out the detergent tray for a good rinse and scrub once in a while).

[TrekJeni]

I was wondering whether crystalline citric acid might be an alternative for cleaning the washer (although as I said, in 11 years it's never seemed to need it, other than popping out the detergent tray for a good rinse and scrub once in a while).

I wouldn't use the citric acid wash as I'd be concerned about the rubber gasket and the pump hoses degrading over time.

*** I work for Procter and Gamble in the Fabric and Home Care division ***

I have done YEARS of research on front loaders with stain removal tests, whiteness maintenance, and color fading. My lab consists 16 front loading machines with a state of the art computer controlled water system that can recreate all water conditions across the world. We test EVERYTHING that is remotely front loading. Whirlpool, Maytag, Bosch, Miele, LG, Maytag, etc. The biggest gimmick is the LG Tromm with it's Steam Wash. There's no such thing. The commercial is over exaggerated. We laughed when we got it in as we all sat in front of it waiting for it to do its magic and was disappointed. Nothing like the commercial at all.

I got out of the appliance side of things last year and am now doing upstream technology research which means I'm testing new surfactants for potential product usage.

When Geoff and I bought our house in April, we bought a Whirlpool HT as we wanted the extra heater to do some tough cleaning on bedding as we have dogs and cats. There is no need to buy a high efficiency dryer unless you want them to match. The washers spin at twice the speeds that the top loaders do resulting in less drying time.

I've seen many people mention longer cycle times and keeping the door open. The reason the cycles are longer is because your relying on the kinetics of the surfactants rather than the mechanical action of an agitator to do your cleaning. It's also the reason why you need to use HE detergent. It's got a suds suppressor in it so it doesn't lock your machine up. Half dosing regular detergent doesn't cut it - I've got the data to prove it. :D:D:D Leaving the door open is recommended as the water tight seal doesn't allow for the washer to completely dry out between cycles. I've taken the machines apart by hand, you don't want to know what can be growing behind there, trust me!

[kacie tri-ing]

Love my front loading...it saves on space when you live in a tiny condo!

[Flybye]

I have a Whirlpool set and I love them. Love them. Love them. What used to take 3 loads to wash now takes one! I do laundry one or two days a week instead of 4-5 (we have a family of 5). My only complaint is that the washer spins the pants into a twisted mess and I have to separate them before I put them in the dryer. I sometimes have to iron my pants which stinks.

[Tuckervill]

Because of the twisty pants thing, I wash pants in as small a load as possible. It's not the washer that does it to mine, it's the dryer, when overstuffed.

That's so interesting, Jeni.

My Whirlpool Duet takes 40 minutes. I don't think that's a long time. The dryer always takes longer for the same load.

Karen

[Trek420]

I also have this drier from LL Bean, and indoor wall mounted drying rack.

Weekends I might do a full load, put light items on the rack, do another load of wash and then run the drier. :)

[Norse]

GLC, you have a light in your washer?

On keeping the washer clean, besides leaving the door open, we now give it an occasional dose of a product called Smelly Washer. No kidding. I turned to this product because, after about 7 years of doing nothing other than keeping the door open, we started to notice a foul odor when the machine was run. It initially took about 4 repeat smelly washer cleanings before the odor was gone and now I just do it once every month or two.

[HillSlugger]

GLC, you have a light in your washer?

On keeping the washer clean, besides leaving the door open, we now give it an occasional dose of a product called Smelly Washer. No kidding. I turned to this product because, after about 7 years of doing nothing other than keeping the door open, we started to notice a foul odor when the machine was run. It initially took about 4 repeat smelly washer cleanings before the odor was gone and now I just do it once every month or two.

My LG has a light in the washer and the dryer, but they turn themselves off after a bit of time, so no issue for me leaving the door open.

[OakLeaf]

You could always just pull the light bulb out.

I think having a light in the dryer is handy, but I don't know why I'd want one in the washer.

[GLC1968]

Yep, they both have lights. The washer light is very handy because the inside is stainless steel and can be dark. Occasionally a dark colored sock gets left behind if we don't look carefully. The dryer is white inside, so it's less of an issue.

I once left the door open as a reminder to get the clothes out and then went to bed (some reminder, huh?!). It was easily 30 minutes later and I was having a hard time sleeping because of the odd light coming from the hallway. It was the washer light on! I'm pretty sure ours don't go off after a certain time.

I guess if I felt the need to leave the door open, I'd unscrew the bulb. In over 5 years (including 4.5 of them in super humid Florida & NC) we've never had a mold issue, I'm certainly not going to start worrying about it now!

[PamNY]

I have an Asko stacking washer and dryer. I picked Asko based on size (the W/D connection is in a bathroom with a narrow door) but I like it pretty well. There have been some repair issues.

I wouldn't normally pay that much for a washer/dryer but I didn't have a choice -- it was Asko or Miele back when I bought these. The higher spin speeds are really nice, and front loaders do put less wear on your clothes.

Pam

[xeney]

We are on our second front-loader and I wish I could feel the love. We had an older Kenmore (Frigidaire made, as someone above said) and it did a great job of cleaning the clothes ... but it broke all the time.

After three big repairs in six years we just replaced it with a Whirlpool Duet, and we hate it. It really seems to beat up the clothes a lot compared to the old Kenmore, and stuff just does not get very clean. We launder our own cloth diapers and the Kenmore was great for that, but with the Whirlpool they are getting stinky in spite of using very little detergent (the key to frontloaders) and rinsing with vinegar. Plus the wash cycles take forever, the default temperature is "warm" and so we've shrunk a couple of loads of clothes, and the button interface annoys me. It definitely does not feel like it was worth the money. (We did not bother with the $1,100 matching dryer, after I confirmed that it would not fold my clothes and put them away ... which for that price had better come standard.)

I am really aggravated about the whole thing.

[Eden]

huh.... maybe I'm just lucky cause I like low tech..

my washer is old enough that it still uses knobs instead of lcd panels... so if I forget to change the temp setting that's my goof...

I don't use powder detergent anymore, and I think that helps keep the machine from gumming up. I had to rinse out the detergent cups fairly often when I still used powdered.

I usually keep the door at least mostly closed to keep the cats out of the washer and I've never had a problem with stink smells.

I think we had a problem with it only once. Something was left in a pocket (don't remember exactly - something like a handful of washers?) that got stuck in the pump, but the hubby was able to take it apart and get them out. Other than that its been pretty much trouble free.

[jobob]

*** I work for Procter and Gamble in the Fabric and Home Care division ***

No way!!! :cool:

I used to work at a biotech company that supplies P&G with enzymes for laundry detergents. I used to work on the protease that went into Tide. An enzymologist's dream job - how to make a protease that didn't fall apart in hot water but still worked well in cold water. I used to know all sorts of arcane things about water hardness all over the world, surfactants, that sort of thing. Oh and the different types of technical swatches - BMI and the like ... :rolleyes:

But back on topic -- LeeBob is lurking this thread now, we were just discussing the possibility of stacking a front loader washer & dryer in our little laundry room. :D

[Tuckervill]

I LOVE my Whirlpool Duet and none of the things Xeney complained about are a problem for us. We don't wash diapers, but my husband's work-out clothes get pretty rank. We started adding Febreeze laundry additive to those washes, and that made a difference. We have extremely hard water that leaves residue on surfaces, so maybe mine works better because of that...I dunno how all that works (but I hope the P&G folks will chime in). My clothes are cleaner with the Duet, and it's wonderful. I love it.

I just made a habit to press the "Cold" button whenever I wash. I do that to save money on heating the water. Nothing has shrunk, though, even on warm. Maybe my water heater is not up enough (the former owner put a partition around it and I've never even seen the stupid thing).

I'm sorry your Duet is not working out for you. I'm sure someone would buy it if you decided to sell and get something else.

Karen

[DDH]

I have a Duet also, and I love mine. I did have a problem with my (and I know this is going to sound weird) permenant press always having a smell to it. I couldn't stand it and it was driving me crazy that only these clothes were smelling and I could not figure out what was wrong.
Finally I started leaving my door open and I try to remember to put the washer through the cleaning cycle once a month like it recommends but I know I miss times. Anyway, it has stopped. I don't know why it was ever this way or why it stopped but I no longer have a smell problem with my clothes.
The only thing I could think of was I quit stuffing the washer with clothes and started making two loads out of my permenant press. That's the only thing I ever had a huge amount of and I guess it just wasn't getting them clean since I was stuffing the washer.
It still washes a whole lot more at once than my top loader ever did and it saves tons of water.

I get irritated the the detergent is more expensive, but other than that, I love it.

[Irulan]

My Duet 4.0 is getting delivered/installed on Friday.

:)

[xeney]

We don't wash diapers, but my husband's work-out clothes get pretty rank. We started adding Febreeze laundry additive to those washes, and that made a difference.

Unfortunately that is not an option with the diapers -- additives like Febreeze can really affect the absorbency. Plus I try to avoid things with scents, and it frankly makes me angry to spend this much money on a washer and then have to add things to mask smells that it is not removing.


I just made a habit to press the "Cold" button whenever I wash. I do that to save money on heating the water. Nothing has shrunk, though, even on warm. Maybe my water heater is not up enough (the former owner put a partition around it and I've never even seen the stupid thing).

Sounds like we have different versions of the machine -- if there were a "cold" button it would be easier, but it's that little button you have to press multiple times to get through the cycle of options. There is nothing wrong with it, it's just an annoying interface and I am irritated that "warm" is the default when most people wash on cold for the reason you point out, to save money. And our water heater is turned WAY down because we have a toddler who likes to adjust the water temperature in the bathtub.

I should stress that I am not comparing the Duet to a top loader. We have not had a top loader for about ten years. But it is nowhere near as good at cleaning clothes as our old Kenmore was. We really wish we had had that one repaired a fourth time rather than buying this machine. After two months, our towels (which looked like new in the Kenmore) look like old rags, and our diapers stink, and I hate this machine.

As soon as I can afford a new one I will probably put this one on Craigslist.

I hope yours works out, Irulan. I really wish we hadn't bought ours.

[Tuckervill]

My friend with cloth diapers always put baking soda in the wash. She bought giant boxes of it from Sam's Club.

My Duet wash has a button that says something like "Hot Wash/Cold Rinse" Warm Wash/Cold Rinse" and "Cold Wash/Cold Rinse". It defaults to the middle one (warm) and when I press it, it goes down the list, so it goes right to the Cold/Cold. Once I trained myself, it became second nature and I don't even think of it anymore.

Karen

[tulip]

Borax is also a very good laundry booster. It is sometimes hard to find. Mule Team Borax is the brand that I use.

[Becky]

I'll toss in my two cents for washing soda added in with the detergent. Like baking soda, but stronger. Even DH's funky cycling clothes smell ok after a wash with this stuff.

[tribogota]

just one more, love my front loader, whirpool, 13lbs, small, so sometimes I have to do more loads...love it so much that I hate to wash when I visit my mother who has a top loader, seems less clean. I have had it for 5 years and definitly wears down the clothes less, I can even throw in bras.

[bmccasland]

I'm amazed that my grass stained white socks (from mowing the lawn) are starting to come clean with washing in my new front loader - with the same brand detergent in warm water.

And after reading this thread, I'm now leaving the washer door open - no one told me to do so before, and I certainly live in a mold friendly environment!

Amazing the things you learn on TE forums!

[Miranda]

I didn't read every word of this thread, but I'll put my seething:mad: two cents in to hopefully save some soul from the worthless equipment I own.

It's not a front loader, but "supposedly" to work the same as one... only in an upright version.

Whirlpool Cabrio

OMG:eek::mad:... THAT THING IS THE MOST WORTHLESS ***INSERT PROFANITY OF YOUR CHOICE*** $2K+ PIECE OF BLEEEEEPP I HAVE EVERY SPENT $$$ ON.:mad::(

*deep breath*

It has no center aggitation, and weighs the clothes itself. You can't over-ride to soak with more water. THEREFORE, I have to hand wash things FIRST before putting them in the washing machine. THEN, it's questionable if you need a re-do.

The only plus is the spin cycle is fast. Long story, but I didn't use it until the return period had passed. Otherwise that thing would have gone back. I have dreams at night of how to blow it up to get $ to buy something else.

Ahhhh, much mo better now:rolleyes:... rant concluded.

Happy Shopping (for ANYTHING) other than what I own.

[Irulan]

I have dreams at night of how to blow it up to get $ to buy something else.

LOL, like that TV commercial.
That is how I feel about mine. I have a first generation ( and last generation ) of a "high efficiency spray rinse" unit that has always done a crappy job on clothes. It hides dirt in it that collects at the bottom of the tub. I will wash a couple of yards of brand new fabric, and it comes out with silt on it.

Normally we are a "drive it til it breaks" family but I am just sick of this thing.

[bmccasland]

Normally we are a "drive it til it breaks" family but I am just sick of this thing.

An early death by stone washing your new jeans with rocks? "Honest Honey, I don't know what happened." :rolleyes:

just trying to help

[tulip]

The only washers I've had have been Sears Kenmore. I've never had a front loader, and unless Sears makes one, I'm not going to get one. In any case, it will likely be many years before I need to replace my Kenmore.

But my brother and his wife love their Bosch.

[OakLeaf]

I don't believe Sears actually manufactures any of their large appliances. Frigidaire front loaders are private labeled under the Kenmore brand, have been for nearly 15 years.

[Irulan]

The only washers I've had have been Sears Kenmore. I've never had a front loader, and unless Sears makes one, I'm not going to get one. In any case, it will likely be many years before I need to replace my Kenmore.

But my brother and his wife love their Bosch.


Kenmore Elite has been around as a front loader for years, who knows who it's built by. Depending on your price point, they relabel different manufacturers.

[Miranda]

LOL, like that TV commercial.
That is how I feel about mine. I have a first generation ( and last generation ) of a "high efficiency spray rinse"...
Normally we are a "drive it til it breaks" family but I am just sick of this thing.

YES! That is what this stupid thing does. The clothes just lay in the bottom piled up with not even enough water to cover them. It's about like if I took my kitchen sink sprayer shooting from a distance to damp wet the clothes. They say is was suppose to be "smarter". Oh brother:rolleyes:...


An early death by stone washing your new jeans with rocks? "Honest Honey, I don't know what happened." :rolleyes:

just trying to help

HA! I like you way you think. Do you need any laundry done? Come on over via cyberspace to my washing machine crash and burn party. :D

[Flybye]

Just another note about my Front Load dryer. It really does a nice job of melting crayons and adhering them to Columbia coats.

[SadieKate]

What colors does it do best? :p

[OakLeaf]

Just another note about my Front Load dryer. It really does a nice job of melting crayons and adhering them to Columbia coats.

Another nice thing about air-drying. :p

[badger]

I'm on a brink of a mental breakdown due to my recent troubles with washers and dryers.

Oh how I knew so little about them...

Now I know they all stick out a good two inches in the back, and they never are the size they claim they are on their websites. And damn those bubble-doors that stick out.

The compact apt size is expensive and takes forever and a day to do a single load of laundry. Using my neighbour's apt size LG took a whopping 4 hours to dry my sheets.

Samsung has a stupid stacking kit where it pushes the washer 3 inches. Absolutely no sense to this, and I had to return my bling washer/dryer.

Built-in heater apparently will give me a sanitizing option to my washing, which is great for pet bedding.

I've been without a w/d now for 6 weeks, and I'm finally getting the Frigidaire Affinity 8000 on Sunday and it's not my dream machine nor my first choice. But due to space restriction I've had to sacrifice my sanity and my desire for a set I really wanted.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think this will become such an all-encompassing nightmare. All this because I just wanted my clothes washed :(

[OakLeaf]

Using my neighbour's apt size LG took a whopping 4 hours to dry my sheets.

That problem is what I mentioned before, that any front loader will wash more than a dryer of the same exterior dimensions will accommodate.

So even though you can fill a front-loader full and it will function just fine, you only want to actually do that if you're air-drying all or most of the clothes.

I'd put money that your sheets would have dried in two dryer loads of 1 hour each.

[Irulan]

Just another note about my Front Load dryer.

Is there any other kind? ( besides clothesline, that is...)

[Irulan]

Another nice thing about air-drying. :p

that is, unless your HOA thinks clotheslines are ghetto.

[xeney]

Built-in heater apparently will give me a sanitizing option to my washing, which is great for pet bedding.


We thought this was a great idea and it was one of the reasons we were glad to upgrade to the Duet (the old Kenmore/Frigidaire did not have a sanitize cycle). But the sanitize cycle ruined our towels, shrunk the cover on the dog's bed, and made our diapers look old and worn in one shot.

We just use "heavy duty" now. The sanitize cycle is REALLY hot.

[Flybye]

Is there any other kind? ( besides clothesline, that is...)
I was already to defend myself when it dawned on me................
Guess not! :o:o
What I meant to say was..................aw, nevermind! :):)

[DDH]

I love my clothesline for sheets and beadspreads. Of course I'm in the country and already gettho so I dont' care what the neighbors think. LOL
It's one of the advatages of living in the country although I'm finding fewer and fewer as I get older.

I still have my 15 year old dryer, and I am of the use it till it breaks families. In fact my husband will fix things until he can't anymore to keep from spending money on a new one. Sometimes that's a good thing, and sometimes not.

[Irulan]

We thought this was a great idea and it was one of the reasons we were glad to upgrade to the Duet (the old Kenmore/Frigidaire did not have a sanitize cycle). But the sanitize cycle ruined our towels, shrunk the cover on the dog's bed, and made our diapers look old and worn in one shot.

We just use "heavy duty" now. The sanitize cycle is REALLY hot.

The one I got has that, but it wasn't a selling point for us. I was more interested in the larger capacity for all our sleeping bags.

[badger]

I actually air dry almost all my clothes and underwear and just put sheets and crappy in-house clothes in the dryer.

A lot of my clothes have that 1-2% stretch and found that they became baggy after a couple of months. After I started hang drying, I don't have them become limp anymore and last much longer.

Maybe the newer machines won't do that, but it's become habit for me now that I'll probably continue after I get my laundry crisis sorted.

[tulip]

My dryer came with the house and is very old, but it works when I have to use it so I won't replace it until it dies and cannot be repaired. The washer came with my house, too, but it's newer and the same Kenmore model I had in my previous house. I MUCH prefer to dry things on the line outside. That is one reason that I will never live in a development with an HOA. Give me a real neighborhood any day!

[Irulan]

My dryer came with the house and is very old, but it works when I have to use it so I won't replace it until it dies and cannot be repaired. The washer came with my house, too, but it's newer and the same Kenmore model I had in my previous house. I MUCH prefer to dry things on the line outside. That is one reason that I will never live in a development with an HOA. Give me a real neighborhood any day!

When we bought our home 20 years ago, we made our realtor dig out what few CCR's there were. No one even knew our neighborhood even than them. But sure enough, they existed. Fortunately, they were very simple: no livestock, junkyards, or garages taller than houses and that was it.

(CCR is COmmunity Covenants and Restrictions)

I was talking to some recently who has lived in her home in a non CCR are for 30+ years. New people are moving in that are offended by laundry out on the line and are harassing the neighbors. That whole mind set of keeping thing so "nice" that you can't live your life, ie hang your laundry out... ( or put up a basketball hoop, etc) is just out of my comprehension..

For me the key is making it easy. We put up our rectangular on a corner of the deck so all I have to do is go out the back door and the line is right there!! I love my laundry breaks on the sunny days.

[tulip]

When we bought our home 20 years ago, we made our realtor dig out what few CCR's there were. No one even knew our neighborhood even than them. But sure enough, they existed. Fortunately, they were very simple: no livestock, junkyards, or garages taller than houses and that was it.

(CCR is COmmunity Covenants and Restrictions)

I was talking to some recently who has lived in her home in a non CCR are for 30+ years. New people are moving in that are offended by laundry out on the line and are harassing the neighbors. That whole mind set of keeping thing so "nice" that you can't live your life, ie hang your laundry out... ( or put up a basketball hoop, etc) is just out of my comprehension..

For me the key is making it easy. We put up our rectangular on a corner of the deck so all I have to do is go out the back door and the line is right there!! I love my laundry breaks on the sunny days.

I'm with you! Right now I only have a folding rack that I put out in the back yard, but I want to get a real clothes line or one of those Australian (Hill) umbrella drying racks that'll hold a whole load. There's nothing better than sleeping of sheets that have been dried in the breeze!

[OakLeaf]

Florida law prohibits HOAs from banning clotheslines. :cool:

You know the people who don't want clotheslines in their neighborhoods come back from Europe with stacks of photos of other people's colorful laundry. :rolleyes:

I've just got a couple of lines strung across our second-floor deck.

[bmccasland]

I recently helped a friend move into a renovated apartment house in the older part of the city (New Orleans). Because of termites, much work had to be done, and the owner had just finished his unit, including rebuilding his balcony (upstairs apartment), and the renovation included the old laundry line fittings. Friend (a guy) didn't get it :confused:. I was in lust for the space.... the character of the old place..... Then again, my mortgage is less than his rent.

[Norse]

I LOVE the smell and feel of line-dryed sheets. We have a retractable line (4 lines total) that we pull out and attach to a removable pole when in use and the lines retract and have a home on the back of the house when not in use. This past summer, new neighbors moved into the house with a bullseye view of our line so I asked if it bothered them. They said absolutely not, they love it and they want to get one for themselves!

[Irulan]

and what would you have done if they said "yes, we think it's trashy". :D

Me, I would never ask that question, as I'd never do anything different anyway on this issue.

[tulip]

Norse, glad to know that you like the retractable line. I would like that option because I only do laundry once a week, and the rest of the time I like my garden (yard) to be line-free. Does the retractable line sag? Do you have to hook it up high to accommodate sagging?

I don't think I'd ask either!

[OakLeaf]

http://www.latimes.com/features/home/la-hm-clothesline7-2009feb07,0,5628220.story


And from my favorite store: http://www.lehmans.com/jump.jsp?itemID=728&itemType=CATEGORY&iMainCat=673&iSubCat=728&show48=1

[Norse]

I asked after we had become friends with them, had them over for dinner.... I suppose we would have put up more trees/bushes between our yards if it did bother them.

After a lot of use, the lines do eventually start to sag, so periodically we need to tighten them. After fixing many, many splayed areas, DP invested in some new lines last year and redid much of it. Kind of hard to explain the removable in-ground pole that they attach to, but if the lines are really tight, you can put the pole on the ground, pull the lines out (they all attach into a contraption that has a hook that hooks into the pole), attach to the pole hook and then lift the pole up and put in the ground. We live in a very wooded, natural looking area so I am glad that we do not have to have the lines up all the time.

[ttaylor508]

We just recently started looking at front loaders and I think we are going with the Whirlpool Duet Ultra. It pays to price shop as most of the sellers will negotiate their prices as they are very motivated to make the sale right now. We are getting the 4.0 Ultra for the same price as the lower model Sport. I thought the Sport would be fine, but DH wants all the bells and whistles and since they are willing to give it to us for the lower model price, what the heck!

I am hoping it will help with the workout clothes funk!