New washer and dryer...suggestions?

[nate larson]

Well we just bought our first house and we close in a couple of weeks. Our first major purchase for the house will be a new washer and dryer. I was able to get in on the $200 HE washing machine rebate so we will need to buy one by the end of the month. Does anyone have a suggestion on places to shop for them? I was leaning towards buying them at Sears. What are your thoughts on top loading vs. front loading? Also, how about brand dependablity? We are hoping to spend a total of about 1,200 for the set.

[brmuskie]

I don't remember the cost but I bought Kenmore front loading washer and dryer set about 5 years ago and think it was a good investment. I live on a rural property with a septic system so a front loader was important to me because of the difference in water use. top loaders will use up to 40 gallons of water per load and front loaders will use up to 15? If on a septic system you really need to spread out your water use over a week instead of doing laundry all in one day so the front loader actually lets you do more loads of laundry in one day than a top loader. Also a front loader is gentler on clothes and leaves them with less water in them so you keep your clothes nicer and it takes less energy to dry the clothes from a front loader.

[chanfish]

i just bought a washer at sears. went back to GE from maytag.. maytag was not a good experience. the GE i bought was a hydro rinse top loader. what took some getting used to was they use very little water compared to my old top loader. thats was different but now getting used to it..front loads seem to be ok.. guess there are issues with proper ventilation and smells and they may pound the floor a bit more..i went back to sears after doing the best buy thing.. microwaves, etc. i am please with the sears service....

[fishinchicks]

I have a Maytag Neptune set right now. I've had them for about 5 or so years without any issues. I keep the door open on the washer when not in use, and it helps with issue of smells.

We are going to put a second set in our master bedroom suite after we get done with the remodel, and are looking at Kenmore. LG makes the Kenmore's right now, so they are basically the same inside, but I like the features on the Kenmore. Both of those brands have a trap door to access the lint filter on the washer which is supposed to help with the smells. They both also have a vibration reduction system in them. Don't know if it will make a big difference or not.

[nate larson]

Thanks for the info! I am leaning towards going with a front loader even thought they are kind of spendy. Any suggestions on stores in the metro area? I was thinking about checking out Appliance Smart and Sears.

[Redlantern]

Check to see which way the doors open on the front loaders. Might not be a deal breaker for you but some of them can't have the hinges reversed. I know some people don't care for them because of this. Makes taking clothes from the washer and putting them in the dryer less convenient.

[nate larson]

I am leaning towards Whirlpool Duet or Samsung front loaders. Both are 4.0 capacity. Curious to know if any of you opt for the extended waranty? I typically never do but I have heard others suggest doing so for washers and dryers.

[papabear]

extended waranties are recomended for expensive HEs. The boards can and do go bad and are expensive little buggers. A grand on a washer becomes a burden if the thing dont work and you spend the cost of a cheapy to repair it.

[MN Shutterbug]

Although Sears does sell some junky products, such as snow blowers and lawn mowers, their Kenmore washers and dryers have always been a good investment and always got good reviews. However, I haven't had the need to check in the last few years, so it would be a good idea to check out reviews of their current products. Congrats on the house.

[Whopper Stopper]

We are looking to replace our existing washer and dryer (ours are 20 years old). My wife had planned on getting one without the agitator (seems to be the big thing now). Last night she went to Warner Stallion and talked to a sales rep about it. She was concerned about a machine with no agitator, being I get very dirty at my work. The guy told her she should stick with the agitator washers. He said that the new machines are nice but if the clothes are fairly dirty the new machines won’t get them as clean.

I thought it was pretty good when basically the machine he recommended was about $400 less than the one she had anticipated buying.

WS

[papabear]

congrats on finding a good salesman. I get a lot of calls where people are not happy with appliance cuz salesfolks sold them something they dont like or need just to raise their comision. I always say simpler is better less to go wrong and cleans just as well as fancy.