Front Loading Washer

[Eiger0304]

Looking to purchase the new style front load washers. Any recommendation on size and mfg? Guess I'm looking for ones with a good track record (reliability). In the past, I've usually stuck with Mfg's. sold at Sear's, on all of my appliances. Getting parts and manuals on them are easily accessed on-line.

[bak2MN]

We have had the sears brand for 6yrs no problems at all love them. Noticed the water bill and elec bill go down in the first month.

[bak2MN]

Get the dryer as well well worth the money and you will spend less time doing laundry and more time doing....................

[toughguy]

get a washer with drain holes in the bottom of the rubber door seal. Without a drain the water just sits in there and gets moldy and smelly.

[titelines]

We upgraded recently and went with the GE Duet series, both washer and dryer. We have the smaller ones (the Sport I think they call it) and are very happy with them. Stackable and fits into a smaller space. Very efficient and gets our stuff very clean.

[Eiger0304]

Thanks for the replies.

Bak2MN, what do you mean by Sears brand? Do you KM, WP or do have their own line? Haven't shopped around too much yet. Just looking for some ideas first.

Yes, a dryer will be purchased at the same time. Hopefully be purchsing within the next month.

[papabear]

Sears sells He models. I end up working on the He2 a lot so I recomend the He3. Very good dependalbe machine. Or for a few dollars less just a basic kenmore front load. they are simple with fewer things to go wrong.

just remember they need very little detergent.

[echo2010]

I bought a Whirlpool Duet set a year ago. I love my machine. I got the 4.0 Cubic foot and can really fit a lot of clothes in there.

I highly recommend getting a matching dryer as a front loader washes a lot more then a regular dryer can handle.

One word of caution, clean out pockets before washing as pencils spinning that fast in the washer can go right through the seal.

Ask me how i know...

[Powerstroke]

I'll double check the brand we have. We bought a match set with dryer and have them stacked. The front loaders are great at cleaning and they use a lot less water. Also they spin out much better too so they use less energy to dry, for me that means a lower water bill and a lower gas bill. It was noticeable on my bill.

[echo2010]

I'll double check the brand we have. We bought a match set with dryer and have them stacked. The front loaders are great at cleaning and they use a lot less water. Also they spin out much better too so they use less energy to dry, for me that means a lower water bill and a lower gas bill. It was noticeable on my bill.

My water bill dropped $10 a month.

[bearslayer]

I would recommend Whirlpool only if you plan on buying one. The cheaper model Duet will do evrything you need it to do. The more you spend, the more options you get, most of which you'll probably never use. Personally, I'm not a big fan. A lot of them are poorly made and don't last more than 10 years. Plus, unless you're on some type of service plan, repairs can be spendy (and odds are it will break). Quality of appliances nowadays it not real great. Cheap ones last as long as the expensive ones.

[echo2010]

I would recommend Whirlpool only if you plan on buying one. The cheaper model Duet will do evrything you need it to do. The more you spend, the more options you get, most of which you'll probably never use. Personally, I'm not a big fan. A lot of them are poorly made and don't last more than 10 years. Plus, unless you're on some type of service plan, repairs can be spendy (and odds are it will break). Quality of appliances nowadays it not real great. Cheap ones last as long as the expensive ones.

I will admit I rarely use any of the extra features. Most things are washed on "Normal" though I do love the sanitize cycle with the water heat boost.

I bought a 5 year extended service agreement and am comfortable with that and happy with the warranty service I have received (seal slipped off 2 times after repair due to stretched out clamp After pencil incident)

I have gone through 3 top loading washers in 9 years. 2 kenmore and one Amana all of which were higher end models. Maybe I am just hard on washers lol

[bearslayer]

Echo,

Just curious what went wrong with the kenmore's you had that made them junk so fast? They are usually made by Whirlpool and pretty good (Except if one was the one without the agitator in it). I'm sure I know what went wrong with the Amana, they are junk.

[echo2010]

Motor fried on it after 3 years. And before that, had 2 couplers break. They are plastic couplers and considered disposable.

The Amana, which was actually made by Maytag, had some open system where the bearings kept going bad and the seal was getting cut by metal fragments in the water.

The other Kenmore was just loud and clunky. I sold it after having it a year because it didnt clean as well as I would have liked.

[bearslayer]

I probably change 200+ couplers a year in those washers, but they actually put a metal insert in them now and they seem to be holding up a little better. Usually those are the best washers out there in my opinion (they are made by Whirlpool). The Amana, that has happened to most of them, like I said: Junk! Hope you have better luck with the new one.

[bak2MN]

We have the kenmore.

[titelines]

We upgraded recently and went with the GE Duet series, both washer and dryer. We have the smaller ones (the Sport I think they call it) and are very happy with them. Stackable and fits into a smaller space. Very efficient and gets our stuff very clean.

I see others also have these. I may have misspoken with the GE. Maybe they are Whirlpools....

[Powerstroke]

We bought the Amana last may and haven't had any problems as I said before. We have until May to buy the extended warrenty on them. Maybe with these comments we will consider it.

As I said before we haven't had a single problem. We keep the door open and the soap tray out when not in use so they don't get funky smelling.

We had a guy out to help adjust the "stacking" kit and he gave us some tips on using the washer such as always spin on high unless doing delicates, use a laundry bag for anything with straps so they don't get caught, use the least amount of soap possible and he pointed us towards some cheaper HE soaps made for front loaders.

[IFallsRon]

I've been doing homework on a front loader and have found mixed reviews. Some repair guys say that you're facing an eventual major repair.

One of the comparisons is how long will it take to recoup the difference in cost between a front loader and a top-of-the-line top loader. That could be $800-1,000 in some cases.

I generally can get by with the top loader. In St. Cloud, we have one laundry that has several industrial front loaders that will take three heavyweight sleeping bags in one load for around $7. That takes about 30 minutes and I can dry at home.

[Powerstroke]

I've been saving $10 a month on water alone since buying the washer and the gas has been lower too, but how much won't be known until the end of the "budget cycle" on the budget plan for my gas but I know were already way ahead. Its already Feb, its been colder than average, colder than last year, and we have more than a couple months of money saved so I have to imagine there is close to $10 a month in gas savings.

$240 a year in water and gas savings could add up pretty quick. Cut that in half and the washer will make up the difference over its life, even if it is "only" 10yrs.

Also check with your community and your local utilities. We got a rebates from our city and on our taxes for purchasing qualifying products.

[spearchucker]

I wouldn't go out and buy one just for the energy saving if you have a perfectly good working washer now. It will take too long to recoup the investment. I do agree that if you need to replace a worn out model that it would be good to get an HE model. We have a Maytag Atlantis set (old style top loader) that has been working great for years. I can't see getting a new one until something major happens to it (which may be never).

[Black_Bay]

This is great info and all but here's the real question, are the no scent laundry soap for hunting clothes such as scent killer compatable with the HE washers? I mean why waste the money on something that I couldn't wash my most important clothes in.

[B. Amish]

they make those scent killer detergents for HE models. i've got one at home.

[Bobcat45]

I agree that I wouldn't go buy one just for the savings, but I would if my old one is wore out which is what I did. I'm on a well and septic system so the money I saved on water is maybe not that much. But the amount of water is alot Which I figured is saving on my pump and also saving on my septic system. I don't remember the figures but it was alot. If you have 3-4 kids you know how much laundry you can go threw! Good luck Bobcat!

[echo2010]

I love the amount of time I save since I can easily do my laundry in half the time.