OT - Which washing machine?!

[ultraman6970]

It depends a lot of what you want to spend... +1 tot loader. Ours broke months ago and I went over the same predicament, I ended up setting up pretty much in the simplest one they had in the store because honestly i do not need a chemical analysis of the clothing neither the water but I need the machine to work all the time, so the 1st condition was simplicity and with the less electronics as possible, that leaves all the korean machines out right away... we setup in a white GE gtw48.... something, simple, not expensive and wash the stuff good.

Hope this helps.

ps; i think is this one... http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-4-2-cu...8OTg&gclsrc=ds

[oldguy00]

Originally Posted by ultraman6970

It depends a lot of what you want to spend... +1 tot loader. Ours broke months ago and I went over the same predicament, I ended up setting up pretty much in the simplest one they had in the store because honestly i do not need a chemical analysis of the clothing neither the water but I need the machine to work all the time, so the 1st condition was simplicity and with the less electronics as possible, that leaves all the korean machines out right away... we setup in a white GE gtw48.... something, simple, not expensive and wash the stuff good.

Hope this helps.

ps; i think is this one... http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-4-2-cu...8OTg&gclsrc=ds

I think that is pretty much what we are going to look at. Do you find the capacity on that one to be enough? Is 4.2 a little on the low side?

[commonguy001]

After a less than satisfying 5.5 year run with a front loader that died I went back to a standard top load unit made by Speed Queen 'commercial' with mechanical controls and couldn't be happier.
Super fast and cloths are actually clean when it's done.

[Jeff N.]

Just bought a top loading washer and dryer combo (Kenmore). It's all computerized but seems to do the job...so far, anyway. Very nice, but I was blown away when I read the boxes..."MADE IN VIETNAM". It reminded me that nothing was gained from that stupid war...NOTHING!

[rnhood]

I had the same headaches and mediocre cleaning from a front loading Machine. Went back to an old school top loader and it's been great. They don't really use much more water and regardless, it's worth it to get clean clothes. Don't waste your money on a modern front loader. H

[Bentley]

Originally Posted by oldguy00

This is what I was thinking of, but there seems to be a common trend in the reviews that they don't use enough water to clean the clothes properly, and many leave a white residue on the clothing.

I have actually found a bit of "white residue" from time to time, I generally find it on very dark clothes and by just adding an "additional rinse" seems to correct the problem. Even with the extra rinse, which is actually recommended for most sports wear, it still uses less water than the old washer. Way less soap as well.

[ORMojo]

We just replaced our 15-year-old center agitator old-style washer 2 months ago. I did serious research, but with several caveats: wife pretty much insisted on high efficiency (water & electricity), had to be top load, and NO agitator.

Bought this GE https://www.lowes.com/pd/GE-4-6-cu-f...STAR/999922476

Paid the price currently listed - $539 delivered with the old one hauled away.

We could not be happier with it so far. Clothes are coming out much cleaner and fresher than the old agitator (a very-good-for-its-time LG), wash time is quick, spin is very efficient, resulting in less time in the dryer, and after figuring out the cycles and options, it is quick to select and start. The capacity, especially without the agitator, is fantastic - two small kids, lots of laundry, we are doing significantly fewer loads overall. We've already done kids sleeping bags (and will again after another camping trip in a couple of weeks!), no problem. Yes, it does seem at first that it isn't using enough water, but the results are great, and low water usage was one of the goals (water is expensive here - our water bill alone tops $350/month during irrigation season). And there are a couple of options to tell the machine to use a higher fill level if needed. Uses much less soap, no residue so far, and, again, the results have been great.

Read the reviews (I read hundreds). Here is a good starting point http://www.consumersearch.com/washin...ge-gtw680bsjws

[quattro]

Just bought a SAMSUNG at Home Depot last week after my Maytag crapped out after 7 years, POS! I would stay clear of Maytag and Whirlpool brands.
Purchased a 5 year extended warranty for $129 which is renewable at the end of 5 years, it costs close to that just to have them come out to diagnose.
Here is the model we purchased, it's on sale now for $649.99, so far so good!
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/samsung-...?skuId=5712045

[paredown]

We've got an older Whirlpool Duet front loader set, stacked. These were (not sure about now) made in Germany, and we have used them a lot--they have been reliable as anything

There are complaints about water being trapped in the front seals, and smells, but the occasional load of hot with bleach and it is all good.

I would never go back to a top loader--they beat the crap out of clothes, do not get the loads as dry since the spin cycles tend not to be as fast, and I don't think you can get the capacity (because the agitator sits in the tub.) With ours, we can (and do) wash queen-sized down and feather duvets, and they come out dry enough that you can stick 'em in the dryer with the 'tennis balls" and get a perfect job, without worrying about tearing out baffles in the quilt.

Every seasonal change-over, I am grateful for these machines--and not paying insane prices at the dry-cleaners to have quilts returned that are not that clean, despite the prices.z

Plus they use less detergent, are quieter and the nearly dry clothes go out on the line to dry and are done. The only thing, if we were buying for this house (instead of bringing them with us) I would have got a gas dryer...

[oldguy00]

Originally Posted by paredown

...
There are complaints about water being trapped in the front seals, and smells, but the occasional load of hot with bleach and it is all good.
...

If thats working for you, thats great. But I can tell you we went through all that, wipe downs, leaving door/tray open, hot water bleach cycles, afresh tablets. Still got stinky.

[paredown]

Originally Posted by oldguy00

If thats working for you, thats great. But I can tell you we went through all that, wipe downs, leaving door/tray open, hot water bleach cycles, afresh tablets. Still got stinky.

Top loaders get stinky too--I just think that people were not used to machines with door seals, so that if you left them closed they really got stinky. I also think that using an HE non-scented detergent helps--Tide is possibly the worst for lingering odors (at least to my nose). Also not using too much detergent...

(I didn't realize that people actually had mold problems and there was a class action suit on Maytag, Kenmore and Whirlpool front loaders and Sears:
http://www.consumerreports.org/washi...der-mold-case/ )
LG had a separate suit for theirs... I can't imagine mold in a washing machine--I guess it would take a nice humid Florida basement...)

Still though, I will put up with the small odor problem for a washer that does a good job..

[2metalhips]

Bought an old school top load Whirlpool 3 years ago at the HD. Works great, no issues, no complaints.

[Ken Robb]

Some top-loaders are HE and have no agitators so the entire basket can hold stuff to be washed. We got a moderately priced Whirlpool 2-3 years ago and it works great. The clothes come out almost dry due to the efficacy of the fast spin cycle speed. No stink. We use unscented detergent.
The salesman was candid and told us it would not last 15 years like our old agitator Whirlpool but he didn't think that a more expensive machine would last any longer.

I have to believe that manufacturers really love the extra profit they get when almost everyone who buys frontloaders also has to buy a bases for each machine to get them high enough for easy loading/unloading.

[patfl1]

We just went from GE HE front loaders to Speedqueen top loaders.

Made in the USA, not fancy and not cheap.

Made to last, most have 5 year factory warranty.

If you have not heard of/seen their product...worth at least a look.

Good luck!


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[parris]

Our female housing unit has 2 Speed Queen washers and dryers. They run on average 12 hrs a day due to the population numbers. Repairs have been things like drive belts, and other small items but they're very tough machines.