Search results

My then partner and I bought a Norge made Wards washer & dryer in the mid early 1980's. They had beautiful styling, and the washer did a great job of cleaning my dirty work clothes. The dryer was very fast, but due to its positive air flow, was very linty.

And just when D&M thought they had produced the cheesiest dishwashers (no food particle filters), along came White Consolidated Industries to steal the underperforming crown from them.

My choice for the Cadillac of washers was the mid-1960's piano key Lady Kenmore. It was festooned with all the options, features, and styling that would appear decades later in other machines.

Reverse rack Maytag

We loved our 1970's Frigidaire 1-18 dryer. It wasn't a moisture sensor type, but the much maligned thermostatic type, but it worked perfectly. The wide-mouth door made loading and unloading a breeze, as did the tub light. It did a great job with bedding and other large items and it kept...

If I were to rebuild or redesign a vintage washer, I'd start with a Maytag 806 and use a dual agitator for better turnover. I'd keep the ultra-reliable helical drive system and a safety switch that only shuts off during the spin cycle. 2nd on my list would be to increase the spin speed on the...

And then, to add salt to the WCI wounds, Phillips of Holland, bought Magnavox around that time.

Congratulations, Robert! I liked the old site, but this new one is working just fine. It's not quite as nice looking, but it's super easy to navigate. Enjoy your retirement.

My favorite Maytag washer was the A806 my then wife and I bought in the early 70's. I liked the 806 with its lighted panel and ability to select separate wash and spin speeds. Woolens and other delicate but heavy-when-wet items got a gentle wash with a fast spin. She ended up with the matching...

I remember the Bendix front-loader in "Father Knows Best." I think it got changed to something else in later episodes.

Mid '60's Lady Kenmore laundry pair with all the piano keys. I'll try to find a photo.

Hi agiflow: My experiences and knowledge with the Unimatics from the 1950's, when I was a kid, was extensive. In the small city in which we lived, there was no Sears. Most folks either had the affordable Unimatic machines, or they had Maytag ker-BANG! AMPs. The socks in the outer tub problem was...

My late husband and I had this set in the mid 1970's. We sold our previous home along with the 1-18s in it. We should have kept them. Unfortunately, our set like the one shown was WCI made, so they rusted quickly and had an anemic spin speed. But neither appliance needed any repairs in the time...

In my experiences, the Unimatics were known to spin small items into the outer tub. The 1-18's had a spin clutch that was not all that robust.

Robert, I have lost count of how many years I've been following your web site. Thanks for all of your work and dedication. The new site seems to be just fine. Here's hoping you will have a great retirement.

My favorite washer of all time is a tie between the 1950's Frigidaire Unimatic, and the 1970's Frigidaire 1-18.

My 1968 Whirlpool portable top-loader cleaned and dried every bit as well as my current Bosch 800. It was also very nice looking with its well-designed control panel.

My ex-wife and her husband still have, and use, the 806 pair she and I bought in the 70's. Over all the years, they just kept having them repaired when needed. It's still been cheaper than purchasing a new set, even when they had to replace. He is tech savvy and has replaced the motor and...

In 1962, my parents bought a Maytag laundry pair. The dryer was one of the first HOH machines with an electronic dry control. It had the HOH tiny drum with the lint filter mounted on the back of the drum. I did indeed dry perfectly, even if the items were mixed, but it was painfully slow with...