The original HOH dryers were so wide because they were using up cabinets from the older style machines which had a HUGE perforated drum and an exposed heating element at the top. That was the only check-rated Maytag dryer. And it looked even weirder because of the narrowness of the washer, 25.5 inches, I think.
1962 Maytag TOL Mismatched Pair: Why?
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mrb627
Well-known member
Kenmores...
Those Kenmore's are beautiful!
Malcolm
Those Kenmore's are beautiful!
Malcolm
And I've often wondered why Maytag dryer doors open "backwards." Most other brands have it set up to have the washing machine on the left.
danemodsandy
Well-known member
Todd:
"I've often wondered why Maytag dryer doors open 'backwards.'"
This is Iowa. We don't do things like everyone else.
More fun that way.
"I've often wondered why Maytag dryer doors open 'backwards.'"
This is Iowa. We don't do things like everyone else.
More fun that way.
In 1962 what was Maytag doing with their resources?
Who knows? But they were likely working on the development of their dishwasher. The portable WP600 debuted in 1969 and the built-in models followed in 1970 or 1971. (Their dw was the highest rated by Consumer Reports in 1971, and for several years thereafter).
But one would think a pushbutton dryer would be easier accomplished and far less complicated than the pb washer. So the initial mis-match for the TOL set in 1962 was both odd and stupid in my opinion.
I became a member of the Maytag Collectors Club in the 1990's and attended 2 of their annual meetings in Newton,IA. The first in 2001 and again in 2003. As a member we got to shop at the Maytag Employee store. A volunteer worker at the Employee Store was Mrs. Barbara Richards, a retired Maytag Public Relations employee. I wrote to Maytag during the 1970's requesting brochures and literature and always received a big envelope in the mail (it was like Christmas) with the brochures and a letter thanking me for my interest in Maytag, signed by Mrs. Barbara Richards. During a conversation at the Employee Store the subject of Maytag's dryer door hinge being on the LEFT came up. Someone asked Barbara why this was. I remember her reply. She stated "I have no idea".
Oh and here is my 1971 PB set.
Who knows? But they were likely working on the development of their dishwasher. The portable WP600 debuted in 1969 and the built-in models followed in 1970 or 1971. (Their dw was the highest rated by Consumer Reports in 1971, and for several years thereafter).
But one would think a pushbutton dryer would be easier accomplished and far less complicated than the pb washer. So the initial mis-match for the TOL set in 1962 was both odd and stupid in my opinion.
I became a member of the Maytag Collectors Club in the 1990's and attended 2 of their annual meetings in Newton,IA. The first in 2001 and again in 2003. As a member we got to shop at the Maytag Employee store. A volunteer worker at the Employee Store was Mrs. Barbara Richards, a retired Maytag Public Relations employee. I wrote to Maytag during the 1970's requesting brochures and literature and always received a big envelope in the mail (it was like Christmas) with the brochures and a letter thanking me for my interest in Maytag, signed by Mrs. Barbara Richards. During a conversation at the Employee Store the subject of Maytag's dryer door hinge being on the LEFT came up. Someone asked Barbara why this was. I remember her reply. She stated "I have no idea".
Oh and here is my 1971 PB set.
Maytag was still trying to give buyers of their TOL dryer more options than the 4 buttons of the Highlander electronic control offered but then chucked it for the simpler Highlander system across the dryers that offered it. You must remember that it was Maytag's only auto dry system, time-temp auto dry not yet available on Maytag dryers, so Maytag was offering the Highlander 4 button electronic control on less expensive (cheaper looking, too) models to be able to compete against other brands that offered auto dry systems, even if they were the time-temp type. It was finally found to satisfy most women's laundry needs so the Highlander electronic dry control became the only one Maytag used and then you could have a pair of pushbutton Maytags with a lot of what CU called automaticity and a lot less of what CU called flexibility. Later, Maytag found that it was easy to incorporate a dial to, in essence, push the 4 buttons so the regular line of washers and dryers would match instead of those horrible Highlander dryers with no dial and 4 buttons, sort of the equivalent of the wringer washer with the speckeled tub and the cheaper wringer rollers. Maytag was very good at offering something cheaper and making it look cheap.
danemodsandy
Well-known member
Another Clue:
For the sales reasons I mentioned above, I think matching got more and more important to Maytag as time went by. When the Series 2 machines came out, Maytag's Let's Talk Service publication outlined the differences between earlier machines and the new ones in the March, 1975 issue.
One of those differences was the removal of the chrome strip that had adorned the upper edge of the front panel on 906s (the 906 was discontinued entirely by this time) and the 806. The reason given in the bulletin was "the removal of the trim strip standardizes automatic washer front panels."
This can be taken to mean two things. One, Maytag dealers' service departments did not have to stock a unique panel for the 806. But two, it meant that the nicest washer could be paired with cheaper dryers, and a matched appearance would still result, at least until you lit the console on the more expensive unit.
Squeezing a few extra dollars per sale by this means was probably pretty important to Maytag, I'm thinking.
The bulletin I'm quoting was posted by swestoyz some years ago, and can be seen here:
www.automaticwasher.org
For the sales reasons I mentioned above, I think matching got more and more important to Maytag as time went by. When the Series 2 machines came out, Maytag's Let's Talk Service publication outlined the differences between earlier machines and the new ones in the March, 1975 issue.
One of those differences was the removal of the chrome strip that had adorned the upper edge of the front panel on 906s (the 906 was discontinued entirely by this time) and the 806. The reason given in the bulletin was "the removal of the trim strip standardizes automatic washer front panels."
This can be taken to mean two things. One, Maytag dealers' service departments did not have to stock a unique panel for the 806. But two, it meant that the nicest washer could be paired with cheaper dryers, and a matched appearance would still result, at least until you lit the console on the more expensive unit.
Squeezing a few extra dollars per sale by this means was probably pretty important to Maytag, I'm thinking.
The bulletin I'm quoting was posted by swestoyz some years ago, and can be seen here:
Documented Maytag A806 Series 1 & Series 2 changes
Hey Gang - Quite a few of us have wondered exactly what the heck happened in the mid 70's - well, in Newton anyway. I did some digging through the archives last month and came up with some pretty juicy material from both Parts manuals, and LTS publications. First up: I actually stumbled upon...
www.automaticwasher.org
A806 vs. A806S
Does anyone know when the Suds saver was discontinued with the A806? Near the end of their run, the A806 was not available as A806S.
Does anyone know when the Suds saver was discontinued with the A806? Near the end of their run, the A806 was not available as A806S.
Removable of Chrome Strip at top of Front Panels on 06 Model
I suspect that there were just cutting cost on TOL models like eliminating the tub light in later A806s. Dealers would not have to stock two different front panels as the chrome strip was easily removable and could actually be added to any MT 06 machine, I once had a customer [ back about 1975 ] with a A207 and a DE606 that I sold him have me order these trim pieces because he liked the look.
I suspect that there were just cutting cost on TOL models like eliminating the tub light in later A806s. Dealers would not have to stock two different front panels as the chrome strip was easily removable and could actually be added to any MT 06 machine, I once had a customer [ back about 1975 ] with a A207 and a DE606 that I sold him have me order these trim pieces because he liked the look.
danemodsandy
Well-known member
John:
I'm only quoting Maytag's "party line" on the removal of the trim strip - there were obviously cost-containment reasons for it as well. This same March, 1975 bulletin outlined the new, simplified bleach dispenser and the change from the chrome-topped lint filter to the all-turquoise one - two more measures that lowered production costs.
However, there was definitely a sales advantage to not having a front-panel mismatch between models. If a customer had "X" amount to spend, and liked having a really nice washer, it was possible to set her up with an 806 washer and a 606 dryer, without an obvious mismatch between the two - and the same thing was possible if a fancy dryer was more important than washer features. That meant some extra dollars could be squeezed out of the sale, because Milady didn't have to choose between spending beaucoup bucks for a fancy pair or doing without features she wanted on a plainer pair. She could spend a little more here, and a little less there, and still not end up with different-looking machines.
Sears was just the opposite. You either bought the pair, or you ended up with machines that were very mismatched-looking.
I'm only quoting Maytag's "party line" on the removal of the trim strip - there were obviously cost-containment reasons for it as well. This same March, 1975 bulletin outlined the new, simplified bleach dispenser and the change from the chrome-topped lint filter to the all-turquoise one - two more measures that lowered production costs.
However, there was definitely a sales advantage to not having a front-panel mismatch between models. If a customer had "X" amount to spend, and liked having a really nice washer, it was possible to set her up with an 806 washer and a 606 dryer, without an obvious mismatch between the two - and the same thing was possible if a fancy dryer was more important than washer features. That meant some extra dollars could be squeezed out of the sale, because Milady didn't have to choose between spending beaucoup bucks for a fancy pair or doing without features she wanted on a plainer pair. She could spend a little more here, and a little less there, and still not end up with different-looking machines.
Sears was just the opposite. You either bought the pair, or you ended up with machines that were very mismatched-looking.
