1991 Kenmore DD portable

[vivalalavatrice]

La 500!!!

Oh quanti bei ricordi!!!!

My father had got one in red, and my uncle stil has got one stored in a second house, just to be used in holiday with the roof (here's called "capotta") opend going to seaside in summer!!!

I remember really several adventures to tell about with that machine... once stil got fired!! The motor was a 2 cilynder (2 phase) air-cooled!!
I would have liked to ride one but now they're rare indeed. Then is not so easy due to the "doppietta" you have to do with both pedal and gears lever because is not automatic!!!

That old one is not exaclty the first one, which had the lid handle on behind side ( was called "aprtura controvento"), and there was a rather ugly model (I remember 1991-1992) between those over there.

THANKS!
Diomede

PS: listen to what is happening between Hobama and Marchionne maybe in future you could found over there in USA machine FIAT just like 500 either!

 

[davek]

Fiat 500

Vivalalavatrice: if Chrysler has to semi-merge with Fiat as is apparently required, I think we might see the new 500 here. It sure is cute.

 

[thomasortega]

I love the 500, unfortunately we don't have it here in Brazil

The machine mentioned above is a Consul, Unfortunately this model isn't available here in Brazi lanymore.

Theoretically, it was supposed to have less options and less quality than the Brastemp, as Consul is the "cheap Whirlpool", but happened exactly the opposite. This machine is much better than the Brastemps (it has the same mechanics as the other Brastemp, all based on the big World washer)

A few years ago, (When the world washer was being sold) a Brazilian manufacturer "Enxuta" almost killed the brand Brastemp, because all the Brastemps were big machines, while they offered a very small front loader (looks like an european compact Bendix). As many people here in brazil used to live in small apartments, a big washing machine wasn't the best solution.

Whirlpool immediatelly decided, in an emergency plan, to launch the "Baby Mondial", which is a ultra compact top loader
NOTHING WAS MADE LIKE THIS BEFORE. That machine was really small, but with the same design and cycles of the standard World Washer, but without the water level selector.

Who has the "Baby Mondial" won't sell it even if you offer a million dollars. They are really great machines and probably one of the best made by Whirlpool corporation.

After the "mondial" family (World washer with a top back panel, I'll post the pictures when I find), Whirlpool launched the "Clean" family. It just changed the cosmetic design. the mechanics was the same "Mondial". It still a good machine, but not as good as the mondial.

Finally, they decided to launch the electronic family. They are the worst machines available today in brazil. They are dumb, they destroy the clothes and don't clean.

When Electrolux arrived here in Brazil (1997), Whirlpool decided to "enhance" their design. brastemps are thousands of times more beautiful than the Electrolux, but they forgot to enhance the dependability, efficiency and all the other positive points. A few years ago, Brastemps looked like space ships while the electroluxes looked like a square box that you put the clothes inside to be washed.

Now Brastemp decided to change their agitator, from a dual action (with sharp edges) to a 8 vanes (they call it multifunctional) agitator. We call them "Multiprocessor", because the vanes can cut, slice, grind, shred, etc...

probably someday Whirlpool will ask Victorinox or Sabatier to make their new agitators for a new model that could be called in-laundy-erator

 

[thomasortega]

Brastemp Baby Mondial (The Brazilian Mini World Washer)

By the picture is a little difficult to realize how small is this model.

Two versions, white and Almond. There was a third option, dark grey, which is my favorite.

 

[thomasortega]

Drum

Drum and agitator

 

[thomasortega]

Brastemp clean

This family (many models, including a very rare digital model with LCD)

 

[thomasortega]

Electronic Brastemp

This model came after the "clean"

the worst Brastemp.

 

[thomasortega]

Brastemp "V-Design"

much better than the previous version, but still not good.

nice design, looks like a space ship... inside, the old world washer with "enhanced dumbness".

 

[thomasortega]

Brastemp "Ative"

This machine was launched a few months ago and still on the market.

Inside, again the world washer, without any differences, except for the "multiprocessor agitator"

Outside, the wierd design. the lid looks like a toilet seat.

A can of soda can be much more resistant than it's cabinet.

 

[davek]

Brastemp

I can see why the grey Baby Mondial is your favorite. The brown one is ugly! If it has the same mechanicals as the big ones, it would be tougher than nails to break since none of it would be under strain. That little tub is obviously shallow.

I know what you could mean about Brastemp looking good but being bad. They look amazing. I love the glass tops. It's too bad though. I prefer Whirlpool's stuff to any other brand in general, but it sounds like they're dropping the ball down there in Brazil.

I still think this is a cool looking machine.

http://www.brastemp.com.br/ch/produ...=0&fc=0&vc=0&nm=lavadora+brastemp+ative!+11kg

 

[brastemp]

The "multiprocessor agitator" is designed by North America Whirlpool!! The are really similar to agitators used at the basic models on whirlpool.

I have something to say:

Brastemp (Whirlpool) it is the one that more seel in Brazil. They have the best service, and the biggest Market Share.

Thomas don't like Brastemp because seels 2 time more than electrolux (his favorite brand).
That's just Thomas opinion, not a reality here!

 

[brastemp]

Davek, this is my favorite model. Extremely efficiente washer.. Take a perfect clean fabrics and at moment is the favorite Brazilian Washer..
The appliances store always need to wait for more pieces like that cause this washer seels a lot!

 

[norfolksouthern]

The Brastemps I see on this thread have more options and settings than the new American Whirlpool or Kenmore portables I've seen lately. My newer portable was made in 2002 with dials and electronic controls, but no mechanical timer. It has the Brastemp agitator, but with a fabric softener dispensor. It will do two blankets with no problem, while my belt-drive Whirlpool made in 1978 can't because of its smaller capacity.

My belt drive Whirlpool and davec's Kenmore are both older models, long discontinued. The difference is that davec's is a direct drive, with a dual action agitator. Mine has a miniature version of the full-sized super surgilator agitator found on Whirlpool's older machines that were made back in the 1970s. Both of these are fairly difficult to find, especially the ones with belt drive.

NorfolkSouthern

 

[thomasortega]

Drovetto is partially correct.

Whirlpool has a higher market share here in Brazil, because it's divided in two. Brastemp and Consul.

Consul has excellent products (and some ridiculous very cheap models), and it's one of the favorites for the "middle class".

Brastemp still sells a lot, because of it's fame. Many people still have the "Brastemp Luxo", which is nothing more than a Lady Kenmore, and most of that machines still running after 2, 30 or even 40 years.

Electrolux arrived in Brazil only in 1997. Most people still afraid of the "new" brand, and there still some people that don't know Electrolux bought Prosdocimo and absorved all it's tradition, plus the more than 100 years of experience in europe (considering Wascator)

Somebody has to be nuts to say the Brastemps available today are better than the old Brastemps. It's not a question of "my" preference.

People who buy Brastemp today, are looking for status (It's the most expensive brand and also the most beautiful design)
Who buy a "new" Brastemp and buy the second "new" Brastemp is crazy, dumb, rich enough to don't care about the money spent in a machine that won't last or never cares about the machine or the destroyed clothes.

Here in brazil happens exactly the same as in the US with the "shredmores".

The best washer I had (still have it stored in my sister's house) was a Brastemp and I bought it in 1980. The only problem it had was a broken belt.

 

[brastemp]

Most famous 80's Washer!

 

[brastemp]

Most famous 90's Washer!

.

 

[brastemp]

Brastemp with Dual Action Agitator.

.

 

[davek]

Brastemp

We might need a new subject for this. Having watched some of the videos on YouTube, it appears that the higher Brastemp models just a few years ago were the same as big American Whirlpools. They have the same tubs and agitators, and sound the same as the direct drive models, see video link below. That machine is obviously identical to Kenmore/Whirlpool large basic models from the late 90s.

I can see what Thomas is saying here: today's models of theirs, no matter how expensive, are apparently different versions of the World Washer. That's belt-drive, and certainly wasn't designed to wash a huge load. People here dog Shredmores, but I would guess that eliminating the belt made a huge difference in customer satisfaction with the machine. A washer might be tough for years of use, but it will sometimes need a belt. Kids grow out of clothes before most get worn out anyway, so being easy on the clothes wasn't something many family buyers would've even noticed about the Shredmore. They may have been tough on the clothes, but they were tough all around and last a long time. They often ran for years with little or no repair. My parents had at least two that were replaced over their first problem, in one case it was rust perforation of the outer tub! Family of 5 wears them out. Stretching the World Washer mechanism beyond its original design and adding more complicated electronics doesn't make for a dependable machine. Unless all of their models are "portables" at least nominally, (doubtful) they would be better served by styling the direct drive mechanism and putting a glass lid on it. The "Baby Mondial" is mentioned before as being really tough...it's overbuilt for its tiny tub. The "15kg" machine of today, apparently sharing at least part of its mech with the Baby, is overworked.

I'm slowly working on a degree in ME, so I know how something at 85% of its rated capacity can last forever and wear quickly at 105%. Perhaps Brastemp has that sort of problem with machine dependability right now.

 

[thomasortega]

Not only Brastemp, but all the Brazilian manufacturers have problems with dependability.

If we see only by the capacity point of view, the manufacturers has absolutely no fault over it.

Here in Brazil the machines are designed and the prototypes are sent to the INMETRO, which is the government regulation agency that cares about all the standards. The standards follow the ABNT (National Agency of Technical Standards).

Unfortunately ABNT created a wierd way to designate the washer's capacity.

For example a Lady Kenmore, which is a machine that both Brazil and US have exactly the same model. In the 50's, 60's 70's and 80's it was a 4kg capacity washing machine. 4 kg is perfectly acceptable, no matter if you wash jeans or cotton T-shirts, right?

Well, by the new standards, exactly the same machine, today, would have a 8kg capacity and we can find a huge observation on the owner's manual saying 8kg* is based on the ABNT standards, considering a load consisted by 100% cotton towels, shirts and pillowcases, simulated by 50x50cm squares and 50x10cm stripes.

Some consumers are so stupid (of course they don't read the manual) that they think: "Well, I have a 10kg capacity machine, my king size duvets that look like a parachute weight only 2 kg each, so I can toss 5 king size duvets inside the machine and it must wash, rinse and spin perfectly and last forever."

 

[thomasortega]

By the way, this new 11kg Brastemp Ative has exactly the same tub as the 5kg Brastemp Mondial.

The machine that has the capacity rating most close to the real capacity is only the Electrolux 15.2Kg Acquajet, recently launched. It's real capacity is up to 14.8kg (400g mistake)