Opinions wanted-Best performing "vintage" Dryers?

[ken]

So Im keeping my eyes open for a "vintage" dryer. Though I would lean more to electric it would be possible to go gas or electric. Have no past experience with gas. Would like to know what some of the best performing and dependable 60s to roughly 80s, give or take, dryers were/are?

I recall in the past as examples have been posted here in SS some of our more knowledgeable members have commented on them being poor or good performers. It would probably see limited use as when weather permitted wash would be hung outside.

I would definitely want one with heat selection. This probably isn't much of a concern as by the 60s, as I understand, most dryers did have adjustable heat. Would like opinions on both gas and electric. Curious as to when the last gas units were made with a standing pilot?

Thanks,
Ken[this post was last edited: 11/24/2015-14:29]

 

[toploader55]

Hi Ken

I think most will agree and from what I've used over the years,

 

Kenmore/ Lady Kenmore/Whirlpool Dryers have been the Longest Lasting and Great Dryers. The design has been pracitcally unchanged over the years until Whirlpool stopped manufacturing for Sears. I've only used Electric and only a few Gas ones.

 

The Experts should soon be here.  Just my Opinion.

 

[kenwashesmonday]

I'll cast another vote for Whirlpool/Kenmore dryers. They hold up well, are easy to repair, and dry up a storm.

 

[turquoisedude]

I have a BIG GE bias, but I have to admit how much I like the way the Frigidaire Filtrator dries laundry, especially towels.

I do agree that a Whirlpool/Kenmore (and up here Inglis) dryer is reliable and easy to work on, though!

 

[volsboy1]

Whirlpool 1982 ish is the best dryer I have ever used bar none...

 

 

[ken]

I just remembered when I bought my house the washer and dryer came with it. I put both in storage where they still are. The washer was a Kenmore probably from the 80s. And the dryer, if I remember correctly, was a Montgomery Ward. Id say from the late 70s-late 80s. I tried it out at the time. The motor ran but the drum didn't turn. Probably just needs a belt. Who would have manufactured dryers for MW at that time? [this post was last edited: 11/24/2015-14:30]

 

[rp2813]

Most of my experience is with vintage Norge and Maytag dryers -- gas models.   My mom's '67 Snorge lasted for around 20 years.  Another Snorge replaced it, and that dryer was working well in 2008 when a new Affinity pair came in and it had to go.  I don't think that one ever needed a single repair, but by the time my parents bought it, they were well into retirement and it had a fairly easy life.

 

I'm probably this site's biggest Norge washer basher, but I can't say much bad about their dryers.

 

My favorite dryer of all time was the Maytag DG806 Dave and I got when we bought our first house and there was only a gas hook-up in the laundry area.  I loved the ease of use and how quiet, fast and efficient it was at getting the job done perfectly every time.  Highly recommended, regardless of what others may say about HOH models.

 

[appnut]

Whirlpool.  Kenmore, but particularly Kenmore that have electronic sensors in the drum.

 

[lordkenmore]

>I would definitely want one with heat selection. This probably isn't much of a concern as by the 60s, as I understand, most dryers did have adjustable heat.
Not sure how many dryers had heat selection, but I'm pretty sure that not all did in the 1960s. I don't remember my mother's Kenmore having any sort of heat selection. This was bought probably in the late 60s.

A few years ago, I used a dryer dating to 1969 that was pretty much BOL, however, and that did have temperature control.

My dryer experience is limited. I've mostly used WP/KM designs over the years, and they seem to perform well. The 2 GE family dryers I've used--an older GE and a ca. 1989 Hotpoint--never seemed to work as well. They took forever to dry clothes. Although, of course, it might be issues with age/wear, and (in the GE's case) the vent system in that house, which was less than optimal.

>Would like opinions on both gas and electric.

I've never used gas; however, a huge selling point is that the running cost could be lower than electric. This, of course, depends on local rates. And whether, of course, there would be a meaningful difference for a given user.

>Curious as to when the last gas units were made with a standing pilot?

I'm now wondering that, too. One thing I seem to recall: didn't dryers with pilot lights tend to rust out? If so, a survivor--if there are any--might be a real collector's item!

 

[wayupnorth]

My parents had a 50's gas Bendix that basically fried the clothes. One knob on the front with up to 60 minutes. My father MORE than insisted the pilot was on only when the dryer was on to save gas. They replaced it with a Kenmore 80 gas in the early 80's. Dad liked that it had electronic ignition. Only dryers I had in my life was 70's Kenmore 80 gas that as far as I know my ex-brother in laws family is still using. I bought this Maytag electric 410 in 1984 and have never spent one cent on a repair. The automatic settings still work perfect. A load of light fabrics are done before a load of towels can come out of the washer and the dryer takes 45 minutes to dry them on the same setting.

 

[alr2903]

Any WP made 29" dryer that has the filter on top. The narrower machine with the filter just inside the door opening is less desirable, IMHO. If you will be using a gas model select one with at least low and high heat. The new "regular" is similar to the old "Heavy/high" that was mostly intended for jeans and towels. WP,KM models have always had the very best "cool down" that I have ever used. Art

 

[foraloysius]

50's gas Bendix

Was that dryer similar to this one?

http://www.automaticwasher.org/COLLECTIONS/FORALOYSIUS/19@Folding%20my%20laundry%20in%20Robert's%20old%20basement,%202001%[email protected]

 

[wayupnorth]

No, our Bendix did not have a glass door and the top of the front, where the control knob and logo was slightly tilted. I am guessing it was a mid '50's.

 

[yogitunes]

one thing that the Kenmore/Whirlpool had an advantage over is that 'soft heat'....stepping down the temp at each cycling of the heat ALWAYS gave the best wrinkle free results.....

despite that I have more Neptunes of matched sets, preference always goes to using the one Whirlpool I have....

electric or gas doesn't matter to one of these......for my area, Gas is cheaper to run, plus allows for many machines to be hooked up.....

I believe machines from the 60's and early 70's, you may find ones with a 30,000 btu burner, definitely higher speed drying, compared to newer ones with only 22,000 btu burners....

 

[dustin92]

Whirlpool 29" Top lint filter dryers- Gas or Electric- are great performers. Fast, quiet, and very reliable. I'm currently running a 2003 Whirlpool Gas (Same design as 60's?- current machines) and it's great- fast and gentle. Not particularly quiet as it needs some new rollers and probably a belt, but have heard new dryers of this design that are whisper quiet. I personally perfer electric, but that's just a personal preference. Gas versions are slightly louder, you can hear the gas valves snapping and the burner cycling on and off. Have never been impressed with GE's offerings, regardless of age- yes they are fairly quiet, but all seem to run too hot, and vintage ones seem to have very small drum capacity and poor lint filter design- have seen socks get pulled into the filter, and dryer sheets always end up in the filter.

 

[kb0nes]

Another vote for the WP/KM top lint filter dryer. I have used one of these for most all of my life and never had a moments trouble with them.

Years ago we had a early 70's Kenmore lower line model that was a WP made top filter electric dryer when we lived in an all electric home. When our family moved we relocated the dryer. A couple years later my brother John (Combo52) did a 'sex change' to the machine swapping all the parts over to turn it into a gas dryer. That machine performed much better then the electrically heated version. We used that machine for about 20 more years without a single problem. It was replaced a few years ago with a Cabrio gas model but that old Kenmore is still drying clothing at my friends son in laws house!!

 

[norgeway]

KENMORE!

I use a 73 Lady Kenmore, with the "Garage Door" panel, It dries at least 1 load a day and on weekends sometimes 4 or 5 ,We have used it about 6 years and only have had to replace the heating element once, The Automatic Control NEVER misses, the clothes are always perfectly dry..I couldn't ask for any better.

 

[philr]

I'd say it depends of which vintage!

 

The old Whirlpool/Kenmore dryers from the mid-1960s or earlier weren't the best-performing of their period! I don't have many brands to compare but I wouldn't trade my 27" Frigidaire vented or non vented model from the 1960s for a Whirlpool Kenmore with the positive airflow going through the lint filter.

 

The newer models with the fixed bulkhead and long negative airflow lint filters were a real improvement. Minor complaints I have about them is that they tend to get noisier as they age (the drum rollers are much better than others like those in the Frigidaire 1-18 but they still get noisy as they wear), the heating elements seem to fail more often than those from other brands and the paint wears off quickly in their drums and bulkheads. 

 

[ken]

Would this be a good candidate? I guess this would use the later negative airflow as Phil talked about?

Serial number has me confused. According to online info Id take second character as a 0 (zero) which would indicate 1970 which the styling would indicate. Also there isn't an O code listed in the chart. But the D in Model number indicates this model was introduced in 1976.