Amana Front Loader-Did it ever exist?

[exploder321]

Question number two:

Did amana ever have a front load washer? Jason was telling me his mom is an amana freak and he thinks she had one in the mid 90's and for some reason she only had it like a few months and it broke or something and she got a new amana top loader with all the electronic buttons as a replacement...Is he just dreaming? BTW, his family lives in rual Indiana

Is this true? Any body ever seen one?

 

[launderess]

IIRC Amana did have a front loader, but it was pulled VERY shortly after being introduced. Seem to remember there was some sort of problem with either the door seals or some such. Know there was a problem that caused Amana to pull the plug on the units, and that was that.

L.

 

[SactoTeddyBear]

Re: Amana Front-Load Washers:

I believe that I remember one of my Sears Salesmen Friends telling me that the Amana Front-Load Washers also had problems with their Bearings, besides Door Boot Leaking problems.

In my opinion, not only with the Amana Front-Load Washers, but as with the new Speed Queen Front-Load Washers, I don't particularly like the Detergent, Bleach and Fabric Softener Drawer on the Right Side of the front of the Cabinet. It is probably because they are not only behind Door, when it is open, but I'm thinking that since I'm used to them being on the Left Side, they just look funny and are mainly installed on the wrong side of the front of the Cabinets.

Peace and Holiday Greetings, Steve
SactoTeddyBear...

 

[foraloysius]

Yes, there was an Amana frontloader. I have pictures on the harddrive of my old computer. It's in an external harddrive reader, but I can't get the darn thing to work.

 

[mayken4now]

1996-1997 area. Saw them in person. Nice looking machines they were.

 

[peterh770]

I bought one at the Sear Outlet here. Got it home, connected it up, and it didn't work. Promptly returned it. It was a very handsome machine with the Amana styling.

The main problem with the initial introduction was the shock absorbers. They had severely under rated them, and there were alot of problems with them coming apart.

The problem with my machine was that the timer was broken. The machine would start to fill, then go into high speed spin and promptly shut down, all within 5 seconds.

Amana, then Goodman, pulled the machines. Alliance, OTOH, took the machine and improved it, putting it into coin laundries, and making improvements from there. The current SQ FL for the domestic market is basically the same machine. It is very strong and sturdy under the hood, but the wash formula leaves a bit to be desired, mainly the 9 minute wash.

 

[exploder3211]

I'd love to see one..

 

[sudsmaster]

I recall seeing a photo of them on THS a few years ago. As I recall, they came in stainless cabinets and were quite attractive as front loaders go.

 

[sudsmaster]

Here's a link to the three current Speed Queen front loaders. I thought that someone said that SQ/Huebsh was going to release an update to the design sometime last year, but these appear to be unchanged from before.

http://www.speedqueen.com/home/products/prod_comparison.asp

 

[sudsmaster]

There is a work-around for the SQ's too-short wash portion of the cycle.

If one has the model with the internal heater, selecting a boosted heat wash temp will result in the machine waiting until the wash temp reaches 140F before tumbling. This could result in an extended wash cycle time. If the heater alternates with the tumbling, then it could be somewhat similar to the "stain cycle" on the Neptune 7500 which inserts pauses into the wash cycle, lengthening the wash time but not increasing wear/tear on fabrics.

I suppose that if one let the washer fill with hot water that has not been prepurged from the water lines, and the water heater isn't real close to the washer, something like a profile wash could be the result, with the washer slowly raising the wash temp from, say, 110F to 140F. One could probably also let the washer fill with warm water and then switch the temp to boosted hot after the fill.

Knowing this, the SQ has hopped back onto my list of possible replacements for the Neptune 7500 should it finally bite the dust and be too expensive to repair... I like the fact that the SQ has a stainless outer tub, four shock abosorbers (most washers have only two shocks with four springs), and servicible drum bearings that don't require an outer tub replacement. And, of course, the right hinged door is a big plus for my laundry closet configuration.

 

[frigilux]

I had a brochure for the Amana FL'er and ordered one through my local dealer. He called and said they'd pulled the model from the market. So I got a Frigidaire a few months later.

Rich-- I hope Speed Queen does the right thing and offers a longer wash on its FL'er in the near future. When spending $1400 on a washer, one shouldn't have to resort to trickery just to get a longer wash cycle. And what if you want a long wash cycle using warm or cold water? It strikes me as being a needlessly ridiculous problem on an otherwise excellent washer.

 

[gansky1]

I've seen only pictures of the rear-control panel version of the orginal Amana front-loader but remember a front-control version that was matched with a dryer - all stainless fronts and tall, like a current machine on a pedestal. It was quite a looker but a friend who worked at the NFM appliance dept. warned me against them as Amana was having a lot of trouble with them. A few weeks later they were gone, never to be seen again.

 

[golittlesport]

I like these new, larger doors on the SQ front load washers. I wonder if they have changed the cycle sequences.

http://www.speedqueen.com/sq_con_adv_pdf/ar06-201.pdf

 

[sudsmaster]

Thanks for the link to the new SQ washer line.

The doors do look bigger, as well as the glass, which means the openings are probably bigger, too.

The downside is that the water consumption, at only 14 gallons, is probably less than the previous models. Another downside, at least for me, is that the hinge is all the way to the right side of the machine. This means that I'd have to remove the bifold door on that side of my laundry closet, or shift the washer/dryer set to the left, in order to be able to open that door. Shifting the set is problematic due to the construction of the floor - as it is, the location of the downward (through the floor) dryer vent is as far left as it can be. And so it goes...

I also doubt that the wash cycle is any longer... but confirmation of that will have to wait until either the actual washer becomes available or the owner's use and care manual (which lists the wash times for the older models) becomes avail on-line.

 

[alr2903]

hampor doors

I wonder why they cannot just have the doors open Down like the old Kenmore combos, hinged right or left, sooner or later we all move and more than likely it will be hinged on the wrong side again. Sudsmaster i hear your plight, when Tag changed from HOH to their new system with the wider door, a family member had the same issue,with a laundry closet, when they replaced a HOH dryer. Oh to have a basement with Room.

 

[sudsmaster]

Well, I have room to put the laundry elsewhere, but it would involve a lot of plumbing and electrical work, and I really do like the convenience of having the laundry in the center of the living space. But eventually I'm probably going to plumb my workshop for the growing washer collection so who knows?

 

[launderess]

IIRC, the major cycle changes for SQ front loaders, won't come until a total redesign for the 2008 or 2009 models. At least this is what one remembers from speaking with Alliance Laundry Systems.

Alliance Laundry Systems is very aware of the short comings/consumer complaints regarding their front loaders. The VP I spoke with, even mentioned how the units were slammed by Consumer Reports. To their credit, Alliance is not rushing out to change things just for the sake of changing things,but rather thinking the total design.

Still, with Miele launching their uber-line early in 2007, SQ had better pull their socks up if they wish to be taken seriously.

L.

 

[launderess]

IIRC, the Amana front loader also offered a heater which worked in all cycles, just as the early SQ line.

L.