chrisbsuk
Well-known member
Hi all,
hope you are all well.
You may remember just before Christmas I opened a thread talking about getting a top load washer to get through the large amount of laundry that our air b and b properties generate, and as a result, I got a Whirlpool American Style washer delivered, and now a month on, I thought I'd write an update on how I'm finding it v's what I have always been used to, a European Style Front Loader!
So, in general, I find the top loading washer an absolute godsend to be honest! It cuts through laundry so much quicker than any standard European washer could, and it seems to hold so much laundry, I can get through four times as much (although drying it is a different issue!)
It cleans very well, even with the stains it has to shift - think fake tan over sheets, think make up all over beautiful big white bath sheets, etc! Currently its running and the towels had some sort of purple stains all over them. I'll see how they come out! It also performs pretty quietly, which does surprise me.
I am well aware it uses a SHED LOAD of water. But, I am not on a water meter, and have a gas fired combi boiler so the water is instant and plentiful so I have little issue with this.
I've used it wash clothes, not just towels and sheets too, but I do find things don't feel quite so "fresh" if that makes sense, so I put those through the normal machine now, unless I'm rinsing out swimming costumes or something.
I've used all the cycles, and get the feeling that if I was going to be washing my own clothes in it, I'd use perm press for those as with its dilution rinse, I think it rinses better. I used the hand wash cycle, and it is useless, in comparison to a hand wash cycle in a front loader. There are no two ways about it. But that is my personal preference.
I use the 18 minute super wash every time, and was in the habit of running downstairs after the first drain (before the first spin, or else the fabric softener is dispensed!) and resetting it back to a 6 minute wash, where it would fill up again, and I'd use this as an extra rinse, and let it carry on with it its work. But thats a pain in the backside, so now I just leave it to it. I'm sure its fine!
There have been a few times where it has banged REALLY loudly as starting to spin; it was out of balance with the heavy towels so a quick open of the lid, moving them about, and starting the spin again was all it needed!.
I do use an extraordinary amount of detergents (twice as much of everything) to keep things white and clean, but that was to be expected.
The final spin is OK - it def could be better, thats for sure. If I am in a rush to turn clothes around I'll put them in the Siemens Front Loader for a 15 minutes 1400 RPM spin then into the dryer. If not in that much of a rush, I'll just put them into the dryer and know its going to take an extra 30 mins or so (yes I know its lazy :-( ) I do also find using warm rinse makes things at least feel dryer at the end of the cycle!
I also tend to start it filling, wait for it to agitate and then I'll add the detergent, let it mix, then add the clothes in and let the agitator tale take these to the bottom of the machine. This is a bit time consuming I guess, I'd just be worried detergent doesn't dissolve if I sprinkled it on top.
So, in summary, I am really pleased with it, and if it spun a little faster it'd be perfect! Some pictures follow of it!
Shout with any questions, comments. Thanks all!
hope you are all well.
You may remember just before Christmas I opened a thread talking about getting a top load washer to get through the large amount of laundry that our air b and b properties generate, and as a result, I got a Whirlpool American Style washer delivered, and now a month on, I thought I'd write an update on how I'm finding it v's what I have always been used to, a European Style Front Loader!
So, in general, I find the top loading washer an absolute godsend to be honest! It cuts through laundry so much quicker than any standard European washer could, and it seems to hold so much laundry, I can get through four times as much (although drying it is a different issue!)
It cleans very well, even with the stains it has to shift - think fake tan over sheets, think make up all over beautiful big white bath sheets, etc! Currently its running and the towels had some sort of purple stains all over them. I'll see how they come out! It also performs pretty quietly, which does surprise me.
I am well aware it uses a SHED LOAD of water. But, I am not on a water meter, and have a gas fired combi boiler so the water is instant and plentiful so I have little issue with this.
I've used it wash clothes, not just towels and sheets too, but I do find things don't feel quite so "fresh" if that makes sense, so I put those through the normal machine now, unless I'm rinsing out swimming costumes or something.
I've used all the cycles, and get the feeling that if I was going to be washing my own clothes in it, I'd use perm press for those as with its dilution rinse, I think it rinses better. I used the hand wash cycle, and it is useless, in comparison to a hand wash cycle in a front loader. There are no two ways about it. But that is my personal preference.
I use the 18 minute super wash every time, and was in the habit of running downstairs after the first drain (before the first spin, or else the fabric softener is dispensed!) and resetting it back to a 6 minute wash, where it would fill up again, and I'd use this as an extra rinse, and let it carry on with it its work. But thats a pain in the backside, so now I just leave it to it. I'm sure its fine!
There have been a few times where it has banged REALLY loudly as starting to spin; it was out of balance with the heavy towels so a quick open of the lid, moving them about, and starting the spin again was all it needed!.
I do use an extraordinary amount of detergents (twice as much of everything) to keep things white and clean, but that was to be expected.
The final spin is OK - it def could be better, thats for sure. If I am in a rush to turn clothes around I'll put them in the Siemens Front Loader for a 15 minutes 1400 RPM spin then into the dryer. If not in that much of a rush, I'll just put them into the dryer and know its going to take an extra 30 mins or so (yes I know its lazy :-( ) I do also find using warm rinse makes things at least feel dryer at the end of the cycle!
I also tend to start it filling, wait for it to agitate and then I'll add the detergent, let it mix, then add the clothes in and let the agitator tale take these to the bottom of the machine. This is a bit time consuming I guess, I'd just be worried detergent doesn't dissolve if I sprinkled it on top.
So, in summary, I am really pleased with it, and if it spun a little faster it'd be perfect! Some pictures follow of it!
Shout with any questions, comments. Thanks all!
