Best Washer to Buy Used

[willw77]

The new house that I'm renting from family came with a GE GTW335ASN2WW washer, and a Whirlpool WED4850HWO dryer that I'm not happy with. The washer just doesn't clean the well especially with larger loads (even on max fill it only fills up maybe 3/4 the way with water, and is easily unbalanced), and the dryer especially when drying sheets, and comforters takes 2-3 cycles to dry things and they tangle.

Since it's a rental and I'm cheap I'd rather get something used, also to save another appliance from a landfill. I'm debating either getting an old Kenmore 90 series or a German made Whirlpool Duet, although I'd really rather have a front load machine as it makes it much easier to clean my large king comforter. What other front loads, or top loads would everyone recommend? Also was there a Kenmore equivalent of the Whirlpool Duet?

 

[DADoES]

 
The dryer problem reasonably is an obstruction or bad design on the exhaust route.

Kenmore HE3, HE3t, HE4, HE4t are siblings to WP Duet.  Also KitchenAid Ensemble and Maytag Epic (not Epic Z).

 

[henene4]

If it's a rental I'd get maintenance to get the duct cleaned at least. Would probably get the dry times down, but maybe not the tangling.

For the washer:
The price makes the deal.
LGs that aren't to old maybe. The Duets or siblings you mentioned.
I mean, for 100$ you could take basically anything and if it lasts a year, it's a good deal.
Even 500$ for a good shape used SQ FL might be an idea.

 

[willw77]

RE

I think after doing some more research and reading about others experiences it seems to be a common problem with this particular GE washing machine tangling clothes and not spinning them as much as others. So it may not even be the dryers fault really.

That makes sense I guess the brand may not matter as much, but I just want to get something that washes well and not another washer with the same poor performance as the current one. LG was the other brand I was looking at. I've looked for Speed Queen too but since I don't have a pickup and the nearest front loader is 4-5 hours away it may not be an option for me. The used SQ top loaders in the area are overpriced.

 

[rp2813]

I wouldn't even consider a TL machine if there's a king size comforter involved.  I've seen examples on this site and elsewhere on line of the large Duet washers that are 20 years old (or nearly) and are still working fine. 

 

Our 2007 Duet HT was the best washer I've ever owned.  We only left it behind when we sold our house because it was too deep for the laundry room at our next house.  That's something to consider if space is an issue.  We ended up with a Frigidaire Affinity pair, which had the same footprint as standard TL machines.  My main complaint about the Affinity washer was its seemingly endless balancing act with certain loads.  Sometimes it would just give up and misleadingly display that the unfinished cycle had ended.

 

I now have a 20 year old Neptune FL (it was in our current house when we bought it) that never fails to impress me with its cleaning ability and delight me with its easy-to-use analog controls, plus it completes a regular cycle faster than modern "smart ass" washers.  My only complaint is that its drum size is small.  I can pack a bulky king size comforter into it, but I will add extra water to ensure complete saturation into the center.

 

[willw77]

RE:RP2813

Yeah, it's definitely easier to wash large comforters in a FL machine.

Sounds like I might be happy with Frigidaire Affinity, as I'll need to find a FL machine that fits in the same footprint as a TL machine. The house is from the 60s so doesn't have an area large enough for some of the high capacity FL machines today. People on marketplace around here seem to want a lot for used FL machines so I may have to wait and just see when a good deal comes up or end up just getting something from a dent and ding place.

I've searched for the Neptune as well but there don't seem to be many in the area.