Bigger capacity: Maytag or Whirlpool from the late 70's

[maytagwc401]

Hey guys,

I was wondering which washer and which dryer had the bigger capacity in the late 70's? Maytag or Whirlpool?

My family had a Whirlpool set(with a nice light blue Surgilator), and my friend's parents next door had the Maytag set(with the bigger white tub). Their Halo of Heat dryer seamed smaller than the Whirlpool.

Which set could do more laundry in one load???

 

[lebron]

Depends... each machine had a standard capacity and an XL cap. PLEASE correct me if this is wrong but this is what I'd say

Whirly XL cap > 'tag xl cap

whilry standard < 'tag standard

a surgilator could handle more in any given space too

 

[scrubflex]

surgilator could handle more...

What do you mean exactly by "handle more in any given space"? I believe the Whirlpool extra large basket's were only 2.71 cu.ft then. They were increased to 2.80 cu.ft when they introduced the Dual-Action agitator in the late 70's.
If I'm not mistaken, Maytag tubs were 2.9 cu.ft. which means they washed more laundry.
I'm I wrong?

 

[supremewhirlpol]

On some older Whirlpool machines that I have seen/parted out, There did exist such a machine with a longer tub. When I would see these models, I would always refer to them saying that they had an "Extended Tub" Because the tub tray would sit lower on these machines.

 

[maytagwc401]

Does anybody know how many cubic foot for the Halo of heat Maytag dryers?

 

[qsd-dan]

When it comes to even drying performance, the Maytag comes out on top. I have grew up with and still use an 81 Kenmore series 70 dryer as a daily driver and the way Whirlpool designed the intake and exhaust ports at the back is kind of a bad design. With large loads such as bulky blankets or comforters, the heat will enter, scorch the the rear section of the load, bounce off and exit through the exhaust without air movement through the front. On a Maytag, the incoming air enters the front and exits out the rear.

I have gone as far as a Mayag vs Maytag (806 vs 810) performance test by testing a halo vs the post 75 big load dryers. Even with the small drum of the halo and the fact the there should have been virtually no air movement from being completly stuffed, the Halo STILL dried a large comforter faster and more even than a post 75 big load Maytag dryer. The Halo dryers are still an engineering marvel in my opinion.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Scrubflex -

You quote some correct figures, but they're out of balance a bit. The largest tub Whirlpool/Kenmores, which were built from the later 1960s until 1981, were quoted by a 1979 Kenmore's feature checklist to have as much as 2.96 cu. ft. I have seen this checklist quote as low at 2.68 cu. ft. on a 1976 model of the same basket size. I don't know if the measurement standards changed, but the baskets themselves were the same. In later years the useable space seemed dependent on the agitator, so a straight-vane machine may be quoted on a DD as 3.0 cu ft. but a Dual Action machine was quoted with the same basket at 3.2 cu ft.

The 2.8 cu. ft. belt drive machines you mentioned debuted in later 1981 and were quoted at this size with Penta-Vane or Dual Action agitators. This is the basket size that closed-out belt-drive production for consumer Kenmores from 1982 to the end in 1986. This basket is noticeably smaller than the previous jumbo machines, and to prove that to myself, I have tried to put a 1980 large basket into a 1983 machine - it sat atop the outer tub rim with 1/2-inch in overhang, way too large to even force in.

In some other odd figures, I have seen early to mid 70s Standard Kenmores and Whirlpools quoted to have 1.98 cut. ft. capacity. The same basket size was later quoted on a 1979 500 series Kenmore I have to have 2.36 cu. ft. + - 3%.

Gordon

 

[alr2903]

I was thinking another good guide is gallons of water for 1 fill. Around 1974 i think it took close to 27 gallons to fill a ex-lg Kenmore. It was very obvious to people that had 30 gallon hot water tanks. Then again many have posted that GE (never had one), had a very large outer tub that used more water than others.

 

[maytagwc401]

I think the stacked unit that Whirlpool used to make (full size Top loader, and full size dryer on top) was quoted at 2.45 cubic foot if I remember well) and that tub looked about the same size as washers from the 70's. The Maytag stacked units looked smaller.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

There is approximately a 1.5-inch gap between the inner and outer tubs in a GE, IIRC. Others please correct me It's been a while since I looked at one closely. In a Kenmore/Whirlpool however, the gap is about 1/3 inch, or less. The standard tub machines require 18 gallons to fill. I'll have to look at those features checklists to see what they say for the larger tub machines in terms of water use. Sears advertising quoted the original big tubs to be from 25% to 37% larger (again, measurement standards must have changed), so that translates to 22.5 to 24.7 gallons. I have one 2.8 cu. ft. machine in storage that still has it's 'features at a glance' sticker on it. I'll try to get at it soon and see what it says.

To the original post though, I think Whirlpool's large tub was a bit larger than Maytag's, but WP's standard was smaller than Maytag's, just like the post said.

Gordon

 

[maytagwc401]

and the HOH Maytag dryer would be smaller than the Whirlpool dryer. correct?

 

[scrubflex]

Gordon,

Maytag "12" series are supposed to have an extra large (2.96 cu.ft) washtub also. IMO, the "06" series were a blt smaller.

What I do to get a close approximate of what a washtub might be able to handle is measuring the AGITATOR BASE and TUB DIAMETER size.

If I can't measure the tub without the agitator in it, I'll measure from the agitator base edge to the side of the tub. I know Maytag's power fin agitator base is (13 1/2") wide and it's (4") to the side of the tub.

Add 13 1/2" and 4" twice, which will give you a (21 1/2") WIDE washtub that's (16" TALL). Kenmore's penta swirl is (14") wide and (4") at the sides, making it (22") wide but, ONLY 13" tall.

That is a little wider but, not much. However, Maytag is 3" deeper than the Whirlpool/Kenmore tubs.
The Maytag extra large washtubs are clearly bigger.

And, if Maytag used the same agitating stroke-68 OPM and a 1/2 HP motor, it would probably be able to wash much more especially with a 205 degree arc.