Bought One: Frigidaire Immersion Care TL'er

[frigilux]

We'll, the score is now Temptation 1, Household Budget 0, LOL! Yes, I did it: Stopped by the Frigidaire dealer, talked him down to $675 and bought the new Immersion Care washer. I'll be living on the change in the mayo jar for the next three weeks, but I only had to put $100 of it on a card.

Could have gotten a more sophisticated-looking Maytag impeller machine for $30 more, with a stainless steel tub and detergent dispenser...but I'm far more curious about the Frigidaire.

I bought the upper-end model, as it has the "waterfall jets" and far more features than the lower-end machine.
It would appear Frigidaire is using everything from their former TL line; they just removed the agitator and put an impeller in the bottom. The impeller is a separate piece from the tub; it's not molded in Skinny Mini-style. But it moves only with the tub. The tub is exactly the same as my 2006 TL'er.

It will be installed by noon tomorrow. I may have to leave work early, cough, cough.

Here's a photo of the tub:

 

[frigilux]

Here's a screen shot of the console from the owner's manual.

Cycle Options:

1. ENERGY SAVER: reduces water temp; lowers water usage slightly and also extracts more water to reduce drying time. (Extended spin, maybe? Top speed on this machine is 800 rpm.)

2. WRINKLE RELEASE: Adds a deep rinse with warm water to relax existing wrinkles, and then lowers the speed of the final spin to prevent setting new ones.

3. FRESHWATER RINSE: Use this option when additional rinsing is desired. (Doesn't say it's a deep rinse, so it probably isn't.)

4. FABRIC SOFTENER: You must turn the fabric softener switch to the on position for correct operation of the fabric softener dispenser. (Again, doesn't say this means there's a deep rinse.)

5. STAIN TREAT: Gives cycle the agitation time of "heavy soil" selection plus a mid-agitation soak. (Doesn't specify length of soak.)

 

[zipdang]

Congrats!

Would love to see one of your famous stain tests after you get your new machine!

 

[frigilux]

David, my gut tells me this machine will flunk that test with flying colors. But you can be sure I'm going to put it through its paces just to see what it can and cannot accomplish.

 

[wp-dude22]

hmmmn would also like to see a vid of your washer in a cycle wanna see the wash action.

 

[mickeyd]

So excited and happy that you went for it--and the mayonnaise jar gave me a nice chuckle. This should be very interesting. Had a feeling, reading your recent posts, that you were on your way. It's a great day ! congratulations!

On my sister Peggy's new GE, the Fabric Softener switch means you get a real rinse, which in this crazy new world means the load is actually SPUN after the wash, and the rinse fills to the actual selected level. If you do not select Fabric Softener, the load simple drains for 6 minutes, then fills to a default low water level for the rinse. I am not making any of this up. The skimpy manual DOES NOT reveal any of this.

 

[lebron]

Niiiice! Can't wait for pics

 

[yogitunes]

I too would love to see a real video of this in action with a load of clothes...

but as JohnL mentioned, theres no turnover, just clothes swished around ina soaking pool of water.....this should be interesting!

 

[frigilux]

1. "Wash action"? "Turnover"? What is this, f*cking 1990 or something? The clothes don't actually have to move---OMG, how lame would that be? Front-loaders have proved that even visible water isn't necessary. Here's how new washers work: You put the clothes in, toss in a Tide Pod, post what you've just done on Twitter and Facebook, and then something magical happens during the 90-minute cycle and everything just comes out clean. I know this because...

2. ...There is a huge banner stuck to the front of the washer that says "BEST CLEANING..." so there's nothing to worry about, guys; nothing at all.

: )

[this post was last edited: 1/8/2013-00:58]

 

[mrb627]

Congrats

Happy that someone took one for the team and bought one.

Anxiously await more pix and the ultimate video!

Malcolm

 

[toploader1984]

frigidaire TL

frigilux i am so happy for you! congrats i hope you like it! i too plan on getting this machine next year as i have a 2009 frigidaire top load similar to yours, the video that i saw on youtube the tub was 3/4 full with water and rollover was awesome!!! i am guessing it was on the manual water setting.... so i don't know what people are talking about saying it's lame, the other part the video showed the clothes were just saturated and not much rollover so that must have been the auto water level.... frigidaire must have done that because too many people were complaining about these new machines not having a manual water level adjustment, i know you will give us a thorough review of this machine ;-) i too am looking forward to a video ;-) i hope it is quiet, my laundry room is by the bedroom, the frigidaire i have now has a loud drain pump.

 

[gansky1]

You'd better sign up for advertising on your YouTube video. You'll pay for the machine!

 

[golittlesport]

I knew you'd give in, Eugene. Now, over-ride the lid switch and get the video cam out. Can't wait to hear your review.

 

[pdub]

Congratulations on your newest Frigidaire.

I'm hoping you have good things to report and will stay tuned.

Enjoy!

 

[frigilux]

Curses! I've just come to the realization that not only will I not be able to slip away from work early, I have rehearsal tonight, as well.

OK, down to business:

1. Here's a photo of the lid-lock. It looks similar to other lid locks on Frigidaires which I've been able to work-around by sticking a screwdriver into the 'slot', thus holding down the little lid-switch lever just under the top of the cabinet. Unfortunately, the slot on this washer is far narrower (even narrower than it appears in the photo above) and a screwdriver won't fit. I'm thinking a table knife is probably thin enough/heavy enough to do the job. If there's some other voodoo involved with the lid lock, then I'm stuck. The plexiglass lid isn't too smoky, and it will be easy to see the machine in action, but it will definitely produce a video-defeating reflective glare. There's a "bright tub light", which turns on when you lift the lid, off when lowered. There doesn't appear to be a way to turn the light on manually, as you can with my front-loader. Let's hope for the best.

2. I no longer have a working video camera, and will probably have to create video on an iPad. I've reopened an account at YouTube, and am hoping there's an easy way to transfer video from iPad to YT.
(UPDATE: Couldn't be easier! Apparantly I just have to pull up the video on the iPad, press the YouTube icon in the transfer box and it's a done deal.)

3. Thanks for comments, both positive and skeptical. It will be interesting to learn what the washer can and cannot do. Let's hope "cleaning clothes" falls under the can-do column, LOL. It's safe to assume I'm approaching this washer with low expectations and a great deal of curiosity. Immersion Care's slogan is "Thoroughly Soaked, Thoroughly Clean" and the manual states that the wash action "moves water and detergent through the clothes." They are careful not to mention actual movement of clothes. [this post was last edited: 1/8/2013-09:41]

 

[mrb627]

Arrival?

Did you get you new toy?

Malcolm

 

[frigilux]

I was able to get home for 90 minutes and ran a 2/3-full load of odds-and-sods; a couple of bath towels, a large cotton tablecloth (stained with chocolate frosting in a few spots); two short-sleeved shirts with food stains on the front (pre-treated with Amway stain spray); a couple of pairs of summer shorts; a couple of briefs and heavy cotton undershirts; a couple of hand towels with blood from shaving cuts; maybe 8 or 9 lightly-soiled bar mop towels.

Normal Cycle: heavy soil (71 minutes--44 of it wash/agitation); auto water level; warm (85-degrees is not warm, people!); no special rinse or fabric softener options; max spin (which turned out to be nowhere near 800 rpm. I'd say it was 625, same as '06 top-loader.)

Wash is...odd, but clothes definitely did the reverse turnover, blooming up from the center. Tub filled about half full of water. The initial load-size sensing and fill took about six minutes. Counter-clockwise "stroke" is longer than clockwise. Clockwise stroke seems to move the clothes the most. It's hard to even call it "turnover"; they just move around in a fairly random pattern. The tablecloth seemed to do the least moving, although there is a fair amount of squeeze-and-release action.

I think too much water would look more dramatic, but probably not improve results.

120 rpm spin for about 4 minutes before four rinses which consist of: a 25-second spray while tub spins very slowly counterclockwise. Then drain and a ramp up to about 240 rpm. I don't know how, but those four little rinses removed Tide With Bleach HE powder very well. By the fourth rinse, you could hear there was no more suds in the water that was draining. ????? Don't ask me, I hardly believe it, myself. Softened water and a regular (2nd line in dosing cup) amount of detergent.

Pulled the clothes out and had a sniff---almost no detergent scent at all.

Bad news: Lid lock is more complicated than it used to be. May have to pull off front panel and have a look. Doesn't seem to be magnetic, either.

Stains removed from hand towels and tablecloth (both untreated), as well as from shirts.

Will do more rigorous testing over the next few days.

Jesus! Maybe Maytag was right: Move the water through the clothes, not the clothes through the water, LOL!

Gotta get back to work.

 

[mayguy]

Looking forward of seeing the video and other updated reviews.

 

[pdub]

Positive review so far if it removed all those stains. I'm also looking forward to a video and more feedback.

Thank You Again!