Calypso vs. Cabrio

[autowasherfreak]

I've been watching videos on YouTube of the Calypso and Cabrio washers. In your opinion which one was the better washer?

 

[a440]

No Contest!!!!

Calypso!

Brent

 

[logixx]

I vote for the Calypso, too.

I wish they'd bring it back - with reinforced parts, a glass lid and a heater. Kinda like the current Cabrio/Bravos machine but with a Calypso wash mechanism.

Didn't the Calypso also use less water? After all, there was no basket that needed to float and it didn't need to fill all the way up to wash "Sheets & Towels" or "Bulky Items".

Alex

 

[autowasherfreak]

I was thinking Calypso also. I was watching the video with the load of sheets, and I thought it had pretty good rollover, but I couldn't tell for sure with everything being the same color.

What about the Maytag with plates on each side of the tub?

 

[jasonl]

As an Oasis owner

I say..

Calypso. Much more fun to watch, more action, and it rolls over a whole lot more than the orange juicer that it's in the O/C/B.

Most fun HE washer (besides the classic Frigemore) has to be the Neptune Top Loader. What a weird thing but from what I see in videos, it looks like fun to watch.

 

[surgilator_68]

The calypso is much better at cleaning and rinsing. However it is also the harshest of the two on clothing.

The award for ease of service and reliability would go to the Oasis/Cabrio/Bravos.

 

[jasonl]

pancake motor

Definitely. The one moving part on those machines is the direct drive motor and the floating tub that engages the wash plate. They seem easy to troubleshoot from reading the tech sheet.

 

[jaxsunst]

Calypso

I've had really good luck with mine. It washes well, you have to use the second rinse option if you overload it, which I sometime will do. One of my used appliance haunts has a dark grey Oasis for $250. I would get it if they had the matching dryer.

Speaking of dryers, I am still looking for a white dryer to match my Kenmore version of the Calypso.

 

[autowasherfreak]

I like this one, would like to see longer video of it.

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[autowasherfreak]

Maytag Frontloader Question

Were the Neptune frontloaders genuine Maytag or were the Whirltags?

 

[appnut]

The Neptunes MAH3000, MAH4000, MAH5000, MAH6000, AND MAH7000 were all made in Newton, real Maytags.

 

[autowasherfreak]

Thanks Bob, I might want one of those someday, and I want the "REAL" Maytag, not Whirltags, LOL.

 

[appnut]

You're welcome. Actually, any Neptune WITHOUT A WINDOW is the real thing.

 

[andrewinorlando]

The Calypso may win for wash action, but the Cabrio holds a larger sized washload, which may be important for someone with a larger family or larger items to wash. The Cabrio is most likely easier to service than the Calypso, too. If the Calypso had the Cabrio's capacity, I could probably pare down the 14 - 16 loads per week I do to about 10 - 12, which would be nice.

Do folks here who own the Cabrio/Bravos/Oasis find it well built/well made? It seems like it's a sturdy machine, but looks can be deceiving until you own and use one. Does it wash a full sized load well?

My Calypso is going on 10 years old now, and it still looks to be in perfect condition on the inside (I hope); still tight as a drum with no rattles or shaking or visible rust. And it's still a workhorse of a machine, so it makes me nervous about "upgrading" to another machine based on what some of you guys here have said about various front loaders and even the Cabrio triplets. Unfortunately, I don't really have room for multiple washers, so the Calypso has been it for the last 10 years.

 

[jasonl]

Oasis

I haven't had a problem, yet. Although the suspension creaks a little when the tub moves.

Also, the OCB may have 4.0 cu/ft "Canyon Capacity". The dryer is only 7.0, so a true full to the top load will overload the dryer.

 

[andrewinorlando]

That's a good point Jason....they made these machines so large (the new OCB models are supposedly 5.0 cu. ft) yet the dryer is the same dryer capacity wise. Seems kind of silly to wash such a big load and try to cram it all into the dryer at once, so it really doesn't "speed" things up all that much if you have to split the loads for the dryer.

A full load in the Calypso is a pretty full load in the matching dryer, which is the same size as the OCB matching dryer (about 7.4 cu ft). I couldn't really imagine stuffing even more towels into the dryer, and I'm sure your Oasis will hold a good bit more towels than my Calypso will. The nice thing is that the dryer is always done before the next washload.

 

[DADoES]

 
Do the increasingly larger-capacity machines (4.0, 4.5, 5.0) actually have larger tubs/baskets, or is it an increase in "working" capacity via impeller redesign and/or changes in water-factor? Someone should to compare if the related part numbers are different.

Jackson, Calypsos run multiple rinse sequences even without the Extra Rinse option. Normal cycle has five rinses, including the spray in the final spin. Six (5-1/2?) if the diluted bleach rinse is counted. Extra rinse adds one more, so it's not as much difference as it seems. Whitest Whites may add the extra rinse by default, or has six as standard, with extra rinse possibly making it seven.

 

[aldspinboy]

I have to say i like both of the washers but the Calypso has better wash drama !
DADoES...I am having a problem with putting a large load in the machine,
when it nutates the drum hits the back of the machine a banging sound so i have to do small to medium loads.
So do you think it is the suspension system and can it be fixed ?
Thanks.

Darren k.

 

[andrewinorlando]

Darren,

That's definitely a problem. The machine should be steady even with a large load. I do the dog's comforters in mine every week (queen size), and wash my king comforter and bedspread with no problem. Suspension stays steady. Could be a bad strut...the machine has 4 horizontal struts that support the motor, pump and wash basket from the bottom. If you take the front panel of the machine off, you will clearly see them at the bottom. If you rock the thing back and forth, you can see if the whole unit returns to center when you let it go, which it should do for the most part. I don't believe they're hard to replace if you have a bad one, though I've never done it before. Not sure if there are other components you should examine to try and fix this.

If you need a Calypso service manual, just let us know and we can send you one. It's pretty well written and easy to follow, I think.

 

[aldspinboy]

Thanks Andrew i can take pictures later this week yes something is definitely wrong.

Darren k.

 

[DADoES]

 
Along with the suspension struts hanging from the four corners, there are two shocks that stabilize the mechanism (connected from the lower thrust plate to the front rail of the base). The shocks are more likely to be involved in a rear impact. Remove your front panel, check if they're OK.

 

[aldspinboy]

Thanks DADoES i will look back there and report later Thanks again for your help.

Darren k.

 

[jasonl]

Darren

Love the window lid on that Calypso. That must have been a demo machine.

 

[swestoyz]

Darren's window is pretty interesting. I wonder how much louder the demo machines are than the standard production models?

I've been using the Calypso for the last week now and I must say - I have a completely different outlook on these washers now. Correct amount detergent with proper loading can yield some great results. If I ever get around to it, I'll shoot a video. I'm needing to upgrade the video software so it may or may not be in HD.

Ben

 

[andrewinorlando]

They're terrific washers, once you really learn how to use them. I'm still not sure it's a washer for the masses...just too different, easy to oversuds and overload, with poor results. Unfortunately, the machine usually doesn't tell you it's overloaded or oversudsed, you just see poor results.

But I've had mine for 10 years now, and I have no complaints. The machine is a workhorse...like the Energizer bunny...it keeps going and going and going. I have mine connected to a surge suppressor, along with the dryer, since we are the lightning capital of the world here, and so far, no electronic problems either.

The other great thing about the Calypso is that it has no balance problems - it can spin with the most unbalanced load at top speed. No wasted time trying to balance itself. Gets a little noisy when that happens, but I can live with that.

 

[aldspinboy]

Ben & jason....Thanks for the compliment , I got the washer from a Whirlpool rep
seven years ago, for selling the machines and got a good deal on it 100 bucks yaa i take it, used once lol.
The Demo top came from him with those fluffy balls so u can see it wobble with them in it pretty silly , So Ben you can here much loader water sounds and much loader ! then the ( THE DOME OF SILENCE ) Top that i also have, that's what Whirlpool called it.

DADoES & Andrew, members ...Here is several pictures of the machine as you can see it is leaning in the back when i use it which i haven't in a year accept for spinning i can put it in position and it will wash a small to med load.

 

[aldspinboy]

Pic 2. Gap in the front.
And this is in a tight spot cant get to the front to open but well later.
I think it needs shocks like DADoES said.

 

[aldspinboy]

Pic 2. In the back that's how it leans.

 

[aldspinboy]

Pic 4. Overhead shot you can see it goes to the back.

 

[aldspinboy]

Pic 5. Well i did get to clean it this far.
So what do you thank guy's ?
Thanks.

Darren k.