Comparison of agitation - RotoSwirl vs. RotoFlex

[redcarpetdrew]

While we're waiting for Gordon's shipping guy to come pick up the three machines, I thought I'd have a little fun with them. When the pictures of the 900 set were posted, there seemed to be some discussion as to which agitator worked better. So, I figured a little side by side comparison was in order. Here's the two lab rats for our experiment...

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Ooohhh, lookie! The 900's all lit up now!

I found a spare light tube for the 900's. Only one... So, they took their turns being lit up. The dryer went first...

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Then I had to see the washer...

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Another pic...

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Washing by the pale moonlight...

 

[redcarpetdrew]

So anyway, here's the labrats again. What good would the comparison be without some video for the effort. See what you think. It was fun to make.

RCD

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[redcarpetdrew]

Sorry about the ad in the video. It seems that if you use music in the video, it opens the door for YouTube to stick it in there. I sure as hell didn't want it in there...

RCD

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Rotoswirl is certainly better !!!!!

 

[peteski50]

Kenmore!

I vote rotoswirl. I always liked that one better anyway.
Thanks for posting.
Peter

 

[dblrinz]

RCD

Great Video! Thanks!!!

 

[jeffg]

Rotoswirl = Best agitator ever IMO. Nothing before or since has ever beat it for performance vs. gentleness.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

I am a kenmores lovers ... but I think that the Rotoflex is the worst out that Kenmore has done, before the last one: The wash plate!!

 

[sudsman]

Rotoswirl

Gets my vote!

 

[redcarpetdrew]

Full disclosure required!

I actually had to remove two towels and bump up the water level on the RotoSwirl (the white washer) for that turnover. Otherwise, it was just slogging around. Those two towels ended up in the RotoFlex and then I actually added two more and it still seemed to handle all of it just fine. There is a theory that since the RotoSwirl is a larger agitator setup, that it might cut down on overall capacity a little bit, but I don't know that for sure. The 900 with the RotoFlex sure did move the load. I am interested to see what everyone's opinions are and esp. Gordon's as he is the proud Papa to be of these...

RCD

 

[peterh770]

Hard to say. Flex allows more capacity, because Swirl is such a big agitator. But kind of like the straight vaned GE agitators, I could see Flex making more lint. Flex would get more hampered by a big load, and especially jeans, so I have to go with Swirl.

But I prefer a Surgilator.

 

[peterh770]

BTW, great video work! Thanks for doing!

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Dear PeterH770-
I do not see how the quantity of lints could depend from the agitator.....

 

[toploader55]

Great Video Drew

I like your selection "Fur Elise" for the Elegant Introduction for the Agitators. Eddie

 

[gyrafoam]

Sometimes-----

the amount of lint had a lot to do with the amount of fabric damage the agitator was causing. An unfortunate by-product of creating all that turbulence.

The Roto-Swirl was fairly gentle when compared to the flex or any of the straight-vanes such as the Surgilator.

I still have Jason's "65 Frankenmore" on steroids (with the high-frequency pulley). It agtitates so fast on regular speed the clothes don't know whether to roll up or down with a Super Roto-Swirl installed. Install a Roto-Flex and it becomes a huge Vita-Mix!

 

[redcarpetdrew]

That choice cost me, Eddie!

I'm still learning the in's and out's of YouTube. I originally posted that video with a little Manhatten Transfer but due to the ownership of the song, YouTube allowed the video but muted the audio track. Not good! I took it down and redid the video with the current music BUT since Sony owns rights to that, the video is up BUT for reasons beyond me, it's blocked from playing in Germany! Oh, it also can't be played on iPod touches just in case I'm travelling into Germany... (rolls eyes!) just the same, thanks for the complement!

RCD

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Dear Gyrafoam
I never heard about washers that damages clothes....!!!!!
My grandmother haves a Kenmore with rotoswirl agitator and her old clothes looks like new ever since!
I know of some bed sheets purchased in 1969 and still used regularly wich are like new as when she bought ... the same for my clothes .. are like new after many years ...
I have a coin-op Maytag.

 

[autowasherfreak]

My vote is RotoSwirl. I also agree with peterh770 the surgilator is one of the best agitators. Whirlpool needs to bring it back and dump the dual action agitator.

 

[autowasherfreak]

Andrew, I love the video! I'm going to save that one to my hard drive.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

P.S for Gyrafoam:
If washers really would damage clothes no one would to use!!!

 

[lotsosudz]

My vote is for the Rotoswirl. I was raised with one, and always loved the amount of turnover it had. My mother always underloads her washers, so that helps alot too.
David.

 

[gyrafoam]

Kenmoreguy89

Every time your clothes get washed some fabric damage occurs. Its almost inescapable when using a machine on anything but a "Hand-Wash" cycle. Even then, a miniscule amount of wear occurs. If you don't think there is any fabric damage occuring, just stick your hand down at the bottom near that agitator and see how gentle it feels! And even a front-loader relies to some degree on the friction clothes create rubbing against one another to help clean them.

Don't forget though, some people still do their wash by hand and pound it on a rock or use a scrub-board. I laughingly say the Surgilator is the electric version of pounding clothes on a rock! The same can be said for many other straight-vane agitators.

Most people do not think of the amount of fabric damage that occurs to their clothes whenever they wash them.
One great sales-pitch was to mention that "all the GE's Filter-Flo did was to show all the fabric damage that was occuring" with each load. Then you would point to the floor and say something like "the next time you have a load of clothes to wash, stop and think for a moment about how much money you paid for each garment. Then total that amount to get an idea of the money invested in each load."

Then you would mention something like "the Maytag Power-Fin agitation is so gentle, you won't have to clean it but once at the end of the wash-day" or some such. Worked every time.

 

[yogitunes]

Gyrafoam

can you explain or show me how you got or changed to a "high frequency" pulley....or where you got it?

I'm curious to change my Whirlpool, just to beef it up a bit!

 

[kenmoreguy89]

I'm stil thinking of that is impossible that a washer could damage clothes!!!!
remember that agitators are made with a particular material wich avoid the friction with clothes, and about the friction between cloth and cloth i think it is not so high to may cause "damages". And remember that the friction is even more reduced with wet clothes.... a washing with an AGITATOR washer "damages" less than an hand washing!!!!.... and please don't tell me about front load washers wich are a scam!!!

 

[gyrafoam]

Martin----

E-mail Surgilator68 and he can tell you exactly how to do it.

 

[strongenough78]

Too bad you don't have a Vari-Flex to add into that comparison lol.