Does anyone remember washers or dryers of thier childhood?

[laundromat]

The first washer I remember was a Bendix Economat with a rubber tub.I can't tell you how many times my grandfather cussed that machine out after replacing the tub just weeks earlier and having to replace it again from it imploding during the wringing out of the clothes.He finaly got rid of it and bought an Easy Rivera automatic.We already had a 1954 Kenmore gas dryer.After replacing the pump 7 or 8 times in 6 years,My mother wanted another washer.Now mind you,the home we had in B'more was a rancher with 4 bedrooms,1 bath and nowhere other than the utility room which was seperate from any entrance in the house and had to be entered by going out the back door into the cold,wet,raw winter air with a basket of wet or dry vclothes to take to and from the dryer.Mom hated that as well as my grandmother who had a sister in law that ahd a Bendix combination washer dryer.

We went to Sears and as we escalated down to the appliance department,I saw a washer dryer combination that looked different but did the same functions as my Aunt lou's Bendix.As my mom and grandmother looked around,I saw a saleslady and pointed to my mom telling (begging)her to sell them on the Lady Kenmore gas combination washer-dryer.On my birthday while my smartalec dad took me out to learn how to rollerscate,Sears had come to our house and installed that gem.By the time we got home,all the laundry had been washed,dried and out away.I knew there was a raeson to have dad take me away from home but mom could hsve at least saved a load for me to watch.Nontheless,I did get many chances to watch it and was able to bring home my schoolmates gym clothes to show off to them how great it was.we owned it from 1963 to 1981.My dad remaried after mom died and Betty(my stepmom) hated it.She came from a Jet Action 12 pound tub Frigidaire Gold crown model in coppertone.She and my dad went and replaced the combo with a Montgomery Ward (norge)washer and a cheap ass Whirlpool gas dryer.

 

[bobbins]

Reading all your postings, brings back many memories of me growing up as a little boy who always wanted watch the washing machine work (aunts, cousins, friends).

1956 – Bendix Duomatic Combo Washer and Dryer
1965 – MOL Kenmore Washer
1972 – TOL Kenmore Washer
1979 – TOL Inglis Washer
1985 – A608 Maytag Washer
1987 – A510 Maytag Washer

My mom and dad first washer was a 1956 Bendix Duomatic. My mom hated this machine, it was always breaking down, clothes didn’t spin well and took forever to get the laundry down. She didn’t like the ordor it produced (I bet she never left the door open to dry). Eventually the washer was not fixable in 1965 and she decided to buy a MOL Kenmore. This was the first washer I remember. I spend hours rotating the agitator and watch the drain hose bang against the cabinet while it was spinning. (get this my dad surprised me on my 8th birthday with this washing machine after it broke down at the shop...this was the best bday present I ever had...I had a playhouse that was 12'x10') After my younger sister was born (1972), my mom decided to by a TOL Kenmore. This washer was really cool, it had the 2nd rinse, self-cleaning filter, lots of cycles and an automatic water temperature control. I remembered when it was delivered I would poke my head in the tub and take a sniff of the new washer smell. This washer had an orange Roto-Swirl and agitator mounted fabric softener. This washer had a lot of problems with the water level switch and fill valve in the beginning. Tub overflowed several times.

Then in 1979 the washer wouldn’t drain. The self cleaning filter was plugged solid. My dad taken the filter out and blow it with compressed air at the shop. This worked OK for a few months and plugged up again. My mom was quite frustrated and we went washing machine shopping. We ended up getting a TOL Inglis….well this machine was crap. It was really quiet and washed the clothes well, but it started leaking water about 2 years later. I placed a tray to catch the water and eventually it was full of oil. The tranny needed replacing and the spin tube. Then a year later the timer broke. After a while the washer will make a clunking noisy while washing.

About 1985 I bought my mom an used A608 Maytag. This machine was amazing and powerful compared to our old Inglis.

1987 I bought my mom an used A510 Maytag. This machine lasted to about 1997.

My mom and dad moved and decided to buy a new Maytag in 1997. They still have it and seems to be working well.

Bob

 

[Unimatic1140]

When I was first born my dad bought my mom a bottom of the line 1962 Kenmore. In the fall of 1968 the white coated lever of the safety lid switch had fallen out so it would not spin anymore. So my mom sent my dad and my 5 year old self out to get a new washer and my mom's only request was that it be a "large capacity" machine. So my dad got her a middle of the line 1968 Kenmore, the only difference in the tub between the old and the new machine was was the new tub was white. I remeber her reaction when the machine was delievered, "wow this tub looks a lot bigger".

 

[revvinkevin]

My parents bought the house in 1964, they also bought a new Maytag A700 in pink. It had the backlit console, a tub light (VERY neat!!) and a little knob on the top right of the control console to select the rinse temperature (automatic or cold). I used to wedge anything I could between the lid and the safety switch (car keys, wooden ruler, a spoon) so I could watch it with the lid open.

At some point my parents had to do a repair (themselves!!), which was either a bearing or seal at the bottom of the tub (not sure). After that repair (and one drive belt later) it worked fine for many years.

It was eventually replaced in the mid 80's (with a used late 70's Maytag, also adding a used Maytag dryer too) but ONLY because I wanted machine with a larger capacity. That large cap Maytag lasted until about 2 years ago (something finally failed) when it was replaced by a new Whirlpool Duet front loader.

My Grandparents had a mid-50's(?) Westinghouse front loader (I LOVED to watch it), probably a near the B.O.L. as (from what I can remember) it only had only one control knob and "Laundromat" printed in red across the window glass. Unfortunately something happened to it and was replaced in the late 70's with a new (basic) Maytag washer. They never had a dryer other then the sun and the wind.

 

[DADoES]

I used to do that for fun with our 1962 Whirly -- drape towels and wash cloth over the agitator for spinning. Had a couple incidents of the smaller items flying off and almost going under the tub ring between the basket and outer tub!

 

[pierreandreply4]

washers i rembers

inglis libarator push to start pull to stop (do not know the year) (my grand mother)

inglis superb washer and dryer bought before my birth

1988 kenmore (grand mother) broke recently

Ps: is it possible to see inglis libarator washer push to start pull to stop picture and inglis superb washer and dryer pictures.

tank you

 

[mrsalvo]

Great thread. You opened a pandora's box.
Lets see, Mom had a 1950's Speed Queen that Dad fixed and fixed kept it running until 1969 when it finally died. I hated that machine, I found it boring and LOUD. Next was a 1969 M. Wards Norge that had a huge capacity, like 20lbs with a continuous lint filtering system...but that washer was LOUD too. Sometime in a mid 70's was a new Speed Queen that was ok but smaller capacity, not so loud. That lasted into the mid 80's when Mom got a cool TOP filter-flo. The first great washer we ever owned. After it started leaking oil, another GE and it started leaking oil only after 5 years of use. The last machine my Mom bought before she passed on was one of the last Dependable Care Maytags that were made, a true Maytag and is the one I own now. I seem to remember nothing but LOUD washers that you could hear a mile away, I thought it was embarrassing whenever company came over, esp. the Speed Queen monster. Like a Toyota, you couldn't kill a Speed Queen.
As I wrote in my profile, my babysitter had the best washer ever...to this day I wish I had it. Early 60's Kenmore with the different colored control panel, scrubber cap, and lint filter. Oh and don't forget the Salvo!! KEWL!
Grandmother (Dads mom) had an early 60's Frigdaire. Loved that up and down action.
Grandma, Mom's mom, had a wringer washers as there was no indoor plumbing in the farm house at all. Oh the memories of washday. Drawing the water from the cistern, heating it on the stove in buckets (usually 4-6 large buckets of hot boiling water mixed with 3 buckets of cold water) and poured into the Western Auto Wizard wringer washer. Fab was the detergent. More buckets of water was pulled from the cistern for the two wash tubs for rinsing, the same wash tubs that we bathed in on Saturday nights (no I'm not kidding here). The last tub of rinse water she would put in Final Touch. [Water was NEVER wasted, after finishing the wash, the wash water was used to wash down the porch and the rinse water used to water the plants around the house and yard...yes plants do thrive on Final Touch rinse water!] All clothes were hung out on the line, or on the porch, no matter the weather. This process took all morning with an early start, right after breakfast, no later than 8:00am. Tuesday's was ironing day, and that would take all day. Life on the farm in northern Arkansas. It was the best. Move over Beverly Hillbillies, you had nothing on us. Life was good!!!

 

[bobbins]

Funny how in the early 50's water conservation was quite important....I believe we are going back that way today. Good potable water becoming hard to come in many cities and urban areas. When I talked to people about water wastage, they mock me and laugh. They could not imagine using less water for watering their lawns, gardens and doing laundry/ dishes. In Victoria, I work for an employer who offers $125 rebates to each home owner (in the local area connected to the drinking water supply) buys a new front loader that meets the water reduction requirement (one time offer). We also offer $75 rebate if the homeowner replaces their old toilet with a low flush toilet. The catch is that the old vintage washer and old toilet must go to the local recycling depot.

Bob

 

[tbolt25]

washers of my childhood

My Mom had a 1960's model chrome finished BD Sears washer in the late 1970's with the black 'Duralite' straight-vaned agitator that I always took out and put back-even put a toad in it once. The first house it was in had hook-ups for it, but the second house-Mom had to heat water in a pan and pour the water in the washer to fill it up-eventually the washer got parked, we had no use for it, and sadly my Dad hauled it to the creek side and got rid of it on the creek bank. She also had a Maytag wringer that when we sadly had that house fire(electrical)it got burned up in it-we lost our home! My Grandma had a late 1960's BD Kenmore with a gold straight-vaned agitator. One aunt of mine had a mid-to-late 1970's BD Whirlpool washer with the standard capacity tub, wavy-vaned white Surgilator agitator-this washer also had the L-shaped console endcaps that the hold-down screws went into. This washer had a unique "woo-woo-woo-woo" sound during agitation-but the problem with this washer was the spin clutch was going bad-excessive slippage. She eventually got rid of it and replaced it with a green BD Kenmore with scrubber cap gold Roto-Swirl agitator. Another aunt of mine had an early 1970's BD Kenmore, gold Super Roto-Swirl agitator, but in a few months time, it developed a problem. When it first started agitating, it would make a loud noise-bearings, and as the bearings warmed up, the noise would go away.

 

[pierreandreply4]

Maytag history

hello

here is the link to see the maytag history

tank you

http://www.maytag.com

 

[mattl]

Washers I recall and more

Hey, interesting topic! I guess I'm not the only one to be fascinated by washers, dishwashers and vacs too.

I recall being very fascinated with my mom's original washer. I wish I knew what brand and model it was, I think it was a Kenmore from about 1953-1954. It had interesting lights, the temp buttons glowed red yellow and green. The tub was lighted and it had a germicidal light too. The dial was black and off to the right side and was also back lit. It was a suds saver too and had an army green discharge hose. In going through the pictures posted in another section of this site I saw a very similar looking Kenmore dryer about the same vintage. I would love to know the model and see a picture but so far that has eluded me.

Unfortunately it was replaced about 1962 with a generic Hamilton pair, but the dryer did have a window in the door which was a plus. The pair had a nondescript console with a tan- brown painted area behind the control knobs and it had a red lint filer the agitator pumped the water in. I recall it making a sound like "ha wow e" as it agitated.

It only lasted 10 years and in 1973 I replaced it with the top of the line Kenmore pair, the one with all the selection buttons and the lighted console. Since I was always fascinated with electric things and did quite a bit of research on the topic at the age of 17 I was making the purchasing decisions.

I loved the lighted console and the white interior and the pent-a-vane agitator that had adjustable fins, the top of the agitator had a gold sunburst type of cap that reflected the light and had Lady Kenmore printed on it. I kept it going for over 20 years, with a few repairs. I recall replacing the timer once and the lint filter many times. Late in it's life I replaced the agitator when the original stripped out. The dryer held up well and my cousin has it still, I wonder what it is worth, it's in fairly good condition.

I replaced it with the electronic top of the line Kenmore about 1996 and it's going strong, but the Off button does not work, not a problem worth worrying about. Of course it has a lighted console, kind of a must for me. I hope it last for years too.

I feel the same way about dishwashers and my favorite was a top of the line GE with all the sensors and lots of cycles. I hated to see it go but all the seals deteriorated and everything was covered in black sticky stuff. I replaced it wiht a sort of generic GE that lasted only 6 years. At first I replaced it with a Whirlpool but really hated it and paid Sears to take it back. My current dishwasher is another GE. It has a gently curved front and a tall tub with extremely flexible racks. I opted for the white plastic interior rather than the stainless option because I like a light interior.

So I guess I fit in here, though I don't have the area, or skills for the matter, to collect and restore machines. I really like looking at the pictures.

BTW, I do have 1958 Frigidaire Custom Imperial stove, it's built like a tank and most of the features work. Now this is something I'd like to restore at some point, just need a few controls. The unit is still in mint condition and I use the rotisery quite often...