GE Top Loaders in the British Isles

[liberator1509]

One for UK posters...

Does anyone know if GE top loaders were sold in the UK - they were sold in Ireland in the 1970s and 1980s, but I wonder if they were ever marketed over here. The model sold was a heavy-duty large-capacity washer (probably 16-18lbs), with a spiral gyrator and filter-flo - very similiar to the Hotpoint UK machine though bigger (of course the latter was based on the former). It offered 3 load levels, Cold, Warm and Hot water, and regular or perm. press cycles. A matching dryer was also sold.

Did these machines ever hit the shops in the UK?

 

[kirk280980]

Have never seen a domestic Filter-Flo in the UK, but that doesn't mean to say they didn't exist of course. For what it's worth, I have seen a coin-op version under the Coinamatic name; once in a blue moon you'll stumble across a launderette that still has these machines, and I used one myself a couple of years ago while staying on a campsite in Ullapool in Scotland. They bore a sticker stating that the machine was made in Canada by GE/Camco, and were fitted with the spiral ramp agitator and a lid lock that activated during the spin cycles. No filter tray on top of the agitator, instead the filter was integrated into the tub ring.

Aside from the usual Whirlpools, Maytags and Admirals, the only other domestic US TL I've come across in the UK is a White-Westinghouse from the late 80s or early 90s. Can't remember seeing these in the shops, and this one was uplifted as scrap when a new machine was delivered so I've no idea where the customer got it from originally.

 

[liberator1509]

In terms of commercial machines, Speed Queens/Huebsch tended to be the most popular top loader in Ireland, with Electrolux Wascators winning the popularity stakes for front loaders...

A neighbour of ours had a Kelvinator Top Loader in the 1980s - again large capacity machine - perhaps there was more of a market in Ireland for these machines than in the UK.

 

[MrX]

In the 1990 and 00s I've seen Simpson, GE, Whirlpool and Maytag toploaders on sale here in Ireland and not cut down small ones either, they're US Size.

 

[launderess]

Think the thing is one will find large US style top loaders in the UK where ever there were large familes. Lord knows those machines are exported to Israel, and other parts of the world for mainly the same reason. One can find any number of export dealers in the United States who have top loading washers for export that have been converted to run on 220v/240v power.

Probably the next market would be military familes or other American expats/housewives who absolutely refuse to deal with "small" European/UK front loaders.

L.

 

[kirk280980]

When I used to sell appliances, it was indeed the larger families who usually purchased these machines. They were also popular with B&Bs, stables, small restaurants and the like.

I always found that the Hotpoint top loader was the preferred choice for those who insisted on an agitator machine, because it was of a more appropriate size for UK households and it had the programmed, heated wash cycles that most users were accustomed to. Only once this was discontinued did the American TLs become more popular, purely because they were considered to be the closest alternative.

 

[launderess]

Yes, anyone that has large amounts of laundry to be done quickly, benefits from a good top loader; hence restaurants and B&Bs. Methinks stables like these units because top loaders are probably slightly better at hair/muck covered items than front loaders.

A top loader with 220v/240v heating power would be along the lines of an automated "copper", IMHO. *LOL*

L.

 

[liberator1509]

We had Hotpoint Top Loaders in our house - three in all over the years, a 1502, 15690 and 9604 - I'm sure my parents would have had another had Hotpoint not discontinued them - the Whirlpool alternative was a touch too large for just the two of them.

The GE machines looked great, and were probably unbeatable - they were common enough in camp-sites when I was a kid. I last saw one a few years ago in a stables in Ireland - probably from the early 1990s, hardly cared-for in its home, but still going strong!

 

[MrX]

I'd say the main users of those machines in Ireland were B&Bs which were in abundance all over the touristy areas of the country.

The B&B business has taken a nose dive in recent hears though for a couple of reasons. 1) Massive expansion of reasonably priced hotels and 2) The Irish economy's extremely buoyant and very few people are interested in running a B&B operation out of their own homes in rural areas when there are much cushier employement alternatives that are far better paid. It used to be a handy business to have on the side, often run by the stay-at-home wife type.

I certainly know of a few restaurants who use them for dealing with quick washing of large volumes of table clothes, servettes etc..

However, I don't think they're anywhere near as popular as they once were. You're as or more likely to see commercial Mieles and Electoluxes etc thesedays.

Last time I used a "site" machine, was on the Shannon-Erne inland waterway .. basically a river/canal system that is very popular for pleasure boating.

You had a smartcard which had pre-loaded credits for operating various facilities along the route, including the locks (for moving to higher / lower level water).
Pumpouts (for your on-board toilets)
and Fuel

At some of the stops there were laundry facilities which consisted of an ASKO washer and an ASKO dryer linked to a smart card reader.

A wash cost 1 pre-paid unit on the card, same for dry.
It worked exceptionally well as a system.

As for Irish Laundrettes, I haven't used on in quite a while.. but the last ones I remember:

Miele Washers+Huebsch dryers (Campus)
Electrolux Washers + ADC dryers (normal laundrette)
Electrolux Washers and Dryers. (Campus)
SpeedQueen (Frontloaders) + Speedqueen (Dryers) [stacked] [Campus]

 

[Whiteway]

Fisher and Paykel

Were you the person who asked about the Savaday washer and dryer made in New Zealand? If so I can tell you a lot about these Machines.

LG.