GM Frigidaire 1-18 Washtub Capacity

[gansky1]

One evening while visiting in Minneapolis, I spied a 20lb green Montgomery Ward (Norge) out for pickup. We picked it up on our way home and schlepped it into the house. Robert and I weighed out exactly 20 pounds of "play laundry" from his stash. Mixed cottons; jeans, shirts, etc. While it seemed too much, the washer was able to turn over the load and did pass the test "technically" with a full load at stated capacity. As I recall, we were both quite surprised but agreed there were probably no other washers that could have even touched that much laundry in one load. Certainly not a 1-18 Frigidaire.

CR stated in their ratings that the performance of the 1-18 wasn't consistent from load to load. One load would wash perfectly and the next, below average. I've watched some loads turn over and clean very well and other, similarly comprised loads utterly fail to turn over at all. It does help to follow the dry load level guide on the water level control, water level should be below the dry clothes level and usually the load will turn over well. Usually. It's weird how that machine can be so finicky. The Norge 20lb would probably be an easy match for capacity but Hans is right, it wins for consistent washing ability.

But I still love it and use it 3-4 times a week. And my BOL Wards

 

[scrubflex]

Ahh, so the Jet Cone agitator is not really strong enough to wash anything? Or, turnover anything it washes. Water levels raised above the top cone would just keep the clothes always sitting on top of the tub. I suppose the washtub is too big for the Jet Cone agitator to always work it's best...with anything it washes. That's kind of disappointing. It just looks so powerful in action.

 

[alr2903]

Scrubflex, I think the 1-18's are very good washers, if one knows how to assemble the correct size load and select the appropriate water level.  All brands  have different strengths and weakness.  CU years ago tested capacity and featured a photo of folded towels on a ST Speed Queen and Frigidaire 1-18.  The 1-18 had  many more folded towels. Does anyone have that photo?

[this post was last edited: 1/8/2015-00:27]

 

[joelippard]

I've never had the problems that Greg posted from the CR article.  I think a big issue that can come up with any Frigidiare washer is a lack of knowing how to use it properly which could have easily been the case with CR.  Of course CR lost it's credibility with me a long time ago.  I think it's all about the money with them, who pays the most to get the best rating

 

[scrubflex]

Yeah, I first learned about CR's dishonesty and favoritism, from an appliance sales guy Joe...but I believed them. So, it still kind of depends on the way you load the washtub for the Jet Cone to move the laundry. And, it seems the less water you use to wash the load the better the Jet Cone turnover the clothes. Once again, is it really impossible for the Jet Cone to effectively turnover and clean a load so full that the water level is at the TOP row of holes? Is the top cone really that useless? Greg, do you or anyone have CR's test and ratings article or issues of the 1-18 washer you can post?

 

[scrubflex]

Could one of you guys measure the (length and width) of the 1-18 washtub? You don't need to remove the Jet Cone to get the width...(that could be or is an inconvenience)...All you need to do is measure the width of the Jet Cone agitator (diaphragm) base then, measure out toward the side(s) of the tub at the bottom. The side(s) measurement (twice) plus the agitator diaphragm base gives you the full width of the tub.

 

[mrb627]

Patented?

Does some entity currently hold the patent on this washing action?

Malcolm

 

[alr2903]

Malcolm, that is a very interesting question.  I wondered about both the "Jet action system" and the old ST

" SQ" technology?

 

[combo52]

Biggest vintage washer ( before 2000 )

I would diffidently put the super capacity WP built BD washers as the largest T L washers built ( 1967-1981 ) and the ability to handle huge loads got even better on the KM versions in 1976 when Sears interdicted the dual action agitator. The next biggest TL washers would be Norge, GE FF, WP built DD Super Capicity washers with DA agitators, and then FD 1-18s.

The 1-18s are an interesting machine, I have one in my regular laundry room line up and love many things about it. But performance is tricky, about 10 years ago I put a Bob load of whites in it that also contained about 10 pairs of underwear with elastic waste bands. Much to my horror the very aggressive agitation destroyed the waistbands on at least 8 of the pairs of underware by badly stretching them out of shape.

If you want really good turn over and cleaning in a 1-18 don't set the WL much higher than small. Frigididare should have put an agitator in with extra fins at the top that would be hinged so as the agitator moved downward the fins would swing out and pull large items and loads down. As the agitator moved up again the fins would swing down again.

 

[yogitunes]

always wondered why the 1-18 Jetcone did not have cones all the way up to match the higher water levels.....

wash performance seemed best if your load stayed at half way, and the med to large water level setting....

have had on a few occasions of using the MAXI setting, and saw good turnover, but that was dependent on the load, which was mainly towels and washcloths...and a very packed load at that....

one thing for sure, it does excellent rinsing.......everyone boasts the circle spray, but that feature was to benefit of soaking the entire load and pushing it down before agitation, more than the rinsing part of it....

filtering could have been better for these machines, they call it a Jetstream, but more like a trickle....bed of nails seemed more effective, once that pan style got clogged, everything else ran over the back.....

still fun machines to use.....

 

[roto204]

Agreed

I share your observations--I've had stellar loads in my 1-18 that I couldn't believe, and some real sucksters that I thought would be easy.  The key, as you say, is understanding the load composition and setting the water level (and time!) accordingly.  Even when I load properly, I sometimes find that dress shirts and slacks get tied together, or bedsheets require unspooling before loading in the dryer.  C'est la vie.

 

Because this requires thought, I think it was doomed  My mother's BD Kenmore from the early eighties was very much fire-and-forget in terms of getting everything in there.  

 

Good detergent seems key in a 1-18 too, since some get way too sudsy and then you end up with a blanket of fine lint settling back on your clothes when it spins out the water, once the suds are compressed back against them.

 

[scrubflex]

R-E-A-L-L-Y!!! That is unbelievable and so disappointing, especially since they're no oscillating vanes or fins that beat the clothes. If there's only rolling water turbulence and surging currents that is moving the clothes, what actually stretched out the underwear? I thought the Jet Cone agitator was more gentle than all vanes, finned or ramp agitators...next to tumblers...I'm shocked.

 

[roto204]

Stretching

YMMV, but I've found the cones pull downward and you can, in a large load, get compaction of items between the Jet Cones and other items in the load, which can result in some stretching.

 

[washerlover]

I have a 1976ish WP 18-lb machine and the first time I used it I thought something was wrong with the water level switch -- the machine filled up to the bottom of the agitator cap! But boy, what turnover and awesome washing action in this machine. Almost as fun as my Norge and Wards 18-lb'rs.

 

[whirlykenmore78]

Sorry to burst the FD bubble:

But ANY 1976-1981 Kenmore with the 26 gallon tub and Dual Action agitator could smoke a 1-18 in capacity, cleaning, rinsing and more than anything reliability. The Whirlpool equivalent with the Double Duty Surgilator would be a close second.
WK78

 

[jeb]

Jet cones

From personal experience I can tell you these were hard on some clothing no matter how you loaded them. Anybody that tried to wash underwire bras, bib overalls, children's clothing with plastic buckles, ect... can tell you they chewed them up and sometimes other things in the load with them. I never had a problem with these in Whirlpool or GE. Jeb

 

[scrubflex]

I thought the Jet Cone agitator's were much, much gentler on clothes. That's not good, I really wanted one.

 

[philr]

Harry, there's always a machine that's better than others for something. Some machines are more durable, some are easier to service, some are gentler on clothes, some do beat the dirt out of clothes better. I personally don't care that much about how good machines are or how a washer treats my clothes as I rarely wear more than $40 worth of clothing anyway! I never use the delicate or permanent press cycles and even if I have quite a few irons, I never use them to iron my clothes and I never use my Gladiron ironer either!

 

I do like to use the extra cycles like the Soak, pre-wash and even more the Extra Rinse!

 

To me, the fun factor of watching a machine operate is the important thing. And Frigidaires offer plenty of action! They don't tear my clothes, I'm quite good at doing that by myself while I'm wearing them! They probably did stretch a few elastic bands, or maybe it's just because I'm overweight!

 

They aren't the easiest to work on or to get replacement parts for, but that's a good excuse to get more machines!

 

[scrubflex]

LOL!!! You made some very good points Phil, I mean it really was a miracle that I found this website. My parents had a '68-69 Westinghouse washer and I can remember way back then enjoying the machine operation of the pistachio green, super-size (2-in-1) SPIRAL-Deep Ramp agitator in action. Hmm, you reminded me of the good ole' fun factor. As for the 1-18, maybe more clothing should be washed on the gentle speed...like Whirlpool's DD 'step-down' agitation, use stronger detergent and shorten the wash times.

 

[jetcone]

If you

use a laundry bag for fine items it wont allow buckles and such to get caught under the bottom cone and squished.

 

As for torn underwear I've never seen that in 30 years of using Jet Action washers. In fact my 3 speed 1-18 on the hand wash cycle cleans and handles knitted wool better than any machine out there- including front loaders.

When you can safely wash a Norwegian sweater and not felt it that is impressive washing action.

 

I will have to experience that Norge 20 pounder as Ive not seen more capacity than in my 1-18's.

Gansky tells me i'm gonna love my super capacity Lady Kenmore with the super surgilator, gotta set that one up soon for comparison washing.