Haier Full Size Agitator Top Loader Washer Gaining Popularity

[300c]

I noticed Home Depot now carries the Haier RWT350AW washer. It's an agitator 3 cubic foot top loader. Lowes has carried it since earlier this year, as has Brand Smart.

I've noticed a difference in prices: Lowes wants $560.00; Home Depot wants $449.00; Brand smart wants $289.88.

It seems to have all the features: bleach and fabric softener dispensers plus a hollow, orificed agitator column that can be used as a detergent dispenser. It also has a stainless steel tub and multi-speeds. The manual says it'll fill with water with the lid up.

Is this machine gaining a foothold? Is it any good?

http://www.homedepot.com/Appliances-Laundry-Clothing-Care-Washers-Top-Load-Washers/Haier/h_d1/N-5yc1vZbv5iZ43g/R-203046302/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

 

[gansky1]

They carried these at our local Nebraska Furniture Mart a couple of years ago and they've been there on and off since. I've seen a couple sets and a dryer on Craigslist but haven't bitten, yet. I'm very curious about them, the dryer is a knock-off of the Whirlpool 27" design, like most Asian brands. Haier is making (or was) a version of the Maytag Neptune TL with the paddles in the tub but I've not seen one of those in person.

I didn't see Haier at Home Depot last Saturday, but our local HDs don't have much of an appliance department to speak of.

 

[whirlykenmore78]

I'd be cautious!

I have a hard time beliveing a Haier washer would be anything but trouble. Knowing of Haier's quality record from people who have owned their junk it will probably be broke in 2 months with no service or parts to be had. But who knows? Maybe they built somthing good, time will tell and I won't rule it out.

 

[DADoES]

 
The people from whom my Catalyst pair came had replaced them with a Haier TL pair ... but of course I don't have any info about their experience with the set.

 

[arbilab]

That's a whale of a price difference, just short of 2 : 1.

Haier is Chinese. Not 'made in China' from someone else's design, but C-H-I-N-E-S-E. Sounds kinda European. I thought it was. But no. Might scan this wiki about the company.

Haier - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[pdub]

Haier

I saw these machines at our local Fry's Electronics back in July. I snapped a few pics and now I have a reason to post them. I don't know if these are the exact same models but as you can see the prices are pretty low. They do look like they'd be fun to play with.

 

[pdub]

money shot

inside the tub. Kinda looks like an F&P agitator.

 

[pdub]

Washer

control panel

 

[pdub]

Dryer

drop down door. Door opening and lint filter look exactly like Frigidaire.

 

[pdub]

Dryer

door closed. Comes with the Good Housekeeping seal!

 

[pdub]

Dryer

control panel up close.

 

[mrb627]

299

It would be worth it for a toy/rag washer.

Malcolm

 

[combo52]

HAIER DRYER

Is built by Frigidare and I will bet that the washer is a piece of crap also.

 

[gowest84]

My Haier set..

was trouble from the first day I had it. RUN! RUN FAR AWAY!

 

[mrb627]

Turbo Wash

I was wondering whatever happened to your machine. Do you still have it? What problems did you experience?

Malcolm

 

[Jsneaker]

Thoughtless Designs

I am most certainly NOT a fan of most large items made in the "US of China"(as I call it). I simply cannot justify our paying "haier" prices for built-in obsolescence. For example, who thinks drop-down dryer doors are convenient? Let me tell you, I still have my 1989 Lady Kenmore dryer with that kind of door. It is the MOST INCONVENIENT design ever! I have to get on my knees to reach into the drum! Imagine all the short Chinese people trying to use that? The plastic washer tub bottom and agitator sure do look like a ripoff of F&P's!

 

[Ultramatic]

What???

<span style="font-size: medium;">The Chinese ripping off other manufacturers designs? What else is new? You makey, we fakey. </span>

 

[MaytagA710]

I know it sounds silly, but I don't like the sound of the name, it doesn't sound strong. Maytag, Whirlpool, Kenmore, Electrolux, Frigidaire, General Electric etc... all have strong sounding names (I know a name really has nothing to do with the quality). Haier sounds like a a sneeze, not a name for an appliance manufacturer.

 

[gansky1]

海尔

Haier - pronounced "high-r" two syllables, emphasis on the first.  The two chinese characters together are a proper name so have no actual meaning but the first character is hai - or sea/lake. Same as Shanghai 上海。

The appliance trade mags & sites have been buzzing for years about the Asian companies and in less than 10 years some of these brands have rocketed to the top of the ratings in numerous categories. Haier is a giant player in the global appliance biz and it's products and component parts are sourced by many brands.

From Wikipedia:

Haier is the largest white goods manufacturer in the world with 6.1% of the market (2010). (You may remember Haier making a bid for Maytag in 2005, backed in part by Bain Capital who is now running for the GOP nomination

)

"Haier had been founded as Qingdao Refrigerator Co. in 1984. With China opening up to world markets, foreign corporations began searching for partnerships in China. One of these, Germany's Liebherr Group (Liebherr is the worldwide leader in premium refrigeration), entered into an joint-venture contract with Qingdao Refrigerator Co., offering technology and equipment to its Chinese counterpart. Refrigerators were to be manufactured under the name of Qingdao-Liebherr (simplified Chinese: 青岛—利勃海尔; traditional Chinese: 青島-利勃海爾; pinyin: Qingdao-Libohaier)."

"By 1986, Qingdao Refrigerator had returned to profitability and sales growth averaged 83 percent per year. With sales of just CNY ¥3.5 million in 1984, sales rocketed to CNY ¥40.5 billion by 2000; a growth of more than 11,500 percent."

"Having diversified its product line beyond refrigerators, the company adopted a new name in 1991. Borrowing from the German name of its partner, "Haier" came from the last two syllables of the Chinese transliteration of Liebherr (pronounced "Li-bo-hai-er"). Qingdao Haier Group was further simplified in 1992 to Haier Group, the company's current name."