HE toploader suggestions?

[pulsator]

My best friend's good old Helical Maytag has sadly finally given up! It was a hard farm worker that raised many kids and even kept washing until the last (my best friend) was a senior in high school! It seems that the bearings are going, the suds diverter valve leaks tremendously, and the machine has some overflowing problems! Naturally, they came to me asking what they should buy on a somewhat tight budget. They have some rather extreme requirements however. Their house is a little over 125 years old and the sewage system consists of an underground water closet that cannot take very much water at a time. When they washed with their Maytag, they used the Suds Saver function for EVERY load, they used a tub of water to wash for a whole day starting with the whites and finishing with the muddy jeans! Because of their water closet system, they cannot dump large amounts of water down the drain at a time, even with the suds saver function, they'd have to wait 20 minutes between loads so that the water closet could cath up! They have 4 requirements:
1) low water usage
2) top load (her mom has some serious knee problems and she doesnt want the washer to be up high)
3) price
4) capacity

Naturally, these are very common requirements, but the water usage needs to be kept to a very strict minimum. Of the current HE toploaders, which has the highest quality while using the LEAST amount of water possible? I personally fear that even if the washer they get uses 1/2 or 1/3 the amount of water that their Mayatg did, it still might overload their water system simply due to the increase in capacity.

I read somewhere that their have been some chnages in the way the GE Harmony washes such as slower agitation... Is this true?

I'm also thinking the Whirlpool Cabrio is a possibility simply because I can get a pretty good deal one, but doesn't this machine have cycles in which it fills up completely?

I know a lot of these machines offer options to avoid a regular deep rinse such as simply spray rinsing or saturating the clothes then spinning and repeating. However, they are die hard liquid Downy users and will not use dryer sheets!

Thanks for any help!!!

 

[frigilux]

Wow! Sounds like water usage and accessibility are the two main concerns. I say get a front-loader with an "excellent" water usage rating in Consumer Reports and put it on a pedestal for loading without much stooping.

None of the HE top-loaders use as little water as some of the newest front-loaders.

 

[toggleswitch]

I had recently seen a T/L GE (perhaps a hydro-wave) with an "Energy Star" label.

So I immediately thought- SPRAY RINSES ONLY. YUP!!!!

There is a SOFTENER cycle with a full rinse option, and another option with TWO deep rinses.

BUT TO GET THE ENERGY-STAR LABEL, NO DEEP RINSE ON THE REGULAR CYCLE!

Why won't the woman consider a front-loader on a pedestal?
There is a frigidaire front-loader that is around $650. Only two rinses (At least on the one with a radio-dial-look jog-dial and a low water level. It may work, if she can get past the top loading requirement.

 

[pulsator]

She's been asking me for years what to buy and I keep suggesting frontload washers but she wont have it! She's hell bent on getting a toploader and a high efficiency toploader at that now that she has seen commercials for them! Besides that, I'm pretty sure she fears the FL machine will leak at the door seal per her daughter's experience with laundromat machines sadly... I'll do my best, but in the meantime if I can't convince her, I'm guessing the Cabrio is the likely choice unless I can find a deal on an Aquasmart...

 

[appnut]

Jamie, you know I have some physical challenges. Write me at the email address in my profile if ya'd like. I'd like to understand your friend's mom's knee problem. Despite everything, I still enjoy my front loader. My Frigidaire came on a pedestal, Steve 1/18 found this one with the pedestal on it alredy. I have to admit, I like it much betterr than if it were on the floor. I now wish my Maytag Dependable Care dryer was raised some. I find it more challenging to get stuff out of the dryer now than the washer. But, there are times for me even dealing with the waher on it's pedestal is a bit much, particularly if I'm really tired. I simply sit on a stool that puts me about level with the waher opening and load & unload it tht way. Bob

 

[appnut]

I still think a front loader will perform much better than a high-efficiency top loader, particularly one which simply does spray rinses to rinse the load.

 

[gyrafoam]

F/L's on pedestals are one answer the other is to find a great "vintage" Maytag T/L somewhere (like E-Bay or this website!), and run the damn drain house outside into the backyard like the country folks used to do. Not difficult!
I'm supprised they have tolerated the drain closet situation as long as they have!

 

[laundromat]

I would recomend the new Amana set (NFV7200TW)and (NED7200TW)The washer is huge in capacity but uses very little water and energy.The Home Depot has them for $599/washer and $549 /electric dryer.The washer is huge(3.8 cu ft) and the dryer is too (7.0 cu ft)They have the risers/drawers available to raise the unit up 15 inches.and free delivery/haul away.If you want to see them you can go to H.D's website(homedepot.com) or Amana's website(amana.com)go to washer dryer and they have pictures of them as well as dementions.

 

[gizmo]

Suggestions:

1. Get a front loader, the person with the knee problem is probably worrying about nothing. So many top loader owners won't have a front loader because of fears about problems with bending/squatting/stooping, then somehow they end up with a front loader and they are converted and would never change back. Surely there are retailers in the area who will allow the machine to be returned within a certain time if there is a (real rather than imaginary) problem?

2. Get a front loader and another member of the family can load and unload it. If Mom has a physical problem, why can't your friend do the washing?

3. Fix up the Maytag. Bearings and diverters are replaceable items. If this machine is a faithful performer, and does what they want of it, repair it.

4. If they really want a water hog, then upgrade the plumbing. How hard could it be?

5. A temporary idea to help use a water hog - put a trough or barrel in next to the washer. It should be large enough to hold a full cycle's use of water. (wash and rinses.) The trough or barrel should have an outlet at the bottom with an adjustable tap. Adjust the tap so the water comes out nice and slow, and drains into a low level drain such as a floor waste, or tees into the existing drain pipe below floor level.

I suggest you "push" them to a front loader. They know you are knowledgeable about washing machines, that's why they asked you. Tell them, "you asked for my advice, my advice is you get a front loader."

If you want to do deep rinses, then being a "HE" machine will make little or no diference compared to any top loader. The "HE" only relates to the spray rinse cycle. They need to understand that fact. The ONLY way to get a washing machine that rinses thoroughly in a reasonable amount of water and can use liquid softener, but only uses a small overall amount of water, is to get a front loader.

Good luck.

Chris.

 

[rp2813]

I agree that a FL machine is the best option if water use is an issue. However, I'd wager that even the most expensive new FL machine on the market will likely require more service and maintenance than their Maytag ever did and still won't likely last as long. That's just the nature of new "durable" goods these days. Your friends need to understand this going into their purchase, as the water closet issue is one they can control for free, unlike a component of a complex FL machine failing.

 

[pulsator]

I'll do my best to push them in the FL direction, my friend told me today that her aunt is raving about her new Whirlpool Duet steam washer. I'm thinkin that it might be worth it to advise them to go the extra 300 for the big Miele washer if they are gonna go in the direction of a Duet Steam...

 

[twinniefan]

Why not consider a twin-tub?

Hi Jamie,
Would your friends consider a twin-tub?,as it would help onsiderably with water saving as her mom could just spin the wash water back into the washtub and even if she didn't she would only be spinning a small amount of water out each load anyway,which would not overload the plumbing and when finished they could just drain the washtub gradually. i.e. empty some out wait awhile and empty out some more until finished.
Hope this helps you.
Steve.

 

[rapunzel]

So, what is the problem with HE top loaders?

 

[toggleswitch]

Some simply spray-rinse instead of a deep rinse. Some say effectivenesss of such spray-rinse is questionable.

 

[rp2813]

Is there such a thing as a twin tub available in the U.S.? I've never seen one on display.

 

[pulsator]

I highly doubt they'd go for a twin tub machine, they simply just dont have time! For the past couple weeks they've been going to the laundromat since the Maytag is dead and they end up using 8 or 9 triple load Milnors(35lb capacity per washer) And that's going once a week! Both of my best friend's parents work dawn to dusk on the farm and my friend simply doesnt have time either! They need to be able to throw a load in and come back in an hour to transfer. Besides, I have yet to see a twin tub in the US that rivals capacity of any automatic washer here...

 

[rp2813]

Sounds to me like they have needed something with FAR larger capacity than the Maytag for quite a long time. The biggest, most reliable FL machine they can afford seems to be the best solution.

 

[rapunzel]

Hi Toggles!

Some time ago (a very long time actually), I read somewhere that spray rinses were considered the most effective and efficient way to rinse. Don't remember where I got this info from, but I am definitely not making this up. At least with a Cabrio, Aquasmart or Oasis, one can choose between a traditional full-immersion wash & rinse or the water-miser way.

I don't see much of a difference between a spray rinse in a HE top loader and the water-miser rinses one gets in modern front loaders. Front loaders put in just enough water to saturate the clothes, tumble them about a little and spin them out. In essence it isn't all that different to a spray rinse. Here in Australia rinse performance of very water efficient front loaders doesn't rate all that well against models that use more water.

Cheers

Rapunzel

 

[rapunzel]

Just some food for thought

I am sure Pulsator's friends appreciate all the good advice given here. Though, we all know how 'good advice' works - especially when it is free. Now, may be I am missing something, but I understand that they specifically want a top loader. So, in a way, that leads me to ask who actually is meant to benefit from all this good advice? Is it Pulsator's friends, whom he has yet to convince to change their choice? Or is it our sensibilities, because we believe that they would be better off buying something that we approve of?

Do any of the people here, providing views, actually own or have extensive experience with using high efficiency top loaders? I am asking, because the overall performance of HE top loaders is generally rated quite highly and there are numerous personal reviews available on the internet from people who own them. Maybe, from Pulsator's friend's perspective, the performance and features of an HE top loader is exactly what they are looking for. Even though we may think that they don't quite meet with our very high standards.

The final thought I wish to offer to you is that many a good friendship has been soured by apparently 'good and well-meaning advice.'

Cheers

Rapunzel

 

[launderess]

Spray Rinsing

Can be just as effective as "deep" rinses, if carried out properly. While the operation is manual, using my Hoover TT "spin rinse" am here to tell you after a series of rinses items are truly well rinsed. I know this because on the odd time I put items back into the wash tub with fresh cold water for a deep rinse, the water is clear, even after several minutes of items being thrashed though the water by the Hoover's impeller.

The commercial twin tub, made and sold by a divison of Alliance laundry does nothing by spray rinses, and gives good results as well.

Now then, now then, now then.. what helps with this sort of rinsing is to use the proper amounts of good detergent designed to rinse clean. Too much of a sudsy product like Tide, is bound to cause problems. Fabric softeners by the way, aren't such a huge deal as one might think, given the huge numbers of dryer sheets consumed in North America, it seems people got tired of waiting for the rinse cycle long ago.

As for water saving with a twin tub, that really only comes into play if one reuses wash water, something likely to illict an "ewwwwwwww" from many of today's appliance users.

L.