Help- Need new washer- front or top?? recommendations?

[adh0621]

Our 7 year old $700 Maytag started leaking water from the bottom. The repairman said the transmission is gone and took everything with it- $700 to fix, so its totaled.

I was going to go with another top loader with just few features ($500 model range) since I dont consider myself a laundry specialist, but a clerk at best buy said not to go with a top loader b/c I wash the rubber backed bath mats at home (2x/month). My husband says to stop washing them, Im not sure why he thinks this is an option. So is it true that you cannot wash those mats in top loaders? The front loader reviews for anything under $1000 look pretty bad. The clerk suggested an LG- which is still over $1000.

I have a young child so I do a lot of laundry, but rarely use anything but the normal or delicate cycle. Once in a great while I will use extra rinse and sometimes the soak only option. But I am really concerned about spending a ton of money for another "disposable" appliance like the Maytag.

Help and recommendations sought- please!

 

[brettsomers]

rubber-backed bath mats wash well (i think) if LOOSELY loaded in a TL. if cost is a major consideration by all means get the top loader. assuming you dont give a hoot about water savings, the big advantage of a front loader is the ability to wash large comforters and pillows, and even bigger rugs. if you often wash very large loads, you would like a machine like the whirlpool duet or the equivalent kenmore. hold a TON. most of the current front loaders use electronic controls that i THINK will prove over time to be less reliable than the traditional timers. im afraid the days of washers lasting 20 years are a thing of the past. thats why members of this group love vintage machines. if you bought a 70s/80s maytag in good condition with new belts it could very well last LONGER than a brand new machine. i hear good things about the kenmore (by whirlpool) top loaders also. good luck

 

[kenhe4t]

How much do you wash

If you do alot of laundry get a frontloader. preferbly a kenmore (whirlpool made) if you do at least 5 loads a week it will save you about 4,780 gallons of water. and about 87 bucks in energy. I work sell laundry and trust me once you get one you will never go back. if you need a small one i recomend the HE2 . 3.3 cuft. spins at 1100 rpm uses 170 killwatts a year. great washer at 800 bucks.

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=APPL&pid=02646462000

 

[appnut]

I think the BB salesman had it backwards. Dissentagrating rubber back rugs will clog and front loader's drain pump faster than a top loader.

 

[norgeman]

washer recomends

My first choice when we have to but a new washer is going to be Frigidaire or WhiteWestinghouse because they have really come up on their quality and longevity as Electrolux made them put steel gears back in the trans. My dad bought a Frigidaire top load washer back in 2003 and has had nothing but praise for it with no trouble what so ever. He paid around $379 for it a middle of the line machine. either that or go with their new front loader 3.5 cubic inch drum runs around $769 dollars. Or you could go to Sears and get the Frigidaire built machine that is identical but with the Kenmore name on it for like $669 dollars some where close to these prices anyway. Second choice would be a LG.Tromm and yes they are a bit pricey but have heard some really good things about them and have looked at them. They have a really big drum and can hold alot of clothes and yes front loaders are gentle on rubber backed rugs and clothes last longer. So there you have it my picks for washer, or you could go to a repair shop and see if they have any fixed used washers for sale and ask if they have a Norge or Norge product like Montgomery Wards under the Norge/Fedders built machines. These machines are super tough with a 3/4 hp. motor a commercial transmission and a 20lb. capacity it will do a wonderful job at getting clothes clean. With the 202 degree
turbo sweep agitator, with the burpalator feature for colecting lint. Happy Hunting and good luck. DanF.

http://[email protected]

 

[mistervain]

PROS -- Front loaders are good for the large capacity and are fun to watch. The high spin speeds and extra rinses are great to get rid of soapy water, and cut down on drying time. The best part I believe is that the clothes retain their colors longer and don't get worn out as quickly when continually washed by a FL.

CONS -- FL's are expensive, and can't adequately wash single large objects like comforters or do very small loads. Also, be warned: the FL's for home use do not use enough water (especially the LG brand) so if you have clothing odors, you will have to pre-treat them with a bar of soap. The cycle times are also about double that of a TL.

My advice would be go with a TL, like the Frigidaire, which is very attractive and moderately priced. Old-fashioned, when it comes to laundry, is best, at least until the manufacturers start using common sense instead of gadgetry with the FL's features.

 

[vivalalavatrice]

Something

Whether you can't decide between TL and FL, choice "in the middle"
I prompt you to see more about High Efficiency TL washers!
Their efficiency is comparable with a FL one. I speaking about Whirlpool/Kenmore Calypso washer or New Maytag Neptune TL washer.
They both do not have the agitator (although they have a vertical drum with top loading), so they allow you to load bulky items and very large loads, but they consume less water and energy than any traditional TL washer and they are accomplishing with the "energy label"
On this website you wuold have found many people disagree with them, but others agreeing with them too.
Now it's up to you to decide... have a good purchase with them if you have to buy a new washer!
GoodBye
Diomede
Here you are the Kenmore Elite laundry (Calypso washer)

http://www.sears.com/sr/kenmore/eli...gecegjdghldfoo.0&vertical=Kenmore&cat=Laundry

 

[vivalalavatrice]

...and the Maytag

Here you can find some information about another HE TL washer...

http://www.maytag.com/mths/products/apl_family.jsp?family=Neptune+Top-Load+Washers&domain=Washers&cs=0&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

 

[tolivac]

I am a TL fan-I pretty much buy BD KN and WP machines-If I were to buy new -Speed Queen tradional TL machine.For me I don't beleive FL machines are worth it.Too expensive,too long a cycle,and reheating the water WASTES energy rather than saving it.I know of a few people that tried Duets and returned them-they went back to their TL machines-Were unhappy with the cleaning and rinsing abilities of the FL machine.Another I know of is unhappy with her FL Maytag Neptune.she even asked me if I wanted to buy it-she has had several service calls on it.

 

[adh0621]

Wow- amazing feedback! Quite a range of opinons too.

I think I will stay away from the TL no-agitators. In my research, those seems to be largely disliked.

Frigidaire and kenmores (by whirlpool) TL seems to come up consistantly. You think if I got one of those and only washed 1-2 mats at a time it would last? I dont care about preserving the mats, its more finding a machine thats transmission wont die from them.

Im still suprised bathmats have taken over my washing machine search but I am definately not taking them to a commerical laundrymat as my husband most recently suggested (there is not enough time in the day as it is without hanging out at laundrymats!)

I *could* spring for a FL, but Im now worried about all this talk of not being able to do small loads or the clothes smelling. I have a two year old and they are messy! I dont want to spend my days pretreating his clothes!

 

[brisnat81]

Euro FL machines

Hi adh0621,

I've got a Euro FL machine, and I dont seem to experience any of the issues, that people find with the large US FL.

I can wash one towel, or rug, without any issues, the machine always spins as it should. It takes me 50 minutes to do a heated cycle to 60deg C for grimey clothes, and the stains and mess always come out.

Some of the european machines can be reprogrammed to provide a high rinse. I never pretreat stains anymore, with gardening clothes, I run them on a 50deg wash with a 1.30 min soak period and everything is always clean.

I was a TL fanatic, untill I got a FL machine and was willing to open my mind and experiement. Now I'll never go back to a TL.

If you do get a FL machine, you'll need to be prepared to relearn some of your washing habits, but once you get the hang of it, you'll be happy with the results.

 

[jasonl]

Fisher & Paykel?

Look into Fisher and Paykel. They wash like a normal top loader but they spin at 1010rpm, giving more water extraction. They also run on a DC motor so it uses less electricity than a WP top loader.

 

[wiskybill]

FL vs. TL

My 2cents

At this point, I personally would buy another front loader. I bought one in 1999 and it is still going strong at my daughter's home. She has 2 kids, husband, and uses it almost daily.

As front loaders go for home use, I don't necessarily agree that bigger is better. I think those in the 3.1 to 3.5 range and with less complex controls are going to prove to be more reliable in the long run. I think that they are more flexible in what you can put in them safely and do a good job cleaning when loaded properly and with proper use of soap, softner, bleach, etc. I would probably look at Frigidaire, Kenmore, Whirlpool, and SpeedQueen.

As top loaders go, they have been around a long time and will be for a little while. Most of them will do a good job for you. From all that I've read posted here, it seems that Frigidaires and Kenmores have the best value for the money. Sears always has something on sale.

In general,
1. consider buying from a long time local dealer, they will price match and tend to be more concerned about their reputation if there is a problem
2. look for the least complex controls - do you really need 101 combinations?
3. TL - look at large capacity, FL - medium cap
4. Don't overload either one

One more thing, there have been enough endorsements here of Tide Coldwater, that I will have to try it. I grew up old school(hot water and bleach) but I like to try new things.

Just some of my thoughts.
Bill...

 

[frigilux]

I've been using front-loaders for years. I now own a 2003 FL Frigidaire, and while it uses less water, I have no problems with clothing odors or washing bed comforters or very small loads. I regularly wash rubber-backed rugs and bathmats and I find the backing lasts longer than it used to when I used top-loaders.

I like FL machines because of the water/energy savings, the excellent cleaning results and the fast spin speed, which cuts down on dryer time.

However, they are more expensive. In the end, either a TL or FL washer will get your laundry clean. If you're more comfortable with a TL, go for it. If you go with a Frigidaire TL, go for their top-of-the-line machine with the 'dual-action' agitator. Better cleaning results than their lower models with a plain agitator.

Since we're a curious bunch, let us know what you wind up getting. Happy shopping!

 

[frontloadfan]

Maybe Not All Comments On the Money

People have given some excellent advise. There are a couple of comments that might not be so great. One posters stated:

CONS -- FL's are expensive, and can't adequately wash single large objects like comforters or do very small loads. Also, be warned: the FL's for home use do not use enough water (especially the LG brand) so if you have clothing odors, you will have to pre-treat them with a bar of soap. The cycle times are also about double that of a TL.

Granted, FL are expensive; that can be considered true. "they can't adequately wash single large objects like comforters" There is no truth to this statement. I did have a Frigidaire 3.1 cu. ft. front loader and it did a great job with a full size comforter. I now have the Kitchenaid front loader and it can do a great job with a king size comforter! The truth of the matter is that front loaders do a far better job of washing comforters than top loaders.

Maybe the person was thinking that if you tried to wash one pillow? That might be problem, but to wash one comforter, is not a problem at all!

Regarding the cycle time being double for a FL compared to a top loader, that is a myth! My machine has a Rapid cycle that can do a load in 30 minutes! The normal casual is only 40 minutes! What comes into play is that people are paying in many cases paying $1,000 plus for a front loader. For that they expect the extended cycles. A regular load and normal casual will be perfectly fine and have the clothes washed in 40 minutes. You have some whites you really want white, then you can use a cycle that will take over an hour. You want to santize, well then you are looking close to two hours!

Regarding clothing smells, many front loaders have high level washes and/or rinses available if this is a concern. However, there have been million of front loaders sold that do not offer these functions and most fl owners seem very happy. Go to some other bulletin boards and you will see that LG owners are among the most satisfied owners.

One other issue someone brought up was that the larger front loaders are less reliable than the smaller front loaders. I have not seen any data to suggest that.

Back to the original poster, I think maybe the salesperson was urging you to get a front loader for washing your rubber backed mats in order to avoid damaging your mats as much. The front loader will be much gentler on them than a top loader. If you opt to go with a top loader (and if you are on a budget, I don't blame you), you might want to consider the Speed Queen. They sound like they are the most durable basic top loader you can get.

If you opt to go for a front loader, place the new GE front loader on your list to check out. They have the mega size (3.7) and the heater and tons of cycles too. They list for $900, but you can get one for about $800 on sale.

 

[mistervain]

Frontloadfan, where have you seen a front loader with "high level washes and rinses" as you stated? I have yet to see one in the American market. All of them are "energy star," which defeats the purpose of washing clothes. My shirts always smell of underarm unless pretreated.

I disagree about the comforters also. They will easily fit into a FL, but a gallon or 2 of water per fill is not going to clean an entire thick comforter.

How can a comforter be washed when it's rolling around inside with dry patches?

The cycle times are indeed very long. What FL washer is this that you are talking about with all these great features -- because I want one!

Someone else mentioned the Maytags and the Calypsos. I recommend you stay far, far away from those, with all their problems and class-action lawsuits!

Again, TL's are the safest bet in my opinion, if you want your clothes clean and odor-free. I'd rather wear something with stains than something that smells.

 

[sudsmaster]

"Frontloadfan, where have you seen a front loader with "high level washes and rinses" as you stated? I have yet to see one in the American market. All of them are "energy star," which defeats the purpose of washing clothes. My shirts always smell of underarm unless pretreated."

Miele in particular offers higher water levels for certain cycles (like delicates). The original Maytag Neptune series offers considerably higher water levels than later engineered brands.

"I disagree about the comforters also. They will easily fit into a FL, but a gallon or 2 of water per fill is not going to clean an entire thick comforter. "

You misunderstand how a FL uses water. A FL will add more water as the load absorbs it. It is not a fixed amount, however, on average, about 5 gallons is used for the wash part of the cycle. "A gallon or two" is not at all even close to the truth.

"How can a comforter be washed when it's rolling around inside with dry patches?"

It doesn't do that. As I have already stated, the washer will add more water as the load absorbs it. One can usually choose a longer cycle with a difficult to wet item so that it gets thoroughly soaked.

"The cycle times are indeed very long. What FL washer is this that you are talking about with all these great features -- because I want one! "

There are many on the market today.

"Someone else mentioned the Maytags and the Calypsos. I recommend you stay far, far away from those, with all their problems and class-action lawsuits! "

I have a Neptune 7500. It had several major repairs under extended warranty, but since then it's been peforming very well and very reliably. It gets king size comforters spotless.

"Again, TL's are the safest bet in my opinion, if you want your clothes clean and odor-free. I'd rather wear something with stains than something that smells."

My Neptune gets my clothes very clean, cleaner than most people seem to get their clothes with their top loaders. It gets rid of stains and odors. While I treasure vintage top loader washers, it is simply not true that front loaders in general perform less well than top loaders in general.

A real laundry fan appreciates the strengths of each design.

 

[tolivac]

In a way its like vacuum cleaners-upright vs canister-An ideal laundry setup would probably have BOTH types of washers.Some of the folks in Applianceville have the space and budget.If the person has a washer at present-if you want to try a new design-I wouldn't let the delivorymen haul away your old machine just yet-you may want to fall back to it in case you are unhappy with the newer one.At some point I would like to consider both types of machines.

 

[mistervain]

Someone has a lot of time on their hands to identify and disagree with every single line I wrote. To each one his or her own opinion -- LIGHTEN UP.