How come the lids opened sideways on Whirlpool-built Kenmore washers of years past?

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Hmmm, nuts bolts, screws, or a cost-saving idea?

Glad Sears could compromise, and I see that lids did start off opening towards the back -- and they nowadays with what few top-loaders are left, ONLY go towards the back!

Very interesting observations, but I would not appreciate a side-opening lid falling on my dryer that happens to be on the left, and thankfully has a downward-opening hamper door...

 

So in my installation, a back-opening or my Kenmore's non-hinged side-opening design works best, while I can imagine how many dryer doors crash into washer bodies, unless they can be reversed, or where an old Maytag with the door opening the opposite way, would work best...

 

Last of all, I remember some real cheap-y Hotpoint washers having a lid design like Kenmore's with the back-opening design used to open their lids to the left, but not fully-left like the Kenmores; it was during a very short-lived period...

 

 

 

-- Dave
 
That's what I like about my lid, I can adjust the water level much easily as the machine is filling, and not have to support the back-opening lid, and I would ordinarily not get as good of a view of the action during, either, that this lid design helps me with...

Wonder, too, how Hotpoint went from side-opening to the General Electric's rear-opening, though a few years after being bought-out by GE...

And my grandma had a very rare left-opening filter-flo with Hotpoint-like knobs; once drove by a discarded set--washer and dryer--more than 20-years-ago...

-- Dave
 
If you have a machine with a lighted control panel it just make sense to have the lid open to the side. The light also helps you see into the tub. But with modern machines that don't light up, it probably doesn't matter.
 
Sears and Whirlpool

Mike (Vacerator), Whirlpool was never owned by RCA; they only licensed the RCA trademark to use on major appliances. This occurred in 1955 when Whirlpool Corp. bought the Estate Stove Co. from RCA, which had owned that brand since the early 50's. The agreement lasted until 1966. In 1955 Whirlpool also acquired Seeger Refrigeration Co. (makers of Sears Coldspot products), and in 1957 bought Birtman Electric Co. (manufacturer of Sears vacuums & mixers). This was done at the request of Sears to simplify their sourcing of products.

My mom's friend Faye owned a Sears Catalog Merchant store in the 70's & 80's, and I worked for her the Summer of 1976. I remember her saying at that time that Sears owned the majority of Whirlpool stock, also that of Roper, which made Kenmore ranges and Craftsman riding mowers (before Murray did). DeSoto Chemical (paint, wallcovering & detergent) was also partly under Sears ownership. These weren't the only companies they had stock in - way too many to remember. I don't know how the Sears-KMart merger affected these relationships, but I know they have much less than 51% ownership of Whirlpool stock now.
 
Interesting observation about the Kenmore/Whirlpool hinge issue that kept Kenmore side-opening lids upright instead of lying flat. Let's not forget Norge also started with back-opening lids and I believe switched to side-opening in the mid-60s. The back-opening lids worked for later Whirlpools when they moved the dial to the side so one could still observe it while the lid was open.
 
While we're on the topic, why DID manufacturers drop the control panel lights anyway? Was it to cheapen the price? I know I would rather deal with a control panel light at 5:30 in the morning than have all the bright lights on.
 
Ok, and Sears

merged with K Mart stock and assets into one company. K Mart headquarters stands empty today. I didn't even know Sears had any merchant stores left in the late 70's. They own little if any shares of anything today. I'll ask my neighbor who was still working at K Mart hdqtrs. under Antonini during the merger.
As for console lights, I suspect it was a cost saving measure. Our laundry was in the basement, so you had to turn on the room lighting to see to get there first.
I'll never forget the green, yellow, white, and blue dials lit up on the Kenmore, and the orange filter light.
 
I never liked washers with back opening lids.  I couldn't get at the controls while the lid was open.  Or watch as the timer moved. 
 
I always thought side opening washer doors were best because as mentioned in a few posts above, access to the controls was easier. As far as dryer doors, I kind of like the top opening myself because they serve as a kind of shelf to fold the clothes or place them on when folding. They seem more deluxe. But side opening does mean less of a reach to get to the clothes.
 
We have two Sears Hometown stores here in little Lake County, California...

One thing I've found over the years with some side-opening lids is if the machine is installed under some low cabinetry, the lid won't clear it so you have to move the machine ouf a bit from the wall. The back-opening lids tend to not open has high.
 
Side opening drawback

The drawback to Kenmores side opening lid was no protection for the controls from chemicals.
The center dial black panels deteriorated rather quickly when exposed to pre treaters from spray bottles or aerosol cans.

The control panels that seem to stand the test of time are usually the rear opening lids on models that stopped operation upon raising the lid. Don't have any facts to back this up, it's just my observation.

Malcolm
 
prtotection

from chems.--- Well I do remember the black paint at the bottom of my moms '63 Kenmore console chaffing off after it was a dozen years old or so.
 

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