how much do you think a ge filter flo washer dryer set like this would be worth today?

[pierreandreply4]

hello to all aw members,

how much do you think a ge filter flo washer dryer set like this would be worth today and if you had the chance to own a set like this would you use them as daily drivers?

 

[bajaespuma]

If it's the washer model WWA-8500 N, a lot

It's hard to tell from the screenshot. It would have AMERICANA on the panel over the Water Level dial.

 

We owned this machine briefly. What was great about it was that it had a complete dispensing system so you could load the machine, set it for an extended cycle with Pre-wash, Soak, Wash, Rinse and Extra Rinse, fill the dispensers and not return until it was ready for the dryer (much like the Piano Key LK's). It was the precursor to the Dispensall machine. One bummer: they discontinued the blue porcelain tub before this model. Also, it used the Straight-8 Activator but I have always planned to replace it with the Spiral that I have for just this possibility.

 

Does this mean you have one of these that you are planning to sell?

 

[pierreandreply4]

no i was watching an old episode of the price is right when i saw the set

 

[rayjay]

My grandmother had that machine for 30 years, washed the clothes fantastic. I think there was only 1 minor repair.

I would buy them immediately.

 

[chaskelljr2]

In today’s dollars

Being that this was GE’s TOL Washer and Dryer Set from 1972. In today’s dollars, these would be worth about $3,000.00 to $3,500.00 (about the equivalent of a Lady Kenmore set at Sears).

—Charles—

 

[launderess]

From the archives:

https://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?61059

 

[qsd-dan]

If they were brand new and made today with the exact same quality of the 70's, I'd pay at least $3K and use them as daily drivers.

 

I'm a big Maytag fan but GE would be the next down the line if I couldn't have Maytag. Lint filter, spin drain, and a nice lengthy spray rinse. It would definitely need to have a ramped agitator and 2 speed motor. I would probably end up washing most of my clothes with the slower speed agitation in a GE FF.  "Regular" agitation speed is too aggressive for my tastes.

 

[ryner1988]

Reply #6

My dad and stepmom had an FF until around 2011 and we used the regular speed agitation all the time. Never had an issue with undue clothing wear that any of us noticed.

This brings me to a point I've been pondering off and on for a while. What's with the supreme focus on clothing care/gentleness these days, especially with new machines? I remember that being only one of the selling points back in the day along with clothing cleanliness but it wasn't given higher priority than getting clothes clean. These days however it seems like the absolute most important consideration.

It's widely accepted in modern times that normal agitation in a washer is rough on clothes but is it more rough in clothes than it used to be or do we just notice now whereas we didn't before?

An interesting question.

ryne