The Fall and Rise
I have been with a top loading style of washer for 13 strong years. Up until the day it was struggling to complete a cycle. It was a typical but famous Whirlpool Direct Drive top load but re-badged with the "Inglis" brand.
I must say seeing those clothes rollover in water like that and hearing those spray rinses on the final spin, sure looked, felt and sounded satisfying. But I did not know what clean looked like at that point. I just assumed that because clothes were submerged, and being rolled around in a soapy mix of detergent and water, meant they were getting clean.
It was always however, a mystery to why the scent of fabric softener..well never really stayed in clothes up until now. No matter how much I'd put in the smell would always hardly be in there.
I was hoping this would be the only washer we ever owned and frankly, I'd grown attachment to it over the years because of its clean-ability and reliability. It was a definite work horse that never gave up no matter what i threw at it.
Up until a certain day in 2014, where it got to the rinse cycle, went to agitate, buzzed and cutoff. It cutoff with a tub FULL of water and wet clothes. That was the day we had to run out and buy a new modern "BS" washing machine. However after a while the machine did begin to work again, and we were relieved. Up until the point we washed another load and it kept stopping in all parts of the cycle except the spin.
So that day we went out with little knowledge on modern washers. Right away we were greeted with a friendly sales person who right away lead us to a TOL Samsung top load Washer, and a TOL LG top load washer.
In my mind...this is what I saw when I looked at those washers in specific.
Just looking at the price tag of those machines and having seen and had a mental image of how those washed, it was a right away "nope." So we continued and saw A Kenmore/Whirlpool VMW based washer. That was going to be our washer but, I thought to myself, maybe we should try something new. Now with that Kenmore/Whirlpool VMW still in the back of my mind, we went on to the god forbid front loaders. I've heard all sorts of stories about how moldy they get, their broken spiders and bearings.
I saw a couple of LG's, lots of Samsung branded Kenmores, and also a couple of Frigidaires. Until I came across a certain FL, that one, had decent capacity, two, featured no more than basic options that should help us get around a load of laundry, and three was in our price range. Not to mention it was a tried and true brand "Whirlpool" which did in fact lead me to some more confidence. So I thought to myself, screw it, lets give it a try. After all if it wasn't as good or complete trash, I could return it and get that trashy VMW washer.
This day the, Whirlpool Duet WFW72HEDW was our brand new, first washer we bought. Of course until the machine came we struggled without DD TL. A week later, the machine was scheduled for delivery where the old washer got taken out of our home and the new "BS" washer entered out laundry room for the first time in 13 years.
I ran through typical installation process, remove the shipping bolts, leveling flushing hoses. I hit the power button and it played a playful tune, a unique one too. I've only ever heard the tones of a LG,Samsung, Older WP FL's and Frigidaires, so I was curious to hear the tone it would make.
I ran a quick wash cycle empty and to my surprise it really was quick..Only 20 minutes and not the displayed 26 Minutes. After I ran a small load in the quick wash cycle and thought, this washer might be okay after all.
A couple of days later I decided to use the dreaded Normal cycle. And to my surprise, it actually worked very nicely, low wash waters but HIGH rinse levels. Not to mention I got 2 rinses instead of only 1 like before. The cycle time on the Normal cycle ranged from 35-50 minutes. Those 50 minute loads were my fault as i'd sometimes throw in towels which I no longer do. Those towels would cause the washer to spin much longer than needed due to the weight.
A couple of loads later I noticed white clothes in specific... WERE BRIGHTER and WHITER. I did not recall washing those with bleach and infact they came out much whiter than with bleach in our old DD TL. I was impressed. I threw comforters at it, towels you name it. The FL like our old TL, was a workhorse. It never gave up and always finished the cycle successfully no matter what. Just recently I washed a load of towels on the normal cycle with extra rinse selected. The cycle completed with 3 rinses all in 42 Minutes. 42. Not 2,3,4, hours. I've NEVER owned a machine that could do that. Ever. Not even my old DD TL.
Going in, I was an EXTREME skeptic about FL's. Now my FL will turn 3 years next month. I'm happy to say it cleans BETTER than my DD TL, most of the time as fast or even quicker. No parts have been replaced, and best part, NO MOLD OR SMELLS. Only the scent of fabric softener in clothes and a mild scent of detergent in the tub.
Looking more carefully at the wash action, clothes rub together, which mimics the old fashioned way of rubbing clothes and using a wash board.
FL's pack the old method of washing clothes, into a machine form.
While my old WP DD TL will always hold a place in my mind, It also does pain me quite a bit that I have to say goodbye to my WP Duet 72' FL in a couple of months as we are moving
Do I think TL are the best?
No.
Do I think modern TL's are better.
Hell No. Or at least, not as good as their predecessors. However modern TL's are definitely improving significantly model by model.
Will I be switching to a TL ever again?
Most likley, No. MAYBE if its a vintage Maytag. I've only ever got my hands one those a couple of times at a Coin-Op place.
I speak all of this off of experience.