Is there a modern washer worth buying?

[meldew]

I just sold my 2 year old LG front loader and matching dryer. The dryer was fine but the washing machine - UGH. I have a very large family and wash many (3-5+) loads a day. The LG took 2.5 hours a load. The "quick" loads didn't clean well, so I'd end up doing two of those back to back... It was maddening. Everything smelled musty.

So I bought a few years old Speed Queen top loader. I don't love it. It's small. I can't get large comforters or sleeping bags into it. And a lot of our older well-loved cotton knits are coming out with holes in them! The dryer is too hot. I'm just not impressed. I'm thinking of selling it and getting something bigger. Am I crazy? Is this Speed Queen the best there is for quick clean clothes?

I also need to be able to occasionally wash dirty horseback riding clothes/gear and dog beds... it would be nice to have them come out without too much animal hair and smelling clean.

Seriously, if you were me what would you look at? The Maytag commercial top-loader? Try to find a Speed Queen front loader? I just want to wash large loads quickly and have them come out clean and smelling fresh. Like everyone, right?

 

[appnut]

Why didn't you use the TurboWash option when you did loads in the LG.  That's supposed saturate and clean well from what everyone here has reported. 

 

[revvinkevin]

 

 

Sounds like you need <span style="text-decoration: underline;">two</span> washers & dryers rather than one!

 

Musty smell?  What water temp do you wash in?  Also did you leave the door & detergent drawer open when when not in use? 

 

What cycle were you using that took 2.5 hrs to complete?   Or do you mean 2.5 hours to wash & dry?   The only cycle my Kenmore FL washer takes 2.5 hours, is whitest whites (or kids wear), with the hottest temp (w/heater) and steam!   All other cycles are about an hour (to wash).

 

Bob: Not all LG's have the TurboWash feature.

 

[vacerator]

For Alliance of Ripon Wi.,

Assimilation became eminent. Resistance was futile. I never was a fan of large collectives.
Live long, and prosper.

 

[rp2813]

You won't likely be able to get large comforters or sleeping bags into any traditional type top loading machine on the market today.

 

I don't blame you for wanting to dump the Speed Queens, particularly the primitively designed dryer.  SQ dryers only know one setting:  extra crispy.  The washers (prior to the 2018 models) are highly overrated, even though they receive high praise around these parts for their old school engineering.

 

I don't think the matching dryer for a front-load SQ would be any better.  If you don't mind a mismatched set, a front-load SQ with just about any other brand of dryer might be the best solution if you can afford it.

 

The ideal situation would be a second washer for the dog beds, riding gear and anything else that can't be easily damaged.  If you can swing that, then you could hang onto the SQ washer and use it for those jobs.  That's about all they're good for, and be sure to keep the extra rinse switch on all the time if your machine has one.

 

[littlegreeny]

LG makes excellent washers. What cycle were you using? And musty laundry is a sure sign you're using too much detergent. For the LG, you'd need to use no more than 2 tablespoons of he detergent.

 

[yogitunes]

I hear the Washboard is making a comeback!

 

[lorainfurniture]

2 washers

I had the same predicament. If you want clean shirts you need a top loader, preferably an older one, or the Maytag commercial. Keep the LG for bulky items

I currently have a similar set up and it’s working out great for me and the family. Only 2 kids here but we still manage to do a load or 2 a day.

 

[lorainfurniture]

Oh, and honestly, the speed queen front loader is very reliable, but from a performance standpoint it’s just ok.

 

[wft2800]

Miele. Go for the W1 if you want tons of features, steam etc, or the Little Giant if you just want commercial durability. The bigger Octoplus machines seem to be hit-and-miss in terms of whether you can find someone willing to sell one to private homes. Pricey, but then they'll last you more-or-less forever.

Alternatively, if you can't afford to spend that kind of money (Miele Little Giant washer and heat-pump condensing dryer runs to about $8k USD), upgrade to a TOL Maytag or LG front-loader... but the dryer will still be vented, it seems, rather than condensing (with or without heat-pump). Considering the USA pioneered the condensing dryer with the Frigidaire Filtrator, I've never understood this...

 

[jkbff]

A modern washer worth buying is the Electrolux 627 set. I sell the lux's more than I sell anything else in this store. My customers love them.

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[thomasortega]

Well, I'm about to release a fully automatic HATL washer...
Internal heater, 1400 rpm spin speed (variable), decent "old school" water levels, 5 deep rinses and it can wash a king size duvet.

It will reach the market in October.

And in January we plan to release the same washer with a drying cycle (condensing)

 

[jerrod6]

To Lorainfurniture

Why do you say that you need a top loader if you want clean shirts?

 

[norgeway]

In my opinion...

Yes...BUT, To get a good washer you need to buy a commercial bolt down front loader for a laundromat, then you will have something worth using that will use enough water to actually work!If money was NO object, I would have one of the smaller Milnors, they run forever and they WASH!

 

[pierreandreply4]

my toughs

here are my toughs how about a good old fashion direct drive top load washer with matching dryer for smaller loads and for larger loads a front load that way you would also have the option of doing 2 loads at once like for example bedding top load washer comforters in the front load washer

 

[superocd]

I just use Bulky/Bedding on all my cycles. It's the cycle that best imitates the way old style front loaders washed before the DOE stepped in and thought that even front loaders used too much water (since the beginning, front loaders were always "high efficency" or at least water efficient before the term was even coined. Even when the water was a third of the way up the door they still used less water than a top load machine of similar capacity, that's just basic science).

My FL washer is a Kenmore built by LG. The water level on Bulky/Bedding fills up to the lip of the inner drum, which is plenty of water almost like the older front loaders yet is still water efficient because it would take two or three of those cycles to equal one cycle of a traditional top loader. I've found that "Normal" dampens the clothes but they are not sloshing through water, which concerns me, so I don't use it. I suppose Normal is fine for a really small load, but not a full one. I never use Express Wash.

I've heard rumors about the DOE clampung down again on water use in front loaders, sometime next year I think. I hope not. I don't see how FLers could be made to use less water. They're fine as-is.

 

[meldew]

Thanks

So y’all have given me something to think about... the LG didn’t have a turbo wash. I used whites/extra hot/extra water and it would “weigh” my load and easily be over two hours. Then I’d put clothes in the dryer and find that they still smelled like teenage boy after heating up... so another round in the washer.

I need to have a matched set because unfortunately I sold the LG dryer. I don’t care for the SQ dryer. And the washer and dryer are located in a hall off the kitchen and very visible so if we’ve got to see them I’d at least like them to look nice.

I would consider two washers but I don’t actually have a laundry room and the closet where they’re located is too small of course. Maybe someday.

So I have someone who wants to buy the SQ set. And I have got to buy something ASAP. Sounds like the Miele and similar are out of my price range.

If I could get an LG that would use enough water I’d do that. Or try to find the Maytag commercial top loader. Does that fill completely with water?

Not sure is sears still in business for Kenmore brand? My options here are Lowe’s, Home Depot, Best Buy, maybe Sears. There’s a small independent appliance shop but they really push Frigidaire so I don’t know if I should trust them. I could order online from Amazon etc.

I need: something that washes quick. Something that uses enough water. Something large capacity would be nice. I’ll see what’s available locally. If the SQ sells this weekend I’ll be in a rush.

 

[ea56]

I had an LG FL a few years ago, that didn’t have Turbo Wash, and that was my mistake for not realizing it would make so much differnce. It just didn’t use enough water, even with the Water Plus option. And it took forever to complete a load because it was so sensitive about going into a spin.

So, in 12-16, I bought a Maytag MVWC415EW at Lowes, and the matching Maytag Electric dryer. I have been very pleased with both. The each load finishes on 50-60 mins, depending on soil level and whether a presoak is selected, which adds about 10 mins. It has never become unbalanced, or failed to go into a spin right when its supposed to. I wash most loads with hot water, and if I use the Turbo Wash cycle the hot water isn’t dumbed down, its tap hot. The Power Wash, Deep Water Wash and Bulky cycles all fill to cover the load, whatever amount is needed. I use Power and Deep cycles the most. There is quite enough water used to really get the clothes clean, while not being wasteful. And it does a fill rinse, not just a spray rinse on these cycles, so a 2nd rinse has never been necessary. This model is no longer sold, but the closest replacement is the MVWC416EW, also at Lowes.

I know many here may disagree with me, but I have been very happy with this Maytag Cennenial set. And from the description of how the Maytag Commercial machine works, it sounds very similar to mine.

Since 1972, I’ve owned 23 different washing machines of all types. There are 2 automatics that are my favorite, this current Maytag and the 87’ Westinghouse FL that I owned and used for 7 trouble free years. The other 2 favorites were a used Maytag Wringer, my first washer and a Maytag A50 Twin Tub.

I think you would be happy with the Maytag Commercial, or the model similar to mine at Lowes.

And BTW, I can wash kingsize bedspreads, comforters, mattress pads and blankets, with no problem. They saturate completly during the fill, so there are no floating bubbled up areas, they stay fully submerged, and spin with out going out of balance. But I do need to reareange these larger items once or twice during drying, but thats not unusual for most dryers with these kind of loads.

HTH
Eddie

[this post was last edited: 7/21/2018-22:05]

 

[superocd]

My Kenmore FL gets a load done around an hour on Bulky/Bedding on "Heavy" soil level, about 50 minutes if you just leave the soil level at its default, "Normal" (soil levels just modify the wash time and AFAIK has nothing to do with water levels). The Bulky cycle is the cycle that uses more water and, ironically, is the cycle that takes the least amount of time out of all the others (excluding Quick Wash). The Bulky/Bedding cycle on a Kenmore/LG front loader is in line with the amount of time that other modern machines would take on a wash cycle.

AFAIK Bulky/Bedding does not spend time weighing the load. It starts purging the detergent, then goes on to fill, then goes into wash. The only caveat is that the firmware on the machine will not let you use max spin speed on Bulky/Bedding, however, I can still dry a load of cotton towels in 35-40 minutes no problem.

On the normal cycle, it can take about 1.5 hours or more. Between the lengthened wash time and the fact that it does not add enough water for the clothes to tumble through as it should in a front loading machine, I just avoid using it.

I do wish there was a straightforward filling method, since it spends a few minutes from purging the detergent to the end of the fill, but maybe there's a purpose for the way it does it. One other thing that annoys me is the fact that it goes on-off-on-off with the water so much during the purge. That made me run out to get hammer arresters in short order.