Is there any classic machine you dislike or hate?

[mattl]

I always look at the Picture of the Day and 99% of the time I like the machines. But today's mid 70's Kenmores elicited an instant dislike. Something about them I find annoying, don't know if it's the angled control panels, but there is noting I find attractive or worthy of wanting to save if I came across these units. I'd guess I'd call them crush worthy for lack of a better term. Just my personal feeling, they may be someone else's dream machines.

Ok, anyone else have some dislikes?

 

[gmmcnair]

Post GM Frigidaire...

....the first WCI Frigidaire washers were dreck in my opinion. I loved GM Frigidaire washers....my cousin's 1-18 was awesome, and my grandmother's Rollermatic was a great machine as well. WCI scrapped a long history of innovatively designed, quality machines, and replaced them with something that didn't wash that well, didn't hold as many clothes, and couldn't even do a decent job of extracting the water. And they rusted out....quickly....or at least every model I've seen had a terminal case of rust. I've seen Maytags, GE's, and belt drive Whirlpools of the same age that are still almost pristene. Even the Fedders/Magic Chef Norge machines of that era fared better, and they washed and extracted water well.

 

Just my opinion....sorry if I offended anyone who likes those machines.

 

[foraloysius]

Norge

I bet I do a better job at offending... lol

At the first convention in 2001 I got acquainted with so many American machines. I liked them all except for that noisy Norge Robert had in his basement. It didn't turn over the laundry either, so I found it much ado about nothing.

Apologies on forehand to the Norge fans!

Louis

 

[gmmcnair]

Norge...

...I never had any problem with turnover in the Norge machines, but I hear ya on the racket they made.  Back in the 80's, we sent one back to Montgomery Ward and replaced it with a BD Kenmore because it was just so stinking LOUD. (That and the fact that a slightly unbalanced load and the washer would walk out to greet you).

 

[mixfinder]

Kenmore

As a child the few appliances we had were BOL Sears.  I identified them with poor people.  As a teen I worked for Sears through the Decca program at school.  We all got canned when the lead service man was exposed for stealing, hardly fair.  As an adult I deplore their policies on race and diversity.  Factually I am weary of the double dip on service and parts, just buy the machine from the original manufacturer and leave Sears out of the loop.

 

[appnut]

that noisy Norge Robert had in his basement

Luigi, you are right about it being quite poor in rollover unless way underloaded.  Can you imagine an entire laundromat full of these thihngs in the late 1950s and early 1960s? 

 

[rp2813]

Put me down for Norge/Signature.  I don't mind a washer making noise when it's pleasant and provides an indication that it's a very well-made machine, but the noise from a Norge speaks volumes about their poor design and resulting unreliability.  Just the worst machines I've ever had the displeasure to experience.

 

Norge deserves to "win" this survey by a landslide.

 

[polkanut]

Ralph,

Nate is going to slap the $&#% out of you for those slanderous remarks! lol

 

[combo52]

WORST WASHERS AND DRYERS

I would vote for all the WCI stuff 1970s through Frigidare TLers today.

 

The solid tub Norges were not great at turning big loads but they did wash well anyway and after the big tub models came out in 1963 the performance with big loads was very good.

 

As far as disappointing performance goes almost all MT washers & dryers. While I have 6 sets of MTs from 1950- the 2000s none of them is good enough to make it into my home laundry room for regular use. The closest one would be the last helical drive washers with the load sensor agitators as they finely got the belt tension system working so the drive belt didn't slip when trying to wash a large load.

 

Actually the only MT branded laundry appliances that will be in the main laundry room are the gas MT drying cabinet dryer and the MT Neptune TL touch screen washer and these two are really out of the Norge plant. I selected these not so much for superior performance but because they do things that no other laundry appliances do.

 

[norgeway]

MAYTAG!

I have never understood what all the hoopla is about,yes they lasted forever, but the reason was they dont work fast enough to ever wear out, I say the BEST washer ever is the later Norges, they agitate about twice as fast as a Tag.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Matt, you are right. Those Kenmores were butt-ugly; sort of a step between the ultra-cheap Capri brand even Sears was too embarrassed to call Kenmores and the rest of the Kenmore lineup.

Speaking of Sears policies, I remember being told in 1971 that Sears Allstate Insurance would cancel your policy immediately with no explanation, no grace period, nothing, if they found out you were gay.

 

[pierreandreply4]

me i would say tha the best washer dryer set i have known to last longer than today 's models would be inglis whirlpool because my grandmother evndo she change her dryer this year had an inglis whirlpool dryer that lasted 40 years from the 70 to 2010 picture included as proof.

 

[turquoisedude]

I never had a Roy appliance that was any good! They were low-end Canadian models, made by the Gibson branch of WCI. I had a washer in a rental unit and I swear that I moved because of that blasted machine (and it's matching flamethrower range... LOL)

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

I'm just being the devil's advocate here:

Sears: Why did EVERYBODY buy a SEARS KENMORE???? So over-rated!!!!

Maytag: Good machine, but why no infinite water level on the center-dial design?

Norge, Mont. Wards, etc. Definitely "clunker" machines, though later models improved considerably! (Maybe because my mom owned a Bradford, which reportedly had that design, according to her; though it was really manufactured by Franklin)

Speed Queen: The stainless steel tub & drum could definitely be used as a planter, when the machine, usually not as pristine, wore out...

WCI-built, Frigidaire, Gibson, Kelvinator & White-Westinghouse: Bring back "the real deal", especially the non-WHITE Westy's...! (So disapointed, when "White" got added, as I was when "Product of General Motors" & "Product of American Motors" disappeared...!)

Hotpoint: The carbon-copied GE models w/ the lid opening towards the back! The left-opening lids, to me, are more greatly preferred!

So what washers & dryers DO I like?

Whirlpool, CUSTOM CRAFTED Hotpoint (w/ LEFT-opening lids) & General Electric (though don't care for "SOIL" on the timer dial of the stuff manufactured by GE...)

-- Dave

 

[gmmcnair]

Sears: Why did EVERYBODY buy a SEARS KENMORE???? So over-rat

In my neck of the woods....easy credit (if you were a white male).

 

[rp2813]

Tim, Nate's Norge is long gone.  It began peeing out oil onto the floor in short order -- which came as no surprise to me. 

 

As for the topic, there are going to be trade-offs with almost any brand of machine.  This isn't about machines that do a good or not so good job of cleaning clothes, it's about machines we just plain hate for one reason or another.  I love the dependability, durability, simplicity of design, and build quality of the helical Maytags, and the sound of them running through their cycles.  Some may say they don't wash well, but I'd rather have one of those Maytags than a Norge any day.

 

If you like buying washers and earplugs, buy a Norge.  If you just want to buy one machine and be done with it, buy a Maytag.  We're talking vintage, of course.

 

[akronman]

Sears credit

Sears-Kenmore credit is what kept my folks coming back for 30 years of raising 7 kids, so Kenmore was the usual brand of laundry, kitchen appliances, etc. Also, Sears distribution and delivery and repair helped. It shouldn't be any surprise that Sears Kenmore outsold everyone year after year.

Personally, my favorite vintage washer (from the large tub era) is GE Filter-Flo, great washing, great rinsing, variable cycles, etc. My Maytag is NOT as aggressive, but it DOES turn over any load I've ever tried, and I do believe it may outlast me.
On the other hand, this thread is about machines we HATE. I haven't found that one yet, fortunately.

 

[washerlover]

I agree with the over-rated Kenmores...the Penta-Swirl agitator did nothing for any kind of turnover.

Sorry kids, I'm an avid Norge/Wards lover and like to hear that a washing machine is doing its job! Clunks, bangs and all!

 

[gansky1]

Some of us have joked that if there were any given number of appliance lovers in the same room with a BOL direct-drive Kenmore washer from last year, we'd all stand around it watching every twitch the machine made!

 

Can't say as there is any machine I really dislike completely, they all have their charm when viewed in a collection of machines.  That said, there are probably a scant few that I would consider using as a daily driver with no other choices. 

 

Fondly (and aptly) named "The Pig", this is one I would dread as an "only" washer.  It's absolutely a brutal horror show on clothing fibers with the strong agitation and the devil-wing fins at the top of the agitator.  It's loud, clunky, relatively cheaply made but it's still fascinating to watch.  Huge capacity for a solid-basket washer and by almost shaving fiber from the clothing, it does get things clean. 

 

 

 

[gansky1]

Wizard agitation:
 
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Wizard spinning: (wrong orientation with the iPhone, but you get the point

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[maytagbear]

Not fond of

GE Filter-Flo.  However, and this is big: I only have used coin-op Filter Flo's.  To me, a Filter-Flo was what one bought when one didn't know enough to buy Maytag or Whirlpool.

 

 

If I could only have a vintage washer (and not my lovely Dependable Care,) I would have an 806 center dial.  Again, real Maytags never did anything perfectly, as much as they did nothing poorly. 

 

 

Maytag hatas can suck my left  ELBOW.

 

 

 

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[peterh770]

Nothing to dislike completely, but some really big disappointments...

Solid tub Hotpoint... Such a pretty agitator. But the turnover was poor with the load sliding up and down the ramps with nothing at the bottom to push them out. And the sympathetic indexing didn't help. Too bad...

Flex-A-Wash Philco... When they made the tub bigger and changed the agitator, they really lost it. The downward folds of the flapper overpower the outward folds. There isn't enough power to push the load forward and up. So the downward fold mold the load into a donut that gets power-kneaded at the bottom of the tub. "But look how much room there is to add more!" Not...

While the Wizard pig is pretty sad, I'd be the one standing there and holding the tub still to get a better wash. Good thing the agitator is fairly undersized, but it is spunky and vigorous...

 

[roto204]

Norge

I'd have another Norge in an instant; that's been our favorite top-loader to date.  I didn't say quietest  That MW machine was just a hair worn-out.

 

I mostly hate the orbital Maytags.  They make the older units with the long-stroke tranny seem like capacity champs.  They're the bane of my existence in any coin-op laundromat, because they hold two socks, a T-shirt, and a hanky.  But even the big-tub units have to be very underloaded to turn the load over, and sometimes I felt like the "all action must stop" lid helped avoid people seeing the truth.  

 

Our Kelvinator Franklin was awesome.  My Frigidaire with the short vanes was not.  Seems like it's all about the agitator, sometimes.

 

[dogboy44]

Kenmore never did it for me

My parents always condidered it an off brand, and it kind of was.  I remember they were plentiful growing up as Sears had a reputation for good service.  I never liked the neutral drain on the whirlpool or kenmore.  thought that anything floating on the top of the wash water, would just be blanketed back over the laundry when it drained, but i suppose it was easier on the transmission not having to spin so much water out?  Any thoughts?  Whirlpool made/makes Kenmore, did they do the designs as well?  They did have some pretty snazzy dashboards back in the 50's/60's 

 

[polkanut]

None of our family on either side had or has any use for Kenmore products.  The Sears store in Wausau was for many years notoriously rude to city & farm folks alike.  Both sides of my family tend to be rather clannish in that respect.  As far as laundry appliances are concerned, GE, Maytag, and Speed Queen were and still are predominant.  Other appliance choices are all over the board.

 

[sudsreturn]

From a UK point of view...

Hmmmm, not sure. Vintage here in the UK is mainly to do with single and twin tubs as automatic were not really widely sold until the early 80's. Well, again as someone metioned, it is all about the agitator with me. I HATE the Hotpoint twin tub and top loader agi, as it is spiral, and it tends to waggle the loads back and forth, no turn over, but the wash tub is a decent size, and the spinners are good. I would love to get hold of the English Electric agitator as they fit into a hotpoint tt/toploader and they are quite simple in design with four fins. Servis twin tubs are good, although again, the tub isnt deep or wide enough for a good turn over, the agitator is VERY similar to the vintage Speed Queen machines in the US, but with a sqaure tub...... Nah.

 

[xraytech]

for me it is the Maytag, I just find them so humdrum and boring both in action and cosmetics, also not a fan of whirlpool even though they are a bit better looking.

My preferance is the Filter Flo, I just love those buttons, switches, lighted control and the mini-wash, Speed Queen would be my second choice since they arent as snazzy as some of the Filter-Flos

 

[washerlover]

Not liking the Maytag action, either. Kind of a snoozer. But I do have one in my collection just for variety. We were strictly a Wards family, so everyone's washday was exciting and noisy! (a photo for your viewing pleasure before I scrubbed the lint filter)

 

[norgeway]

The Reason Why!

I am not a Tag fan, as a kid my Dads sister had a 63 Custom Imperial Frigidaire, Moms Sister had a 67 Maytag 606 large capacity, we had a 55 Pulsamatic and then a 69 Custom Deluxe Frigidaire, the next door neighbor had a 63 Lady Kenmore, I clearly remember the sound of the Kenmore, plus all its bells and whistles, then aunt Mables Custom Imperial fascinated me, all those cycles and that washing action, I clearly remember her packing it full of clothes and them rolling over and over,Aunt Jeans Maytag was a terrible letdown, I remember the first time I figured out how to trip the safety switch,I expected action like the kenmore or Frigidaire, but there set the clothes, just gently moving back and forth with little turnover,in my 7 or 8 year old mind I remember thinking, I knew why they made it so hard to watch it operate, because if you ever saw a Frigidaire wash, you surely wouldnt buy the Maytag, and now at 45, I still think the same thing, yes they are quiet, yes they last, but if you have really nasty work clothes ,or a bunch of kids that play outside, about anything is a better choice, sorry if all you Tag folks take offense but that is my 2 cents worth.

 

[autowasherfreak]

My favorite brand was/is Whirlpool.  We had two belt drives on from 1972/3 and one from 82/83, and they were the best washers we ever had.  The one from 1972/73 would have lasted longer if hadn't rusted out, which was totally my fault, I would hose down the basement floor every couple of weeks, which caused the washer to rust out prematurely.  The 82/83 model was give to a friend when my mom moved out her house in the early 90's and was still running in 2004 with only a few minor repairs.  I bought a Whirlpool direct drive 14 lb machine in 1990, I didn't care much for that at all, lousy roll over, unless it was a small load.

 

I even liked my WP World Washer portable, did a wonderful job of cleaning for such a small machine.  I wasn't a huge fan of Maytag until I got my A606.  It may not be the fanciest of of machines, or the prettiest machine, but it's dependable.  We had a GE Filter Flo, for several months before we go the second Whirlpool in 82/83, not bad for a smaller capacity machine, and I always like the clank, clank after each spin cycle.  I could hear it upstairs in the kitchen and when I heard the second clank, clank, I knew the cycle was complete.

 

I had a TOL Kenmore direct drive in 93/94, that was a great machine.  I had to give it up when I moved into an apartment, mom kept it in the basement of the tavern she worked at for a couple years in case I moved into a house and could use it again, but after that she sold to  young couple that had recently married and needed them more than I did.

 

I was really disappointed in my Frigidaire Gallery front loader only lasting about 6 years.  Some friends of mine had a MOL Kenmore that was used for a family of four, and was used almost every day, and the only problems they really had were with belts, and the water inlet valves because they lived on a farm and had very hard well water.