It's 1962!

[dirtybuck]

This is a figuratively speaking post.

Your 8 year old Bendix has been on it's last leg for the past 2 months, and now it's finally died. You need a new machine.

You and your "spouse" have been looking at washers. This time you want to go with a top loader. You've looked at GE, Maytag, Norge, etc. The competition has been narrowed down to 3, and those are: Figidaire, Philco and Kelvinator. You've chosen these 3 because of their exclusive agitators (not the usual back and forth one like on the other models).

So, which one would it be? My choice would be the Frigidaire, as it seemed to get the clothes cleaner. The only "problem" it has (from what I've heard and seen) is it leaves the clothes a bit more tangled.

OK...your turn.

 

[mrcleanjeans]

The Frigidaire! By now, the agitator had been "tweaked" to reduce tangling,and correct loading minimizes that anyway!
Those 3 choices all wash about equally well, but the Frigidaire
rinsed a bit better, with the overflow rinse and spun a lot faster. So it has the "edge"!

 

[rollermatic]

gee if it's 1962

i am 7 years old and i would tell my mom to buy the frigidaire!

the washer it would be replacing would be her norge time line automatic.

 

[polkanut]

I'll be the odd man out and vote for Kelvinator. I just loved it when the salesman demo'd the concentric washing action to the little woman and me.

 

[cycla-fabric]

Philco!

Mom get the Philco!

 

[washerlover]

And I didn't enter this world until 1964 but my parents had purchased a Frigidaire Custom Deluxe in 1962 and my grandparents just purchased their first automatic washer and dryer: a matching set Montgomery Ward Signature BOL.

 

[lebron]

I'd get a Frigidaire. When did the rollermatic mechanism come out?

 

[strongenough78]

Hey Mom I have an idea, lets just use the laundromat across town for the next 9 years, then go treat yourself to a brand new Lady Kenmore! LOL

 

[circlew]

Well, like Pete, I had just turned 7, and didn't have enough money to buy a toy washer, let alone a real one. If I had to choose between the ones you mentioned being sold at that time, I'd guess it would be the Frigidaire. I always liked the colored rings on the 3-ring agitator. However, I like the cabinet styling of the GE's better during that time period, and I believe they had come out with the Mini-Basket about that time. I've never cared much for Philco or Kelvinator.

 

[joelippard]

Jed, Rollermatics came out in '65. How is yours coming along?

 

[lebron]

Hey joe, my rollermatic is screwed. I need to find a donor rapid dry 1000 machine for the new spin shaft

 

[lordkenmore]

I wasn't around then, but we'll pretend that I was and an age to buy a new washing machine.
***************************************
My first choice would have been Maytag, assuming the automatic washers already had a history of durability. Certainly, there would be a good reputation for the wringer machines, which, while not the same, does give a possible plus to the newer automatics.

Another thought--how about a wringer machine? It was good enough for Mom back on the farm, and it seemed to last forever, unlike this modern junk!

But since it must be one of the three above, I'm guessing there's a good chance my vote would be for Kelvinator.

Not that I have any real knowledge of these machines, apart from YouTube videos of the Kelvinator and the Frigidaire. But the other two brands have minuses, although not from the view of the washer quality:

-Frigidaire was GM. Assuming that my 1962 self was like my 2010 self, I'd be concerned about GM's sheer size. They had such a large control on the US car market that I'm sure I'd buy elsewhere. If I avoid one company because of their sheer control in one area, I'm likely to avoid them, period.

-Philco had just gone through a bad period. They may have gone bankrupt or close to it. They'd just been bought by Ford, but I'm sure I'd have concerns about what would happen in the long range with the brand. I want to be sure and get more than the 8 years I got with that piece of junk Bendix!

-That leaves Kelvinator. The "under dog" owner of the brand (AMC vs Ford or GM) would certainly appeal. Plus, there is the fact that (unlike Philco) Kelvinator had always been appliances. And one video I saw had a glass lid on the machine, and--assuming this was available equipment in 1962--that would certainly appeal.

Well, I got to go and haul my Bendix to the dump. Maybe I can get a few dollars scrap value.

(No, for those worrying--I'm not taking a Bendix to the dump--I'm just getting into the full "like it's 1962!" mode!)

 

[bajaespuma]

And yes, it was the year the mini-basket was introduced

Would it help to know that in 1962 Consumers Reports rated Maytag #1 and the GE WA750W (pictured below)#2? My first GE was this very V-12 from 1962 and it's one of the 3 machines that began the magnificent obsession. It and its mate lasted more than 16 years without a breakdown, doing more than 3 loads a week for a family of 4+.

View attachment bajaespuma++7-23-2010-15-41-59.jpg

 

[goatfarmer]

Chances are you would still own a running Maytag or GE. The other choices would have been relegated to the trade in pile long ago.

 

[pulltostart]

Ken -

What became of that pair of 1962's that you had? That '62 Filter-Flo in the photo is mine, I'd love to find the dryer mate!

Lawrence

 

[autowasherfreak]

I would probably go with Frigidaire.

 

[norgeway]

KELVINATOR!

And buy about 25 rubber boots, the only part that ever fails!! and boy does it SCRUB your clothes, No gears!! fewer parts= less trouble!

 

[yogitunes]

Does anyone have any of the other years of GE filter flo with the perforated basket....the one in the pic is similar to what my Mom had, but the control panel was mounted direct to the top, not raised, and the toggleswitches had a front lip with descriptions of wash temp and load size.....se got it in 1964 when I was born, But I was curious as to what year it really was from, since she got it on clearance.....to me it was BOL.....only one cycle, 2 water levels, and hot or warm wash...no mini-basket...also the vanes of the V12 agitator faded into the spine rather than stick out all the way up like the V14 and V16....that damn machine would never die, and we had a family of 7 kids....lasted for 21 years in our house until I got a new whirlpool for mom

 

[qsd-dan]

Hmmmm, '62. Well, mom was 5, so not much luck there. I'd like to get an A900 in yellow, but would probably get a YA700 for better flexibility. Of course, coupled with a YDE701 dryer