criswan
Member
So some of you have been following our Speed Queen saga in another post, but that's a horse if a different color... We recently purchased the Kenmore 29132 HE Top Load Washer and matching gas dryer to replace the SQs.
Our criteria was
1. Decent capacity.
2. Excellent cleaning ability.
3. Ability to handle dog hair.
4. At least one short cycle.
I originally wanted the Kenmore Elite Front loaders with the over 5 cu ft capacity but they would not fit in our laundry room upstairs. We will have a set of Maytag Maxima front loaders in the basement to handle secondary loads. We looked at the Cabrio 8500, the machine this is based on, but the Kenmore was $300 cheaper and had the spray technology in the impeller. As the wash cycle begins there is a fan spray that recirculates the detergent water and there are nine spray holes in the impeller to saturate underneath. It seems to be a great feature with one caveat which I will mention in the end. We got the standard Sears one year warranty and added a 4 year Square Trade warranty to it for less than $200 for the pair.
We have run 5 loads in 24 hours and so far I am fairly impressed. They are quieter than our previous Bravos XL top load set and in fact, you cannot even here the spin cycle it is near silent. Vibration is no issue at all as our floors are completely level. I washed some whites, colors, two dog beds, darks, and towels with prints. Everything came out fresh, clean, and it did in the stains on the white tee's. Quick cycle took 33 minutes with FB added. The Deep Fill option fully submerged the dog beds and the bedding cycle easily handled the towels. Lots if blooming, lots of movement. Some twisting I'd the clothes after the spin as expected. The sprays are fun to watch.
Speaking of the sprays I have learned that Persil Pro Clean is unfortunately seemingly incompatible with this machine and possibly the whole new generation of Whirlpool top loaders in this style. Due to the recirculating sprays, 1-1.5oz of either liquid or perls locks the machine up tight with a suds error. We have super soft water and I never had sudding issues in the Maxima's but it seems the sprays turn Persil into pure foam. I called Henkel this morning and they are putting in a manufacturing report based on my bottle numbers and said they will investgate. They are sending me a check for the cost of the 3 bottles which I told then was unnecessary as the bottles would get donated to a dog shelter or needy family. Anyway, in each case, I had to rinse and spin and start the laid over. I had no problems with Cheer HE powder, Tide BA Turbo, Tide Turbo pods, or Oxiclean Detergent Powder. Yes I ran the gauntlet in using different detergents for different loafs. Lol.
I will add more info as I continue to use them and investigate this new style. So far, so good.
Our criteria was
1. Decent capacity.
2. Excellent cleaning ability.
3. Ability to handle dog hair.
4. At least one short cycle.
I originally wanted the Kenmore Elite Front loaders with the over 5 cu ft capacity but they would not fit in our laundry room upstairs. We will have a set of Maytag Maxima front loaders in the basement to handle secondary loads. We looked at the Cabrio 8500, the machine this is based on, but the Kenmore was $300 cheaper and had the spray technology in the impeller. As the wash cycle begins there is a fan spray that recirculates the detergent water and there are nine spray holes in the impeller to saturate underneath. It seems to be a great feature with one caveat which I will mention in the end. We got the standard Sears one year warranty and added a 4 year Square Trade warranty to it for less than $200 for the pair.
We have run 5 loads in 24 hours and so far I am fairly impressed. They are quieter than our previous Bravos XL top load set and in fact, you cannot even here the spin cycle it is near silent. Vibration is no issue at all as our floors are completely level. I washed some whites, colors, two dog beds, darks, and towels with prints. Everything came out fresh, clean, and it did in the stains on the white tee's. Quick cycle took 33 minutes with FB added. The Deep Fill option fully submerged the dog beds and the bedding cycle easily handled the towels. Lots if blooming, lots of movement. Some twisting I'd the clothes after the spin as expected. The sprays are fun to watch.
Speaking of the sprays I have learned that Persil Pro Clean is unfortunately seemingly incompatible with this machine and possibly the whole new generation of Whirlpool top loaders in this style. Due to the recirculating sprays, 1-1.5oz of either liquid or perls locks the machine up tight with a suds error. We have super soft water and I never had sudding issues in the Maxima's but it seems the sprays turn Persil into pure foam. I called Henkel this morning and they are putting in a manufacturing report based on my bottle numbers and said they will investgate. They are sending me a check for the cost of the 3 bottles which I told then was unnecessary as the bottles would get donated to a dog shelter or needy family. Anyway, in each case, I had to rinse and spin and start the laid over. I had no problems with Cheer HE powder, Tide BA Turbo, Tide Turbo pods, or Oxiclean Detergent Powder. Yes I ran the gauntlet in using different detergents for different loafs. Lol.
I will add more info as I continue to use them and investigate this new style. So far, so good.
