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Wow! Thank you for taking the time to scan in and post that KitchenAid brochure. The Electronic set is the same machine as my Whirlpool Electronic set is, the controls are different, but underneath it's the same machine. Has anyone ever seen one of those KitchenAid electronic control sets? I didn't even know KA made them. I'm guessing this brochure is from 1993 or so.

I love how they tout the "gentleness" of the rinse. It's still a Shredmore underneath!
 
Like how KA promotes the polypropeleyne drum--I had to have mine replaced under warranty when I had a KN DD machine.And at the swap shop-the main reason Mr Dixon scraps these machines is becuase of outer drum failures-looked at some in his scrap pile-the plastic gets hairline cracks in it-give me the metal outer drum any day!And yes that KA DD is still a---SHREDMORE-or is it "Shred-aid"!Like the happy faces on the clothes pictured in the KA washer and unhappy ones in the Maytag-and the "Bladeless" Maytag agitator in the animated picture.I think the happy faces should be in the Maytag-not the KA!
 
Thankyou Aldspinboy!

This was fantastic reading! Have never seen a kitchenaid washer or dryer here in Australia - so I appreciate your efforts in posting all these brochure pics! Love them!

Cheers Ste.
 
The KitchenAid washer is very different than the standard Shredmore. It is the same machine, but it's not really the same machine. Similar underpinnings, but all except the BOL KA washers utilized a longer agitator stroke with a slower wash speed, and a larger agitator base than the standard Whirlpool or Kenmore. The Kenmore/Whirlpool machines washed at 180 strokes per minute, while the KA washed at 120 at normal and 90 at gentle speed for the model years covered in these brochures. This made for far gentler wash action and a quieter machine. KA carried this wash system through pretty much through the end of the life of their laundry line.
 
These did use the stepped-down agitation speeds - three speed motor runs on medium speed for "normal" agitation, high speed for drain and fast spin and lowest motor speed for low agitate. I love the wash-action of these three speed, larger agitator machines. The earlier KitchenAid washers didn't utilize this speed profile, they had the standard WP/KM agitator (in blue) and had the same strokes/min on normal and low speeds as their WP & KM counterparts. The very earliest KA washers (1986-87) didn't have the auger agitators, they used the straight-vane version (also in blue) that Whirlpool used until the Kenmore rights to the DAA were up in 87-88 or so (?)

My pushbutton rapid-advance control Kitchen Aid never came in a three-speed version, two speed only with smaller agitator (base) and speed selections. When I put that machine back into use again someday, I'm going to try to convert it to a three speed machine w/the larger agitator as I have couple of the KA "Gold Seal" motors around I saved out of other KA's.
 
WP POLYPROPYLENE OUTER TUBS

As a WP sales & service provider for than 35 years I don't think I have replaced more that two plastic tubs for any reason I have never seen hairline cracks in one. The dual action agitator is the best thing that ever happened to top loading washers. Its interesting that even when some people are presented with overwhelming evidence of superiority they just cover thier eyes and say it isn't so. But this sort of explains why we can end up with George bush as president and a common sense health care bill has so much problem passing in this country.
 
Plastic Tubs

My experience with the plastic tubs is that soils will stick to them and cause an array of problems. I think it is a contributing factor in the mold issues in many front loaders.

I have never serviced a whirlpool machine with a plastic tub that didn't have a ring of filth just above the highest water level in the tub. Gross!

Malcolm
 
Sounds like the KA machines weren't the usual DD "Shedmore,"Shredpool"if the KA used longer slower agitator strokes these could be an alternative to the DD KN,WP washers.The KA ones may be worth checking out at the swap shop despite the plastic drums.I don't know what it is around here-but was something like 6 DD KN,WP machines in the swap shop junkpile-and these had the cracked tubs.Hairline cracks that grow to leaky large cracks.Never seen that on the metal drums-they corrode out.I took the scum for granted-wouldn't any machine get this over the years metal or plastic outer drum?I think the scum would depend on the detergent or softners-or even the quality of the water in the area where the washer was used.I am sure there are some scummy metal drums too.Suppose water levels could have something to do with it as well-say frequent low water level loads.
 
KA WASHER AGITATION

KA used the same transmission as all WP built DD washers the stroke length is the same. KA did use a slower speed and larger fins on the agitator which did give a gentler agitation. Note the beloved GE FF washers also use a short fast stroke and it would stand to reason that a shorter stroke would do less fabric damage as the agitator has less possibility of dragging the clothes as much. I would like to see a picture of any type of cracks that formed in use in the outer tubs of a DD washer I have never seen this.Remember WP has built more than 90 million DD washers and are still building more than 10, 000 per day, I have seen broken tubs after the machines have been thrown off the back of a truck as they are discarded.
 

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