Lady Kenmore W&D Matching Avocado Set: $100 (Smithfield, VA)

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This was the first edition of center dial LKs--had the 4 separate auxilliary knobs that wer emorphed into soak/prewsh/extra rinse options into one single knob.
 
That is a very nice set indeed!  I'm scouting an avocado green laundry set for a friend, but they sure aren't seen very often up here.  For $100, this is a great deal!
 
Now I'm confused. This set is the unshaded version of Avocado, which I thought was introduced with the '77 models. From late Winter through early Summer of '76, I would work part-time for my mom's friend Faye, helping unload trucks and sort orders at the Sears Catalog Merchant store she operated. They had a set just like this on display, but I'm nearly certain it was the shaded Avocado finish. I thought GE was the first to have the unshaded colors, available as of late Fall of '76. Was Kenmore/Whirlpool ahead of them with this?
 
See my reply #2 in this thread indicating these were the very first center dial LKs. These weren't worthy of the LK moniker because of no pizzaz--no infinite water level, no push buttons for cycles, just a glorified alphabet/timer based cycle selection that emerged in the early 1960s and the LK dryer wa the onlh model with a medium dry heat. I couldn't consider putting my hard earned money down on these because they were so pathetic as LKs.
 
Thanks for the info Bob.  The subject washer seems to have fewer features than my mom's '74 KM, which was the next model down from the LK.  Hers had all of the cycle options and settings as the LK, plus infinite water level and even had a corner-mounted detergent dispenser (for powder only) as well as bleach and FS dispensers, though they were all under the lid.
 
I’m a big fan of the 1974 and 1975 models under the LK because I like the type of console they used. Even the one with the options mounted above the timer. They definitely had a few more flexible features versus the new for 1976 LK models.
 
Black face center dial Lady Kenmores

While I agree that these machines look like quite a cheaper version of the previous Lady Kenmores they still did everything the Lady Kenmores did the year before except having a fluorescent light.

It certainly wasn’t any big deal and it only had four water levels that’s all Maytag ever had at this point, and you don’t need more than four levels on the washer anyway lol

And by any stretch of the imagination this pair of 76 Lady Kenmores we’re better than any other washer pair sold in the United States in performance capacity etc.

In 1976 the American home appliance manufacturers Association got together and decided to get rid of the color shading on all appliances.

This served two purposes it reduced production cost greatly and consumers had Long complained that they couldn’t buy a KitchenAid dishwasher in a GE refrigerator and maybe a Kelvinator stove and have them match , this solved that problem.

John L

All the manufactures change to non-shaded over the next year some did it faster than others that was up to the manufacture to figure out I guess but it was all done by 1977 models.
 
Thanks for posting these Phil!! They arrived today and while they are not perfect they’re in pretty good shape for being 45 years old. I’ve been in my house for 18 years and except for a few early months I had a 1971 copper tone Whirlpool standard capacity set on the service porch. I’ve acquired many machines over the years but I think these may be the next set to be installed in the house. I took the Whirlpool washer out of service about 2 years ago because it needed bearings and I just never found the time to do the job.

I’m not sure if it’ll get done but my plan is to rebuild the Lady Kenmores this weekend and put them in the house. I believe they were in a weekend home and did not see heavy use. However there is some cosmetic damage to the bottom right corner of the washer due to chlorine bleach use in the dispenser. I think after a rebuild they will last for many years to come. The dryer has the drying rack and the coating on the drum is in decent shape.
 
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