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[ryner1988]

The front load vs. top load debate will go on and on until both sides are left screaming into the void. I think it's safe to say we all have washers we like and ones we don't. That's what's so great about this board -- so many different opinions and a wealth of knowledge to bring to the table. It'd be a pretty boring world if we all thought things should be done the same wouldn't it?

 

[panasonicvac]

I definitely agree with you, it would suck living in a place where everything is exactly the same. And I also agree that there is no ending battle between what is better between a top loader and a front loader. Both have it's pros and cons from my experience. In the end, we just use what we like the best. As for me, I'm a type of person that would love to have both a top loader and a front loader in my house. We did it at our last cabin before and I really liked that idea. But if it all had to come down to this where if I was given a choice to keep only one washer in the whole wide world and use it for the rest of my life, what would it be and why? It would be my Kenmore 90 Series. I love that thing so much, it is my all time favorite. I think it's what really got me into laundry in the first place. And there's a good chance that I may end up using that machine for the rest of my life since it's the only washer that I own.

 

[appnut]

Y'all remember when I got that original Fridgemore FLer in October 2006? It was like 3.0 or 3.2 cu. ft. and it held as much, if not more than the Lady Shredmore.

 

[ea56]

Bob,
those Frigidaire FL’s from the late 90’s early 2000’a were really very good machines. If they still made FL’s like those I’d have one in a hot second. They were relatively fast, cleaned excellently and weren’t temperamental about going into a spin AND maintaining a spin. I owned two of these, should have never gotten rid of the last one.

Eddie

 

[windrivers]

Reply #19

John, you say "There is no evidence that these new machines only last 1/3 as long...". Yet pretty much anyone who has owned both machines can tell you that new machines are not likely to last anywhere as long. I used 1/3 as an example, who knows whether it's exactly 1/3, but I don't see how you can deny what many call "planned obsolescence" and deny that it's wasteful. And then, isn't it you who states that a Speed Queen front loader will last twice as long as a Speed Queen top loader as if it's a fact? Where's your evidence for that?

Then you go on to talk about how much better and energy efficient machines are just by the virtue of being lighter. Again, comparing a SQ TL to a SQ FL, which one weighs something like 70 pounds more? Surely not the physics defying FL. Exactly what machines are you talking about that "weigh half as much" that are saving so much energy? Or are you just using "half as much" in the same way as I used the 30% figure that you attempt to discredit?

Styrofoam plates weigh a fraction of the cost of china plates. So they're more environmentally friendly? Especially considering you don't waste water washing them, or waste energy heating that water. Or maybe you're using only disposable plastic plates that are 100% recyclable using no resources?

 

[qsd-dan]

Most of the weight savings isn't geared for the purpose of customer or the environment, it's for shipping materials from other countries, specifically 3rd world countries....mainly China. I'd rate recyclability as a strong priority of being environmentally friendly as well. Plastic is certainly not one of them. All of those good old machines from the past were made from quality, virgin metal and are very recycle friendly. What happened to all of those millions of plastic outer tubs is DD Whirlpool/Kenmore machines that people threw out? Probably sitting in landfills leaching toxins into our water supply, screwing around with out endocrine functions.

 

I'd also rate longevity and reparability as environmental pluses. Back in the 90's, it was still easy to obtain most parts and repair most machines back to the 50's, at least from the Big 3 (Whirlpool/Kenmore, Maytag, GE). Today, lots of parts are obsoleted after 10 years from end of production, if not sooner.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

GE filter-flo or whirlpool

Give me a GE filter-flo or a whirlpool clean touch any day of the week. none of these new machines will get your clothes clean in a gallon of water. I am so sick and tired of these energy and water restrictions. I just want clean clothes! I don't care about the environment! You can't have both!

 

[windrivers]

You can't have both!

At the risk of getting off topic, I'm not so sure. I think good policies and some sense could take care of both. But right now, despite what ever the intentions may be, we're getting neither.

I'll leave it there, but I understand what you're saying.

 

[slb77]

From the parts breakdown looks like they're still using that stupid plastic hub, yet I've come across some newer vmw machines that have metal hubs in the basket held down with a spanner nut. I have seen several of those plastic hubs strip out, i believe the quick ramp up in spin may be partially to blame, every other topload slowly ramps up to speed or goes up in steps, the programming in the controls in any of the mvwp machines tries to imitate a traditional transmission driven toploader too much for the lightweight plastic parts in those machines. Only good thing about the vmw transmission is at least it doesn't spray oil out all over the place like the GE toploaders do. Haven't seen a GE yet that didn't have oil all over the belt and pulleys from the gearcase.

 

[ryner1988]

Reply #21

I thought you had an LG front loader as your daily driver...maybe I'm thinking of someone else?

 

[panasonicvac]

That's right, it's currently the washer that I'm using but it's not mine.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

GE washer

Which GE washer are you talking about? Are you talking about the newest models?

 

[slb77]

Any of the belt drive GTW series machines, both with steel and plastic gearcases. As far as i can tell there must be a vent somewhere that lets a little oil seep out. I've seen GE troubleshooting tips that say on those models if you get out of balance issues and it is due to belt slippage (because of the oil getting on the belt and pulley which also causes the belt to stretch) to just replace the belt and clean up the pulley. I have a GTW525ACPWB and even mine does that, just replaced the belt on it a few weeks ago because it started slipping, on a year and a half old machine, but still would take that over one of these maytags. At least the GE uses a steel gearcase, and metal basket hub. Only downside to the GE to some people would be that it does not have a dual action agitator but it wouldn't be too hard to get the base and auger from sat a GTW465 and swap it into the 525.