Looks rough by may scrub up well.
Maytag Porta-Washer
- Thread starter launderess
- Start date
Help Support :
ovrphil
Well-known member
Maytag portable - not often seen?
I've never seen one of these - do they work better than the other commonly posted portables? Does anyone have and use these? They're obviously apartment/small space solutions to washing those under-where the sun don't shine- clothing.
I've never seen one of these - do they work better than the other commonly posted portables? Does anyone have and use these? They're obviously apartment/small space solutions to washing those under-where the sun don't shine- clothing.
Phil,
I bought one of these Maytag A50 twin tub portable washing machines new in ‘77 to replace a Whirlpool Convertible Portable that broke down due to the second failure of the transmission.clutch.
The A50 was IMHO hands down far superior to the Whirlpool. I lived in rentals then, mostly apartments without W/D connections and this A50 did ALL of my laundry for over 4 trouble free years. In concept it’s like using a wringer washer in that you reuse the wash water, washing whites, then light colors, then dark colors. ect. But the beauty of this machine was that in 60 mins I had a week’s worth of laundry washed, rinsed and spun very damp dry. It could handle double bed size blankets and bedspreads without any problems.
In ‘81 I moved into a small rental home that had W/D hookups and gave the A50 to my sister who had an infant at the time. If I didn’t have W/D hookups I’d look for another A50 as a daily driver. They are excellent little machines.
Eddie
I bought one of these Maytag A50 twin tub portable washing machines new in ‘77 to replace a Whirlpool Convertible Portable that broke down due to the second failure of the transmission.clutch.
The A50 was IMHO hands down far superior to the Whirlpool. I lived in rentals then, mostly apartments without W/D connections and this A50 did ALL of my laundry for over 4 trouble free years. In concept it’s like using a wringer washer in that you reuse the wash water, washing whites, then light colors, then dark colors. ect. But the beauty of this machine was that in 60 mins I had a week’s worth of laundry washed, rinsed and spun very damp dry. It could handle double bed size blankets and bedspreads without any problems.
In ‘81 I moved into a small rental home that had W/D hookups and gave the A50 to my sister who had an infant at the time. If I didn’t have W/D hookups I’d look for another A50 as a daily driver. They are excellent little machines.
Eddie
ovrphil
Well-known member
Impresseive and surprised: Post# 1194409 , Reply# 2
It's definitely different, progressing through lights to dark, without changing water? This seems counter to the concept of "washing" the clothes, but then people wash clothes in the Ganges River, don't they? :-/ I'm englightened...another check mark for a Maytag solution. Thank you for all the detail - I live near one of the largest flea markets in the southeast - maybe I'll spot one of these and tell my wife, "But a guy on aw.org said..and we should buy this in case our main washer goes out in the middle of a cycle". (such rarities do happen, I'm sure).
Thanks so much Eddie!
It's definitely different, progressing through lights to dark, without changing water? This seems counter to the concept of "washing" the clothes, but then people wash clothes in the Ganges River, don't they? :-/ I'm englightened...another check mark for a Maytag solution. Thank you for all the detail - I live near one of the largest flea markets in the southeast - maybe I'll spot one of these and tell my wife, "But a guy on aw.org said..and we should buy this in case our main washer goes out in the middle of a cycle". (such rarities do happen, I'm sure).
Thanks so much Eddie!
Phil,
I left out the detail that after you completed washing each successive load, you then drain the tub and refill it with fresh rinse water and rinse each load in the order that they were washed. I found that my laundry came out just as clean and fresh as if it had been washed in an automatic. The washing action of the twin impellers is so vigorous that you only needed to agitate even the most heavily soiled loads for 5 mins.
Eddie
I left out the detail that after you completed washing each successive load, you then drain the tub and refill it with fresh rinse water and rinse each load in the order that they were washed. I found that my laundry came out just as clean and fresh as if it had been washed in an automatic. The washing action of the twin impellers is so vigorous that you only needed to agitate even the most heavily soiled loads for 5 mins.
Eddie
Hi Ovrphil!
Maytag A50 washers with matching dryer have been spoken of many times here in the forum. Several members own or have owned these machines and speak very highly.
Maytag's "Anywhere" washers and dryers were obviously looking to take on twin tub washers and matching dryers by not just Hoover but Speed Queen and a few others who had them on market at time.
While opinions vary many consider Maytag's A50 washer better than Hoover's twin tub on many levels.
Maytag vastly over built their "Porta-Washer" for what it was and it showed in various details. Also the dual impeller system helped cut down on the ban of all such washers; tangling.
Maytag A50 washers with matching dryer have been spoken of many times here in the forum. Several members own or have owned these machines and speak very highly.
Maytag's "Anywhere" washers and dryers were obviously looking to take on twin tub washers and matching dryers by not just Hoover but Speed Queen and a few others who had them on market at time.
While opinions vary many consider Maytag's A50 washer better than Hoover's twin tub on many levels.
Maytag vastly over built their "Porta-Washer" for what it was and it showed in various details. Also the dual impeller system helped cut down on the ban of all such washers; tangling.
As Eddie mentioned key to doing wash with any semi-automatic set up (twin tub, wringer washer, etc...) is organization. Once one gets things sorted and into proper work rhythm can plow through quite a lot of wash in very little time. This and if inclined can save on energy and water use.
mickeyd
Well-known member
For poops and giggles from
"under-where the sun don't shine- clothing."
Had one for a quarter century and loved it to pieces. Used it mainly all summer outside on the deck as a rinser for loads washed in one of the wringers. When the washtub belt broke, our Martin Yogitunes showed me how to make a new one.
Not a jock by any stretch, I had a ball tossing items from the tub into the spinning spinner. "BASKET, YAY" I's say to the chipmunks and squirrels. The spin switch which doubles as a lid lock is very easy to rig.
The suds- or rinse-return is very handy with the retractable drain hose hooked across the top rim of the washtub. In operation it most resembles an Easy Spin or a Hoover, minus the spin rinse, although with the lid open, you can do a dramatic spin rinse using all the fun options on one of those multi-spray garden hose nozzles. The pump is typical Maytag-strong and the spin is......I can't remember, maybe 1600 MPH ;'D
Fun discussion, Eddie and Phil, and thank you Launderess for the memory.
"under-where the sun don't shine- clothing.
"Had one for a quarter century and loved it to pieces. Used it mainly all summer outside on the deck as a rinser for loads washed in one of the wringers. When the washtub belt broke, our Martin Yogitunes showed me how to make a new one.
Not a jock by any stretch, I had a ball tossing items from the tub into the spinning spinner. "BASKET, YAY" I's say to the chipmunks and squirrels. The spin switch which doubles as a lid lock is very easy to rig.
The suds- or rinse-return is very handy with the retractable drain hose hooked across the top rim of the washtub. In operation it most resembles an Easy Spin or a Hoover, minus the spin rinse, although with the lid open, you can do a dramatic spin rinse using all the fun options on one of those multi-spray garden hose nozzles. The pump is typical Maytag-strong and the spin is......I can't remember, maybe 1600 MPH ;'D
Fun discussion, Eddie and Phil, and thank you Launderess for the memory.
ovrphil
Well-known member
Resources galore
Launderess and Mickeyd:
I should know better, aw.org is full of any(just about anything)if information related to washers, dryers, and other appliances, plus more....just slacked on searching.
I appreciate the many video-thank you Launderess for digging those up. Unlike some, watching laundry get washed in a tub isn't too exciting, unless...there's a clear window (as they used to have in the stores in the 60's, showing the washing power/prowess of their promoted washer/dryer/dishwasher). I think watching the water fill is my favorite part. What attracts me to all this is the style, function, results. So, these little boxy, spartan washers originally didn't get much attention. It's good to know that falling short in style, they do the job, even if there's a little handiwork in transferring the wet to the spin dry. I love that sound, like a jet engine almost, when spinning.
Mickeyd: So, as a backup function, your portable did the job. I like Clothing-ball, your clothing ball doesn't bounce and the swish isn't a cool factor - just making the hoop. Squirrels, birds, racoons, bears, and more were amused...love your scenery!
Whether Maytag or Hoovers are favored, I wonder what today's portables provide and if they are better, worse, or "who cares?"
Thanks again, everyone.
Launderess and Mickeyd:
I should know better, aw.org is full of any(just about anything)if information related to washers, dryers, and other appliances, plus more....just slacked on searching.
I appreciate the many video-thank you Launderess for digging those up. Unlike some, watching laundry get washed in a tub isn't too exciting, unless...there's a clear window (as they used to have in the stores in the 60's, showing the washing power/prowess of their promoted washer/dryer/dishwasher). I think watching the water fill is my favorite part. What attracts me to all this is the style, function, results. So, these little boxy, spartan washers originally didn't get much attention. It's good to know that falling short in style, they do the job, even if there's a little handiwork in transferring the wet to the spin dry. I love that sound, like a jet engine almost, when spinning.
Mickeyd: So, as a backup function, your portable did the job. I like Clothing-ball, your clothing ball doesn't bounce and the swish isn't a cool factor - just making the hoop. Squirrels, birds, racoons, bears, and more were amused...love your scenery!
Whether Maytag or Hoovers are favored, I wonder what today's portables provide and if they are better, worse, or "who cares?"
Thanks again, everyone.
Twin tub washing never was more than a niche thing in USA. OTOH across the pond was another matter. People did love themselves some Hoover, Hotpoint and other TT washers.
www.automaticwasher.org
How i spent my day
Finally out of the shed ! 4 years had taken it a toll , had to potch around the get wash motor to start .... 16 loads later i know why it went in there !!
www.automaticwasher.org
American consumers and semi automatic washers
Once the switch was made to automatics, there was very little market for ringer washers and semi automatic in the US, Maytag undoubtably, lost money, making and selling the A50.
The Maytag was a fun little machine. It was fairly rugged and very compact, which is one of the reasons people want this type of machine is because of space limitations.
But it was a very tough sell at the Maytag home appliance center I worked at in the early 70s we had one that we would demonstrate to consumers, usually by the time you got the thing filled up with water and started showing him how it worked they quickly lost interest. Once Whirlpool introduced their compact, fast spinning, automatic, the LXC 4700, and we would demonstrate that we never sold another Maytag after that, we finally had to drastically cut the price on the demo to get rid of it. Maytag quietly discontinued the A50 because of a lack of sales.
John
Once the switch was made to automatics, there was very little market for ringer washers and semi automatic in the US, Maytag undoubtably, lost money, making and selling the A50.
The Maytag was a fun little machine. It was fairly rugged and very compact, which is one of the reasons people want this type of machine is because of space limitations.
But it was a very tough sell at the Maytag home appliance center I worked at in the early 70s we had one that we would demonstrate to consumers, usually by the time you got the thing filled up with water and started showing him how it worked they quickly lost interest. Once Whirlpool introduced their compact, fast spinning, automatic, the LXC 4700, and we would demonstrate that we never sold another Maytag after that, we finally had to drastically cut the price on the demo to get rid of it. Maytag quietly discontinued the A50 because of a lack of sales.
John
