Need Help Picking a New FL Set

[mark_wpduet]

About the waiting for the washer vs getting one now for fear they may all suck in the future... I doubt that will happen. Why do I say that? Because I've had this fear for years and years now and that fear never comes to pass. Each year there is something on the market that I would want....Granted, I don't feel like there are huge options..but there are always a few.

You're probably right about the turbo wash vs non-turbo wash... but why not go for turbo wash when you can get one for around $799? I remember when it first came out the turbo wash was a few hundred more

 

[logixx]

Turbo Wash 1st Rinse

That "distribution" rinse only seems to occur on the Normal cycle. Don't know how or if this changes if extra rinses are selected. It would be better if the jets were on to spray rinse water over the clothes. Without the jets, it looks like the rinse doubles as a tub clean cycle.

Skip to 21:20 in the video.

 

[appnut]

The extra rinses do not change the sequence on the normal cycle first rinse.

 

[ryner1988]

Reply #36

Thanks for the peace of mind John, as I've stated before I spent quite a bit of money early this year getting the DD repaired that came to me in poor shape. If I can keep it for a few years and just get something when it actually breaks that would obviously be preferable.

After all the DD is an old mechanical timer-style machine that I can opperate perfectly independently without modification why fix something that's not broken?

Honestly I'd like to get away from a top loader eventualy but right now that's what I have so it's totally fine.

Ryne

 

[mark_wpduet]

So I noticed watching this guys videos with the square door LG a couple of things and I wonder....how are the two square models different from each other? And how are the other round door turbo wash models different from those? Also, I noticed that when rinsing, not only was turbo wash spraying constantly...but also the spray nozzle at the top was filling.. It looked like a water party...so is the machine filled from 2 places? The bottom and the spray nozzle?

 

[powerfin64]

Mark, the answers are:
1) they are different capacities- one is bigger than the other, different cycles/options.
2) If the model is labeled with "turbo wash" its 2 recirculating jets, if the model is labeled with "turbo wash 360" then its 4 recirculating jets.
3) Yes, it is, but mainly through the dispenser drawer

 

[panasonicvac]

Actually with the Turbo Wash jets, I have noticed a difference with mine. Not only I find they do a better job washing but also they help reduce the time during a cycle. So energy saving wise, I don't think it matters really. While I do agree that it's just an extra thing that can go wrong on a washer, I think it's rare for it to ever break according to my research. But you don't have to use it if you don't want to. And I agree with Mark, why not get a LG with Turbo Wash jets for way less versus a SQ that doesn't even have that feature for the price they're asking?

 

[ryner1988]

What I'm not a fan of is that turbo wash models, from what I can tell, all come with other extras that I don't think I would want like steam and WiFi. The pricing structure of LG's lineup kind of stinks because you have the entry level machines, with very few add-ons, then you climb up the price tier and get several features such as turbo wash, steam, and WiFi. But i'm willing to bet turbo wash is the main extra folks care about, so I wish it was offered on their cheaper entry models and customers could ditch the other extras. You get the whole package whether you wantit or not and have to pay for it.

 

[ryner1988]

Slight correction...

I guess all of LG's machines have WiFi per se, in that they all have smart diagnosis but they don't all have full app connectivity. I imagine a lot of people don't care about full app connectivity but buy the model that has it, along with steam, just so they can have the turbo wash. I think that's a crappy pricing structure.

 

[decodriveboy]

LG WM8900 Set

So it’s been about a week since we got the LG WM8900 set - and so far so good. After trying out almost each cycle including the downloadable ones, I decided to adjust the water pressure sensor 1.5 turns and finally I have enough water for any and every cycle I use. The maximum it comes up to is just over the drum lip during rinses which is MORE than enough. During wash cycles (all except Bedding, which is higher) all levels are a couple of inches under the drum lip.

I understand people have passionate takes on water usage, but for our needs (lots of heavy bedding, big dog beds, stinky armpits) the adjustment was absolutely necessary. It’s amazing how skimpy the factory-set levels are. Who decides this stuff? It really is a race to the bottom to see how waterless they can go - and that’s not a compliment.

Also, most cycles on this new LG seem to default to one rinse whereas my brother’s 20 y/o LG TROMM uses two. His also has the Permanent Press cycle with a fill to the bottom lip while mine is factory set to skimpy along with the rest of the cycles outside of Bedding and possibly Towels.

Now that the water level has been set to an acceptable level, I’m really enjoying the Turbo Wash and variety of cycles, wash motions, and the app. And, we can easily fit all our large items in! The dryer is excellent too. I see us being very happy with these units as long as they have a decent lifespan.

It’s a shame our TL Speed Queen AWN432 set had to be replaced, but the dryer failed us twice and so we let the installers take it away. The washer is stored in our garage at my insistence since its manual controls are sadly a relic and I can’t bear to part with it.

Just wanted to give you all an update, happy to answer questions if anyone is interested.

 

[panasonicvac]

Awesome!

I'd like to see pictures of the new set

 

[decodriveboy]

Panasonicvac

The two photos here are of the final rinse in the Speed Wash cycle.

This is the highest the water level gets on any rinse cycle after the water pressure sensor adjustment was made. The wash portion uses about half this amount except on Bedding where it’s about the same.

 

[panasonicvac]

I like that it matches the floor really well!

 

[mark_wpduet]

Skimpy water levels...I don't feel like reading through this forum again... but I have a question... is this your first FL washer? or was your previous a FL?

I remember back in 2005 when I got my duet I was so freaked out about the water levels..I think it's a shock to someone who is sued to a TL washer...

The videos I've seen with your LG in operations with different cycles... it looks like it uses as much if not more water than my duet from 2005

 

[decodriveboy]

Mark

This is actually my third FL washer and I’ve adjusted the water pressure sensor on all three.

First experience having one was 2004. I was horrified with how little water it used - it was a small, base level Frigidaire - and very irritated that I needed to manually pre-treat with bar soap to deodorize the underarms of all my shirts before each load. Stain removal was great with the low water level and concentrated detergent, but smelling fresh is equally if not more important for me. Second washer was also a Frigidaire but a larger, mid-level variant.

I grew up using FLs in laundromats, and remember the old Westinghouse units which had a visible water level, shorter cycle times, and no pervasive problems with mold and mildew. I don’t recall ever hearing about such problems until the Energy Star/HE models came out. Seems logical since the low water levels, media push to wash everything in cold, and excessive use of detergent and softener by many can cause machines to gunk up.

I’m definitely guilty of some detergent overuse as seen in my photos - but am working on it

 

[appnut]

I used Speed Wash 1 time. No spins between rinses and thought it was a waste. I just use Normal and lightest soil level.

 

[decodriveboy]

Appnut

I agree!

Very disappointing that Speed Wash doesn’t have at least a brief spin between the wash and rinse.

As such, this necessitates an extra rinse :/

 

[appnut]

I found the extra rinse wasn't enough with no spin.

 

[mark_wpduet]

I'm very confused but I'm seeing adequate water in the cycles I've seen so far...Granted, I agree with you as I would always like a little more... but I think yours is every so slightly too much. For me, I'd want it to just touch the bottom of the boot... No more than that. These LG's must be way easier to adjust the water than on my 2005 Duet....because YEARS ago I tried this and it was a total fail...Here's what would happen when I tried that:

Turn screw a little at a time until you like the water level you're at... which is what I did...but there was never a noticeable change...so I would keep turning a little, then a little more...until it went from one extreme to the other...water literally filling 1/2 up the freaking window... so I turned the screw back down to where it was and never messed with it again. Keep in mind that when I did all this, I did it exactly as was described online at the time for my machine...and each time you tried it... you had to make sure to drain complete, unplug, and start over...

 

[decodriveboy]

Adjustments

I guess I’ve been lucky! On the Frigidaires I cranked up the water level to 1/3 the way up the window and was happy with it. But with the new LG, the drum is so huge that even when the water level is under the drum line, it’s plenty.

I’d also feel more comfortable with that rinse level being right at or slightly below the lip, but if I turn it down I’ll lose some of the wash portion water. So I think the way it is seems like a happy medium. I basically followed what Eugene from Lorain Furniture did in his video.