Need New Washer & Dryer - Recommendation

[rocketwarrior]

In market for new washer and dryer -
Criteria/Paramaters:
1. "Empty Nesters";
2. Shirts sent out;
3. Set on main level, so quiet is issue;
4. Have no special or fancy needs;
5. No need to impress anyone.

Current set is old SpeedQueens with stainless tub

Thoughts?

 

[coldspot66]

Any Whirlpool-built conventional direct drive top load washer with agitator. Includes Kenmore, Roper, Estate. Higher up the line might buy you a bit quieter washer and separate speed choices. Also Whirlpool-built 29" wide dryer is best for the $$$$. Just my 2 cents!!

 

[passatdoc]

My Frigidaire 2140 and matching dryer are QUIET. Even during final spin, it's not very noisy. Washes great. I have my laundry in the garage, but even it were inside the house, the noise level would be easily tolerable. The washer qualified for $135 in rebates from the water district and gas utility where I live. Lowes and Best Buy carry it, and Home Depot carries a GE-branded version of the same model (though I have read that Home Depot's warranty and customer service for appliances is not very good). You can usually find the pair on sale for under $1100, and with the rebates (in California...may not apply to other areas of the country) the pre tax price can drop to under $1000 for the pair.

 

[passatdoc]

PS...I read about Obama picking up the single electoral vote from Omaha. First time in the modern era that any state has split its electors.

 

[peterh770]

A new SQ with a stainless tub...

 

[ronhic]

Consider a Front Loader

If you can stretch a little...Try a Bosch 300series. You can get them online for about US$800. Cycle time is about an hour for a normal wash without bleach. At the moment, you send your shirts out. If this is because you don't like ironing (and who really does) then great, but if it is because your machine makes hamburger mince out of them you can save some money.

One thing a Front Load machine will do is look after your clothes for you. I have a pair of chinos that are 20 years old that are still in great condition (fit and are beige so haven't dated -yay). My Sheridan bath towels are 14 years old and get used every 3rd week on rotation. I have just gone and had a look at one of them and there is evidence of 2 thread pulls only...they are washed in a front loader and then tumble dried.

Because of the wash action, you may find you use less or no bleach (I have never ever used it in 20 years..) and you can generally reduce the amount of fabric conditioner you use. The machines tend to spin better.

So with less bleach, less conditioner, less time in a dryer. Clothes and linen that lasts longer, you should save money.

...and Bosch as a brand in Europe and Australia, has a great reputation for reliability and come out high on the JD Power survey in the US.

Worth a look.

 

[westie2]

We are empty nesters also and have this Kenmore set. Has done a great job for us the past 4 years on the washer and we bouth the matching dryer this springs when we redid our laundry room so we could stack the dryer. The Frigidaire ones are also great. If a REX is near you they have the Frigidaire sets for around $900.00. Look at

rexstores.com

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_02648102000P?vName=Appliances&cName=Washers+%26+Dryers&sName=Front-Load

 

[chaskelljr2]

"Rocketwarrior":

How much are you planning to spend??

And would this be a Front Loader??? Or a Top Loader???

Since you do not need any fancy settings or do not care to impress anyone, then it's safe to say that Miele is out of the conversation.

If it's a front loader you are seeking, then I would probably seek an entry-level Frigidaire set (or the Sears Kenmore version of that same set). You should be able to get the entire set for about $1,100.00. Make sure that your area has some kind of Energy Star program going on. You may qualify for a rebate (which will put some teeth into the price of the washer) and may be able to get the washer for below retail with the rebate. And I would also watch and see if the washer is on sale as well, and use the rebate with that as well.

If it's a top loader that you are after, then maybe you should look into obtaining newer Speed Queens (though I haven't heard anything about them, so I would ask around before making a commitment to them). If not, then a Whirlpool Direct-Drive (as well as the Sears Kenmore versions and models from Roper, Ingis, Estate and Maytag) set should do you JUST fine. From past experience with a 1990 Direct-Drive Kenmore that I have used for 17 years, the Whirlpool Direct-Drives are reasonably quiet. So you don't have to get an Oasis in order to get a reasonably quiet washer. Whirlpool (and Sears Kenmore) have mid priced washers with noise reduction packages that are available for as little as $550.00.

The Whirlpool (and again, their brand constituents) made dryers provide a tremendous bang for the buck, and are great for the money.

Good Luck and Happy Shopping......

--Charles--

 

[pturo]

Don't get anything new. Get a toploader used Maytag center dial and matching dryer. You will impress mother nature by not creating a demand for something that produces a huge carbon demand just to look pretty and be new.

The Maytag center dial dependable cares were built to last 50 or so years, so getting a used one will be about the most impressive thing you can do. As well, they are a cinch to service and brilliantly simple in design.

 

[gansky1]

I am also intrigued by the Speed Queen top-loading washer and the Speed Queen front-loading washer. Obviously, the front-load washer will be more expensive but noise is a concern and it would meet that requirement much better than any mid-line top-loader and might be rather unsettling compared to what you have now, one of the loudest washers ever built! I'm not sure who carries the Speed Queen line here since Radiosmith in Ralston closed, but I'm sure one can be had.

The SQ front-load washer has stainless inner and outer drums, beefy bearing and drum support assemblies for years of reliability. The controls are simple to use and familiar. Those who have been in the business of repairing appliances for many years have given it their approval, which is often not easily won.

http://www.speedqueen.com/home/products/atsa0awn.asp

 

[pulsator]

Greg, I'd love to think the Speed Queen front loaders are fabulous, but I've heard that they are poor rinsers due to a timed fill rather than a pressure switch fill for the rinses? Has anyone had experience with this?

 

[logixx]

Have use commercial* Speed Queen front loaders and they did not have a timed fill. The count down stopped for each fill resulting in one washer, which had low water pressure, taking several minutes longer than the other ones.

Still, they didn't rinse too well as there were no real interim spin between the rinses, only spin bursts. And the individual rinses were very short: filling with tumbling, three tumbles and then draining.

*) the home-style machines might be different cycle-wise. I know they have longer wash cycles, for example.

 

[rocketwarrior]

Mr. Gansky - repair?

Maybe I should have them refurbished [washer noisy and dryer rrrr rrrr sometimes before motor start]. Can you recommend a local repair guy?