New Danby Twin Tub Purchase

[doityrselfguy]

Hi all,

I rarely post, but recently purchased a new Danby Twin Tub washing machine and am expecting its delivery any day now. I already own a Bosch Axxis+ compact as my primary washer as well as a small Haier portable, but have always wanted a twin tub, and the features of the Danby really appealed to me.

Does anyone have any experience with this washer? The reviews seem very positive!

Thanks!

 

[macboy91si]

Decent Enough...

I bought one of these new in 2008 for a whopping $400. I was not thrilled with it, but needed a washer quick. I was intrigued by it and I occasionally like new things. It was very well behaved, smooth and quiet. It also handles a decent load (10lb rating wash) in the was section and I found the spin timer nice. I'm used to older Hoover twin-tub drama and I found I just couldn't give that up. My Mother's Haier portable automatic died and I gave the Danby DTT-420 to her as a Christmas present. It's still holding up well under fairly heavy use for a family of 3. &#92

Things to know:
It is a chinese machine marketed under the Danby name.
It IS fragile plastic and metal and some care must be taken
There is NO transmission on the washer, but a reversing motor connected to a floppy agitator.
The unit is not designed for spin-rinsing for a variety of reasons.
The "Drain" dial is easy to leave on and the pump running
Lint Filter is in the center of the agitator regardless of what manual says.
Wash side safety switch stops wash action when lid is raised (silly!)

Hope this helps a bit, still a fun machine.

-Tim

 

[doityrselfguy]

Thanks Tim! This is helpful. Haven't unpackaged the machine yet, but am looking forward to using it.

I've noticed some discrepancies before in website/manual information vs. actual machines. According to its website, my Haier hlp21n has a lint filter, but my machine has no such thing. I'm thinking they may have made a mid-model change.

 

[macboy91si]

Haier HLP21N

I'm glad to be of help, I would disable that naggy lid switch on the Danby right away. It's incredibly easy and I can assist with some pics if you need. As I said, it's a good machine, and I think you may actually enjoy it.

On the subject of the Haier HLP21N, some have filters and some don't and I can't really understand the pattern there. The 1st generation of these when they moved from the XQBM22-C design still used the nylon bag on the tub wall for a lint filter. Then at some point they began using a cartridge in the tub wall in it's place. They used the cartridge on the 21 and the larger 23 models but I was looking at a photo online of the 21 and it looked as though there was a dummy panel in its place so I don't know. Haier does a horrid job of keeping their documentation up to date.

I had a XQBM22-C and it held up for about 2 years when the motor seized. I later purchased a lightly used HLP23E and matching HLP140E dryer at a local sale and I don't have a bad opinion of them. I did not pay much for the XQBM22-C when it was new and I was just glad to have a working washer in the apartment. I think it was $159 to my door in 2003 which was reasonable for over 2 years of heavy use. The HLP23E setup that I got later was MUCH larger than the XQBM22-C or the HLP21N and came in handy when I got a roommate. I didn't want the roomie bothering the vintage so I pretty much bought these as something for him to use and it worked out well. I think I paid $200 for the set and I figured I could if nothing else sell them for that. I wanted to tinker with them anyway. I ended up giving them to a friend as a baby shower gift and they still love them.

-Tim

 

[doityrselfguy]

Hi Tim - some pics on how to disable the switch in the Danby would be great, when you have time.

I love this machine. I was surprised at its generous wash/rinse capacity, and from the sloshing sounds it makes, the action seems very vigorous. It cleans VERY well. I had to break the spin down to two smaller batches, but found that it had really good extraction for a portable.

My only critique would be the wheels on the casters. They are too small to handle the machine's weight and as a result, it can be cumbersome to wheel around, and leaves subtle tracks in linoleum. In contrast, I like the casters on my Haier, which are larger, and contain a lever on each which allows you to switch between "wheel" and "stationary" positions.