New Front Loader Quest

[sudsmaster]

colors hold onto detergent more than lighter colors

Any link to evidence supporting the claim colors hold onto detergent more than lighter colors"?

I'm assuming by "colors" you mean darker colors?

I'm struggling to imagine why a darker color would have more affinity for detergent than a light color, or plain white fabric.

 

[tomdawg]

Rinses, and prewash

This is what wins me over to LG over Electrolux.
Lg you can add a pre wash and add up to 3 extra rinses.

I used my sisters 4370 and it filled and drained and spun 7 times plus spray rinses in between all rinses.
There are times you would need this for really dirty stuff.
My job (window cleaning) requires me to wash wands once a week. I would select all of those options and it got them really clean!

 

[agiflow3]

Tomdawg what are the default number of rinses on that model LG ?

 

[trappn]

Thank you Henrik & Mark,.....

I have a similar thread going regarding front-loader advice.

If we could borrow from each of the manufacturers, then we'd probably have the perfect machine.

As much as I would love to have the Electrolux for its cleaning performance, I don't think it's the complete package, yet.

For example, the lack of a coin trap (reliability,) and failure to embrace some of the available DC technology (noise) leads me to believe we will end up choosing an LG.

Electrolux: Better luck, next time. Thanks for everyone's help! Nick

 

[sudsmaster]

I did a little more research, and the Samsung Model #WF50R8500AW 5 cu ft front load washer also has steam heat and a "reversible swing door".

As does the 5 cu ft GE Model #GFW850SPNDG.

Also, the TOL 5.8 cu ft LG Model #WM9500HKA. But at $2k list price, it's a bit more expensive than the rest. Almost twice the price. Is it worth it?

 

[mark_wpduet]

Well

Unless things have changed, I would avoid Samsung. No brand is perfect, but Samsung would be the LAST of all the brands I would choose. Just my little opinion.

 

[sudsmaster]

Got it. Samsung has a negative vote.

BTW, I'm noticing places like Lowe's are heavily discounting these washers right now. I'm thinking it's to try to goose sales during the pandemic. Might be a good time to buy?

Unless, of course, the washer turns out to be a lemon.

The lack of a coin trap on the Elux doesn't bother me. The Neptune doesn't have one either and it hasn't been a problem. If I'm not mistaken, Maytag said the Neptune has a self-cleaning lint filter.

 

[vacerator]

We have a

"SAMSUNG" 4.5 cu. ft. front loader w/steam. I like it! Going on a yaer old now. Puts the old Whirltag Bravos to shame. So it aint union made. Where do all the parts come from in ones that are? Not union labor, nor the USA. Don't tell me the money's American. Just some is. We live in a global ecomomic society now.

 

[mark_wpduet]

Samsung

I just don't like their washers from what I've seen of them. LG isn't American either, but I really like those. I do like other Samsung products though... Just ot appliances

As for buying now.....It might actually be the best time to buy one if they are that marked down because of the pandemic.

 

[petek]

LG Quick Wash cycle

I jsut tried the Quick Wash cycle on my new LG 3700 and happy. 15 minutes and done. It states to keep the load about 3 lbs. so I tossed in 5 t-shirts , a pair of socks, and 3 pairs of underwear. Also states to use very little detergent.I may have put in too much because I wasn't sure what very little means. It takes about 2 minutes for the machine to get into the swing of things and it seemed like very little water in there, you can see the bottom with that few clothes. At about the 7 minute remaining point it tossed in a fair amount more water and really got things splashing about but that barely last maybe a minute or less and then it started draining. Then it seems to sit an unusually long amount of time before the tub starts turning.. I always wonder why they do that, why can't they just make them click over and start moving right away without all these waits in between. oh well. I'm glad the cycle is there, the clothes I through in weren't particularly dirty, just ones I had worn. Next time I try it I'll put something in with a stain on it to see, but I wouldn't expect miracles It's just nice to have that quick option,, sort of the like the quick mini-cycle on the old GE.

 

[agiflow3]

I try to buy American when I can. There is not too much left though. If I decide to get another front loader it will either be Whirlpool,Maytag or Speed Queen.

I've been blessed with Whirlpool products except for my 2011 Maytag Bravo's X. Every other product I have from them has/does work very well.
I would like to try a Speed Queen though. Union made and there isn't no Korean brand made better.

 

[combo52]

Best Most Servicable FL Washer

SQ FLers have by far and away the most accessible button traps and pump assemblies, just 2 5/16" screws and you can get to the pump and the clean out.

Even the machines with the clean-out door in the front are a PITA to clear clogs, you can't get to every clog through the clean-out-cap and you need to pinch off the water in the tub or you have a flood when trying to fix them, and if you have to replace the pump you still have to remove the top of the washer and the whole front, I will take SQs simple to fix design any day.

 

[tomdawg]

Agiflow3

The normal cycle has one rinse I believe with a spray default rinse. Using heavy duty it defaults to 2 rinses.

 

[mark_wpduet]

I'd buy a SQ fl

in a second if it had a heater. I agree they are the best built. The heater is so automatic with my Duet. Usually I use heavy duty/more soil/extra rinse, for colors or whitest whites for whites.....the heater just automatically starts in those cycles and you can definitely tell the heater is heating the water because the door gets hot like a dishwasher. After having a heater and not having to worry if the water is hot enough is a bummer. I think at one time SQ fl washers had a heater.

I have to say though, I too have had pretty much good luck with Whirlpool all my life. Yes, there have been a couple of things wrong but mostly nothing major.

 

[agiflow3]

Tomdawg thank you sir.

 

[agiflow3]

Since the speed queens use more H2O does the water feel hot when washing whites if say your water heater is set to around 120F ?

 

[agiflow3]

That was one thing I found when I first cleaned the trap in the Whirlpool. The small flood I had. Thankfully my machines are on concrete.

 

[littlegreeny]

Current Generation WP/Maytag FL'ers

I share the love for the previous generation machines. They were solid, well-built machines that performed well.

But what about the current generation of new machines? Things I noticed that really bother me are the anemic recirculation pump, the sheer amount of flimsy plastic, including the plastic inner door (why?), and the suspension seems less robust...Speaking of which, was the balance ring always inside the wash drum? That just seems like a great place for mold, mildew and other funk to accumulate underneath.

I tried using their TOL FL with the touch screen (WFW9620) on a showroom floor and found it so frustrating and nearly impossible to use I don't think anyone at WP actually used it before it was released to the market.

 

[agiflow3]

Does anyone here have any pull with people at Whirlpool? Why are they cheapening so much of their products now? They once had very good quality all across the board. Now they are hit and miss.

 

[mark_wpduet]

I feel like each year that goes by, they make them a little cheaper. If they changed the glass to plastic, who knows what other parts of the machine are now cheaper than previous generations. Some features and options might get better with new machines.

It's funny that my 2005 Duet is considered well built now, but back in 2005 it was considered cheaply made. I can remember being on forums, people talking about the cheap door handles they would often see broken when looking at display models. How we could be lucky to get 5 years out of them.