New GE Top Load Washer Line-Up

[rinso]

Just for S&G, I checked out the new GE Top Load Smart Washer line-up. They all looked like competent, useful machines. But, then I drilled down (twice) to the specifications. All seemed good until I saw only 800 RPM as a maximum spin speed. Nowadays, we have become used to 1000 or more, as the best extractions for heavy fabrics like towels and jeans. On the other hand, 800 RPM might be adequate for most folks, and may cut down on bearing and seal wear.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

GE washer!

I'm interested in learning more about these. Do these have steel drive transmissions? What about their wash action?

 

[henene4]

High spin speeds

If you check, many TLs have gone down in spin speeds from the once up to 1200rpm.

Whirlpool dosen't even state them anymore. Neither does LG.

Going through my usual appliance comparison website for the US, only one model over 1000rpm is available (an older range TOL Maytag).
LG has just over a dozen ov models over 900rpm listed.
And then the nex lower option is already the GE lineup you mentioned.

The US energy rating system is really weird in that regard tbh.
Does factor in drying, but weirdly, and your dryers don't really have to be terribly efficent to count as efficent...

So spin speed is just something many consumers don't really think about.

 

[mrb627]

But The Dryer

But did you notice that the dryer has brought back reverse tumbling?

 

[windrivers]

Spin Speed vs. G-Force

I would think that g-force would give a better indication of moisture extraction ability than spin speed.

I have seen g-force, which is a function of spin rpm and tub radius, given in the specs of some commercial machines, as I recall. But both numbers can be useful.

 

[seedub]

Hadn't Whirlpool years ago stepped down the maximum speed of their top loaders from 1000+ to 750-770?

 

[DADoES]

 
Whirlpool toploader spin RPM progression history per service docs that I have:

500-515 for classic belt drive

640 for direct-drive

800 Calypso

950-1000/1010 SmartDrive-based Oasis/Cabrio/Bravos

800 VMW

850 VMAX

 

[infusor]

Nah, i'm not impressed, they literally changed NOTHING besides the control panel and now call it a "profile" without even making any improvements. In fact, they went from direct drive back to noisy belt drive!!!! Why ge why and to top it off the thing does not even spin after the wash cycle! It just drains the wash water then fills up with rinse water, and the rinse agitation is LITERALLY 60 seconds long!!!!! What a JOKE. Make subpar performing products but sell them as premium.... great job GE.

 

[launderess]

Truth to tell American top loaders never were ones for high final high speed extraction. IIRC best of lot was a few Frigidaire pulsator washers at 1100 rpms, and they were about all.

 

[appnut]

GE's original top loader from like 1948 through 1950 or 1951 was also 1140 rpms just like the Frigidaire.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

Why GE?

Why GE? Why did you stoop to this level?

 

[maytag85]

GE has made nothing but junk since they made those cheap washers with plastic tubs and transmissions that could barely hold up for very long. My friend Richard told me he once knew of someone who had one of those crappy GE washers with the transmission and didn’t do more than 400 loads of laundry before it completely gave up the ghost and that was just with light use, not heavy use with multiple loads of laundry a day.

GE always touted their innovations but always lacked in serviceability and reliability in their washers and dryers. Whirlpool was the true innovator since they had features people wanted and didn’t bother with using silly designs like GE did many years ago hence why Whirlpool was a better buy that GE was from the 60’s to the 2000’s.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

GE laundry

It bothers me why GE eliminated the filter-flo feature, let alone used transmissions with flimsy design that causes oil to blow everywhere. That stuff has a strong smell. It smells like 90 weight gear oil, yet it's filled with 60 weight gear oil.

 

[warmsecondrinse]

Spin speeds, G-force, and drying.....

I remember back during the first energy crisis in the 70's one/some manufacturers touted their washer-dryer pairs saved energy because their washers had a higher spin speed so their dryers didn't have to run as long. It sticks in my mind because the wording implied that the savings would only occur if one of their dryers was used. I remember thinking " Ummmmmm...... No. They're not connected. It doesn't matter what dryer is used."

Somewhere on here there's a thread discussing the effect of spin speed and length of spin on water extraction. A couple members did some pretty in-depth analyses. This was maybe 4 or 5 years ago?

TLs:

~800rpm vs ~600 yielded a lot more water extraction for only a small increase in price of machine. North of ~800rpm prices shot up so increased efficiencies would have to pay for the price difference before you started saving money with reduced drying time.

FLs:

1200rpm seemed to be the sweet spot. Yes, 1400 extracted more water but there were potential downsides which I've forgotten.

TBH, this is rather vague in my mind so if I have something wrong, please correct me.

Thanks,

Jim

 

[qsd-dan]

800 RPM spin is cooking along pretty well for a top loader. I would never purchase a GE washer beyond the 1980's though.

 

[launderess]

Cannot say about top loading washers, but far as H-Axis goes greatest decrease in moisture retained was going from 800 rpm to 1000, 1200 or 1400.

After 1400 rpms going up to 1600 or even 1800 results in not a huge jump in results. We're talking cottons/toweling/casual wear here. Some things like woolens, delicates, man made fibers and others shouldn't be subjected to extremely fast nor long final spin.

With push on in Europe towards heat pump dryers where are basically jumped up condenser types, more water extracted out of certain loads the better. Indeed overall it is far more energy efficient to extract water out of textiles by spinning than using heat from any sort of dryer to evaporate it out.

American households (nor self serve laundries for that matter), historically haven't been that interested in washers that spun things nearly dry. People just bunged things into dryers that baked all the water out. This of course for former was when top loading washers dominated. Now with HE machines of all sorts gaining market share things are changing.

https://www.designerappliances.com/blog/miele-w1-washer-t1-dryer-review/#:~:text=The%20Miele%20washer%20spins%20at,use%20less%20energy%20doing%20it.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

Well if there’s still no toggle switches or a mini basket or a filter-flo, then there’s nothing great about anything new like that being Gee-Eee…

— Dave

 

[gelaundry4ever]

GE washer

Don't forget about the ramped activator.