New kenmore elite HE5T set

[norgechef]

I recently moved into a bigger house and decided to get 2 new sets of washers and dryers. In the upstairs laundry room I have a 2007 Kenmore Elite set in dark grey/slate color. This set was purchased from a used appliance store. They were in the front window and I just had to stop and see about the price. They were in immaculate condition...and although the price was a bit steep at $750 I had to have them. They look fabulous with the colors in the laundry room.

For the most part I love them. They dryer has a bit of a squeak at times but it usually goes away after it warms up, and the washer seems to work great besides the fact that it takes FOREVER to balance the load perfectly before it will spin. I love the sound it makes when it winds down after the spin cycle. Almost sounds like a space ship landing. Of course not as loud lol. I'm really surprised at the shape they are in for being almost 9 years old.

 

[gansky1]

Pedestals too. I love this color.  I think you did very well for $750 for the pair, especially if they're as good mechanically as they look on the outside.  

This is still one of my favorite modern F/L washers (and dryers) of all the recent choices.  WP/Bauknecht did very well with this design.  

 

[mark_wpduet]

I think these are Basically the older generation

Whirlpool Duet's made to "Sears specifications", right?

If these are in good condition and taken care of like you say, if it's anything like my Duet pair delivered April '05, you will get several more years out of them. Oh, and my dryer is a squeak too and yes, sometimes it takes FOREVER to decide to spin, but it's always successful. Make sure it's plugged into a good working surge protector.

I think I remember some of the Sears machines had a skincare rinse and I always wondered if that rinse was just an additional rinse of if it used more water.

I remember these and LOVE the color and design.

 

[revvinkevin]

 

 

Congrats on the *new* He5T pair, yes a very nice pair and color!   I have the same thing in blue, but the final year (2009) version I bought new in 2010.

 

I use the "Express Wash" cycle all the time instead of the "normal" because it uses more water for the wash.   The program I set as "My Cycle" and use all the time is:  Speed Wash (more water), Heavy Soil (normal wash time) & Extra Rinse (total of 3), complete cycle time usually 54-55 minutes.

 

Enjoy!

 

Kevin

 

[norgechef]

Skin care rinse

In reply to mark_wpduet - Mine has the skin care rinse 2 option. Not sure what the 2 stands for. I heard somewhere that the skin care rinse is an additional rinse that also uses more water than the first 2. However I never use extra rinse options on any of my washers so I wouldn't know. I have never seen the use for this feature really. Unless your using really sudsy detergent or a lot of softener. I hardly use softener and use cheapo detergent most of the time so rinsing has never been an issue.

In reply to RevvinKevin - When I first saw my set it looked dark blue to me. I would love to have a set in blue, but I think the slate color goes better with my particular laundry room. I too use the express wash for most loads. I have found so far it does not get rid of stains very well on express wash so I make sure the clothes just need to be freshened up before I use this cycle. For stained loads I use the Normal or Bulky cycles. Although I've noticed on express wash the machine acts like it doesn't have enough power to tumble XL loads. I think because the clothes are more wet so its harder to turn. Still it concerns me. It will tumble and when the clothes hit the bottom of the basket it almost seems like it slows up for a second before making another turn. Its probably normal I just worry.

 

[revvinkevin]

 

 

Actually the clothes get just as wet, meaning completely saturated with water regardless of what cycle is used.  The only difference is there's a little more standing water in the tub with the "express wash" cycle.    When you use express wash, do you also select "heavy soil"?   If you don't the wash time is only like 5 minutes.  Heavy soil is 18 mins I believe.  

 

I don't usually have heavily soiled loads, daily light to medium soil is more the norm.   Occasionally I do have heavier soil to deal with, but have never had any issues with cleaning performance.

 

Tumble power for XL loads?  It's the same on for Express wash as any other cycle.   I regularly wash larger loads.... 16 pairs of shorts plus 2 or 3 t-shirts in one load.   Or 15-16 cotton, button front short sleeve work shirts.  Or 8 to 12 bath towels (VERY heavy when wet) and it has never had any trouble tumbling during any part of the cycle.   Now trying to balance for a spin however, that's a different story entirely, LOL. 

 

 

 

[gansky1]

My HE4t set - in blue. Saw them on CL and had to have that color. I knew the water levels went down after this 4 series but it's startling to see how much.

Pic 2 is Normal cycle level, 3 is Express and 4 is Bulky/Bedding.

 

[mark_wpduet]

I think in 2005

when I got my Duet - the He3t's were the latest available at the time. It wasn't too long after that the H34t's started becoming available.....

anyway - here's what my normal looks like, but so does whitest whites, heavy duty, sanitary - they all look this same level..

soak and delicate use a little more... I don't have bulky on mine - if I did I would probably use it all the time.

 

[revvinkevin]

 

 

Wow Greg, that's interesting how much more water the previous generation uses, makes sense though.   The normal and express water levels look to be the same, but that bulky cycle, WOW that's a good amount of water!!!   I'll bet that bulky cycle will do great with a load of towels!

 

Side note, I was over at Richies house last week and the "towels" cycle on his new LG's use a lot more water too, not quite as much as your "bulky", but a LOT more than mine!

 

The only thing I don't like about the bulky cycle, at least on mine, is how max spin speed is limited to medium.  But then you can always re-spin at a nigher speed.

 

Mark - That's a great water level too, nice that it's the same for the majority of the cycles!

 

Kevin

 

[gansky1]

Soak cycle is same level as Bulky/Bedding on mine too.  Probably same/similar water levels to Mark's earlier version.  I had that same model and haven't seen the difference in water levels in the Blue Boy.  I love the soak cycle on these, 25-35 minutes of high water level (to the top of drum edge/boot at door) and alternating tumble & soaking.  I've started the express cycle after the soak to finish with a quick wash  then spinning and rinsing as desired with options.   Bulky on mine is limited to medium spin speed as well, default is ex-low speed.  

 

[mark_wpduet]

Isn't that the most

pitiful amount of water in the normal cycle that you have EVER SEEN? OH M G - but you said the clothes get wet enough that they can't get any wetter (lol). Surely the rinses in the normal cycle are deeper than that at least. I would hope so

I have never really sat in front of the machine to see how it works - although I did when I first got it. From all the years of washing - happening to be in the laundry room while it's on the first, second or extra rinse, it looks like it uses the SAME amount of water (when I say same amount) I mean, after the load has saturated and the machine is satisfied. All rinses are the same on almost all cycles... Oddly enough, there is a cycle on mine called rinse/spin and it looks like it uses a little more water than the rises on the washing cycles. I dunno why.

but I have been so happy with this machine over the years - seeing as how I'm the only one who has ever touched the machine, it still looks NEW and it's almost 11 years old....

Over the years reading of spider failures from aluminum spiders, control panel failures (I actually experienced that one during year 2), I would Sure this machine would have been long dead by now - but so far, not even as much as a squeak from it. The He3

 

[logixx]

The water level in mine varies greatly: it can be as low as the Normal Cycle picture Kevin posted, to as high as almost reaching the drum bearing on the rinse of Bulky Itmes and other delicate cyles. It all depends on the amount of water taken in to saturate the load and reach the programmed level during the first wash.

 

[lakewebsterkid]

Duets

These are all gorgeous machines! My WFW9750 is still running like a champ. Although, it takes a while to distribute and spin effectively. The water levels in the aforementioned washers are higher than mine. Yes, they can be lower than the ones above. I avoid the express cycle like the plague. If anyone's machine has the stain treat option, I am purely envious. The whitest whites cycle is my absolute favorite. Long, fast tumbles, fast spins, and a nice water level to boot. When ever I have a load of towels and run the bulky cycle, I feel as if I am harming the suspension. It seems to sag the drum down quite far and is like bottoming it out. My washer is next to the hot water heater, so I crank that up and get unlimited tap hot washes. This machine is absolutely my favorite washer I have ever used. Yes, they have flaws. But they are quickly overcome. I am very glad to see they have a following.