New Whirlpool Front-loaders: Proceed With Caution (Model 6620)

[frigilux]

Somewhere in another thread I'd mentioned the young couple who live in the apartment behind mine who purchased a Whirlpool front-load laundry pair about five months ago. The washer is model 6620. It's a sharp-looking machine with great features and it's closet-depth--which works well in the tight, narrow confines of our space-- but it's turning out not to be reliable. Their washer and dryer are right next to mine.

I went to change over a load to the dryer and the Whirlpool dealer, who I know well--a great guy who services what he sells, was there and had the top pulled off their front-loader. I asked if he was there to replace the seal that was causing the machine to leak all over the place and he said, "No, I replaced the bellows last week; now the board went bad. I've sold three of these and all of them have been a pain. I don't know why Whirlpool changed their washers; the previous ones were great."

He'd sold me the 2015 TOL Maytag front-load pair I loved so much back at the house.

Those looking for a new Whirlpool front-loading washer may want to wait it out a bit while Whirlpool works out the bugs. He also mentioned that parts have been on backorder, making for some unhappy customers.

 

[appnut]

Eugene, thanks for letting me know.  So disheartening and disappointing.  You know how I love the hotter water/steam flexibility as well as the various cycles/tumble patterns that WP offers that I don't think anyone else can come close.  I've had my Duet for 8.5 years this month.  The way I figure it, I'm now down to doing just 10-12 loads a month.  Hopefully it will last for several more years.  My Maytag Dependable Care is 25.5 years old.  I just wish it was larger capacity.  

 

[lakewebsterkid]

shocker

It is apparent that the quality of the Duet line has slowly degraded to nothing since the introduction. This is exactly why people are buying foreign machines! Speed Queen really is our last hope!

 

[agiflow4]

I bought the 6620 in June of 2019 and used it for nearly a year. Must have got a good one because i had no problems with mine.
Then again I'm only washing for one,...might be different with a large family.

Hopefully John will chime in and offer his opinion.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

new whirlpool front loaders

I'm not sure if I'd buy one. First of all, these have touch screen controls which I can't use due to my blindness. I require buttons that I can feel, and I'd rather have them organized. Second, I've heard that quality is going down. I too noticed that the doors feel like they're made out of toy plastic. The last thing I need to do is to set the machine to the wrong cycle, or stop or start the machine inadvertently. It must have a dial to light up so I can see where it is pointing. For example, my mom's lg washer has the normal cycle at noon, and the matching dryer's normal cycle is at 10:00 on the dial. One thing I like about lg is that they revert the home cycle to normal as a starting reference point so that you will know where to begin at the time, or you don't have to constantly search for that cycle.

 

[vacerator]

Samsung front

loaders have braile touch pads. Not on screen.

 

[murando531]

The Alpha platform really was perfect. I adore my WFW92 set and plan to hold onto that machine until it can't reasonably be repaired, and so far we're going almost 3 years strong without a single hiccup or rattle. I don't know why they felt the need to redesign the whole front-load line AGAIN. The biggest change they made was the recirculation pump, but that could have EASILY been added to the existing Alpha design, especially considering there's a free unused port on my WFW92 model that used to be for the ActiveSpray jet that was discontinued (apparently from issues where the mixing of the Load&Go detergent dispenser into the nozzle was causing clogging, so they changed it to just mix into the normal fill flume). The machines are gorgeous, and I really love the knobless design and large sleek doors, but I hate that they replaced the door glass with plastic and did away with balance rings on all but the highest end models.

This is also why I have a hard rule about being an early adopter in the first few years when a new design platform launches. I'd rather hold onto something tried and true for a while longer until the kinks are worked out of a new system and it's had a chance to build a reputation. It also doesn't help that certain events of the last few years under a certain person have caused steel to be more expensive, so I'm not surprised that quality has slumped to keep prices down, not to mention how quality control has probably suffered under the pandemic shut downs.

 

[lakewebsterkid]

Balance Rings?

Is this something similar to the fluid filled rings in the Maytag Neptune? That certainly would have been a good addition to my Matador platform model. The suspension is not stelar. I would imagine that a strut assembly similar to that of what Speed Queen FL uses would be far better. However, the ball bearing balance design (LG) works quite well also.

 

[logixx]

 

[gelaundry4ever]

talking washer and dryer

I think whirlpool should have a talking washing machine for blind and visually impaired users like myself. I have a better chance of knowing where the controls are at least. I think GE did. They had a voice box that you could connect to the pair and the cycles will be announced.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

in addition...

The matching whirlpool dryer should talk too.

 

[sudsmaster]

If and when I get a new front loader, it will likely be either a new GE Ultra Vent, or an Electrolux full size. Why? My washer has to set to the right of the dryer in my laundry closet, and these two are the only full size front loaders that will have the right hinged door.

 

What I don't like is the difficulty in determining the voltage these machines use, and what the max water temp they can reach is supposed to be. If they are 110 volt only, then 130 likely would be the max, as with the Neptune.

 

[logixx]

Not necessarily. Bosch's Nexxt 800 Series washer had an Xxtra Sanitary cycle that went up to 170F.

 

[vacerator]

My Samsunbg doesn't talk but

plays Die Forrele at cycle end. You can silence it too. Some are hearing impaired, others visionally. Seems I recall one company whose tv adds said they made life a little easier. Another brought good things to life. Two decades prior to that, your Laundry days were a breeze with Frigidaire.

 

[combo52]

New FL Washer, Voltage ??

Reply #11, all machines are designed for 120 volts and are labeled as such.

 

Yes they will work on anywhere from 110-130, the question is what is your voltage at your house.

 

Most homes in the US run between 120 and 122 these days.

 

Speed Queen offers the best FL washer ever sold for home use with a RH door hinge.

 

If you must have a super HOT wash it is simple to add a 4 gallon compact water heater to the cold water inlet of the washer and turn on the water 15 minutes before starting your load.

 

John L.

 

[jerrod_six]

Video of the WFW6620

This guy has some videos of the WFW6620 model in action.

 

[appnut]

I have watched this video 3 times at least. I don't understand this colors cycle. Even on light soil, it seems to wash for a very long time. There appears to be only one rinse and the "spin" between the wash and rinse is just a pulse spin that's not very fast several times and I think it's a waste of time. I wouldn't see me using this cycle, unless a 2nd rinse was selected. Kirk also did a video of this model with sofa pillows on the bulky cycle and I believe a quick cycle on the Maytag equivalent. He never has done any other videos of this or the Maytag equivalent, which I'm disappointed about.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

new whirlpool

I've seen this video myself. I've worked with Kirk Rivas when wiping down the appliances. I've seen the regular/normal cycle with a load of shirts.

 

[jerrod_six]

It could get more done if it didn't pause such a long time between tumbles and then tumble such a short time before the next pause. I think it will only do one rinse and an extra rinse gets you two. I prefer two rinses as default and an extra making three. I thought that pulse spin was because it was not able to spin the 15 shirts, but perhaps that was supposed to be the spin after all. I can see doing dark colors in cool water, but I want to wash my lights and brights in warm temperatures.