POD 1/17/2017

[brucelucenta]

This model was the very last of the old AMP mechanisms and right before Maytag began producing the greatest washer ever designed. The very next model looked almost exactly like this model, but added three new buttons on the control panel for load size and had a larger lid that did not have the water level incorporated inside it. It also did away with the inner tub inside another inner tub and made a truly perforated tub that held a bigger load of clothes. Those machines were some of the best automatic washers ever made and that basic design lasted for many many years with few changes. They did an excellent job of washing and extracting the water and were good at sand and sediment removal too, for a top loader. They were like the energizer bunny, going on and on and on. There are still many of them around today in use.

 

[gyrafoam]

I have one of the "transition" machines. It has the "hatch" but no water level sensor. The trim pieces are in copper as well as the lint filter/detergent dispenser.

 

[tomturbomatic]

greatest washer ever designed

I've never seen another washer that rubbed the top coat of porcelain off the tub in the area opposite the agitator vanes like Maytags would over the years due to the abysmal turnover or lack thereof with the clothes just being dragged back and forth against the tub. I remember just such a machine John pulled from a house up the street. I was amazed at the way the white top coat of porcelain was worn off and the blue undercoat was showing.

Then there were the weak springs in the early helical drive models that allowed the tub to lean off center during agitation and the problem with bleach damage before the introduction of machines with the bleach dispenser because the agitation stopped when the lid was lifted to add the bleach. Sometimes, even when it was diluted in the recommended amount of water before being added, there was bleach damage and Maytag owners tended to use a lot of bleach.

I look at this Western Union ad as an example of the march of progress in communication. Back then, the telegrams were the fastest form of mass communication. Later messages could be sent via Teletype, then faxes, if the factory and dealers had the equipment. The first FAX machine I used in the early 70s had a spinning drum to which a document like a big sales ticket for a gas grill was attached. Then the phone number for the warehouse was dialed and after a signal, the drum started rotating and the document was transmitted to the warehouse so that a customer could take their copy of the ticket and go pick up their grill if they did not want to wait for delivery. Today emails would be sent with an attached scan.

Sometime in the march of progress, Maytag ceased to exist as a separate entity because of bad business decisions and Western Union has evolved as a means of transferring money.

 

[mayken4now]

The Guy

Standing behind Fred Maytag II,  does he have a "Bro-Bunn"?  Thought that was a new thing as of last year?

 

[ken]

Not a Bro Bunn

He's just flipping his lid at all those beautiful Maytags lined up in front of him. Actually you can see its a double exposure of the guys hair.

 

[frigilux]

Steve, I was wondering the same thing myself! Thought maybe he had his glasses pushed up, but then noticed they're still on his face. I can't imagine a bro-bun in the mid-1950s, but I suppose anything is possible.

Don't know how this bit of trivia escaped me, but didn't realize Maytag was actually someone's last name. I've seen that ad how many times and I didn't catch that, before.

One more thing about the ad: How anachronistic is the idea of sending a Western Union wire/telegram? Does WU even exist, anymore? Technology has advanced so quickly in the past 60 years.

 

[swestoyz]

One of my favorite POD's.  The loss of Fred II a few years later drastically changed the corporate focus of Maytag, and was, IMO, the beginning of the end.

 

I would tend to agree that the introduction of the Helical washer provided Maytag with a better washer to put to market over the AMP, they however perfected it between 1966 and 1970 with the New Generation 06 series machines that addressed many of the deficiencies of the early Helical weaknesses.  There is a reason why so many 1970's Maytag's are still in use, today, 40 years later.

 

EDIT - similar to Tom's thoughts, I too have seen several early Helical drive machines with the white porcelain rubbed off.  And I have also seen several early Helical drive machines where the white porcelain was perfect. The washer would have abysmal turnover and overalls and jeans would rub off the porcelain when used by a chronic overloader. 

 

 

Ben

[this post was last edited: 1/17/2017-09:49]

 

[tomturbomatic]

Maytag = May Day (May 1st) in German, like Freitag = Friday, Montag = Monday, Dienstag = Tuesday, Donnerstag = Thursday

 

[lesto]

Maytag blue cheese was produced by the two Maytag grandsons at the Maytag farm which was also located in Newton, Iowa. The original wrapper on the package of cheese was in the same font design as the appliances.

 

[lesto]

[No message]

 

[swestoyz]

Maytag Dairy Farms ≠ Maytag Corp

While Maytag cheese is still prevalent within the Midwest, I had no idea that it was Fred II who perused the family farm's investment in their now famed blue cheese.

 

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www.maytagdairyfarms.com

 

In 1941, Maytag Dairy Farms began producing its world famous blue cheese in the heartland of America, with milk from a prize-winning herd of Holstein cattle. E.H. Maytag, son of the founder of the famous appliance firm, had established this herd of show cattle in 1919. During the 1930s, the Maytag Holsteins gained fame in competition across the North American continent.

 

Fred Maytag II, who succeeded his father in 1940, heard about a new process for making blue cheese that was developed by Iowa State University. We still use this process today. It is a time-consuming method of hand making cheese in small batches, using fresh sweet milk from Iowa dairy farms. Each batch of cheese is carefully monitored during the long months of aging, until the peak of flavor is reached and it is finally ready for market.

 

[toploader55]

Maytag Bleu was the Predecessor to Great Hill Bleu made here in Mass. by way of Marion, Mass.

Both are Great Actually Incredible.

Personally, not being partial to Mass., Great Hill is better because it's higher Butterfat content.

But Maytag Bleu Cheese had a longer Spray Rinse and a better durability. ; )

 

[gyrafoam]

I believe the wear on the tub has a lot to do with the high level of turbulence down where the fins are and the tendency for Americans to overload the machines. Six pair of new Levi's jeans with zippers open would certainly put some wear on the tub.. Three pair of new Levis would be very splashy and would be very clean.
I have used every kind of Maytag and unless overloaded have never had a problem with roll-over. Oh, they are not Frigidaires, but neither is anything else. Stuff six new pair of Levi's in a Unimatic and see how much rollover there is.
My early '60's Norge has practically no roll-over, and the agitator is waaaaay too big for the tub. It cleans just fine.

The tub in every one of today's SQ's leans during agitation.

I wonder who did a survey to figure out who uses the most bleach? It would seem logical to think that the percentages would be constant. So if Kenmore was the number one machine in the US, wouldn't there be more people using bleach in Kenmores? Everybody I ever knew with a GE, Maytag, or any other brand the stops agitating with an open lid never had a problem with properly diluted bleach.
Just 'sayin

The bottom line for me is, that no matter what I put in an old Maytag, it comes out clean. Every time.

IMO the Blue Cheese is excellent. Makes best Blue Cheese Bread ever. Not so good for salad dressing.

 

[hilovane]

If Maytag marketed their blue cheese, the way they did their washers and dryers, might they have come up with the following...?

"HIGHLANDER"-High quality blue cheese at a competitive price...

"606"- Maytag's most popular variety of blue cheese...

(New!) "HALO OF HEAT"- a different kind of Maytag blue cheese...with just a touch of jalapeño.

(New!) "NEPTUNE"- another different kind of Maytag blue cheese...with just a touch of sea salt.

 

[alr2903]

Mom always put bleach and detergent in her Maytag at the same time during the fill, then added the clothes after a bit of agitation.  I think many coin- op users approached the LCB situation the same way.

 

[tomturbomatic]

I think I remember reading decades ago that the limestone caves in the area made great aging chambers for the cheese.