POD 9/3/18 Maytags

[justjunque]

Hi all,

As someone with lots of love for vintage washers/dryers, but not much knowledge about them, I'm just wondering if someone could tell me the approximate year of the machines featured in today's POD.

Back when I first started dating my now wife, I believe her parents had that exact pair in gold, like the first ones shown.
Obviously, I have no idea if they were the exact same model, but that's what I remember them looking like, and they usually go for TOL models.

They already thought I was odd, And, like most parents of teenage girls, didn't especially like this punk with a mullet who was pawing on their little girl.
So, I really couldn't start asking questions about their home appliances...let alone ask to be part of laundry day!

Anyway, I was just curious about when these might have been made.
I'm a big Whirlpool fan, having grown up with them, but I love this style Maytag with the lighted panels!

Their machines are both long gone.
If memory serves, the washer needed some repair that was more than they wanted to invest in an "old" machine. So they had it hauled away; either by the guys who delivered the new one, or they gave it to someone for the scrap metal. My memory fails me on the details.
And the dryer, still working fine, they gave to some friends to use at their lake house.
*Observes a moment of silence, lamenting the breaking up of that beautiful matched set*

Barry[this post was last edited: 9/3/2018-08:25]

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

No matter how many bells ‘n whistles a Maytag had, they were still ever the most dependable machines! (& I still wonder how so?!)

—Dave

 

[DADoES]

 
The blue panel trim was changed to gold in 1975 so these are prior to that.  A906 (all pushbutton, no timer dial) was the top-of-line from 1966 to 1972.  This brochure references A806 as "Maytag's finest" so presumably A906 had been discontinued at the time.

 

[justjunque]

Hmmm

See that? I'm already stumped.
I don't remember if the panel trim was blue or gold. Although, I would be inclined to say gold.
And I definitely remember the dial in the center.
I always liked how that looked.
The people who they gave the dryer to have since sold their lake house, so I can't even ask them to check the numbers on the dryer.

Barry

 

[norgeway]

Maytags are good looking

But in someone elses house!!! If I touch one you can bet it will give trouble

 

[combo52]

Beauitful Mid 70s Maytags

But even Maytag knew how hard they could be on clothing with the ill designed Power-Finn agitator in that narrow tub, notice how they don't recommend the one speed A106  as being good for delicate clothing.

 

To wash delicate clothing in a Maytag like these you had to have the two speed model and under-load, even a Norge [ on hi speed ] with its vigorous washing action will not damage clothing as much as these MTs.

 

John L.

 

[kenwashesmonday]

I don't understand all of this constant talk lately about these Maytags damaging clothing. I've had an A606 as a daily driver for over 15 years now, and the only thing it's ever damaged was the time I was foolish enough to wash silk long-johns without using a mesh bag. Sure my queen-size comforter is starting to fray a bit at the edges, but the machine has washed it every 3 weeks for 10 years, and it's simply time for another trip to Kohl's to buy a new comforter.

Would a washer manufacturer recommend a two-speed machine for delicates? Of course, after all, that's why they offer two-speeds.

 

[rinso]

My ex-wife inherited our matching 1968 806 pair after our divorce in 1973. I loved how you could get a combination of a delicate wash with a fast spin. Good for washable sweaters. Sadly, after only 27 years of service, and only minor repairs, they were replaced by a Kenmore set. The washer had an 18 pound capacity, but we often had to split the loads for drying in the tiny capacity, halo of slow, dryer.

 

 

[gyrafoam]

I have washed delicate items such as sweaters or shear draperies in my 1964 (single-speed) Maytag for years without any problem whatsoever. Also, I seem to recall those 106's had the solid skirt and fin Gyratator in them, just like my old Highlander. I have a late seventies Fabricmatic, with a Power-Fin agitator. Never had a bit of trouble with Delicate items, in a Maytag,ever.

I also have a 1962 Norge. The agitator is so large it takes up about 1/3rd of the tub! It is brutal on a load of clothes no matter what speed I set it on. Even on the Gentile speed, I would never attempt to wash Delicate items in it,ever.
It will,however,clean roofing-tar off of bib overalls or burlap sacks better than any Maytag. Would likely get tire scuffs off of granite curbing as well, but, you would have to do small pieces at a time as tub size is limited.

 

[peteski50]

Maytag!

I always felt they washed very well - I have heard people on the club have complaints about the cleaning capability - I used my Moms A810 many times and did large loads and everything came out pristine. My Sister used to bring her laundry to Moms before she bought her house and she did her wash for a big family for a few years and loved the machine! It did a good job on delicates also. I do feel the whirlpool with the surgulator did a little better and of course nothing could match the washing performance of a 1/18 but the maytag was still good! I think they could have improved on the agitator in the larger capacity machines by putting fins on the upper half! The center dial machines still had that skimpy 10 min wash - but the later non center dials went to 12 min plus most models had a soak period for the tougher loads. What was nice about the tags is they were simple to operate and right to the point and were quick and quiet! Here is a photo of Moms A810 - just loved that washer!

 

[washerlover]

I too, have to agree that Maytag was one of the most gentle on clothes yet still did a pretty good job (perhaps Sears Kenmore comes in second place as far as “pampering” clothes)?. And yes, Norge/Wards is the most brutal, but sure got those grimy work clothes clean!

 

[tomturbomatic]

Sorry, but Maytags were not easy on fabrics. In the late 60s or early 70s, I think, CU tested one speed washers and the Maytag was rated as rough because it pulled and distorted open weave fabrics. Maytag's lack of good turnover caused fabrics at the bottom of the tub to be subjected to more of the action by the agitator fins before they made it to the top; not as bad as with the old solid fin Gyrators, but rougher, still, than machines that circulated the load from top to bottom better. Smaller loads with a full tub of water fared better.

 

[DADoES]

 
I've never used a Maytag on a long-term basis (although I have four in the garage) so have no experience with their potential wear-and-tear on fabrics.  But it is to note that Maytag instructed to use a full-fill for delicates and designated "Delicates" on the timer (when there wasn't a separate Delicate cycle) at 5 mins or less wash time (3 mins in some cases), presumably to be used even with low speed.  I mentioned in a previous discussion that a friend once told me that she had always wanted a Maytag (I recall she had a late 1960s GE FF and a 1974 WP belt-drive, don't know the history after that).  She told me that upon buying one, she promptly returned it because it mangled her nice sweaters.  I don't know what model was involved, if it was a two-speeder or a FabricMatic.

To be fair, early Whirlpool belt-drives with a Gentle cycle had it max at 4 mins wash time ... then later 6 mins.  Kenmore typically had 8 mins maximum.

 

[tolivac]

My Mom used to have a n older Maytag and she had no problems of it chewing up clothes.I bought a newer one in 1992 and it was HORRIBLE-that thing did a good job of ripping my shirts and sheets.Was like the DD WP/KN had the blender like action.Sold that Tag with the house when I moved.Hoped the new owner liked its shredder action!It would make a better blender than a washer.HMMMM-with both types of machines would it have been good to add blades to the post?The later model did have the fins on the post but they didn't do any good.Would have liked to try the Load Sensor one-they gave demos of it at the Manassas Va Wards store.They showed it agitating ping pong balls and light bulbs without breaking the bulbs.The neighboring Sears store had their DD triple action KN with the transparent tank-and rags inside.You pushed a button to initate the demo on the Sears machine.A Wards salesman showed you the Maytag.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

Never damaged clothes (except for being told there would be from notorious overloading) and we'd had TWO of those power-fin designs! The first of which was a center-dial single-speed...

Like I said, a fully-featured Maytag would outlast most basic machines of other brands...

-- Dave