I don't know if the statement, "We still build them like we used to" inspires a great deal of confidence in many who are familiar with the machines. I think the most truthful ad for them was in an early 1960s Readers' Digest with a lady going on and on about the savings she enjoyed with her Laundromat using half the water, detergent and bleach of other washers. The text of the ad ended with her saying that the savings enabled her to buy a new one every 5 years. That was sort of a jarring note on which to end the ad, but so often true when you consider what John said long ago that the Laundromats had a lifespan of about that long.
POD March 31, 2024 White Westinghouse FL
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Those front loaders of that era just never really caught on, I guess for various reasons. I know that my mother believed they just didn’t clean as well as top loaders. Also I don’t think she liked stooping down to load and unload, but that was so long ago now. I think Montgomery Wards sold them back in the 80’s, at least a few of them. I thought the space mates tall tumblers were a good idea for apartments with limited space. Thought they were sharp looking machines.
Barry
Barry
Not for want of trying from likes of Bendix, Westinghouse and others, but H-axis (front loading) washers just never caught on in USA. They remained a niche market even after European washers appeared in USA back in 1980's (or was it 1990's).
Even then many including Consumer Reports panned front loading washers for many reasons.
Having to bend to load and unload.
Requiring special (low foam) laundry detergents.
Tendency to go walkabout or bang, clang when spinning. This and or needing to be installed on solid/stable flooring.
Tendency for some front loaders to tangle loads into knots. IIRC Westinghouse washers got nicknamed "the rope makers"
Even Ms. Betty Furness in all her high heeled and girdled glory couldn't shift many minds.
Even then many including Consumer Reports panned front loading washers for many reasons.
Having to bend to load and unload.
Requiring special (low foam) laundry detergents.
Tendency to go walkabout or bang, clang when spinning. This and or needing to be installed on solid/stable flooring.
Tendency for some front loaders to tangle loads into knots. IIRC Westinghouse washers got nicknamed "the rope makers"
Even Ms. Betty Furness in all her high heeled and girdled glory couldn't shift many minds.
In end it was just Westinghouse, soon to be White-Westinghouse that kept up producing front loaders for USA market. This was a shame as W-W began to take money out of their machines and seemingly innovation ended.
When Maytag launched their Neptune front loaders they touted themselves as being first to bring h-axis washers to USA market. IIRC one or more members of group set Maytag straight on that score.
When Maytag launched their Neptune front loaders they touted themselves as being first to bring h-axis washers to USA market. IIRC one or more members of group set Maytag straight on that score.
I found a letter from a Consumer Reports reader asking if tumbler washers were still being made and, if they were, why were they not being tested. This was sometime in the late 80s. CU responded that yes, they were still being made followed by a laundry list of reasons for not testing them, but a promise to report on them the next time. As for "poor Westinghouse," they wisely got their stack mates into many apartment and condo projects which meant steady service calls in huge buildings and a lock on the replacement machine market. One ritzy building in Chevy Chase had a parking place with a padlocked chain across it and a sign stating that it was reserved for the Westinghouse service tech. It was a huge building and his truck was always in the spot. The service tech had only to drive to work then walk to his service calls so very little money was spent on travel. Multi-unit dwellers were so glad to have their own machines and not have to leave their units to do laundry that they were not overly concerned if the washing ability was not up there with the best toploaders. I never knew of a tumbler washer owner who found the washing ability inadequate.
My Aunt had a set of Westy Slant fronts she bought in ‘55 and used daily of 9 years without ANY repairs and sold them with the home ‘64. She always used either All, Dash or Salvo. She had three kids and did laundry several times a week. Watching those machines is what got me hooked on washers.
We bought a new set of White Westinghouse FL’s in ‘87 and used them for 7 trouble free years and also sold them with the home when we moved in ‘94. I never had any problems with tangling and really loved that WD set. They could handle any large kingsize bedding and never failed to go into a well balanced spin every time.
I remember CU giving them a bad rap and couldn’t understand why. Frankly, if they still made FL’s like those Westinghouse machines I’d still have one. I don’t like the new FL’s at ALL. Cycle times take too long, have a mind of their own about whether to go into a spin or not and they don’t use enough water IMO. The last good domestic FL’s IMO were the Frigidaire FL’s that came out in the late 80’s early 90’s and the Maytag Neptunes.
I had an LG FL in 2015 for about 6-8 mo. and was never so happy to see a washer being carrying out of my front door. What a POS. There were certain things that I just couldn’t wash in them because that machine REFUSED to go into a spin and I had to go to the laundromat to wash them. And I’m not talking about big comforters, but merely a set of heavy bath towels from Restoration Hardware or bath room throw rugs. My current BOL Roper TL washes and spins these towels and bathroom rugs with NO problems at all, always goes into a well balanced spin without any hesitation.
Eddie[this post was last edited: 3/31/2024-20:27]
We bought a new set of White Westinghouse FL’s in ‘87 and used them for 7 trouble free years and also sold them with the home when we moved in ‘94. I never had any problems with tangling and really loved that WD set. They could handle any large kingsize bedding and never failed to go into a well balanced spin every time.
I remember CU giving them a bad rap and couldn’t understand why. Frankly, if they still made FL’s like those Westinghouse machines I’d still have one. I don’t like the new FL’s at ALL. Cycle times take too long, have a mind of their own about whether to go into a spin or not and they don’t use enough water IMO. The last good domestic FL’s IMO were the Frigidaire FL’s that came out in the late 80’s early 90’s and the Maytag Neptunes.
I had an LG FL in 2015 for about 6-8 mo. and was never so happy to see a washer being carrying out of my front door. What a POS. There were certain things that I just couldn’t wash in them because that machine REFUSED to go into a spin and I had to go to the laundromat to wash them. And I’m not talking about big comforters, but merely a set of heavy bath towels from Restoration Hardware or bath room throw rugs. My current BOL Roper TL washes and spins these towels and bathroom rugs with NO problems at all, always goes into a well balanced spin without any hesitation.
Eddie[this post was last edited: 3/31/2024-20:27]
Picture of the day white Westinghouse front load washer
Yes, it’s too bad. There was only one manufacturer making them in the end and when you only have one, you just don’t generate a lot of interest in the product. It’s just like throughout the 70s only Amana made a bottom freezer refrigerator and as a result a small but steady number of people bought them, but they just wasn’t a lot of interest.
Westinghouse had a huge market because they were the only full-size stackable washer dryer alternative thousands and thousands were sold for condominiums and apartment buildings, Frigidaire continued to build the same size washer till 2011. They were absolutely stupid to go with the supersize machines only they threw away tons of replacement business, now we’re pulling out all these white Westinghouse deck and having to put in Chinese 24 inch GE machines Frigidaire threw it all away stupid marketing.
Hi,Launderess in reply number two you missed the mark on a lot of points. These Westinghouse washers never had a problem with vibration unless there was something wrong with the particular machine, they were never rated poorly in cleaning. In fact, consumer reports top rated the white Westinghouse front loaders in the early 90s
After 1959 there was no tendency to tangle whatsoever in Westinghouse front load washers. The early slant front machines tangled terribly. That is true.
Reliability was never great after 1959 the early Westinghouse slant front ones actually had pretty good reliability if you look back in the durability surveys about 1960 and consumer reports , they went downhill and reliability from there although they were easy to repair and they were great machines for do it yourselfers.
John
Yes, it’s too bad. There was only one manufacturer making them in the end and when you only have one, you just don’t generate a lot of interest in the product. It’s just like throughout the 70s only Amana made a bottom freezer refrigerator and as a result a small but steady number of people bought them, but they just wasn’t a lot of interest.
Westinghouse had a huge market because they were the only full-size stackable washer dryer alternative thousands and thousands were sold for condominiums and apartment buildings, Frigidaire continued to build the same size washer till 2011. They were absolutely stupid to go with the supersize machines only they threw away tons of replacement business, now we’re pulling out all these white Westinghouse deck and having to put in Chinese 24 inch GE machines Frigidaire threw it all away stupid marketing.
Hi,Launderess in reply number two you missed the mark on a lot of points. These Westinghouse washers never had a problem with vibration unless there was something wrong with the particular machine, they were never rated poorly in cleaning. In fact, consumer reports top rated the white Westinghouse front loaders in the early 90s
After 1959 there was no tendency to tangle whatsoever in Westinghouse front load washers. The early slant front machines tangled terribly. That is true.
Reliability was never great after 1959 the early Westinghouse slant front ones actually had pretty good reliability if you look back in the durability surveys about 1960 and consumer reports , they went downhill and reliability from there although they were easy to repair and they were great machines for do it yourselfers.
John
neptunebob
Well-known member
In my part of the country...
Many people either "worked for" or "were an engineer" for Westinghouse and could get discounts on their appliances. Almost all of them chose the WH top loader. Even one neighbor who had a matching front loader set replaced the washer with a WH top loader. The front loaders were more expensive. My aunt always had a WH front loader, one from the 50's and another from early 70s, she replaced it with a Whirlpool in the 90s because the Westinghouse "leaked and attracts ants". My sister still has the Whirlpool DD, I named "Walter" after replacing several parts but after 30 years I wonder how long it will last. In case you wonder, Westinghouse and Kenmore were the 2 appliances brands in Pittsburgh, it was when we went on vacations in other parts of the country I saw Maytag, Frigidaire, even GE for laundry. Even Whirlpools were few and far between.
Many people either "worked for" or "were an engineer" for Westinghouse and could get discounts on their appliances. Almost all of them chose the WH top loader. Even one neighbor who had a matching front loader set replaced the washer with a WH top loader. The front loaders were more expensive. My aunt always had a WH front loader, one from the 50's and another from early 70s, she replaced it with a Whirlpool in the 90s because the Westinghouse "leaked and attracts ants". My sister still has the Whirlpool DD, I named "Walter" after replacing several parts but after 30 years I wonder how long it will last. In case you wonder, Westinghouse and Kenmore were the 2 appliances brands in Pittsburgh, it was when we went on vacations in other parts of the country I saw Maytag, Frigidaire, even GE for laundry. Even Whirlpools were few and far between.
rinso
Well-known member
Two developments with the Westy FL's that probably solved the tangling issues were the ingenious "potato pully" and way later, the reversing tumble action. We had a friend who had one before WCI bought the line. His cabinet was porcelain. When we bought one, WCI called it a "White-Westinghouse." It never tangled and was very reliable, but did not have a porcelain cabinet and after about 7 years, turned into quite the rust bucket. The door was the first thing to succumb to peeling paint.
Our '64 Westinghouse FL developed rust on the lower portion of the door, and actually had a hole by the time it was replaced in '73. I don't remember the previous washer - a '55 Westinghouse - having any issues with rust, but it had to be repaired several times due to various malfunctions. I don't think the cabinet was porcelain, though possibly the top was.
