Pushbutton KA Pair

[DADoES]

 
I don't ordinarily bring listings to attention, but in consideration of today's Daily Doctrine ...

http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/app/3127231473.html

 

[70series]

Nice 1988 set. I must say I was impressed by these particular models. I liked how the washers had the handle built into the lid the way that Whirlpool models did before the BD production ended. Too bad this style was soon abandoned on the KAs. I also liked how these KA model dryers had the metal hood for the lint filter, as they remind me of Kenmore dryer models pre-1972.

Wasn't the fastest washer agitation speed on the KA models equivalent to the medium or slower agitation speed on their DD WP/KM cousins? If so, I wonder what reasoning Whirlpool used to distinguish the KAs from the other brand subsidiaries in this manner.

Have a good one,
James

 

[strongenough78]

You're right James. The high speed on KA was the middle speed on KM/WP and the gentle speed on KA was the extra slow speed on KM/WP. The agitator vanes on the KA dual action were much bigger than on the KM/WP.

 

[frigilux]

I had an '89 KitchenAid pair. The agitator and its blades are larger, so they made the agitation speed slower. I'd hate to see what that agitator would do to clothes if it was whipping around at 160 opm!

 

[mrb627]

Agitator Blanco

For some reason, the agitator in the machine for sale appears to be white-ish in color. I suspect these machines should have had the turquoise agitator with the chrome ring around the fabric softener dispenser opening.

I wonder if the switched it to a regular WP agitator at some point.

Malcolm

 

[gansky1]

The KA agitators were blue, this is likely a replacement or a very early KA model. The first of the KA and WP Direct Drive washers did not have the auger agitator as that was a Kenmore exclusive until 1987'ish. I don't know for certain, but I don't think KA ever offered the all-pushbutton washer with a three speed motor. Mine didn't have it, nor did the first of the electronic control KAs. I have a friend that has an '87 KA washer, MOL model that has the straight vane blue agitator. She and her husband are "empty nesters" now, but her KA washer is still as strong as ever after raising two kids with that washer.

The larger blue agitator - only in 3 speed washers - used medium speed for normal agitation, and extra-low for gentle agitation and gentle spin. High speed was only used for drain and high-speed spin.

The 3 speed machines were very nice, that larger agitator and slower normal speed made the direct drive design more gentle than the WP and KM cousins. KA machines were more suited and marketed to the upscale, white-collar buyer that had more dry cleaning than play clothes. In the pushbutton washer, the heavy soil selection only offered a maximum 8 minutes of high agitation. WP did some strange things with the KA timers & speeds over the course of the brand's laundry line, Roger has a KA washer that only spins on low after wash in the normal cycle. KA also had a short run of faulty timers that caused their subsequent reliability ratings to plummet in CR reports. Though they corrected the problem quickly, the fewer numbers of KA machines sold left this stain on their rating for a few years.

In early 2008, WP dropped the KitchenAid laundry line with their acquisition of Maytag in an effort to thwart any question of monopoly in the laundry marketplace.

 

[DADoES]

 
The agitator in this model is not the the KA-exclusive dual-action, wide-base version and the machine has a 2-speed motor, not 3-speed.  It's the one-piece agitator used on early Whirlpool Design 2000 machines.

 

[DADoES]

 

 

[DADoES]

 

 

[DADoES]

 
I have a sales brochure and a salesperson training guide that covers this model.  The Heavy cycle runs 8 mins of high-speed agitation.  The Regular cycle runs 4 mins at high and 4 mins at low.  Rinse agitation is high on both.

 

[abcomatic]

I bought a KA washer in 1994. It had a turquoise adgitator with a metal ring on the top, where the fabric softner was added. It had knobs instead of pushbuttons.
I gave the washer to a friend when I got my 1978 Maytag. He is still using the KA with no problems. Gary

 

[DADoES]

 
My parents' 1994 KAWE670B "gave up" two weeks ago with the timer shaft coming loose.  Replacement timer is available but I swapped the machine for a refurbed Kenmore 90 I've been holding for someone's need.  The matching dryer is running fine.

I have a 1990/91 KAWE760W pair that hasn't been used in the past 7-ish years.  They're in good, usable condition other than needing some "garaged clean-up."

Both of our machines have the large-base turquoise agitator and 3-speed motor.

 

[pulltostart]

I posted a thread in the Deluxe Forum for a similar, but totally digital Kitchenaid washer.

L

 

[mickeyd]

The DDD was provocative when it revealed that the Heavy wash cycle is only 8 minutes. Many interesting thoughts came forth. Rich people's clothes aren't dirty.

Guess you're not washing work clothes or diapers. (By the way, clorox worked wonders for millions on that ammonia smell.) The laundromats had to get it at least close to right with the 6 minute wash. We often wash way too long, but we don't care because we like it. Blah, blah blah.

 

But then came the gold: If you select pre-wash with another cycle, you get a fill, a 4 minute wash, a partial drain, pause, proceed to selected cycle, thus in effect, becoming the usual Whirlpool Super wash, and affording you a satisfying 12 minute wash--Bob's favorite. It was a fascinating read. So glad that the 3 KA's in my big family have the double 15 second spray rinse; this 88 only does one, no matter the cycle. I wonder why?

 

[peterh770]

Looks like it has the elusive 5-fin lintolator too...

 

[DADoES]