Recommend a modern/new washer & dryer please.

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austinado16

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Looks like my mom's 15-20 year old Maytag set are failing. She did a load the other day and got black grease stains on a bunch of white salon towels she was washing. In my experience rebuilding Ken-Pools, that's a failed seal on the spin tube allowing grease to be spun up out of the shaft bushings. But I've not worked on Maytag stuff at that depth.

Anyway, can you give me the quick and dirty on the best machines out there right now? I'm still twisting clothes in my 1953 Westinghouse Twins, so I have no clue what's good, or what's the best.

Thanks!
 
Really?

Try removing the Maytag's agitator. Oftentimes, gunk builds up from liquid detergent and fabric softener and eventually it gets so thick that globs break off as black grease. Before you go to the trouble of a new set, see if this simple problem is your issue.

For new machines, my 1st place to look would be Speed Queen top loaders.

Dave
 
Thanks Dave!

If she wasn't in Peoria, IL I'd have gone over already and taken a look at it. Wonder if that's something she might be able to do? Or get done easily with a service call I guess.
 
Club Member

Maybe there is a club member in the area that would be willing to take a look at it on your befalf?

On another note, do you have a budget figure in mind for your replacement set?

Malcolm
 
Thought about asking that...

Talked to her this afternoon after Dave's input and she's actually looking forward to new machines. She's going to do the dishwasher at the same time....lol, must be nice!

I think she's more interested in the top loaders after discovering that the pedestals for the front loaders ads about $500 to the purchase price.
 
Todd, for top loaders there's Speed Queen and then there's everything else. Compare the warranties.
 
Re: the pedestals, I think she wants the machines higher for whatever reason.

Thanks for another SQ recommendation Jeff. I've told her to go look for them and so far, she's not finding a dealer for them...yet.
 
Just looked at the SQ website. The nearest dealer to her is 30-some miles away.

I went to the SQ website and compared the specs on their FL machine at 13.9 gallons per wash, to their TL mashine at 31 gallons per wash. Wow, big difference! So if you guys are recommending TL SQ's does that mean the FL's not as good in comparision?

I love my FL's and would probably never have a TL again.[this post was last edited: 8/24/2010-23:39]
 
No...

....front loaders are great machines as someone has just posted with their results from their new Frigidaire - just don't expect to see water sloshing about...

Interestingly, we only got Speed Queen back to our market 12 or so months ago and Choice has just tested one.

When tested to the Australian Standard at full capacity, Cold/Cold, Extra large load, Options-off, Regular/Heavy setting, it only removed 64% of dirt....which put it 3rd last out of the 12 top load machines tested yet it used more water than every other machine - a total of 40 US Gallons....

A Fisher and Paykel machine managed 79% - differences of more than about 5% can be seen without need of special equipment.

A similar capacity Whirlpool tested the same way hit 76% and used similar amounts of water....

The SQ did rinse well though.....but I know what I would be choosing if I was determined to have a top load machine in the American market.....

...and it wouldn't be the expensive (but well built) SQ....I'd be going for the Whirlpool...

...and she can probably get one almost anywhere for half the price....
 
Sorry, my wording on my comparisons of the gallons used was a big obtuse. What I meant to say (edited my post) was that if the FL's use half the water, but you guys weren't recommending them over the TL's, does that mean the TL's are a much better machine?

I have a feeling she'll go with the WP TL. But I've been encouraging her to look at the SQ's if she can find 'em.
 
Todd, water usage ratings are for maximum size loads. TL's have a much wider range of water level adjustments compared to FL's. In a TL, normal loads require substantially less water, and small loads still less. So the difference often isn't much, or anything. But the real difference is in time savings, cycle times in FL's are typically 2-4x as long as TL's.
 
So the difference often isn't much, or anything.

Way wrong! My front loader uses 39 litres for a full 12 LBS load, that's only 10,3 gallons! And for smaller loads, with adaptive fill this figure can only get lower
 
So the difference often isn't much, or anything....

What????

To run a small load....lets say half....in a top loader will use more than half the water because even if it only goes half way up the basket:

- under the basket needs to be filled;
- spray rinses don't take account of load size so use the same amount of water....

So at half load, a traditional top loader will use about 60% of the water when at its capacity. In the case of the SQ I mentioned in an earlier post, this would be around 100 litres/25 gallons....

Now, I can only speak from a European front loader perspective here but:

- they work on a fill sensor too which, in its most basic form, will trip when the load stops absorbing and the level rises to trip it....less load, less absorbancy, less water.
- most people will press the 'short' or 'quick' button OR use a dedicated short cycle which either reduces the rinses to 2, may reduce the wash water level, may reduce the rinse level or all three......

....so please don't make assumptions that a traditional top loader will use the same amount of water as a modern front loader or even close to it - they don't, and they can't for the same quantity of washing for the same result.
 
Todd, given that your mother liked the older iron, she might well be happier in the long haul with the Speed Queen's quality.

Although, I will say that I was looking at Whirlpool machines at Home Depot and Lowe's recently, and didn't see much to complain about. Oh, yes, I'm sure it's not the quality of the 60s--but it looks decent for today's world. Of course, I'm assuming what I saw is typical of what comes straight out of the box. (Yes, I am cynical enough to think a store selling appliances might pick and choose, or even completely rebuild something so it looks good.)

One word of warning that should be passed to your mother is the tendency of Whirlpool DD machines to wear/harm clothes. I don't know how much of a problem that is. There are those here calling them "Shredmores." I have had experience with only one DD machine, used for nearly 10 years. Nothing got dramatically killed, although I do think clothes wear might have been accelerated just a bit.
 
$ .02

If she goes TL, then SQ would be nice, but Whirlpool will be a fine choice and less money. If her old machines lasted about 15 to 20 years, then that means she knows how to take care of them and a new TL could last her for a good 15 years too.

If she goes with FL, then I say SQ isn't necessarily the only make to be looking at. Whirlpool Duets (along with certain other Whirly FL's sold under different badges) are very capable machines and again, will cost less than SQ. Longevity, however, is a known issue with FL machines. Something to consider. Will the cumulative savings in water have made up the difference when a FL has to be replaced sooner than a TL would?

Cycle times and water use are the two big differences between TL and FL machines after washing action. FL's use far less water, but take far longer to complete a cycle. TL's use far more water, but get the job done in less than half the time of a FL machine.

Seeing as how TL machines are on the endangered species watch list, if she's on the fence at all she might want to get one while there's still some selection.
 

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