Should I pick up this Kenmore set? (advice for newbie)

[DADoES]

 
Amy, Whirlpool produced many millions of the direct-drive design over the course of 30+ years.  They wouldn't have endured on the market for that long and in such numbers if they were bad machines.  They're easy to repair, parts are as yet available and largely inexpensive.  My parents had a 1994 (KitchenAid) model that ran for 18 years with a few minor repairs (motor coupler, agitator dogs, lid switch) until the timer broke.  A rebuilt/replacement timer could been had for $70 but I had a 12-years-old refurbished Kenmore on standby that they took instead.  I also had a KitchenAid for some years. My grandmother had a 1984 Whirlpool model that had no repairs for the duration her use (14 years), which was sold when I swapped my KitchenAid to her.

 

[askolover]

either/or

I grew up with Maytags so I'm a little partial, but both companies made good reliable machines.

 

[appnut]

I'd go for the Maytags in reply #15.  Far more flexible and not so rough on clothing.  I had a direct drive  Kenmore.  Hated it. 

 

[washdaddy]

those Maytags in reply #15 are a nice set...the washer is a single speed machine....(for the delicate cycle it does agitate at normal speed but it agitates for a bit then soaks for a bit, then agitates a bit more then soaks a bit more)

 

The Kenmores- though a little bit harder on clothes, that can be compensated for by not overloading the machine. Those machines can last a while. My mother has a Whirlpool direct drive that's over 25 yrs old and still going strong with not a single repair to it. There were a hell of a lot of those machines sold and many are still running strong.

 

[twintubber]

I guess some people don't READ!

I listed several reasons for why these were NOT good machines.
Sure, they may last a while in many cases, and they sold 30 million +
Blah, Blah, Blah.....
They do NOT rinse well, have terrible filtration, are noisy and very rough on the clothing.
Just cause something lasts doesn't mean it's a good PERFORMER!
That was the key to my comments.
Having sensitive skin myself, I can attest to the absolute FACT that the DD machines do not rinse well at all and leave lots of lint floating on top of the wash load since the useless filter is at the bottom of the tub.
I have used TONS of these horrible washers and I wouldn't take one brand new in a box. It would go straight to the dump-IN THE BOX AND ALL!
I seriously wouldn't even give my worst enemy one of those pieces of absolute garbage.
Oh, and I HATE dual-action agitators. "Forcing" clothes to the bottom of the tub causes more tangling and twisting as well as creating absolutely no water currents in the upper part of the wash tub. Thus also why the lint simply floats on the top of the wash water as it can't get pulled down to the filter due to the poorly designed agitiator.
Manufacturers who take the time to design, and create a good and functional all-vaned agitator that does the job is superior to a company that creates a "gimmicky" agitator that does more damage to the clothes than clean them.

 

[yogitunes]

both machines will work out fine for you, the maytag is just a bigger capacity...if that is a factor for you.....

on the Maytag, the lint filter is inside the agitator, and usually works best on higher water levels.......but all in all, if your separating clothes properly, with the right detergent, cycle and water temp, leaving those filters out wont cause an issue for any machine......I never use them....

and you want to slightly underload a Maytag for best washing performance.....

I have a DirectDrive, and installed the larger base Kitchen Aid agitator in it, and I use it at HIGH speed.....and have never had an issue.....

if you were closer, I would say come take one of mine and try it for yourself.....but that would be like putting my money where my mouth is....

best advice ever is to talk to a mechanic who works on any appliance or car, and find out the true ins and outs of any machine, versus some johnny come lately....

as I suppose every member here who has a direct drive, ALL have bad issues with them?...

your mileage may vary....

 

[frigilux]

Amy-- Welcome to the storm of opposing opinions that deluge anyone foolish enough to ask "which is the better washer", LOL. If it's any help, a good friend has the same early 1990s Kenmore set and it has been very reliable, doing a fine job of cleaning with the straight vane agitator already in the machine.

Let us know which ones you get! We love follow-up.

 

[twintubber]

Oh right, I should'a kept my mouth shut.

I forgot I'm not supposed to have an opinion when Yogitunes is in the room.
It's not like I haven't worked in appliance repair, installation, stripping/rebuilding and later in sales or anything. Not to mention years of running a domestic cleaning business and using MANY of these machines as well as lots of others. So of course, what would I know?
After all, he knows EVERYTHING and I of course, know NOTHING!!!

 

[appnut]

Scott, you know how much I hated my Lady Shredmore.  Rinsing and shredding are my complaints.  That's why I was quietly directing her toward the Maytag.  I an understand why anyone would one to quit going to the Laundromat.  But a one speed, one cycle, one water level wash, even in that situation, is to plane jane for me. 

 

[goatfarmer]

No need to get upset, Scott. You stated your opinion, and others have stated theirs. Let it go!

 

I'm also a Maytag fan, but if I needed a decent reliable washer, I wouldn't turn down a DD Whirlpool design.

 

 

[twintubber]

First of all....

I want to apologize to amyofescobar. I did not mean to interrupt nor take over your post.
I wish you all the best in your search as it can be really confusing searching for something in the vintage world and unsure what you really want/need.
Aside from that, my comments about DD's stand.
@appnut-"But a one speed, one cycle, one water level wash, even in that situation, is to plane jane for me."
I completely agree and would rather go to the Laundromat if that's all I had.
@goatfarmer-"No need to get upset, Scott. You stated your opinion, and others have stated theirs. Let it go!"
I wouldn't have even bothered to comment at all.
But this line:"
"best advice ever is to talk to a mechanic who works on any appliance or car, and find out the true ins and outs of any machine, versus some johnny come lately...."
That crossed a line with me.
And I'm considering leaving this site for GOOD because of it.
I don't need that kind of arrogant attitude projected at me.
Again, amyofescobar, I apologize for this and it usually doesn't happen here at AW.org.
Happy hunting to you as I know it can be a lot of fun.
And best of luck in whatever you find and learn to love and appreciate.

 

[bvf]

another opinion

I just looked at the identical set and the man used them in a rental for 15 years ad they are still working..they are plastic but photo well…I was thinking of buying them just for the fun of it…could this be that one out of three products are good to keep up moral amonstg buyers…..now I'm thinking i may pass on these also.. but in a way they look kind of vintage ..i thought at first they were early 80s…mk in arizona

 

[jeb]

Direct drive

I think I should put in my 2 cents worth. I have a direct drive whirlpool that I have had for 15 yrs and never had the problems listed. I raised 2 kids with this machine and can honestly say I have never had any clothing ruined by it. I also work at 2 museums and washed lace curtain from the Victorian room and ruff, heavy wool homespun from the log cabin without a problem. I never had problems with lint or rinsing. If I used bleach,I would selected the optional second rinse but otherwise every thing seemed fine. Right now I am washing several table clothes that were used at an outdoor even this weekend where we let kids churn butter and cooked over an open fire. The table clothes were covered in greasy butter and black in some places were the iron pots were set on them. After a 30 minute soak in borax and laundry soap, then run through the normal cycle all came out clean and fine (if maybe a little twisted). The filter seemed to get rid of soot and small bits of food left on them, but (as the saying goes), " individual results may vary ". Jeff

 

[rp2813]

BOL vs BOL

The Maytag washer in reply 15 may be BOL, but it offers more options and cycle choices than the BOL Kenmore.   It doesn't appear that you can even select water temperature or load size on the Kenmore.

 

At $30 for the set, those Maytags are a real steal.  The Kenmores, OTOH, seem overpriced for their age.

 

Too bad you missed out on that first Maytag you posted.  It's by far the best of the bunch for build quality, provides more options than the other two, long stroke agitation, and speed selection for wash and spin.

 

The $30 Maytags would be my next choice if they're in proper working order. 

 

Regardless of which set you end up with, people here can provide help for both makes if anything needs fixing.

 

[sears9000]

May I offer some advice?

First welcome to A.W.ORG. It is true that the Kenmore set is bottom of the line set. Now the lower end of Kenmore/Whirlpool washers usually don't have a lint filter in them at all. But the dryer does have one, so it should catch the lint for you. Although I'm partial to Kenmore because that's what I grew up with, the 2nd Maytag set would be a good choice. They were built very well, and they have a manual lint filter in the agitator that you clean. you should have many years of good service with them. Here's my advice for all washers new or old, front or top loading. 1. A friendly reminder, don't overload the machine. The clothes need to be able to move around the tub so they won't bind up near the agitator which could damage your clothes, not get clean as they should be, and could cause the soap to not rinse completely out. Plus this could damage the machine. 2. Be generous with the water if possible. I.E, if you have a medium load, set it to large. As I said, the more the clothes can move around, the cleaner they will be. 3. Cut back a little bit on your soap. Especially with sensitive skin like my wife and I have, it helps. You need just enough to clean your clothes. Besides, to much soap could cause your machine to not perform as it should.
Amy, I'm not telling you what to do, I just want to give you some good advice to help you. Oh yes, when you get your machine, I would suggest that you fill it with hot water, pour in a cup of bleach, and run it on a complete cycle to kill any germs that might be there. I wish you the best in getting a laundry set, and may you enjoy them.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

Actually...

I disagree. It's all about the design and functionality of the whirlpool family of direct drives. The key is having the right water level, temp, and speed combinations as well as the detergent and additives. I have had good luck with direct drives even when using the "shredder" speed. The high-speed agitation will surely cause a whirlpool in the tub which is what I look for. The Maytag direct drives do a good job. I just wish they'd fill up with more water. They're the ones in my college dorm which are free of charge, and have a mechanical timer along with load size and fabric selections which go by temperature.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

At least

the Maytags were direct drive from 2007-2010.