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partscounterman

Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2018
Messages
9
Location
Cortez, Colorado
As you may know from my previous posts, I have a Kenmore HE3t frontloading washer. We bought it after we moved here. The longer I have it the more annoyed I am by the long cycle times. When i had more time it was OK, but now with my own shop my time is more precious. I've been thinking about switching back to an agitator washer anyway.

Last week I got in this Maytag SE1000 stacked laundry. As I worked on it and checked it out, I began to fall in love! This machine has the old skool helical drive transmission, standard capacity tub and a super fun electronic control which is very flexible. Because of the electronic control, there are no long pauses between wash and spin, which means my laundry will get done quicker. The longer I had it, I realized I couldn't part with it. So the Maytag is going home and the Kenmore hettie and 90 series Kemore dryer are going to the shop to be sold. I can't wait to get back to agitator washing again!
True, there are things I am giving up. I will have to head on down to the W&F laundromat with my big comforters, pillows and rugs. My everyday laundry will get done quicker and thats more important to me right now. I chose the Hettie because it heats its own water, but it takes forever to make any real difference. So our "hot" water runs in the 100-120 degree range. I still feeel that frontloaders need the hotter water to make up for less effective washing action. Call me a heretic, but thats my opinion.
David
 
YAY!!! GREAT that you're using an agitator again, and a helical-drive Maytag no less! WOOHOO!!!!

And this machine obviously won't take an hour to spin either...gotta love the water hogs!
 
Front loader friction....

I may earn a "collective slap" for this, but I predict that these inefficient front loaders will be the white elephants of the future. I'm convinced that people are buying them for their futuristic looks rather than their ability to wash. Who needs their special detergents and extremely long cycles.

Solid tub top loaders with quick wash cycles will soon be back in favour with a time-pressed public.
 
Thats it in a nutshell

Yes, the front load is better with water and does spin a lot dryer, but it doesn't save ME any time. So I chop 15 minutes off the dryer time-I'm waiting an extra 15 for the washer to decide to spin. With only two of us, I shouldn't be spending an entire weekend day washing clothes.
And yes, I'm tired of paying more for special HE detergent. I can't say I'm all that impressed with front load washing action-I've had my share of stains make it through the process.
If the manufactors want front loading washers to continue to be accepted, they better work on those cycle times!
 
take a back seat, frontloaders

I agree. I love the older front loaders with their quick cycles and the old combos also, but these modern FLs are extremely annoying for the above mentioned reasons, taking half a century just to counter-balance before take off,and not having a deep enough water pool to plunge in like the FLs of yesteryear. I know, I have a Friglux at home.
 
Just wondering

Why did the Old design fl westinghouse fall from favor? It was faster than what you all say these new fangled ones are, and frugal with water, Was the problem the wt of the concrete balance in them? Its time for an appliance renaissance(sp) If the concrete wts were the problem, why could these not now be made with plastic and filled with water? That was my idea for the design a washer thread, but I didnt want to sound like a goon. :-)
 
David is that the one with the sliding washer lid and lighted tub? That is a neat machine. My friend Mark has that one in his new house, came with the house. I had seen one before, but not one hooked up to the utilities to see working. Very nice machine. He only has enough room width-wise for one machine, I'm thinking back in the day it was a washer only no dryer, so this was a great solution for that.
 
Well David, I'm happy for you and your decision. Now, I just wish you were a lot closer so I could go buy your old machine.
 
Thats the one

It does have the sliding lid and tub light in the washtub-there is no light in the dryer drum however. I am going to *rig* it so I can watch the wash action-I have little use for a locking lid!

I love too how Maytag put a chrome stip on the front of the washer to goop it up a bit.

"The most fully featured Maytag we have ever built, space age technology at you fingertips"

To think I could almost post this in the imperial column!
 
I think those did come out a bit earlier...I remember some friends remodeling their kitchen and putting one in it about 83. Good machines.

BUT...I have to add that I have a front loader and it gets clothes cleaner than any "modern" agitator washer I have ever used (I say modern because the Frigidaire Unimatic does just as well as the FL) My FL is Electrolux built and takes about 40 minutes for a cycle...5 or 10 minutes longer than a TL...big deal ...and HE detergent costs the same as regular here in CA. I can understand being frustrated with a FL that takes over an hour(the disadvantage of heating its own water) but there are better options out there.

When I do a hot wash, I just purge the hot water line and fill 'er up with 140 degree water and it stays hot the whole 15 minute wash.
 
Counterpartsman--- you are hereby notified that the Frontloading Washer Police have added you to their list of heretical suspects. Perhaps you were not aware that speaking out against FL washing machines is now punishable by law, even in such foreign and exotic lands as Hawaii. We suggest you retract your previous comments post-haste and renounce your misguided allegiance to top-loading washers of any era!

And fair warning to YOU, retromom, westytoploader and Mrcleanjeans (great screen name, by the way): We will not tolerate the encouragement of others to stray from the Frontloading fold.

.....OK, I can't possibly keep a straight face any longer, LOL!!!! Enjoy your new (almost vintage) stack, partscounterman!

And by the way, I think a Hawaiian wash-in sounds like fun, don't you, gang?
 
Re: I Agree:

Hi! Club Friends, I'm sorry but I agree with Partscounterman, about the Older Top-Load Washers, especially -vs- the newer Front-Loaders. The older Front-Loaders were much better, along with the Top-Loaders.

"BTW" most everyone knows that:

"Nothing Sucks, Like an Electrolux"

Peace and Happiness, Steve
SactoTeddyBear...
 
I dunno about that Steve-The folks that have the Electrolux built front loaders seem to be happier than the neptune, hettie and duet owners.

Louis- The hettie only runs the heater on the heavy duty, whitest whites, & sanitary cycles.

If you choose stain treat, it will make sure the water gets hot, but adds another 1/2 hour to the cycle
 
Re: Again, I Agree:

Hey! David, I again agree with you. If I were to look into buying any more Front-Load Washers {New} it would be one of the Kenmore "Fridgemore" Models. I've heard more good things about the Kenmore especially, over the Frigidaire and GE Models. I even recommended the Kenmore Model to some Friends who are very happy with both the Washer and Dryer. They've had them for 3 or 4 years now and have never had any Repairs on either Machine.

The Frigidaire/GE Models seem to be having quite a lot of problems with the Bearings and Control Boards, besides a couple of Tub/Basket Replacement problems.

Peace and Happiness, Steve
SactoTeddyBear...
 
I love my Electrolux-made Frigidaire FL! The cycle length is only a little longer than a TL, and it doesn't waste a lot of time trying to balance the load before going into a spin. I've never had a problem with either of my Frigiluxes. The 1996 machine (first edition Frigilux) is still going strong servicing a multi-family apt building. My 2002 hasn't given me any trouble, either.
 
What a fun ad, must send that to Mark. I had no idea Larson's lasted into the '80s. They, of course, were a big Frigidaire dealer too. :)
 
What a fun ad, must send that to Mark. I had no idea Larson's lasted into the '80s. They, of course, were a big Frigidaire dealer too. :)
 
Not sure why you have so many problems

We had an '80's Maytag TL that was left by the previous owners in our house.... It never did a decent job of cleaning our clothes. Most of my undershirts had a white cakey residue from deoderant in the armpits and my wife's socks always looked dirty on the soles....

When our dryer caught fire in Dec, we got the LG WM2277 and matching dryer as the Maytag was making funny noises for the past 2 years and Best Buy had 2 years no interest....

Let's just say the crust in the t-shirts is gone, the wife's socks are looking cleaner with every wash, and even our other clothes are coming cleaner than the Maytag or any other washer.

Doesn't matter what temp we use - warm, cold, or hot. Can't explain it, but our clothes just look better.

As for the HE detergent - we've had good luck with Costco (Kirkland), although many have issues with it (we have hard water). Also we've been using Sears Ultra Plus and it's doing a great job as well.

Not to say FL's are for everyone - the long cycle times take a little getting used to, but we're doing almost 2x the laundry per load than we were with the Maytag so it's evening out on the end.
 
I know you front load owners like to say you would not go back to a toploader.But how do you compare stain to stain.

If we didn't have he detergents,these machines would just be glorified suds makers...no? May be spin wise they will dry your laundry faster,but i do not believe they are superior cleaners by any stetch of the imagination. also that beating on a rock principle is reaching a little too much.

Guys just my honest opinion from using both types of machines.
 
FL for me

We all are entitled to our opinions. I have used both types of machines too, and I believe the FL of today cleans better than the TL of today. My son and I both work at a gym and generate some very sweaty, stinky laundry. He works on cars and I work in the yard. We have some very dirty clothes. Everthing comes out fresh and sparkling clean...much better than it did from a modern TL with a corkscrew agitator. (And that thing was harsh, it frayed a set of expensive sheets in one year. After getting the FL, I replaced the sheets...exact same set from same store...and they are over four years old now.)
Persperation stains are a thing of the past. We used to get a build up of persperation/deodorant under T shirt sleeves, but no more. I know it is hard to believe that a machine using so little water in the wash cycle can clean better...but for me seeing was believing. I think using the right detergent for your machine is a big factor. All detergents these days should be HE....there is no reason to have suds...except for entertainment value for folks like us. :-)

P.S. I still like my Unimatic the best, though.
 
FL washes great

Hi,

I concur with my Neptune's FL cleaning ability, it's just as good as any top loader I have ever owned. I have owned many different types of front and top loaders, some were good at cleaning, some not. I currently have both the Neptune and a 1-18. They both wash great and I am very picky about clean. My son plays baseball and other sports, lots of very dirty clothes here....never a problem getting stains out with either of these machines. (While I won't rave about the Neptune due to quality issues, I have never a problem with it's cleaning ability.) I use only Tide regular powder due to chemical sensitivity. I have no problems using it in the Neptune for washing or rinsing. I know some have expressed concern about the amount of water used in a FL, but I do not think that there is a problem with cleaning ability, at least not in my experience. The things that the 1-18 do better IMHO are quicker cycle times and better spin dry,with less water left in the clothes. You have to get used to longer cycle times with the FL, but I've adapted.

Rich
 
What is the obsession with getting laundry done so quickly, don't you guys have anything else to get on with while the washer is running?
 
hoovermatic--- Yes, we Americans are obsessed with getting things done VERY QUICKLY! We want instant everything, and we wanted it five minutes ago, thank you very much! LOL

On FL vs. TL washers: I noticed that after I switched to FL washers, I never lose a button off shirts.
 
hoovermatic--- Yes, we Americans are obsessed with getting things done VERY QUICKLY! We want instant everything, and we wanted it five minutes ago, thank you very much! LOL

On FL vs. TL washers: I noticed that after I switched to FL washers, I never lose a button off shirts.
 

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