the GREATER agitator

[gansky1]

That huge agitator in the Norge solid-basket machines is pretty cool, and that burp-up filter gets very high marks for drama!

Oh, let's go watch the video again...

http://www.classicappliances.com/MUSEUM/Norge/Museum-Norge.htm

 

[tolivac]

I would vote for the WP Surgilator,the KN Roto-Swirl,and last but not least-the Norge Tall vane "Burp-I-Lator"a washer my mom had when I was very little had the Norge Agitator-it also had a shiny metal lint pan.

 

[angus]

I have to agree with Greg - the Norge "Wave Agitation" was incredibly effective and didn't have to rely on "roll over".

 

[mrmaytag]

For me, the best is the Surgilator. As was stated previously, it's quite splashy, especially in the earlier Whirlpools. When that transmission kicks in on a low fill rinse, you better make sure that lid is closed before the first agitation stroke, or you'll be soaked.

I may have the nickname of "MrMaytag", but my favorite machines are BD Whirlpool machines.

 

[doityrselfguy]

Speaking of the Kenmore six vane Roto-Flex with no skirt, I remember a neighbor had a gold one when I was a kid, but I've never seen one on this site. Anyone have a picture?

 

[foraloysius]

Confession

I have a confession to make. At the convention Robert's Norge was my least favourite machine. I really liked the design of the machine but I found it really loud. I was also a fast learner and found that a good rollover is part of the fun of a toploader and the Norge didn't have that.

Until now my favourites are

1. Solid tub Speed Queens agitators (I haven't seen a working perforated SQ seen yet). That agitator sure knows how to move the clothes.

2. The three ring agitator in the Unimatics and Multimatics (the 1959 Multimatic is my favourite).

3. The Kenmore Super Roto Swirl. I used a Kenmore machine in a hotel and was impressed by the action it caused. Together with Tide it really cleaned the laundry.

 

[rickr]

Surgilator

For the best turnover I have seen. Machine was on spin when Bethann took this picture. Her camera is v.g.
Rick

 

[user 12105]

This style chrome agitator i think looks so much cooler than the ones they used in the sixties,though they were nice also.

Rick,what is the difference between this surgilator and the super surgilator WP used in the early to mid sixties?They're both bakelite and the design looks exactly the same.

 

[westytoploader]

"At the convention Robert's Norge was my least favourite machine"

When I first saw the Norge videos, I thought the fact that it was unusually loud during agitation meant that it had something terribly wrong with it (which wasn't true)! That and the gurgling sound it made at the beginning of agitation, when all of the water was being pumped out of the outer tub, was very strange!

I always wondered why it was top-rated by CR in 1954 since there was no turnover until Robert explained that it cleans by "dragging" the clothes, not rolling them.

I also noticed that the tub didn't seem very deep; maybe that's why there's so little rollover action. However, the lint filter-agitator is an improvement, IMHO, and stirs things around.

 

[user 12105]

Norge effects

The Fedders Norge my family owned in the seventies and early eighties was definitely a good cleaner. As has been stated previously in older posts,rollover does not necessarily mean good cleaning.

It is all in the design of the agitator.That straight vane the Norge used sloshed the WHOLE load back and forth.

Maytag machines were another example of sloshing the whole load back and forth,granted if it was a large load.

I have only used Maytag machines in commercial use and i thought they had pretty powerful agitation,like a wave effect.

The Frigidaires agitation,...well we know they are in a class all to their lonesome ;-)

 

[washerlover]

Burp Up

Let's not forget about Norge and Hotpoint's burp-up agitators with lint filters! Both effective agitation and lint removal, in addition to great sound effects and wonderful visual entertainment!

 

[mrsalvo]

Any agitator that doesn't wear out the clothes and CLEANS
them well...stain removal.