The last word in clothes washing

[roto204]

So, today I decided to bring something new home, because the Norge pooped the puppy pad, and I wasn't in the mood to tear it all apart and fix the few major boo-boos it has. (Soon, but not right now.)

Furthermore, Rick wasn't very good at the world of solid-tub washing, and it made his gingham apron droop every time he had to do a load of laundry.

So, I decided to look for a new machine, based on the following criteria:

- It had to hold a ton of clothes,
- It had to be useable by the average human (color-coded controls with pictures of smiling daisies would be good),
- It could not have a plastic tub,
- It could not have a dual-action agitator,
- It had to be entertaining enough for me to enjoy as well, as a compromise with "those other members of the house who treat laundry as a mere task."

Oh, and I forgot:

- It could only cost $50 or less.

I am such a bitch!

Anyway, introducing what I brought home--the Raytheon Amana!

*insert shrieks of terror now*

It's the stainless-steel designer series--not a bad looking machine, and a lot of cool options (like slow agitation, regular spin) that aren't all that common, and are very useful.

And no, it doesn't leak from the center-seal! (Yet.)

The lovely lady who had it still had the user guide, warranty certificate, and installation instructions, still in the plastic jacket...

(Note the remnants of the lid-switch terminals above.)

 

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*giggle*

Not to worry, Bob ;-)

Hey, did you know that a console light was a factory option for this model, and that you could order it from Amana? I'm tempted to dig for this--everything's better with a lighted control panel!

That explains the little black-and-white terminals I found free-hanging in the control panel when I doctored the lid switch. Funzies!

 

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BUT...

...the lovely lady also told me in parting:

"Oh, and I don't think the hot water valve works...but I never cared, because I did all my wash in cold water!"

As a person with cleaning OCD, I moaned with pleasure to hear those words, because I could now envision perfectly how my next four hours would be spent--toothbrushing scum out of every part of the washer! Hooray! Well, next stop, the hardware store, for some CLR and a stiff brush. Gack!

The washer was dirty, but did not smell, and I have seen worse. In fact, upon closer inspection of the inside of the outer tub, there was only a trace amount of detergent crud. This washer apparently does an exceedingly good job of cleaning itself. (This model is about 14 years old.)

Well, let's get to it!

As it turns out, the valve and solenoids work fine. I'm not sure what the story was there. But evidence (scummy evidence) of cold-water washing abounds. Maybe she needed Cold Power!

 

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Not bad

Not too bad, but lots of moldy crud. Plus, the top of the outer tub has lots of nooks and crannies to collect crud and fuzz. That went upstairs to be cleaned in detail.

What's the theory with the circle-fill on this, which is reminiscent of the Hotpoint ring? It doesn't filter lint--it just seems to be a dorky attempt at recapturing the joy of the Frigidaire 1-18 Jet Circle fill. It's very Zen and calming, if undramatic.

 

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Stainless steel where it counts--tin foil where it doesn&#39

Much like a DeLorean, the stainless steel meets the eye, and the rust kicks you from behind. the outer tub is all metal, but very badly coated and easily damaged. There's a bit of rust to address at the top of the tub.

 

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All clean

The sparkling tub guard and cleaned gasket are ready to rejoin their friends back in the machine.

 

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Inserting the gasket

I've seen cheesier. This one's okay, and is relatively forgiving about being reinstalled. Keep a screwdriver on-hand to duck under the tub clips. (Keep a spare tub-guard on hand for when you crack the old one too, btw.)

 

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Undercarriage

Here's the underside. It kind of reminds me of a Franklin, or a little bit of a Westinghouse design.

 

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Um...

Yes, that's belt-dust. Wonder why?

 

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Ready!

The trickle-fill is very quiet and very Zen. I sometimes meditate while awaiting agitation.

Here, it cascades down the back wall of the tub. (Meaning I need to level the washer better.)

 

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More filling

Ahhh.

Anyone need to use the bathroom?

 

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Washing

One of the reasons I always wanted to try these machines was that I've seen such conflicting posts on whether or not they're any good.

Mechanical durability notwithstanding, this machine's a winner for me. The turnover is fantastic, and I haven't been able to fill it up with the normal baskets o' laundry we generate--which is a good thing and a plus in our household.

I noticed that there are two series of agitators--one with flex-vanes (rather like a PowerFin) and one that apparently isn't. I wonder if the flex-vanes make all the difference?

The lady said she tended to use this washer to wash oversized blankets her front loader couldn't accommodate. I can see where it'd work.

 

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Spin and spray rinse

The machine has a good spin (not amazing, but not disappointing), and the spray rinse is amusing. Some water does make it through, but not much. Can you spot the droplets?

 

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Rinsing

The rinse is good and clear, so all seems well here. Yay!

 

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So far, so good

So far, I've done two loads, and they're both fab. I'll let you know how it goes...

 

[tuthill]

Nice washer! Thanks for the pics! The lady said she tended to use this washer to wash oversized blankets her front loader couldn't accommodate Wtf? that doesn't make sense.

 

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I know, right?

I thought so, too, but apparently she got some smaller-sized front loaders that stacked or some such, and they must have been tiny puppies, since usually--as you noted--I reserve the bulky items for the front loader. Go figure.

 

[appnut]

Nice Nate. Congratulations. I would love to see panel pics though. Solid tub Norge??? And what's wrong with drooping gingham aprons--more skin to display!!! he he he

 

[frigilux]

I like your Amana, Nate! May it have been made on a Tuesday, which often produces the least problematic manufactured items.

 

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Panel shots

Why, certainly, Bob. (You need to e-mail me with your phone numbah, mistah! ;-) )

Here are the panel shots, which I forgot in my haste to tear it apart :- Sorry about that!

The full monty: