The new stuff Sux - What have we come to?

[peteski50]

I was in sears earlier - so disappointing! All you see is the kenlg's that are so over priced and they did have the newest Samsung with a 5.0 capacity but priced at 1500.00 (yeah I might ever spend that kind of money.) I did see one kenmore model that was made like the Samsung that went for about 675.00. They currently do not carry the newest frigidaire models. And all these stupid cycles are a joke. Like maytag / whirlpool has the 4 hour cycle extension at the end of the cycle as a option to keep tumbling the clothes. If they could do that they should be able to dry them also. And at a 5.0 capacity it should certainly be a combo. The frigidaire 3.5 and the lower priced samsungs are about the best bet. But in reality it is all BS!
Peter

 

[tolivac]

Agreed-the service history of LG can suck too.At the high prices wanted for laundry appliances today-will continue to buy from the swap shops as long as I can.And try to stock up on "oldies"At the high prcies for some machines and the rip off priced bases--might as well use a laundramat or take the clothes to the cleaners.

 

[sudsman]

But in reality it is all BS!

my feelings exactly.. just costly crap. no style no personality. copy cat washers with no flair. no real appeal at all.

 

[rp2813]

Run Away Fast

From the Frigidaire 3.5 machines. They may be priced right, but you get what you pay for. Other than GE, whose FL machines seem to be nothing but trouble, the Frigidaires are about the least capable FL's out there.

Forget Kenmore. Whirlpools are lower priced and carried the Sears badge for decades. The Affinity isn't even in the same league as the Duet HT I owned before it, and if Duets would fit in my laundry room, that's what I'd still have.

 

[treestar]

And....

I recently did get a Kenmore HE2 + in 2006. It FAILED miserably. Door seal ALWAYS trapped underwear, and now leaking like a miser.
What the hell happened to quality? Now im stuck with a 1996 Shredmore... In store, now all I see is High Efficiency FAIL.
A little stub and a plate cleaning things? I dont know. On those BS washers. all is crap. Heck I could make a HE Top loader sound unbalanced by simply pushing the tub. The tub hit it HARD as I was angered by BS... Only company thats still good is Speed Queen. D:<

 

[davek]

Treestar

I know what you're saying. I'd buy a Speed Queen front loader, but probably none of the other ones. FLs look pretty, but it doesn't seem that real quality is there and it certainly doesn't seem that longevity is. If Speed Queen's are built like their TLs and other quality American TLs, they'd be alright. My family has had lots of Shredmores that just run and run. I still think those would last, but they're considered passe and a waste of water. It seems that the days of a 20 year washing machine are just gone.

 

[mark_wpduet]

Inflation calculator

This thread made me wonder how much something that was 399 dollars in 1975 would be now......Here is what it told me. The year only went to 2009.....I guess they haven't updated it to 2010 yet.

What cost $399 in 1975 would cost $1573.33 in 2009.

Also, if you were to buy exactly the same products in 2009 and 1975,
they would cost you $399 and $92.38 respectively.

Another calculation I did.....Say you bought a 1972 175 dollar vacuum from sears...That would be like buying a 900 dollar vacuum today......No wonder everything is so fall apart after a year cheap now.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Here's a soap-box from me, which is unusual.....

This thread brought some things to my mind as well. Recently a friend and I spent a Friday afternoon shopping for a Whirlpool agitator Cabrio washer, which was bought at HH Gregg.

We started at Sears though, and both of us were less than enthused by the reception there. The Kenmore Cabrio versions were gone, and the sales rep suggested we look at Samsung and the LG made Kenmores. We said we wanted top loaders. When we shuffled off quickly, the rep asked if we saw anything we liked and I lamented about not seeing many U.S. made appliances on the floor and that we were going to find a Whirlpool dealer who had more Cabrios to look at. The rep responded that Sears was recommending Samsung and their LG sourced machines.

I was not in the best of moods and snapped back to the rep that if she and all of Sears liked foreign-imported machines so much, perhaps she and anyone else would prefer to move closer to where the machines were built. The rep got this puzzled face and just looked at me.

I have often heard people lament about the status of the U.S. economy, how our jobs have been sent overseas by these unfeeling corporations, that we've lost our manufacturing base and our competitive edge in the world market, yet these same lamenters have LG appliances in their homes and a Kia in the garage. I have no patience for it. These folks are talking out of both sides of their mouths.

I looked at the Sears rep again and said "Do you mean to tell me that for all that Sears has meant to this country, especially in appliances for all these years, that they can't see fit to sell and advance products that we make here? We are capable of making our own laundry products and have been for over 60 years." I am sure she was glad to see me leave.

We don't need to be buying Samsung @#!# one minute, then complain about the status of our country a few minutes later. Call me wrong all you want, but I am a staunch supporter of Ford and Whirlpool, and other American corporations who continue to manufacture and source here, and I think it imperative that we reward those companies with our business as long as we are not short-changing ourselves to do so. There may be some new-fangled gadgety thing on that Samsung that we are sure we have to have, but is it really worth it?

Gordon

 

[retropia]

They call it free trade, but it really isn't.

The US requires manufacturers to pay a minimum wage, pay unemployment insurance and workers compensation for disabilities, provide health insurance, meet EPA and EEOC standards, obey child labor laws, follow worker safety regulations, and so on.

However, there is no requirement that products sold here must be made in countries that have the same rules. That doesn't seem like fair trade or free trade to me.

Therefore, as a manufacturer, you may as well be making everything in Southeast Asia, and exclusively employ slave orphans. Because if you don't, your competitors soon will be. They will sell more than you, and you will be out of business.

Until there is some type of even playing field, it will continue to be a race to the bottom. The cheapest producer wins, period.

-Doug

 

[alr2903]

We really need to wake up on trade. Look at what Haiti is doing, they charged "Coop" $1k, to bring $4k of supplies into their battered country. Do we (USA) tax all these goods coming into the states? Are we charging enough tax? Its hard to believe that all the F/L machines come from other countries. Seems to me our very own Geoffdelp, has the right idea. alr2903

 

[kenmorepeter01]

THAT'S FINALLY!!!!!

AT LAST!!! Today I went to New York City today, I took subway A or C to 59th St Columbus Circle...then I walk to Time Warner Center. Then I took escalator or elevator to 3rd Floor at Samsung to see new Samsung washer (5.0) and dryer. YES, I'm so happy!!

I am deaf. My friend!

Peter (kenmorepeter01) ;-D

 

[supremewhirlpol]

I used to like Whirlpool and GE products, but the quality has gone down-hill so much that when people ask me which machines to get, I say for TL, Whirlpool is still good. For FL, I say go commercial, like Wascomat, Dexter, or Milnor. If they can't afford that, I say Duet. I have had bad experiences with SQ and Alliance, so I don't believe that the new SQ machines are 'new and improved'. Used machines are perfectly good, but some people get funny about 2nd hand machines. As far as LG and Samsung, They used to make good monitors. They should have stayed in that area. If a Samsung FL machine comes my way, I will probably burn it! I just refuse to pay those crazy prices. I find it interesting that these 'Yahoos' can spend $1600 on a LG machine and then post it on CL 3 years later because some sensors on the motor fail. The LG machines are nice, but not worth the high price. If you want LG machine cheap, look at CL. I see at least 3 to 4 every month.

 

[treestar]

FLAW

On most front loaders, the SPIDER ASSEMBLY fails in what, 5 years? the drum is steel, and spider is aluminum. In washing, guess what happens? Galvanic&#92chemical corrosion. the kenmore he2 of mine had the tri piece moulding at the back of the tub (spider), it corroded, and the tub lost support. the inner tub would then shake to the point it scraped the outer PLASTIC tub. Spider would be $399., not worth fixing.

Planned inconsolable fail as the companies now care more about $$$$$ than quality. WTF?

 

[aaronfitzy]

About "TumbleFresh"

In response to the very first message....you would be referring to what is called "TumbleFresh" on the Whirlpool FL's. I will say firsthand that it DOES work quite well. Although it doesn't have a continuous tumbling action like a dryer, it does tumble back and forth every 30 seconds or so for about 5 seconds. Combine that with a small built in fan to bring fresh air in...you won't have a "musty" smell to your clothes after a few hours if you were to just let them set there. Its a handy feature that I really don't use alot because I normally don't let appliances run when I'm not around. All these recent recalls on appliances is a good enough reason not to! Not much I can do about the fridge though!

Aaron

 

[spinmon]

Barely...

...able to stand it! Sears was a JOY 40 years ago. Our laundry rooms had beautiful,functional,affordable equipment waiting for their next load. Toro,WheelHorse,Simplicity,LawnBoy,Craftsman,etc manacured our yards. Plymouths,Pontiacs,Oldsmobiles decorated streets & driveways. Zenith,RCA,GE,Philco,etc entertained. WE made Everything here. We all had jobs that paid well enough that money needn't be a worry & a little overtime let us get that new car/boat/motorcycle,etc-no prob!. Now.....just a few more news items about crooked business/gov,multimillionaire ball players,no/low pay work,junk elec toys,and on & on,I'm thinkin' carbon monoxide...

 

[rll70sman]

Gordon & William,

I absolutely love the points you made about consumerism, "free" trade, and the crumbling state of the United States (or U.K. and European) economy! While it is true that special interests and global trade pacts did a lot to weaken our position in the world, ultimately, we as consumers are to blame. Our never-ending hunger for the latest and greatest automobiles, clothes, and gadgets have resulted in imported, low-cost goods that cut, choke, poison, burn, and strangle people and pets on a regular basis. We want stable, good-paying jobs, but yet we don't want to give up our clean land, air, water, and LOW PRICES.

There are trade-offs and consequences in every decision we make. Until we wake up and come to reality, manufacturing jobs will still vanish and our nation will continue on its slippery slope downward. President William McKinley once said, "I do not prize the word 'cheap.' It is not a badge of honor...it is a symbol of despair. Cheap prices make for cheap goods; cheap goods make for cheap men; and cheap men make for a cheap country!"

Enough said!

Rob