The washing machine that doesn’t want to quit, aka Frigidaire FWX833AS1

[washerman03]

This top load Frigidaire washing machine has been cleaning clothes since at least 2004 or 2005. It has not once needed any repair in its entire life. That might be hard to believe, but this machine was built to last.

This washer came with the house. The first people who lived here didn’t stay for very long. There was still plastic on the furniture. My parents brought this house in 2006, and we’ve had the same appliances since. They’ve served us very well. The stove and the fridge never had any problems, which is shocking. We did replace the Frigidaire dryer. In 2016 we got a Maytag dryer, which lasted until 2023. We decided to replace it with a garbage Samsung dryer. So far it hasn’t had any issues, but I will say that the Maytag felt like it was much higher quality.

The date code on the Frigidaire says it was made back in March 2003. This machine is more than 20 years old, and it stills works! One of the reasons why I like American made products is the high build quality. The reason why I added 03 in my username is because I wanted to have the same year the Frigidaire was made in. That probably sounds silly, but I thought it would be nice to have.

As much as I’ve enjoyed using this washer through the years, the noise that the transmission is making really annoys me. It shouldn’t be a surprise that the original oil is no longer able to properly lubricate the gears. Everything else is surprisingly still functioning. The pump still works like a champ, and the mechanical timer still works. The timer has gotten a bit slow at knowing when to drain the water, but the fact that it is still working is shocking.

I’ve looked at the newer washing machines that are being sold, and I’m not impressed at all. A lot of them have these crappy wash plates that don’t even agitate your clothes. The ones that do have agitators don’t seem to be powerful since the newer motors are very weak. One person on YouTube said that newer washers are only good at cleaning small and medium loads, which is true. I’ve seen videos of newer washers struggling to clean a full load of laundry.

I was going to buy a newer style Whirlpool that has the dual action agitator, which is far better than what other companies are offering, but it still has flaws. The computer boards are known for going bad, and every newer washer now has rods instead of springs to balance the tub. I don’t think I would be too disappointed if I decided to choose this newer style Whirlpool, but I know for a fact that it won’t last more than 10 years.

One improvement that I’ve seen in newer washers is that it actually fills the tub with water. In 2010, washing machines got hit by this stupid regulation that required them to be more energy efficient. The people behind that regulation obviously aren’t very smart since people would have to keep washing their clothes multiple times just to get them clean. I believe they still require washers to use electronics for the timer, which is stupid since a mechanical timer is far better.

I am aware of the classic SpeedQueen TC5 washing machine. It agitates very similar to my Frigidaire, and they actually use springs to hold the tub. With the Canadian dollar declining in value due to my stupid government, the price of a SpeedQueen here in Canada is insane.

I decided that it would be best to buy a refurbished washer. I’ve found a company that restores washing machines, and they have a direct drive Whirlpool ultimate care II. I’m very impressed on how it agitates. I honestly think it is more effective at moving the clothes around than my Frigidaire. They’re selling it for $500, which I think is a very good deal for a refurbished washer.

Once I buy the Whirlpool ultimate care II, I’ll create a thread about it.

If you have any newer style washers, I would like to know if it actually cleans your clothes.

 

[jr2712]

I have the same Washer in my collection!

I have exactly the same model, same year, and surprisingly it only needed a drain pump change.

I'm not a fan of these Frigidaires, I got it because they were going to throw it in the trash and it was practically new so I brought it home. Maybe I'll look for the dryer that matches.

Greetings!

Free Venezuela!!!

 

[ryner1988]

Direct drive Whirlpool is a good choice for a used washer if you want to stick with a top loader. I do have to say, however, that $500 is a bit steep, depending on what the seller means by refurbished. Did they actually go through the machine to ensure full functionality, or are they just selling it as is? The newest direct drive TL's are at this point around 14 years old, so they would all need at least a bit of repair work done before being resold. Weak points in these machines are the agitator dogs inside the auger portion of the agitator, the nylon coupling between the motor and transmission, the spin clutch which ensures the washer reaches maximum spin speed reasonably quickly, and the neutral drain components inside the transmission which keep the washer from spinning while water is draining from the machine. Everything else about the direct drive platform is pretty rugged and doesn't go bad easily, so if the afore-mentioned parts all work properly or have been addressed if malfunction is present, then I'd say you have yourself a deal.

Unfortunately, I cannot in good conscience recommend the new dual-action agitator Whirlpools. The horror stories you've heard about some of them having control board issues are sadly true. It's a shame, too, because they actually are good performers. In my opinion, they wash just as well as the direct drives did, and they fill the part of the market that still demands a true, full-fill agitating top load washer. I bought mine in December of 2023 and used it for 11 months with no problems. Then in November, I noticed the auto sensor wasn't working anymore, and the washer was filling all the way to the top no matter what. I would have let that go, because I normally wash full loads anyway, but by December of 2024, the machine was having a problem where the drain pump would run continuously after the wash cycle had ended. Unplugging the washer was the only way to make it stop, otherwise the pump would just run and run. Appliance tech diagnosed a bad control board, and what is more, I went online to look at reviews and found that multiple people have had the same exact problem. There must be a defect in this batch of boards causing this to happen. And the thing is, other people have owned these machines for years without any issues whatsoever. User ea56/Eddie on this site has owned his Roper, which is the same machine as my old Whirlpool minus a few options on the control panel, for several years now and loves it just as much as he did when he got it. In fact, it was his very positive experience that led me to take the leap with the Whirlpool I had. It just didn't go the same way for me, but maybe I was just one of the unlucky few. Are lots of people truly having these problems with this rather popular machine, or are the few people that have endured the issues just really vocal about it? I just don't know. So, while I withhold judgment, I can't recommend them after the experience I had.

I ended up buying a front loader, an LG WM4000HWA, when my Whirlpool top loader died. I've owned it for almost a month and have been very pleased so far. I've been a pretty staunch top loader user all my life, but this LG has been great. I can do larger loads than I ever could before, rinsing is much better than any top loader I've owned, and detergent/water use is cut significantly. Might be an option to consider. My machine is also really quiet, and I know you mentioned the transmission sound on the Frigidaire TL you have now is beginning to be a problem.

Good luck, whatever you decide to do.