Thoughts on LG TurboDrum washers?

[norgechef]

I saw two of these last week at a local appliance store. Both portable models, but with a decent tub capacity. The price is a bit steep @ $899.99 but its a very cool machine. They have what is called a ''Fuzzy Logic" IntelloWash system that senses the load size and cycle time needed if you select the fuzzy cycle.

What I really like about them is that they have a dual wash rotation, meaning that both the tub and pulsator spin opposite of one another during agitation. The theory is that it pulls water through the clothes instead of pulling the clothes through the water like with conventional top loaders.

It also has 2 lint filters, which with modern day washers, is a big problem for people like me with cats living in the house. I've never owned a washer that could get rid of the lint and hair on the clothes. So this would definitely be a good feature.

I'm not familiar with how dependable these washers are, or how good they are at cleaning. So if any of you own one of these washers, or know someone who does, please tell me about your experience.

 

[mieleforever]

My Mother had the exact same one, by looking at the picture.

Well it uses a lot of water, does not really clean clothes properly, sometimes can't even disolve the detergent, does not heat the water and the spin action is rather slow and will develop balance issues.

After we visit her and we will wash our clothes there, once we arrive home will again rewash everything. It really is not very efficient, maybe that is just us comming from a Miele to that little thing is like playing.

In South AFrica they are very popular, because they are relatively cheap over here, better then handwashing I suppose.

 

[foraloysius]

I have a Turbodrum. Actually I'm not impressed. It's a fun machine to play with but for every day use it uses way too much water and doesn't wash clean enough.

Here's a thread about mine:

http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?28646

 

[matthewza]

As a South African who has owned one and used a few...

The turbo drum wash action isn't all its claimed to be.

After we got our 13kg Samsung TL 5 years ago, I bought the little 8kg LG just to have as a 2nd machine, and because they were on sale for quite a good price. In the end, I sold it after 2 years. The turbo drum works fine on smaller loads but you don't notice it on full loads, and I found it really struggled with jeans, even when I didn't fill it with jeans. Our 13kg Samsung that just uses the traditional action of only rotating the pulsator handles a full load of 13 pairs of jeans very easily and gives great turnover.

A year or so later, with my buying and selling, I got my hands on a 13kg LG turbo drum, and thought that would perform better than the baby 8kg with a full load of jeans and jackets - it didn't. Also struggled with turnover.

So I'm quite glad that we bought the Samsung when we bought ours and not the LG (Samsung had just launched their then new line of top loaders so spec wise it was better than the LG but at the same price. 5 years later its still going strong and it gets put through its paces). However, my mom's aunt had an LG turbo drum for 20 years that she loved. After 20 years of service, the gearbox/clutch packed up, and the pump didn't always drain. She then bought a Samsung 13kg on my recommendation is says it does wash better than the LG.

We now have the same Wave Force LG top loaders that the Americans have, including what LG calls the Sapience/Hygienic top loaders that have a heater in them. They look good on paper, are very pretty to look at, offer amazing capacity (20kg on the wave force and 19kg on the hygienice) and are very expensive, but in 5 years time when my parents and I will look at upgrading from the Samsung, I'm not sure if I'd be willing to chance one of these new LG's, or just get a new Samsung.

That's my 2 cents.

Matthew