Top load for me--My sis has a front load diagonal tub (or drum) herself--Maytag Neptune to be exact--and that has yet to fail...
-- Dave
-- Dave
Top Load or Front Load....?
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I agree with Bruce
With a FL you do need 3 extra rinses, and then at that point results are superior to the FL or equal.
Really, 2 Tbl of LCB is ample. If you do a pre-wash, then the detergent enzymes get their chance to work first in the prewash, followed by LCB in the main wash. And the hot water stays hot in the main wash because the clothes and tubs get pre-heated by the prewash hot water.
With a FL you do need 3 extra rinses, and then at that point results are superior to the FL or equal.
Really, 2 Tbl of LCB is ample. If you do a pre-wash, then the detergent enzymes get their chance to work first in the prewash, followed by LCB in the main wash. And the hot water stays hot in the main wash because the clothes and tubs get pre-heated by the prewash hot water.
I meant
After 3 extra rinses in the FL, the results are superior or at least equal to the TL. Even if you do 1 or 2 extra rinses in the TL.
After 3 extra rinses in the FL, the results are superior or at least equal to the TL. Even if you do 1 or 2 extra rinses in the TL.
hilovane
Well-known member
I'm going to hedge on this one, and say it's more a matter of opinion based on experience.
In 2000, I bought an Asko pair. Despite their smaller capacity (a full-sized quilt just barely fit into the tumbler), this washing machine was by far, the best, bar none, I ever had. However, it became too costly to repair, and after 11 years, I had to let it go. It was replaced with a Maytag F/L. Bigger capacity; slightly faster spin; and unlike the Asko, which would start tumbling until it was filled with water,. the Maytag was "old school" in the sense that there was motion from start to finish (except, of course, for the pause to change tumbling directions).
Since I moved, and couldn't take the Maytag with me, and didn't have the money to buy another Asko, or a Miele, or even a SQ F/L, I did manage to get a deal on a SQ T/L. Say what you want about energy efficiency, and all. But, for my money, this does the job quite well. I'm happy with it, and as far as I'm concerned, that's all that should matter...along with the fact that it'll easily outlast any HE machine at any price.
In 2000, I bought an Asko pair. Despite their smaller capacity (a full-sized quilt just barely fit into the tumbler), this washing machine was by far, the best, bar none, I ever had. However, it became too costly to repair, and after 11 years, I had to let it go. It was replaced with a Maytag F/L. Bigger capacity; slightly faster spin; and unlike the Asko, which would start tumbling until it was filled with water,. the Maytag was "old school" in the sense that there was motion from start to finish (except, of course, for the pause to change tumbling directions).
Since I moved, and couldn't take the Maytag with me, and didn't have the money to buy another Asko, or a Miele, or even a SQ F/L, I did manage to get a deal on a SQ T/L. Say what you want about energy efficiency, and all. But, for my money, this does the job quite well. I'm happy with it, and as far as I'm concerned, that's all that should matter...along with the fact that it'll easily outlast any HE machine at any price.
I wonder what the capacity of this one Frigidaire front loader would have been like...
It seemed to be real short, the controls were over the door, and if I'd bought it for my late-mom, she would have found it hard to was anything in--and it probably wouldn't give a very long life either...!
Fortunately she left the world w/ her dream Maytag top-loader set...
-- Dave
It seemed to be real short, the controls were over the door, and if I'd bought it for my late-mom, she would have found it hard to was anything in--and it probably wouldn't give a very long life either...!
Fortunately she left the world w/ her dream Maytag top-loader set...
-- Dave
I have always selected the "extra rinse" option any FL washer I use, especially the "newer" machines with even lower water levels. I also always use the "express wash" cycle on my Kenmore He5t washer, being all water levels are slightly higher.
This little Miele washer I recently acquired does 4 rinses by default and no option to add more. If I press the "rapid wash" button, it eliminates 2 rinses BUT, it does fill 1/3 of the way up the door glass during each of the 2 rinses. I still feel the 45 minute wash time is more than excessive. I'm also learning this little 6 kg (13.2 lb) washer holds larger loads than I thought it would.
Very lengthy thread and most educational as well as highly opinionated. I think for most Americans, the top load washer will be the choice of most households, even though front load may perform better given the government water restrictions. Sometimes I think that we, in this club, forget that we are a unique group with a fascination for all things laundry, certainly most or all of my extended family and friends DO NOT share this fascination. Yesterday I paid a visit to Lowes and saw that there was a half row of front loaders, only 3 brands, and 4 1/2 rows of top loaders of more brands. If Lowes sold more FL I'm sure there would have been more offered, demand vs. supply. It might have been different had the mold and motherboard issues of the 1st generation FL been resolved much earlier. And this is South Central Texas where, historically, rain can be scarce in some years. Americans, for the most part, have short memories.
I agree, and believe, with previous posters that the supply of clean water is now an issue we ALL are going to have to take into consideration, not only laundry but in other area of daily usage. About 6 years ago we had a sever drought that did not let up for many months, combined with much higher population density in this region, strained private wells and the Edwards Aquafer to the max. The water that was being withdrawn was very murky and had an odor, never had the Aquafer dropped that low. Water is going to be an issue, even if rainfall levels provide normal or flood stages. Again, it's the population of the areas.
As for me, our household is top load, Speed Queen, to be exact. We have low water rates in San Antonio Texas, but I can assure you that if we had high rates or a private well go dry, I would have bought an HE unit. More and more I consider it a luxury to use the 54+ gallons of water it uses on one cycle, but I know things can change quickly and one reason I'm here is to monitor the experiences others are having with HE brands and models in case I HAVE to switch over. Our weather and climate is just weird, and unpredictable, these days. I LOVE the fast cycle times, and doing laundry pretty much the way my mother and grandmother did so many, many, years ago.
I agree, and believe, with previous posters that the supply of clean water is now an issue we ALL are going to have to take into consideration, not only laundry but in other area of daily usage. About 6 years ago we had a sever drought that did not let up for many months, combined with much higher population density in this region, strained private wells and the Edwards Aquafer to the max. The water that was being withdrawn was very murky and had an odor, never had the Aquafer dropped that low. Water is going to be an issue, even if rainfall levels provide normal or flood stages. Again, it's the population of the areas.
As for me, our household is top load, Speed Queen, to be exact. We have low water rates in San Antonio Texas, but I can assure you that if we had high rates or a private well go dry, I would have bought an HE unit. More and more I consider it a luxury to use the 54+ gallons of water it uses on one cycle, but I know things can change quickly and one reason I'm here is to monitor the experiences others are having with HE brands and models in case I HAVE to switch over. Our weather and climate is just weird, and unpredictable, these days. I LOVE the fast cycle times, and doing laundry pretty much the way my mother and grandmother did so many, many, years ago.
I haven't completely made up my mind.
But it's only been a couple of weeks since I got that free Duet front loader, my first front loader. But I'm liking it so far. I haven't used all the cycles , just the normal cycle. I like how it really extracts the water and cuts down on the drying time. I like how easy it is to load/unload, it does have the pedestal. If it didn't have the pedestal and the tilted drum and I had to stoop over, well that would be a HUGE drawback for me. And it's quiet compared to the trusty old GE.
Now just yesterday I did a load with some Persil pearls. I bought some just for the heck of it. When they dispensed into the washer a few of the pearls lodged on the bottom of the door boot and just slightly dissolved, no water was hitting them. At the end of the cycle when I opened the door they were still there, mushy and I had to wipe them away with a rag before I pulled the clothes out.
But it's only been a couple of weeks since I got that free Duet front loader, my first front loader. But I'm liking it so far. I haven't used all the cycles , just the normal cycle. I like how it really extracts the water and cuts down on the drying time. I like how easy it is to load/unload, it does have the pedestal. If it didn't have the pedestal and the tilted drum and I had to stoop over, well that would be a HUGE drawback for me. And it's quiet compared to the trusty old GE.
Now just yesterday I did a load with some Persil pearls. I bought some just for the heck of it. When they dispensed into the washer a few of the pearls lodged on the bottom of the door boot and just slightly dissolved, no water was hitting them. At the end of the cycle when I opened the door they were still there, mushy and I had to wipe them away with a rag before I pulled the clothes out.
Welcome to the wonderful world of HE front-loaders! The benefits are many; the drawbacks few. Stay away from Downy Unsoppable pellets, as well. They also like to wind up in the boot.
I am totally against pods and tablets. It is impossible to vary the dosage or control how quickly the wrapping breakes to release the detergent. As long as machines come with dispensers it is far better to use powder or liquids - at least they will be added at exactly the right time and not end up in some space where they do nothing.
I always throw the pod in the drum first then the clothes. It will begin dissolving while the washer is filling. I've never had a pod NOT dissolve properly.
I used pods/pacs for a couple of years and really liked them. I had a 2010 Frigidaire front-loading washer at the time. It didn't tumble before the fill began, so the pod didn't migrate to the boot. It also filled in one shot so the pod dissolved efficiently. Someone here mentioned that LG, which tumbles before the fill and then fills in short bursts, recommends that pods not be used in their washers.
The only time a pod didn't dissolve properly was when I wrapped it tightly in a towel, then stuck the towel in the center of a BobLoad of bath towels. The resulting purple stain was removed by rewashing the towel.
I'd still be using them but my Maytag has an auto-dosing system for liquid detergent. The only thing easier than tossing a pod in the tub is filling a dispenser once every couple of weeks and letting the washer decide the dosage according to load size, soil level, cycle, water temp and water softness/hardness.
And yes; toss the pod to the back of the empty drum before adding the clothes. That's Pod 101.
The only time a pod didn't dissolve properly was when I wrapped it tightly in a towel, then stuck the towel in the center of a BobLoad of bath towels. The resulting purple stain was removed by rewashing the towel.
I'd still be using them but my Maytag has an auto-dosing system for liquid detergent. The only thing easier than tossing a pod in the tub is filling a dispenser once every couple of weeks and letting the washer decide the dosage according to load size, soil level, cycle, water temp and water softness/hardness.
And yes; toss the pod to the back of the empty drum before adding the clothes. That's Pod 101.
well, from one test I did with a mason jar and a Tide pod, using ice cold water, it took just over two hours for it to pop open.....
so my advice, never use a pod of any sort unless your using true warm or hot water...or else dissolve it first in a jar with hot water, then add to the machine
what ever happened to Tide Cold Water anyway?.....I would love to see 'Cold Power' return to the shelves...
so my advice, never use a pod of any sort unless your using true warm or hot water...or else dissolve it first in a jar with hot water, then add to the machine
what ever happened to Tide Cold Water anyway?.....I would love to see 'Cold Power' return to the shelves...
Pods can be prevented from falling in the boot area by putting them into a nylon bag meant for delicate garments, then even if they land in the boot area, the bag will be dragged back into the wash.
When I was using the Asko I didn't have to worry about a boot...it doesn't have one! I sure wish other manufacturers would adopt this design.
launderess
Well-known member
"what ever happened to Tide Cold Water anyway?.....
Had a box of the original powder that foolishly gave to a family member as it was too sudsy for the Miele washer. She never used the stuff and indeed on one visit over a year later spied the stuff sat sitting a closet. About a year or so after that family member mentions she "found a home" for the stuff (gave her a box of old school TWB as well), so that was that. Should have taken both boxes back at the time. Needless to say no longer bother giving surplus laundry products to family if that is how they are going to behave.
P&G discontinued all powdered versions of Tide Coldwater not long after introduction IIRC. The liquids remain but vary by market. You cannot find the "free and gentle" version in North America apparently as P&G seems to believe only Canadians are worthy. Have asked P&G customer service several times about plans to reintroduce that product south of the border, and each time the response is "no, not at this time".
Pity really as love the results from bottle of TCW "free" in my stash. P&G states Tide "Free and Gentle" works in warm or "cold" water so that is them for you.
Tide Coldwater liquid is just too fragrant for one's tastes. Since mostly use the "20C" or "30C" settings on my European washers when doing delicate table or bed linens, just want really good cleaning power, but not anything too strongly scented. That is where Tide Coldwater "free" came in.
Never the less you can find persons selling the old powdered version of TCW on Ebay and elsewhere, same for the Canadian "free" liqud version. Just am not willing to pay the sums requested and very high shipping rates piled on.
Had a box of the original powder that foolishly gave to a family member as it was too sudsy for the Miele washer. She never used the stuff and indeed on one visit over a year later spied the stuff sat sitting a closet. About a year or so after that family member mentions she "found a home" for the stuff (gave her a box of old school TWB as well), so that was that. Should have taken both boxes back at the time. Needless to say no longer bother giving surplus laundry products to family if that is how they are going to behave.
P&G discontinued all powdered versions of Tide Coldwater not long after introduction IIRC. The liquids remain but vary by market. You cannot find the "free and gentle" version in North America apparently as P&G seems to believe only Canadians are worthy. Have asked P&G customer service several times about plans to reintroduce that product south of the border, and each time the response is "no, not at this time".
Pity really as love the results from bottle of TCW "free" in my stash. P&G states Tide "Free and Gentle" works in warm or "cold" water so that is them for you.
Tide Coldwater liquid is just too fragrant for one's tastes. Since mostly use the "20C" or "30C" settings on my European washers when doing delicate table or bed linens, just want really good cleaning power, but not anything too strongly scented. That is where Tide Coldwater "free" came in.
Never the less you can find persons selling the old powdered version of TCW on Ebay and elsewhere, same for the Canadian "free" liqud version. Just am not willing to pay the sums requested and very high shipping rates piled on.
ryner1988
Well-known member
Another problem with front loaders that no one has mentioned
Is that in some situations, they are just too big. I know people like the fact that they can save space by being stacked, but what about the space they take up from front to back? For instance, in my apartment laundry closet, I'm afraid that front loaders would stick out too far and I wouldn't be able to get the closet doors closed. The closet is large so I kinda doubt it, but the apprehension is there so I did not buy a front loader. I think most are a good 5 or 6 inches deeper than top loaders.
Also, with my blindness, I generally prefer machines with simpler controls, and this is not usually the case with the electronic front loaders. Visual displays and buttons that modify the parameters of cycles, with no auditory feedback, no clicks, nothing except maybe an unhelpful beep to let one know the selection was made, are extremely frustrating for me. With the new top loader I purchased, whirlpool model number WTW4816FW, the controls are just knobs that click into place with each turn, and the start button is very distinctive. I don't want to be that person who doesn't seem to care about water usage, but it means a lot for me to be able to set my own wash cycles without help from a sighted person every single time.
Ryne
Is that in some situations, they are just too big. I know people like the fact that they can save space by being stacked, but what about the space they take up from front to back? For instance, in my apartment laundry closet, I'm afraid that front loaders would stick out too far and I wouldn't be able to get the closet doors closed. The closet is large so I kinda doubt it, but the apprehension is there so I did not buy a front loader. I think most are a good 5 or 6 inches deeper than top loaders.
Also, with my blindness, I generally prefer machines with simpler controls, and this is not usually the case with the electronic front loaders. Visual displays and buttons that modify the parameters of cycles, with no auditory feedback, no clicks, nothing except maybe an unhelpful beep to let one know the selection was made, are extremely frustrating for me. With the new top loader I purchased, whirlpool model number WTW4816FW, the controls are just knobs that click into place with each turn, and the start button is very distinctive. I don't want to be that person who doesn't seem to care about water usage, but it means a lot for me to be able to set my own wash cycles without help from a sighted person every single time.
Ryne
That's why I am limited to having compact front load machines. The European ones fit fine, others I have to take a tape measure to see if they are too deep. I can fit a standard full-size dryer in there, but it doesn't have pipes behind it like the washer does. Plus...the bigger they are, the harder they are to balance. Every time I visit the laundromat to wash a very large rug I am so aggravated at all the front load washers being used and they are less than half full! And these are the smallest SQ units like the home units. One would think people would want to save money and run them at capacity instead of loading 3 machines with the same types of clothes. I've often considered giving an inservice on how to properly load one but I'm only there once or twice a year.
launderess
Well-known member
Cannot speak for your laundromat
But the larger SQ at ours have one more rinse cycle and seem to do a better job than smaller units.
Also don't forget even if a washer appears only half full during cycle, it very well may have been loaded so drum was quite packed at the start. Often as load is saturated things compact down.
Balancing:
The uber sized SQ front loaders at our local have *NO* problem balancing a load. Then again they are bolted into several feet of concrete. They do a slow distribution spin, then gradually ramp up to speed. Mind you if a load is unbalanced you can not only see the machine vibrate, but feel the movement coming up through floor from one's feet.
But the larger SQ at ours have one more rinse cycle and seem to do a better job than smaller units.
Also don't forget even if a washer appears only half full during cycle, it very well may have been loaded so drum was quite packed at the start. Often as load is saturated things compact down.
Balancing:
The uber sized SQ front loaders at our local have *NO* problem balancing a load. Then again they are bolted into several feet of concrete. They do a slow distribution spin, then gradually ramp up to speed. Mind you if a load is unbalanced you can not only see the machine vibrate, but feel the movement coming up through floor from one's feet.
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