Thank you Peter for posting these.
Unique Hotpoint Washer
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I wondered about that as well. No mention in all of that literature about how that's accomplished.
An additional "plus" in Hotpoint literature, they tended to use 'out there' fashion and styling with their models and sets.
L
I wondered about that as well. No mention in all of that literature about how that's accomplished.
An additional "plus" in Hotpoint literature, they tended to use 'out there' fashion and styling with their models and sets.
L
Now if I could find a NOS washing machine that had never bee
I saw one of these in person in 1970 at Gimbels department store on Herald Square. Where Macy's carried GE, Westinghouse, Norge, Maytag and Hoover, Gimbels sold Hotpoint, Whirlpool, Frigidaire and Maytag. Gimbel's also had the Whirlpool "Woodies" that year too. I remember opening the lid to the Duo-Load and being surprised at what looked like a row of plastic fins surrounding the main tub which you couldn't see because the Duo-Load tub and its cover were so large they took up the whole circumference of the opening.
I think this information was sent to me by Tom Turbomatic or by John Combo 52 or by Gansky (sorry, all you white people look alike to me): Basically, most of the trick for the Duo-Load is in the mini-basket and its lid, which is a carefully and intricately engineered <span style="text-decoration: underline;">cover</span>, NOT an agitator-mounted lint filter pan which is what it looks like. When using both tubs, the solid tub-style "metered fill" sends water directly onto the cover of the little tub which sits on the agitator. The water is directed through little channels and chambers into the mini-tub. When the mini-tub fills to capacity, small plastic floats in the cover seal off the inlets and then the same water flow is redirected via other small channels in the middle of the cover down alongside the agitator into the big tub. At the same time, the meter is preset (like a timed-fill machine) to sense that the small tub has filled and then changes the temperature of the fill water to whatever is chosen for the large tub. When that preset level is reached, agitation starts and both tubs go on their merry way with their separate temperatures. There is a gasket in the small tub that prevents any water from that tub from spilling into the main tub during washing. When the spin cycle starts, the throw water from the small tub is directed up and out via channels in the side walls of the plastic basket and is directed via those plastic fins on the side of the main tub I told you about, so the waters from both tubs never meet until they reach the outer cabinet where they spill down to the drain pump. This machine also had a fountain-filter and fabric softener dispenser(which I've never seen) both which could be used when using the main tub only.
It's a wonderful design and I'd love to find one of these but it does look like these weren't built to last. Consumer Reports was especially nasty to this model. It received the lowest rating for 1969's extensive washing machines report and they even rated a lower-caste Hotpoint model (the one Pete has pictured above with the white doughnut bleach dispenser) as superior to its TOL sibling. One of CU's big complaints was that the agitator was especially over-engineered with an internal bleach dispenser and lint fountain filter (which didn't work when using both tubs, BTW) and difficult to take apart to clean out sand. That was also the year that CU complained that the top-rated 'Tags had backsplash trims that were "inconvenient to clean". Oy.
It's also interesting to note that during the tenure of this model, from 1968 to 1971 their companion Hotpoint dryer was changed from a 31" wide real Taylor Avenue Hotpoint machine to a 27" wide GE appliance park model dressed up to look like a Silhouette. The models pictured below were the first 1968 iteration.
I saw one of these in person in 1970 at Gimbels department store on Herald Square. Where Macy's carried GE, Westinghouse, Norge, Maytag and Hoover, Gimbels sold Hotpoint, Whirlpool, Frigidaire and Maytag. Gimbel's also had the Whirlpool "Woodies" that year too. I remember opening the lid to the Duo-Load and being surprised at what looked like a row of plastic fins surrounding the main tub which you couldn't see because the Duo-Load tub and its cover were so large they took up the whole circumference of the opening.
I think this information was sent to me by Tom Turbomatic or by John Combo 52 or by Gansky (sorry, all you white people look alike to me): Basically, most of the trick for the Duo-Load is in the mini-basket and its lid, which is a carefully and intricately engineered <span style="text-decoration: underline;">cover</span>, NOT an agitator-mounted lint filter pan which is what it looks like. When using both tubs, the solid tub-style "metered fill" sends water directly onto the cover of the little tub which sits on the agitator. The water is directed through little channels and chambers into the mini-tub. When the mini-tub fills to capacity, small plastic floats in the cover seal off the inlets and then the same water flow is redirected via other small channels in the middle of the cover down alongside the agitator into the big tub. At the same time, the meter is preset (like a timed-fill machine) to sense that the small tub has filled and then changes the temperature of the fill water to whatever is chosen for the large tub. When that preset level is reached, agitation starts and both tubs go on their merry way with their separate temperatures. There is a gasket in the small tub that prevents any water from that tub from spilling into the main tub during washing. When the spin cycle starts, the throw water from the small tub is directed up and out via channels in the side walls of the plastic basket and is directed via those plastic fins on the side of the main tub I told you about, so the waters from both tubs never meet until they reach the outer cabinet where they spill down to the drain pump. This machine also had a fountain-filter and fabric softener dispenser(which I've never seen) both which could be used when using the main tub only.
It's a wonderful design and I'd love to find one of these but it does look like these weren't built to last. Consumer Reports was especially nasty to this model. It received the lowest rating for 1969's extensive washing machines report and they even rated a lower-caste Hotpoint model (the one Pete has pictured above with the white doughnut bleach dispenser) as superior to its TOL sibling. One of CU's big complaints was that the agitator was especially over-engineered with an internal bleach dispenser and lint fountain filter (which didn't work when using both tubs, BTW) and difficult to take apart to clean out sand. That was also the year that CU complained that the top-rated 'Tags had backsplash trims that were "inconvenient to clean". Oy.
It's also interesting to note that during the tenure of this model, from 1968 to 1971 their companion Hotpoint dryer was changed from a 31" wide real Taylor Avenue Hotpoint machine to a 27" wide GE appliance park model dressed up to look like a Silhouette. The models pictured below were the first 1968 iteration.
another ad for the early version of the Duo-Load:
and, I believe, its last year:
hoovermatic
Well-known member
now THAT is an interesting washing machine! What a great idea, why can't they do something like that now in the US instead of the bizarre HE TL machines that the manufacturers keep churning out!?!?!
What a nice machine! After all those years here on Automaticwasher this is one the most interesting and good looking American top loader I've seen. With all those features and so well done. I have seen it before on some post, but here on this post everything is explained how it works.
Thanks for sharing it.
Ingemar
Thanks for sharing it.
Ingemar
You note that these machines are advertised as all porcelain inside and out as was the Frigidaire WO 65 and for the same reason. The cabinet is the water catcher for when the water is thrown from the inner tub. It makes for neat noises and a hot cabinet when a hot wash is spun out.
This was getting close to the end of the HP solid tub machines. They would soon be the perforated-tub GEs with the filter ring. After HP and Frigidaire went to perforated tubs I think SQ was the last solid tub machine left on the market.
This was getting close to the end of the HP solid tub machines. They would soon be the perforated-tub GEs with the filter ring. After HP and Frigidaire went to perforated tubs I think SQ was the last solid tub machine left on the market.
Interesting that Diversity has never been a welcome quality
These machines were never going to satisfy customers with lots of heavy duty dirty laundry like laborers, homes with lots of active kids and farmers. If I had been King of the Forest when these were in stores I would have marketed these as perfect machines for ladies, girly girls and professional women of all walks of life. As most people know there are huge differences in laundering requirements between adults and children and males and females of all ages. The Hotpoints, with special emphasis on the Duo-Load models, would have been great machines for careful laundering of dainties and split color loads. Would have been the perfect choice for my Grandmother who kept her two speed Filter-Flo always on the Gentle speed because she thought the Normal speed was too rough and was not happy when it oversudsdededed with her preferred lessives. As with the Maytags, you'd have to work very hard to make too many suds in a Silhouette.
These machines were never going to satisfy customers with lots of heavy duty dirty laundry like laborers, homes with lots of active kids and farmers. If I had been King of the Forest when these were in stores I would have marketed these as perfect machines for ladies, girly girls and professional women of all walks of life. As most people know there are huge differences in laundering requirements between adults and children and males and females of all ages. The Hotpoints, with special emphasis on the Duo-Load models, would have been great machines for careful laundering of dainties and split color loads. Would have been the perfect choice for my Grandmother who kept her two speed Filter-Flo always on the Gentle speed because she thought the Normal speed was too rough and was not happy when it oversudsdededed with her preferred lessives. As with the Maytags, you'd have to work very hard to make too many suds in a Silhouette.
We had the WLW2620
First time I've seen that washer on this website.
Dad said it was part of the Silhouette series due to its angled control panel although the unit made no reference to it.
It worked great for a long time and conked out about in the early 1980s. I remember transmission parts all over the floor as Dad was replacing clutches or brakes. Don't remember. The replacement parts didn't last. I suspect there was some other issue causing rapid failure of these parts.
However after the third set of parts in as many months a new GE was purchased, the Hotpoint was picked up by Polk Brothers who burned down almost immediately thereafter.
First time I've seen that washer on this website.
Dad said it was part of the Silhouette series due to its angled control panel although the unit made no reference to it.
It worked great for a long time and conked out about in the early 1980s. I remember transmission parts all over the floor as Dad was replacing clutches or brakes. Don't remember. The replacement parts didn't last. I suspect there was some other issue causing rapid failure of these parts.
However after the third set of parts in as many months a new GE was purchased, the Hotpoint was picked up by Polk Brothers who burned down almost immediately thereafter.
From "a leading consumer reporting magazine":
August 1971
Hotpoint WLW4820L (Hotpoint Division., General Electric Co., Louisville, KY) Average price, $230. PERFORMANCE: Water extraction with 8 and 11 lb loads at highest spin speed was not quite as good as with most. Has unbalance switch. Sand disposal, not as good as with most. CONVENIENCE: Fairly small tub. Lint filter and fabric-softener dispenser must be removed to load and unload, a slight inconvenience. Agitator may require occasional disassembly for cleaning, judged a fairly inconvenient chore. Liquid bleach dispenser, a nonremovable cup in agitator, be careful to avoid overfilling. Entire cabinet finished in porcelain enamel. VERSATILITY: Prewash cycle. Soak cycle. Hot or warm wash with warm or cold rinse; cold wash with cold rinse. Normal agitation with slow spin, slow agitation with normal spin. Timed fill, timer must be set with care to any of 3 wash times to ensure full fill. 3 presettable fill levels.
Rated fourth from last, ahead of Speed Queen, Westinghouse and Sears Kenmore.
August 1971
Hotpoint WLW4820L (Hotpoint Division., General Electric Co., Louisville, KY) Average price, $230. PERFORMANCE: Water extraction with 8 and 11 lb loads at highest spin speed was not quite as good as with most. Has unbalance switch. Sand disposal, not as good as with most. CONVENIENCE: Fairly small tub. Lint filter and fabric-softener dispenser must be removed to load and unload, a slight inconvenience. Agitator may require occasional disassembly for cleaning, judged a fairly inconvenient chore. Liquid bleach dispenser, a nonremovable cup in agitator, be careful to avoid overfilling. Entire cabinet finished in porcelain enamel. VERSATILITY: Prewash cycle. Soak cycle. Hot or warm wash with warm or cold rinse; cold wash with cold rinse. Normal agitation with slow spin, slow agitation with normal spin. Timed fill, timer must be set with care to any of 3 wash times to ensure full fill. 3 presettable fill levels.
Rated fourth from last, ahead of Speed Queen, Westinghouse and Sears Kenmore.
Bajaespuma is right
You bring up the notion of the wider dryer from Taylor Street.
We also had a Silhouette-style dryer at the time which pre-dated the washer. The dryer did come from the Taylor Street factory in 1968 and was wider than the 1970's washer. The two units looked very similar in style but were not exact matches.
The washer also came from Taylor Street in the 1970s but was narrower and appeared shorter than the earlier dryer.
I really loved the squirty agitator. The washer was very good at balancing loads unlike the 1950's Hotpoint it replaced. It walked around the laundry room more than we did!
You bring up the notion of the wider dryer from Taylor Street.
We also had a Silhouette-style dryer at the time which pre-dated the washer. The dryer did come from the Taylor Street factory in 1968 and was wider than the 1970's washer. The two units looked very similar in style but were not exact matches.
The washer also came from Taylor Street in the 1970s but was narrower and appeared shorter than the earlier dryer.
I really loved the squirty agitator. The washer was very good at balancing loads unlike the 1950's Hotpoint it replaced. It walked around the laundry room more than we did!
philr
Well-known member
<blockquote>
<a name="start_36310.541814">They would soon be the perforated-tub GEs with the filter ring. After HP and Frigidaire went to perforated tubs I think SQ was the last solid tub machine left on the market. </a>
</blockquote>
When did Speed Queen stopped making solid tub washers? A friend of mine had a Speed Queen that we scrapped last year (it has been a soaking/spinning machine for quite a long time as agitation stopped working many years ago!) and it was a solid tub washer with SS tub. My aunts had solid tub Speed Queen and Simplicity machines (the Simplicity was a TOL model with lighted panel) and they were from the mid-late seventies and also solid tubs. Also, when did Frigidaire quit making solid tubs in their laundry centers? Was it immediately after WCI took over or a bit later?
I don't remember seeing an Hotpoint solid tub washer. I remember my aunt had a Hotpoint dishwasher with 3 lights on the right side of the control panel from the early seventies but no other Hotpoint appliances in her home...
<a name="start_36310.541814">They would soon be the perforated-tub GEs with the filter ring. After HP and Frigidaire went to perforated tubs I think SQ was the last solid tub machine left on the market. </a>
</blockquote>
When did Speed Queen stopped making solid tub washers? A friend of mine had a Speed Queen that we scrapped last year (it has been a soaking/spinning machine for quite a long time as agitation stopped working many years ago!) and it was a solid tub washer with SS tub. My aunts had solid tub Speed Queen and Simplicity machines (the Simplicity was a TOL model with lighted panel) and they were from the mid-late seventies and also solid tubs. Also, when did Frigidaire quit making solid tubs in their laundry centers? Was it immediately after WCI took over or a bit later?
I don't remember seeing an Hotpoint solid tub washer. I remember my aunt had a Hotpoint dishwasher with 3 lights on the right side of the control panel from the early seventies but no other Hotpoint appliances in her home...
SOLID TUB WASHERS
Phil SQ was the last full sized washer here to have the ST, they stopped at the end of the 1970s, it would be neat to know the exact date. The frigidare SM Agiatub was dropped as soon as WCI took over the Frigidare name.
Phil SQ was the last full sized washer here to have the ST, they stopped at the end of the 1970s, it would be neat to know the exact date. The frigidare SM Agiatub was dropped as soon as WCI took over the Frigidare name.
I have related this previously, but it was a long time ago. There was a coin laundry in the Peachtree Hills neighborhood of Atlanta that had a variety of machines, among them Hotpoints with the spiral agitator. A friend took his laundry there one time and chose to use the Hotpoints and for some crazy reason decided to layer the loading like when you are making lasagna. After loading a few items, he sprinkled some detergent in then added more clothes then more detergent until it was full; how full I don't know. He reported that when he took the loads out of the machines, the undissolved detergent was still in the clothes on which he had sprinkled it. He was not a cold water wash person. It sounded like something an old Highlander would do so I figured that the HP agitation was not really vigorous.
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