Whirlpool Auto Dosing System

[retro-man]

While watching TV last night there was an ad on that showed a new auto dosing system on their front loaders. You fill the drawer as usual with a liquid detergent, but it holds they state 40 loads of detergent. You can use what ever you desire, with no dosage containers to deal with. Would imagine it is similar to what a rinse aid dispenser would be on a dishwasher. Nice to see. Hope it works out, without a lot of clean out and blockage.

Jon

 

[joe_in_philly]

I took some pictures of the detergent container when I saw the new machines at Lowe’s. The lower end machine has a smaller detergent container that fits on the right side of the drawer. The next higher up model has a larger container that fits in the left side of the drawer. The top-of-the-line has both containers, and the right one can be programmed for fabric softener or a second detergent.

All the pictures are of the smaller container, except the last one which shows the larger container in the drawer.

 

[joe_in_philly]

Here are a few more pictures of the Whirlpool machines.

 

[gansky1]

A friend has the auto-dose dispenser on a year-old Maytag f/l, it fits into the dispenser drawer at top of washer.  It seems to work well, it's actually a pretty handy feature for regular washing.  

 

I saw the new WP washers at Lowe's today, with the lower dispenser reservoir.  I thought it was a good idea, not sure what the mechanism is to bring detergent from there to the tub, but it was pretty simple from the user-view.  Overall, I thought the machine seemed cheap, the plastic door (glass) surprised me most.  I didn't spend much time looking at the GE, LG and Samsung washers, I'll bet there were equally as many cheap feels on them as well. 

 

The Samsung was the most cosmetically attractive of the lot, and I noticed it had a rinse # selector, hadn't seen that before.  Up to 5 rinses.  

 

[logixx]

Thanks for the pictures, Joe.

 

[appnut]

Tide Heavy Duty X10

ThatRobGuy had posted in another thread this was a very thick viscosity.  I wonder how well this system design will deal with such thick liquids.  Tide HD might be good enough to get me to consider using liquids.  

 

[retro-man]

In the commercial that I saw she was pouring the detergent into the normal draw it seemed at the top left of the machine. Maybe it was being poured into the bottom draw but it didn't appear that way. Do they have 2 types of storage?

Jon

 

[appnut]

The bulk storage is in a drawer below the mahcvine and then there's the usual dispenser drawer on the upper left.  Every commefcial I've seen had liquid poured in lower drawer.  A Lowes commercial last night had the TOL WFW9620 with controls on the door.

 

[joe_in_philly]

Jon,

The compact unit has a different type of dispenser that is not in a drawer, but rather fills from the top.

The whirlpool website lists the 4 different types of dispenser options. See the link, and click on the “+ Explore Sizes” button. There a smaller drawer container, a larger drawer container, a machine with both containers, and the compact unit that fills on the top.

https://www.whirlpool.com/laundry/washers.html#load-and-go

 

[retro-man]

Joe, thanks for that info, did not realize that they had 2 different size machines.

Jon

 

[tomdawg]

Auto dose

I had the first series whirlpool auto dose- great feature and really doesn’t use a lot of soap. It did break on me once in the three years I had it.
Now that I’m back to manually adding the detergent to the washer, I sometimes forget to add the detergent!

 

[frigilux]

I know this is a Whirlpool-related thread, but my Maytag front-loader had an auto-dosing system that worked beautifully. It was more parsimonious than I was. It had a cartridge that you'd fill and place in the dispenser drawer. I bought three more of the cartridges (about $20 each) and had one for each of the liquid detergents I was using at the time: Tide Ultimate Stain Release; Persil ProClean 2in1, Tide Coldwater, and Perwoll For Blacks.

The new Whirlpools look sharp...but kind of plastic-y.

 

[littlegreeny]

Build Quality

I was looking at washers this weekend and was really surprised how cheap the build quality was of the new Whirlpool and Maytag washers, especially when you compare them to the Korean brands. Does Whirlpool not think people are going to open and close the doors, dispensers, look inside, feel the plastics, etc.?

It was so cheap feeling I actually thought for a second this has to be a hollow demo model but unfortunately it wasn't. Who would buy one of these thinking they'd get over a year or two of service before it breaks down and needs to be replaced? I'm very disappointed in Whirlpool's build quality lately.

 

[johnb300m]

I too am still shocked about how WP cheapened their new lineup.
Even if they’re still technically durable, perception IS reality.
And the reality is that every other FL model I’ve seen thus far, looks and feels more substantial.
Even the “roaming globally sourced” GE models out there!

 

[whitetub]

I started shopping for a dishwasher this weekend, and they too are built so cheaply. Whirlpool, Maytag, even KitchenAid. I know it's all one company now, but still. Dishwasher doors are so light, they warp when you open them. Even the stainless steel ones seems so thin. I remember when the KitchenAids had porcelain enameled tubs, the doors were so heavy. The control panels were made of heavy chrome metal. Now, it's all cheap plastic and very thin stainless steel. Even the high end models. And the prices are through the roof.

 

[iej]

Auto dosing was popularised by Bosch here.

Miele had it in the past, but usually as a very expensive option. They even had autodose powder dispensers at one stage. Their current TwinDos system is refillable in Europe, so their own brand detergent is optional.

However, since Bosch / Siemens went mainstream with it other brands have followed. I would suspect it will be a fairly standard feature from mid-level models up across all the brand's in the next few years

I'd say you'll see the same in the US with front loaders.

I find Miele TwinDos very handy but again, it's not as expensive here as it is stateside due to how Miele's positioned over there.

Sometimes I just fill one cartridge with my favourite colour liquid and the other with fabric softener. (They're totally programmable). As far as I'm aware in the states, Miele has the machines locked down to just their own consumables, which isn't quite the same thing as a programmable dosing system.

 

[henene4]

Tanks in drawers

I always liked the idea of automatic dosing, but from day one I just couldn't get behind BSHs iDos.

Takeing up basicly all the use of the drawer just seems odd.

Miele always had that right over here IMO.

All the comfort of automatic dosing, while being abled to use the drawer just as much at any time.
You can have all your detergent and softener dosed automaticly for both pre and main wash while still being abled to add stain remover or such for both pre and main wash.

 

[iej]

I agree! Miele's autodose is totally independent of the drawer and you can continue to use it as normal. TwinDos pumps the detergent and additives directly into the outer tub.

 

[logixx]

V-Zug offers two drawers on each side of the control panel: a regular one and one for auto-dispensing.