I've had a Kenmore front loader for 15 years that has been a great washing machine. It originally cost about $600 in 2001, and has just kept on chugging. Right at the moment, it is dripping a bit from the bottom from a leaking outer tank, but not enough leakage that it doesn't dry out between uses. Since it's on a slab, not a big issue, but I expect to be replacing it within a year or so, Can't really complain about that length of service for what we originally put into it. I'll be looking for another front loader, this one has gotten our clothes clean without damaging them with minimal water use. No smell, but we leave the door and the soap drawer ajar between uses so that they dry out inside. Yes, it does vibrate, but it doesn't rip out pipes and walls or walk around, just makes some noise on fast spin. I haven't got enough money to buy a washing machine that doesn't make any noise. And yes, there's a certain amount of luck involved with any major appliance purchase, and I'm well aware that we've been lucky with this one. Lemons do happen. But you can take a lot of the doubt out (except the probability of getting a lemon *smile*) by doing your research up front. Good luck!

Please allow me to post my opinion and experience on this stinky issue. I am the owner of a HE3T washer, and I am really unhappy with it, mainly because of the smelly and moldy issue, that crept up on us unexpectedly. My wife and I have 4 kids, so doing laundry is a daily affair, and not to be underestimated or procrastinated either... I am on the verge of throwing that ugly beast out of the laundry room for good. It is unbearably revolting to pick up an (alleged) clean towel to dry one's face just out of the shower, and "smear" moldy smell all over you. The vomit factor is very high on this one.... :-( However, I want to highlight a point, and that this issue is NOT an issue with ALL the FL (front loader) washing machines in general. Maybe just US made ones... Overseas, ( Italy ) where I grew up, FL are 99.999999% of laundry machines available on the market and this issue is completely unknown. To put it simply, I am now 45 years of age, I have lived in Italy 28 of those years, and I have never, ever, seen or heard of moldy smell on clean laundry out of the washer. Never. If you knew my mother (she redefines the word "neat freak") you would understand. Just the hint of a remote possibility of having mold in the washer and/or laundry, would bring that washer in the front yard in flames... Seriously, I believe US manufacturers have gone wrong somewhere in the making of this machines. They either cut one too may corners ( quality of rubber, maybe ?) or are attempting to reduce the amount of water in the cycle at the point where the quality of the rinse cycle is not an issue with them, and us as consumers are not part of the equation. I just came back from a one year of living in Italy with wife and kids, and the FIRST thing we notice, ever single time we go over there, is how much fresher and overall incredibly better smell of "clean laundry" they have from their washers. I know, we are weird... and on the contrary, as soon as we are back to the US, and to our $#@! HE3T, we pick up the moldy smell again. The customer/user/consumer SHOULD NOT have to do any gimmicks or use any "special" tablets, in order to operate these washers, or any washer, for that matter, NOT A SINGLE ONE. This washers are NOT cheap and they should just... well, work. Living in Italy for the last 12 months, we used two washers, one that came with the apartment we rented, and besides a slower spin cycle, it worked as expected (put dirty clothes in, put detergent, push the button, wait, get wet CLEAN laundry out, END OF THE story. Then the landlord needed his washer back, and for a "rent discount" he took that one back, and I got my old 12 years old Miele washer out of storage. This Miele has a somewhat smaller load capacity than most, and it worked for a family of 6 for a long time. Same for my mother's Candy ( Italian brand), and my sister's old Italian washer (San Giorgio). That one lasted 16 years of day in and day out operation for a family of six. It is just so frustrating, since I know that as a concept, FL do work very well, I have seen it work for decades... and one more time, we should NOT need to use "tablets" or do complicated procedures to have clean and good smelling laundry. As I said before, millions of people overseas use FL day in and day out, without doing anything else other than 1) put dirty laundry in 2) select cycle 3) put detergent in 4) push button 5( get clean clothes out. End of the story. Kenmore, Sears, whatever, get your acts together !!

I haven't been back to this thread since I first posted and mentioned that a moldy smell was a big PIA with my front load Samsung. I'd also mentioned that the two different repair companies that had come out had both told me that this was a problem with a number of front-loader models, including mine. Yes, they both told me that it would help to leave the door to the machine open when not in use, but both ~ and myself~ agreed that this was NOT a good solution for me. 1) because the washer is right next to the door to the garage and it would get bumped and damaged by people coming in through that door when it was open. 2) because of the layout of the laundry room and the position of the drain pipes in the wall, it is not possible to switch places with the dryer. 3) I have a 12-pound Tibetan Spaniel who, like a cat, loves to find small, dark, warm spaces to crawl/jump into and sleep. I know she would end up in the washer eventually and I just can't take that chance ever. 4) In all the years I've owned washers, until this one, I have never had a mold problem. IMO, it's a shoddy design flaw that should never have been allowed to happen. But it did, and now I ~unfortunately~ have to live with my expensive mistake. BTW, thanks for the suggestion someone put out there to add vinegar to the wash to eliminate moldy towel smells. I'm definitely trying that one. I've been using vinegar for years to set colors in the wash and keep them from bleeding but never thought to use it for mold smell. Lynn

"It may be **just laundry** but I know the stench clothing can take on if less than thoroughly cleaned." I find this statement almost absurd!! If your washer is working properly and you use the correct amount of detergent (excess detergent tend to create excess suds that just redeposit dirt back onto the clothes), there should be no stench. 'Clean' laundry should smell just that.....clean! I've been doing laundry for more than 50 years, including for a husband that smoked and sweated like a pig and even pet beds and blankets, and I have never had anything come out of the washer at the end of a wash cycle smelling anything other than clean and fresh. No 'stench', ever!! btw, I tend to use warm water virtually all the time, as most laundry will come perfectly clean doing so. I only use hot on whites or items that are heavily soiled. I also have a Frigidaire frontloader at this house - the first I've owned - and I find it does just as good a job as any of the top loaders I've owned. No mold, no musty smell (it's in a hallway so can't leave door open). And it has both a separate rinse and a rinse/spin cycle.