Yes! Mine will be 4 years old next month. I've had one problem from it (the circuit board) which was replaced after only a little over the first year I had it and since then, no problems. I suspect that they have worked the bugs out of the boards. If you do need a repair its usually speedy (more service centers and available parts.) To be on the safe side, if you get a Duet or any FL, plug it into a surge protector. I've read that a surge can cause the boards to act up. I recommend it based on my ownership. Others don't like them but overall I think the reviews I have read have been mostly positive. I can't speak for the Duet Sport (I think those are made in Mexico) The Duets are made in (Germany) unless that's changed.

Well which are you considering? The larger Duets are made in Germany while the Duet Sports are made in Mexico. Most of the reports back on the German made units are good, however, like with anything, some have not been pleased. I haven't seen all that much feedback on the Sports.

cynic, it would not be the sport it would be the larger model, however, my salesperson said she felt there was no real need for the model with steam, just more money.
If the larger machine is made in Germany, does that mean it has the same issue as discussed on this site about the machines not working the same in the US because of the 220 electic thing?

Yes, we have been very happy with ours. Purchased in September of 2002, and have been in daily use for a family of 5. The machines that are made in Germany, are made for the North American market, they plug into our North American standard 110V outlet, nothing special required.

Certain Duet machines are made in Germany, some in Mexico. I am not sure if there is a difference in quality between the German made machine and the Mexican made machines.

I can not say one way or another about steam in the washer, I don't have it and have never used, nor do I know of anyone who has used it. Personally, if I were to buy a new Duet, I wouldn't get the steam. Seams like more of a gimmick more than anything. The sanitary cycle is very nice and we that cycle for bedding and towels.

This is a list of model # that are made in Germany;

Whirlpool Duet HT
WFW9200SR (White)
WFW9300VU (Diamond Dust)
WFW9400SB (Black)
WFW9400ST (Biscuit)
WFW9400SU (Diamond Dust)
WFW9400SW (White)
WFW9400SZ (White/Sapphire Blue)

Whirlpool Duet Steam Washer[1]
WFW9500*
WFW9600*

There is also the Kenmore version of these machines which are virtually identical;

Kenmore HE5T
47081 (White)
47086 (Black Diamond)
47087 (Pacific Blue)
47088 (Champagne)
47089 (Barolo)
47091 (Frequency)

Kenmore HE5T Steam Washer[1]
4778*
4779*

Thanks Zedd. I just got back from looking at the Duet at Lowes. The salesman said that Duet has been around for a few years and is practically the only one left that still uses bearings and .... Not the new technology that is suppose to be better. Does anyone have any comments on this. He also thought Duet would be coming out with this updated feature in the summer.

I've been happy with my Duet WFW9400SW, purchased in March 08, no problems yet. Cleaning performance is its strong point. According to CR, it's not as "gentle" as other washers, but I personally haven't had seen any problems with my clothes.

Be wary of the Duets sold at Lowe's. When I was shopping around, they only sold the 9200 model, which now seems to be primarily made in Mexico. (I originally got one of those, and then returned it). Your best bet for a German-made one would be a 9300, 9400, 9500, or 9600. The 9700 seems to be solely made in Mexico.

The current lineup of Duets is a few years old, but I read from a news site that they were introducing new colors this summer, which suggests they might not be redesigning them this year. And Whirlpool does make engineering tweaks to the machines over time. My particular 9400 has already been through an engineering revision (model no. is WFW9400SW01).

Just looked at a Duet 9200 at Lowes today. It said made in Germany as zedd noted above.

Yes, I know, that happened to me, but never trust a floor model: the 9200 floor model at Lowe's said "Made in Germany", but it had been built in early 2007. The washer they ended up delivering to me (and which I returned) was built in Dec. 2007 and was made in Mexico. The 9200 was one of the first large Duet models that they began shifting production towards Mexico with.

I'm sure Whirlpool does try to keep quality control consistent across both factories, but frankly, I was more comfortable with getting a German-made model for sure. Their German plant has many more years of experience building high-end FL washers. I also recall in a New York Times article that their German plant uses more automation, while the Mexican plant relies on manual labor.

We've had our Duet 9400 (purchased at Lowe's) for a little over a year and have been extremely happy with it.

It would be interested to hear how the first duets that came out in 2001 are still holding up.

I just purchased a Duet 9200 from a local appliance store. Mine is built in Germany with a build date listed as Oct 08. I asked the salesperson to confirm that my machine was made in Germany before I took delivery. He said that his store has not seen any of the larger Duets built in Mexico. I have only been using the machine for a month, but it has worked great so far. We have a second floor laundry room and the vibration from the machine is minimal.

Just make sure to plug it into a surge protector.

To mark40511:

I have a Duet purchased in November 2001. Still using it nearly everyday. Minor issues- had to replace the drain hose once; occasional F9 error code with a large load of towels or bedding. Otherwise, it is still going strong.

Something with my Duet that I want to mention that is a little strange to me. I almost always use either the heavy duty/extra rinse or the whitest whites cycle. Occasionally a load on either cycle, during the first interim spin, it spins at almost a low speed, the other spins ramp up to the normal interim spin speeds. I realize these interim spins are not as high as the final spin, but usually the interim spins ramp up to a decent spin speed. I just did a load and the first spin was a distinct low spin. It doesn't do this every time, just every other load. Other that this, the machine is working flawlessly, making no strange noises. I've never noticed this with my machine in the past though. Any idea what this could be?

I've had the Kenmore HE version for at least five years now I think. It's been great.

Over three years for my Duet pair (German made). Zero troubles from day one. Just read the manual and did what it said. There's another one in the family two years old. No trouble there either.

Have been seeing WFW9150WW duets avliable at local dealer. Is this a German or Mexican unit? Only $700

I have the Kenmore version, which came out before the duets hit the market, purchased it on 9/10/2001, only issue I had was a water pump replacement while under warranty. It is a good idea to remove the front bottom panel to access the drain filter/pump to check for any coins and so forth in it. As far as wash performance, I could be happier with it. Its a beast, it cleans everything I put in it, including delicate curtains and drapes. No issues with smells, mold, and I dont have a clean cycle, nor do I leave the door open after I am done.

What your Duet is doing with that slow spin then a high spin is checking the load to make sure it is balanced before it goes into the high speed spin. Some FL machines are quicker at doing this than others. This is normal.

Gates.........You don't leave the door at least cracked when you're done? I'm shocked......I've always just left the door cracked from day one before I ever started reading any issues people were having. U must use yours everyday and it stays clean.

Where are the similar Kenmores made? Thanks.

Mark 40511, no I dont use the washer on a daily basis either, sometimes it sits for three or four days with no use. When I bought mine, there was no mention of mold issues and such, so I never started that habit of leaving the door open when not in use, and never found a reason to do so afterwards as I have never had a problem with the smell of my washer. I do not use oxyclean, clorax 2 or bleach in my washer either. For one, if you use all that extra stuff, then that is more to rinse out of your clothes and risk leaving a residue behind, and second, Ive always felt that if I needed all of that, then my detergent was not working like it should and I do not need to be using it. I have always used name brand detergent. About 3 weeks ago, I purchases ERA, and so far everything is still coming out really clean like new, even my yard socks that when I am done, are so dirty, most people would just toss them in the trash.

I went to my local dealer Baron's Appliance and they said the previous mid level Whilpool was made in Germany. However, ALL new Duets are all built in Mexico now. Is that correct?

I am thinking of buying these too, so am interested in an update :)

I bought my Whirlpool Duet 9400 3 yrs. ago and love it. I have had absolutely no problems with it and no repairs, and it gets hard usage with our family of 7, three boys and two girls ranging in age from 2 - 12. I do at least 20 loads of laundry a week, sometimes more. I love the sanitary cycle for soiled bedding and such things, and I love the built-in water heater, it keeps my whites and undies sparkling white, despite the ground-in dirt on my boys socks! Bottom line- I would NEVER go back to a toploader, I have so much fun doing laundry in my duet!

We've had the Duet 9200 for just over a year now. We do at least 10-12 loads of laundry a week with no problems to date. From day 1 we got in the habit of leaving the door and detergent drawer open after every use as recommended by the dealer we bought from. We have had absolutely no issues with mold or mildew smells. Our unit was made in Germany. I believe that Whirlppol has now shifted most models over to a Mexico manufacturing plant.

One simple word. No. They have reliability issues.

I cant think of a FL manufacture that has not had reliability issues Sandy808. Most people will jump on line to complain about a product faster than if it were a a great product. Since Whirlpool/kenmore were once of the first FL washers to be offered in the US, they have more of them in homes. I just beleive no matter what you buy these days, you take a risk, when in doubt, just ask Toyota owners who thought they bought a safe car...its sad to say the least.

It isn't just the Duets I am disatisfied with. I also had the Maytag Neptunes. Consumer reports will state that front loaders have reliability issues (some more than others). In my opinion, they are extremely overpriced in relation to quality. They are not cheap to fix. As far as extended warranties go, they are good only for a certain mount of time. If the products were so great, why would anyone "need" to buy an extended warranty in the first place. When the warranty is up is when the fun starts, and at that point the repairs exceed the value of the washer.

I went out yesterday and purchased a new top loader set. A very basic set. Against what I had intended, they are Whirlpools because a trusted employee said this particular model had high satisfaction from customers and they had not had any returned. She steered me away from Maytag and the GE Harmony.

If I have to have reliability issues and basically throw away a washer and dryer at the end of 5 years, it is going to be something that costs a great deal less. I'm taking the money I saved from not buying front loaders and taking a vacation with my husband. By the way, Whirlpool told me that a washer "only lasts 5 years". I guess they are right, because that is exactly how long my Duet set has lasted.

It's a no brainer for me. I can throw away $2500 plus (I bought the pedestals too) every 5 years, or I can throw away $800 every five years. All I want are clean clothes.

The poster of this thread wants to know how people feel. I gave an honest answer. If I were happy with them I would have said so. I disagree that people "only" complain. When they do, it is high time the manufacturer does something about it!

By the way, I am not stupid enough to go buy a Toyota either.

Sandy

Sandy I see your point. But when you bought your Duet set 5 years ago, like me (mine still works great), they were A LOT more expensive than they are now! Prices have come WAY down. I'm hoping that when/if my Duet ever quits and is too expensive to repair, that I can at least use the SAME pedestal that I have on the current machine. I think the new Duet's and the old are the same measurements. Not sure. If I ever have to buy a new pedestal I will be P*S*ed!

Sandy, washers do not last "only 5 years." What I'm seeing is that people nowadays are immediately frustrated and put-off when an appliance needs repair, opting to replace instead of repair. I have a 10-year-old Kenmore toploader (same Whirlpool design as your new machine) that a friend gave to me. They were going to toss it out due to a $12 broken part. I ended up also replacing the basket as it was starting to rust, but the machine is far from ready to dump and should last for many more years. It's true of course that labor costs are much higher than they were 30, 20, even 10 years ago, but some parts are very reasonable, such as the $12 item I mentioned above, and information is available online for DIY repairs. (BTW, your new Whirlpool has the same $12 part in it.) When the cost of a repair approaches 1/3 to 1/2 the cost of a new machine, I can understand why the choice may be to replace ... but that does NOT mean the machine CAN'T be repaired .. i.e. it only lasted 5 years.

My parents have had three Whirlpool washers since 1962 (1976 and 1994). I recall the first machine needing numerous repairs in its time, including a full breakdown and replacement of the bearings TWICE. The 2nd Whirlpool didn't have any bearing replacements done, although bad bearings is what put it down after 18 years. Their current KitchenAid (which is a Whirlpool brand, same mechanical design as your new Whirlpool) also hasn't had any bearing trouble in 16 years. I have a KitchenAid that's close to 20 years old. I have a Fisher & Paykel toploader that's almost 11 years old, and has not needed any repairs. A friend has a 2nd-generation Neptune frontloader (with a mechanical timer and controls on top), the bearings started going bad last summer, which is ~10 years of use.

What blows me away is that a Whirlpool customer service employee made the "5 year" statement. When Maytag was still Maytag and not yet owned by Whirlpool, they at least said that a washer lasts 8 years. My Neptunes also had expensive issues after 5 years, but those had been purchased back in 1997 and the problems may have been addressed by now. Under 10 years use without expensive repairs is not acceptable to me. Small repairs can be considered normal wear and tear.

My machine CAN be repaired, but we're looking at a new motor, and possibly a board. I'm debating about trying a motor as I need to have a way to wash quilts and mattress pads. The Duet does do a good job on those. However, I am extremely resentful at having to put up to $500 into a machine that is not all that old. My husband, who is an engineer, can do the work himself. If I had to pay labor the cost would be even more.

Researching the problem has revealed that the Duets have a design problem with their motors. The brushes go bad. The F6 code is a problem with the motor overheating, and is a result of the motor going bad or the computer board, or both.

The determining point is if we feel it is worth putting $500 into the machine. Sometimes other things start going and it could turn into a white elephant. It could also go for some time with no problems again. It's a gamble.

I have an ethical problem with a company that has become aware of an issue and does not seem to care. That said, I have recently purchased a very bare bones KitchenAid dishwasher and it is the best so far that I have owned. So not all the Whirlpool products are bad.

If I were in the market for a front loader, I would carefully check out other brands before ever considering the Duets again. Perhaps Whirlpool will decide to do something with the design flaws in the meantime.

Sandy

LOL Sorry Sandy but I have to laugh...my DH is an engineer and the last thing I let him do is work on mechanicals I need to rely on! Engineer is not the same as mechanic :)

On the duet...We purchased a home with two sets of them. I moved one up to the second floor today (ok my contractor did) and he mentioned that there was a lot of gray water in it...far more than he's seen in other moves with other washers. I don't leave the door open (never have had to with my front loader stackable) so perhaps this is the issue...but as a safty issue, leaving the door open isn't smart with pets and small children in a home. Is this an absolute with the duet? I may opt for a new washer if this is the case.

Also the dryer takes FOREVER to dry. Towels (normal load) take about 2 to 2 1/2 hours on high (timed setting on high heat verses senser which I hate). That seems crazy to me....

Previous to us the washer and dryer were used daily probably five or six loads each (it was a 12 room bed and breakfast nearly always fully occupied). We do a lot of laundry, but only a couple of loads daily at most (I avoid it like the plague since moving into this house as it was in the cellar...but given I've moved it up I have to change LOL).

We're going to put in three more laundry rooms and I wonder if I should look to another front loader given the mold issue :( I'm not one to baby my appliances.

Also the dryer takes FOREVER to dry. Towels (normal load) take about 2 to 2 1/2 hours on high (timed setting on high heat verses senser which I hate). That seems crazy to me....Large probability you have a clog or other such problem in your exhaust ducting. While the dryer is running, go outside to the exhaust hood and check for a proper strong airflow.

My Kenmmore HE3T is approaching the 10 yr mark, only had one issue, the water pump went out in its 4th year and it was covered under extended warranty. Had I cleaned out the the pump filter like I was suppose too and didnt, it wouldnt of failed. Other than that, no issues at all with it. I new someone that had a whirpool TL bought in 2005 and in its first 1.5 years, it had been repaired 3 times for motor/transmission issues. After the third time whirlpool replaced it, guess what it did it again. The owners were not hard on them with use. Thats why I said, no matter what you buy, it seems like a risk. My kitchen aid dishwaher that cost me 900 bucks on sale from 1299, the circulation pump died in its 13th month. I ordered the pump and replaced it. I work in manufacturing, make fuel injectors for cars and trucks, I can tell you stories on engineers and how they do not listen to people about issues with their products. I am not saying all are like this, but the vast majority is, and they can only do so much with the budget given to them. Its all about making an item at the cheapest cost, and getting the highest price in retail sales on it.

In case anyone is interested, my husband found a site that is selling the motors (brand new) for the Duet washer for $150. I can't remeber the site, but if anyone is in need of a motor and is interested, send me an e-mail. Since we feel it is the motor and not the computer board we are opting to put a new motor in it. Interestingly, the motor is now redesigned by Whirlpool.

Mine had been overheating resulting in the F6 code. The reason we feel it probably isn't the board is because I can wash lightweight cold or warm loads. I have the issue with towels or jeans, which would place a larger load on the motor. Also the sanitary cycle results in the code. We're gusssing the extra hot water temps are contributing to heating the ailing motor up as well.

If the new motor doesn't cure it we'll put a board in too, since we can purchase that reasonably on line and my husband is able to install it.

Since it seems to be economical at this point to repair the washer, I am going to cancel the top loader order for the time being.

My dryer works great. When we had the vent in our previous home (it vented up an interior wall and vented out the roof, the dryer didn't seem to care for it and took forever to dry, and clothes were left damp.

We now have it venting directly outside, on an outside wall, and it works superbly. A full load of towels takes 49 minutes on the lowest automatic "bulky item" cycle to dry. This is the medium heat cycle and I like it because it seems gentler on the towels.

Most of the time I opt to hang my laundry outside on clotheslines though. The only time I don't is if we get a rainy spell, or in the middle of summer with our high humidity. Then I use the dryer.

Hopefully, Whirlpool will redesign the reliability issues out and I will want a new set when the time comes. It would be nice to be able to re-use the expensive pedestals.

The stinky washer issue some people have had, as I have from time to time, is sometimes caused by lint depsits on the inside flap of the rubber boot. It is a pain to reach in and clean it, but will get rid of the smell. The lint literally starts to rot if you don't. Also pet hair likes to deposit there as well, and stinks if not cleaned out.

As someone else pointed out, if your Duet is smelly and the area around the seal is clean, simply take off the lower front panel (3 Torx screws on the bottom) and unscrew the cover to the filter and clean out whatever is in there. I took the filter cover assembly out and cleaned it with Clorox Cleanup, as well as wipe out the filter, and now the washer is completely odor-free. Slide a cookie sheet with sides under the washer to catch the water that comes out.

It may sound harder than it really is, but I think I could do it again in less than 10 minutes, now that I know what to do.

I have a two year old Samsung that I am not all that happy with. A lot of the engineering seems to be kluges to make advertising claims. It replaces an old Maytag that was still running but needed new anti-shake pads for spin cycles. Could have replaced them but I read all the baloney about how front loaders save water and clean better. As I said baloney! I have to wash twice to get all the soap rinsed out, and I use the extra wash, rinse and spin cycles every load to get clothes clean. I have another post describing these problems in another thread on this forum. I also advised my daughter to get a Whirlpool washer 5 or 6 years ago and she hated it. I had used a 92 Whirlpool that I gave my son when I moved. He is still using that. My daughter replaced her Whirlpool with a Speed Queen. Not sure who makes that and if it has quality issues now as well.

Gosh...I have gotten 16 years out of our Amana TL set, ($900 total), and even though the washer still works, I bought a used Duet FL washer last week for $400 (2008 I think, WF9400SW01). I haven't used it yet, but from what I read here, I am bound to be disappointed re: maintenance-free longevity no matter what I buy! Only our dryer has had to be repaired, and my hubby did it by inspecting the coils on the back and correcting something that was either touching and shouldn't be or not touching and should be.

Check this out! Yesterday, I washed a black backpack that was nasty. I didn't want to wash it by itself so I threw it in with my (cheap) sofa slip cover that needed washing as well. I can't begin to stress how nasty this backpack was and it came spotlessly clean! The person I washed it for couldn't believe it. Anyway there was a couple of things in the drum after washing that made me wonder if I should check the drain pump in case something had gotten down there that needed to be cleaned out. So I took the front panel off, unscrewed the cap, let all that water come out on a towel, and can you believe there was no lint or anything in the drain pump? It had been a LONG time since I cleaned it since I check pockets all the time, but still, I thought there would at least be some lint or a paper or something but nothing at all..

We have had ours (not the sport) for about 6 years. I couldn't be happier- we have never had a problem with them. In fact I regularly hug them- they are probably my second favorite appliances we have- because we just bought a new fridge- and I love it more.

LOL! It's my second fav appliance too! I love my Vita Mix more!

No, because our 6 year Duet washer's computer board (I think that's what it is) broke last year and we got a code that said the door wouldn't lock. Our repairman welded something and it worked for about 6 months and now it's broken again (which is why I'm on this site looking for a new machine to buy.) There were lots of warnings about this problem when i bought the machine so I got the extended warranty, but the problem happened after it expired. Other than that, I loved the washer.

Posted by asolo (My Page) on Thu, Apr 9, 09 at 13:31.........:

"Over three years for my Duet pair (German made). Zero troubles from day one. Just read the manual and did what it said. There's another one in the family two years old. No trouble there either."

Now 5 1/2 years with excellent performance and zero troubles to date. Believe me when I tell you that, if it were otherwise, I'd be here squawking about it.

Absolutely! We're just 1 month in though with a 9550 set which is now made in Mexico (no longer GE). Huge improvement over our 25yr old Lady Kenmore (Whirlpool) set that was actually still going strong (just rusty from a mishandling in a couple of moves). Our daughter swears by these, and complained whenever visiting about the old machine....and you know what, she was right....no comparison. Underwear, towels, whatever much whiter brighter, and clothes are handled much better than with an agitator and many many gallons of water.

The dryer was little changed though after all those years....still has a welded seam that makes a slight thump each rev just like the old one which by the way was never repaired after all those years. One improvement in the dryer though is the steam (or water squirt), does magically pop the wrinkles right out and is quite convenient.

Duets and HE3t washers with internal heaters clean so well because the heater maintains and boost the warm and hot water in most cycles. I know this from the training manual a Sears employee gave me back in 01 before I bought my machine. It explains all the features, water temps, and cylces that a sales person needs to know about. Till this day, that same Sales lady is still working for Sears and We chat on a regular basis. You can imagine who I will go to when I need a new washer. If you read the newer duets owners manual carefully, it will explain the heater uses and what it does, along with the stain treat option. I think they are the best American made machines on the market. Yes I know they are made in some cheap labor country, but Whirlpool is an American company.

Back to loving my Duet. I found a site that described how to fix the problem. It was so simple; my husband and I had it working in under 5 minutes. It was a loose connection that was a snap to fix. I'm [planning on attaching a link to the site, so let's see if it works.

Here is a link that might be useful: Stupid Whirlpool Duet Wont Turn On...FIXED IT!!!

Bought my extra large Duet washer in April 2003. Not one problem since I got it and it's been rather heavily used it for over 7 years....Same is true for the matching gas dryer. We are building a new house and will be selling ours in a couple of months (and bidding adieu to my favorite laundry appliances). I looked at various washer/dryer options for the new house - Miele, Asko, Bosch...but looks like I will be buying another set from Whirlpool.