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nerdyhousewife

Washer/Dryer that doesn't wrinkle?

nerdyhousewife
11 years ago

For years I was able to wash my husband's cotton no-iron work shirts without ironing them using an old Maytag top loader. The only requirement to avoid wrinkles was to pull them out of the dryer immediately, and replace the shirts every year, choosing from a few select brands.

HOWEVER, this year we moved into a new house, where we purchased the existing washer and dryer from the previous owners. They are Bosch NEXXT series front loaders.

Now there is nothing I can do to avoid wrinkles. LOTS of them. I have tried EVERYTHING: shaking them out, drying only three at a time, avoiding the spin cycle all together and taking them out soaking wet, drying only three at a time, every combination of cycles... I mean the list is endless.

At this point, I just want to replace the washer and dryer. Since we purchased them used, I figure I can sell them on Craigslist without much of a loss.

But I'm worried that all front loading washers will have this problem. Perhaps the lack of an agitator allows the clothes to get too tangled, and not even a good shaking is enough to undo the damage.

So, my question is, does anyone have a washer/dryer combo that allows you to dry no-iron cotton shirts without wrinkles?

Comments (18)

  • cj47
    11 years ago

    I just bought an Electrolux pair--the 70 series Wave Touch. I am amazed at how few wrinkles I'm seeing. The Shrinkguard feature in the washer tumbles the load after the last spin, unplastering the clothing from the sides of the washer and fluffing it up a bit. The dryer has a Perfect Tumble, which reverse tumbles the load in the last few minutes, and Wrinkle Release which cools the load, and Extended tumble which keeps tumbling it till you get there to take it out. It works wonderfully and is one of my favorite things about this set. Jeans come out perfectly smooth, my husbands good shirts come out ready to hang up. I have washed king sized sheets, full loads of jeans, and comforters--nothing has come out twisted or tangled. I really feel that it works for me, rather then me having to work around it's quirks. I've only owned them for about 6 weeks, but so far, I like them very much.

    Cj

  • housefairy
    11 years ago

    Could it be it's your dryer that you are having issue with instead of the washer? The reason I question this is when my washer went out I bought a complete set. I wanted the washer/dryer to match. There was nothing wrong with my old dryer. But what I did notice is that the new dryer seemed to blow more air and got hotter. It only took a few loads to realize that I needed to moderate the heat that the dryer was kicking out or I ended up with a lot of wrinkles.

  • beaglenc
    11 years ago

    I,too, have the Bosch Nexxt500+ with much of the same problems. Took me forever to figure the thing out! First, button all of the buttons and fold the shirts, especially the long sleeve ones, and they will still tangle but not as bad. That goes for pants and jeans too.
    I wash most every thing on PP warm or hot and always use FS. Shake them out real good b4 they go in the dryer, use the time setting for 20 min.,low temp.,(I leave mine in for 10 min.,) and hang them to finish drying. Hope this helps.

  • dave1812
    11 years ago

    nerdy, try the slowest spin setting on washer. (and use PP )

  • chloe203
    11 years ago

    I also have the Bosch nexxt and I don't have those problems.
    Are you using the perma press wash cycle? It rocks side to side to completely untangle the clothes on that cycle.

  • larsi_gw
    11 years ago

    Miele dryers and the Electrolux Wave Touch reverse tumble. There are virtually no wrinkles. With my Miele, most things come out almost looking ironed. Amazing!!

  • nerdyhousewife
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I've tried all the settings, like permanent press and low spin, no spin, etc. I agree that the heat in the dryer is probably an issue - I know for sure that this particular dryer does a terrible job of cooling down.

    Anyway, thanks for the suggestions on Electrolux and Miele. Miele is probably outside of our budget, but I'll look into the Electrolux.

  • larsi_gw
    11 years ago

    The Electolux Wave Touch, costs the same or more than the Miele Electric Dryer!!!

    The Miele Electric dryer reverses MORE than the gas Miele dryer, and the electric Miele starts reverse tumbling right away...where the gas version goes roughly 20+ minutes (or 30 minutes) before reversing!

  • Northlut
    11 years ago

    Larsi, in your opinion, is it worth going to the lengths to have a circuit installed in order to be able to use an electric Miele dryer rather than a gas one?

  • cj47
    11 years ago

    Electrolux runs rebates regularly and they're worth waiting for. Individual dealers can also run rebates, so you might want to ask your preferred vendor about that. We also got the pedestals and I love them--lots of extra storage and I like having the units up where I can reach in more easily. The last rebate they ran had a rebate on those as well.

    Cj

  • larsi_gw
    11 years ago

    Northlut...I know there are a few members that have the gas Miele dryers, and are happy with them. I tried the Miele gas dryer, and I was utterly and totally disappointed and unhappy. The Electric version is quieter, reverse tumbles right from the cycle start and I found it to be gentler on my clothing and faster.

    Also, besides from Canada and the USA, Miele does not even offer the rest of the world a residential gas dryer.

    I would say hands down, it is 100% worth the effort and cost. My BFF just switched to a Miele Electric T9802 dryer last week, after using gas for the last 30 years. She told me, she will NEVER own a gas dryer again!! :)

  • dave1812
    11 years ago

    I'd never own an electric dryer again. Switching to a gas dryer dropped my utility bill. My current gas dryer is very fast...

  • kerbosch
    11 years ago

    you are overloading the dryer

    cut the clothes that go into in half and see what it looks like

  • dave1812
    11 years ago

    kerbosh, how do you know they are overloading their dryer?? Geez, I can stuff my drier (on occasion) and it still dries everything quickly.

  • dave1812
    11 years ago

    oops! I thought I was on a different dryer thread. disregard my previous post. LOL!

  • mara_2008
    11 years ago

    OP, do you have any idea whether the problem is caused by the washer, the dryer, or both?

    I think I might try washing the shirts alone, buttoned up (yeah, a pain), wash and rinse in cold water (assuming they come clean), spin on a low or medium (not fast) speed, then dry on LO and immediately remove from dryer when done.

    Granted, all of this would be a lot of trouble, but if it produced no wrinkles, it would be worth it.

    FWIW, I haven't had this problem since I replaced my first GE dryer (yuck) years ago. Since then I've had Kenmore washers and dryers (don't know who made them) and now I have a Maytag Bravos washer and dryer. Everything has always come out beautifully smooth with no special treatment.

  • gr8daygw
    11 years ago

    I have a GE front loader GFWN1100LWW 10 wash cycles, 1000 RPM Spin and used to have a Maytag Bravos. I can say that the GE front loader is much, much better (for me) and back to the good old days of hardly any wrinkles as with my old agitator Maytag before the big switch. I'm enjoying this machine and the matching dryer very much. It's not expensive I think I have seen it advertised anywhere from $538 on sale to $700 for each. What I have learned is that big is not better nor is top speed spin necessary. This one has a bit of a smaller tub 3.5 which helps with it not going out of balance and the top speed spin is lower than the top speed (1300 RPM) of the higher priced models. That helps it from setting in wrinkles so firmly. It's very quiet and I love that, too. I was more or less a brand snob before but I really love this pair and wish I wouldn't have wasted my time, energy and money on the way more expensive first pair that I got and sold 2 years later to get this much better set (IMO). Live and learn!

  • smokinbarn
    11 years ago

    I had issues with my Bosch Nexxt dryer as well--clothes were often rolled into large lozenges. I always felt like I was holding a babe in swaddling clothes when I emptied the dryer. I now have a Samsung washer and dryer and like them so much more. No problems with undue wrinkling, especially if I set the dryer to Damp Dry. Really prefer the Samsung to the Bosch, for both the washer and the dryer. Clothes are cleaner and seem to show less wear.