I do not own a bravos, but if I was buying a new washer that was a TL, Id have no issues with a bravos purchase. There are a few owners on here that love them and they are the newer models. Yes in the begining the bravos had some issues, but the seem to be worked out in the new 850 model. Id recommend the one with the internal heater also. I beleive most people who have Twisting issues with these and other FL machines is due to not reading the owners manual before using the machine. I have a FL, and have no had any issues with the problems I read about on here. My washer and dryer is in the same set up as yours, dryer on the left outside wall, so I know what you mean. I learned to manage to work around it though. Good luck with the new home :)

If I were you I would talk to several appliance sales people to get a feel for reliability and customer feedback. In Lowes and Home Depot I sought out the appliance dept. managers as well.

Lowes and Sears both told me people were complaining that their clothes were not getting very clean in any of the top loaders with no agitator. Differing consumer rating sites have complaints both about twisting and tangling, as well as marginal cleaning satisfaction.

My feeling is that while there will always be people who use a product incorrectly, that the majority ARE using the washer and dryers correctly. Certainly no one would take the time to tangle their clothes up before putting them in a washer. Also, while some people will overload a machine, inhibiting how clean the clothes get, most people have enough intelligence not to do so.

I do not follow the logic that if there are lots of complaints, then it is the customer who "must be doing something wrong". The fact is that appliance quality in the U.S. is now deplorable. Not every single appliance, but certainly overall.

That said, if you like the HE idea, and you are able get UPS or FedEex to come to your home, you can get parts. If you need someone to put them in, then you will have to see about service availability in your area. The front loaders willmost likely need work, but the advantage is being able to wash comforters in them. I would find that hard to give up. If it weren't for that, I would find a highly rated basic (not fancy)top loader set, as they are easy to fix and don't break down often.

You will find that some sales people want to sell ONLY front loaders. You need to sift through the hype.

We are soon to start the building process ourselves, out "in the country". I am designing my laundry room to be able to accomodate my front load set, as well as a basic top load machine with no frills. Not only will I have a backup, but I feel towels rinse and clean better in a top loader. My opinion only.

Sandy

If you really want a front loader, the Electrolux washer has a reversible door.

dianne47, it sounds as though you truly like the idea of a front loader, and the convenience it provides. A front loader would be my choice over the Bravos. They do have a better track record, despite issues that still need to be ironed out. Make some phone calls to different repair people, and also make some phone calls and visits to stores that sell washer and dryers. Ratings on the internet are difficult to gauge, and can be biased.

No washer and dryer is perfect, but you'll get a feel for a brand and a model that has the least amount of problems. At least then you'll be making the best choice possible and that's the best you can do.

Sandy

Mieles are made to be installed with the washer on the right. But service might be a problem in your area.

You could also put the dryer on the right, and run flexible aluminum duct to the dryer vent, if the extra length won't push the total vent length over the limit.

If I HAD to get another HE machine, I would get the Bravos again. We have had the Bravos 300 for about six months now and (so far!) have had no problems. It works much better than our old Kenmore Oasis. Clothes are coming clean, but we do always use a 2nd rinse. My first choice would be an old-fashioned top loader.

If you've searched threads you'll probably see at least one posting from me re: our Bravos. I've now used both machines for several months and can say unequivocally that I love them. They are both the new top of the line ones (don't remember model #s but it starts with an 8) with an internal heater in the washer. I've now used almost all of the cyles at one time or another, and both machines have performed flawlessly. Yes, I'd get them again, without hesitation. And by the way, our lake house is also in a remote location, so reliability and ability to easily get a service tech if I need one is also very important to me.

There is a small learning curve with these new washers with no agitators. Be sure to read the manual, load it properly, and don't overdo the detergent (make sure you get HE detergent). If you do all of these things, I predict you will be happy.

Coincidentally, the dryer at our main residence died two months ago. Feeling the budget crunch from our recently completed new lake house,I decided to try to save some money and got a GE Profile dryer rather than the more expensive Bravo dryer that we have at the lake. Big mistake. I hate, hate, hate the lint screen on it. More falls down the lint vent than is caught by the screen. Very bad design. Don't get it.

Thanks for all the comments. As I mentioned in the original post, I don't want a front loader due to the cost of pedestals (or building a platform), higher cost of the machines, having to leave the doors open, needing to use the machine surfaces as a folding table, and the detergent drawer being too high. I'm five feet tall.

I've investigated Miele (DW and W/D), but service would be very difficult to obtain in my remote location. I'm not willing to take a chance.

I've decided to get the TOL Bravos machines (850 models), after much research. I especially appreciate the response from nclakehouse. I'm fussy about the lint screen and like the all plastic frame of the Bravos design, it looks easy to thoroughly clean. I dislike the felt liner around the edge of my current Kenmore dryer lint screen, it's impossible to keep clean. I've had Whirlpool dryers with the screen on the top surface, a total mess every single time the screen is cleaned - what a stupid design.

I downloaded the Bravos manuals and read through them carefully. I honestly think people who have problems with Bravos washers are not following the instructions. Most people overload their washer with both detergent and laundry, this would result in poor performance.

I've been unable to find a way to search for posts by a particular member of this forum. Am I missing something? Is it possible to search that way on gardenweb?

Thanks again.

Just put in the person's name in the search box and you will come up with all the posts by that person and the ones he/she responds to. I have the Bravos set and if you do a search by my name, you will see my comments. I got mine in Dec. 08.

I do load mine correctly and since my original problems I haven't had any more trouble. I do use the 2nd rinse on most loads and watch closely the amount of detergent and liquid softener, bleach I use.

Note to dianne47:

If you're looking for my earlier post about these machines, I found it and have linked below. It was interesting that the original poster there never replied to the various responses/suggestions that were posted. I really wonder on reflection whether her difficulties resulted from not reading the manual or using detergent that was not HE. In any event, my experiences have been entirely different.

I happened to drive up to our lake house today and just checked...Our washer is model # MVWB800VUO and dryer is #MEDB800VUO. Have no idea if these have been superceded by a newer model.

Good luck with your purchasing decision!

Here is a link that might be useful: Link to post a few months ago

Thanks mboston and nclakehouse. I must be dense to have not realized I could search on the poster's name. I've gone back and found many more threads than my original Bravos search located.

I am going to go ahead with the Bravos MVWB850WQ washer and MEDB850WQ dryer, both are current TOL. I never realized how often the model numbers are changed, I always thought models stayed the same for a whole year, but I don't think that's true anymore.

BTW, there's a bunch of chatter on another forum about a new Whirlpool HE TL set coming out in June 2010, similar to Cabrio. The techs have been going to training, taking photos, and posting about the new W/D. I read those threads carefully and decided I'd rather stick with the Bravos, as Whirlpool/Maytag seems to have worked out the kinks in the design. I ALWAYS read product manuals and will follow the instructions to a "T" so I think the Bravos set will be a good choice. My husband is croaking over the cost, he hasn't bought a W/D in many years and thinks they should cost $300 each.

I've found with past W/D purchases that getting the TOL machines is always good. I don't honestly know if I'll use the steam on the 850 dryer, but there are several other features I do like, such as selectable drum light. On the washer I want the onboard heater and oxi dispenser, the 850 has those features.

Buying a W/D has become so complicated, or maybe this forum is inhabited by overly analytical types - like me...

dianne 47 said:
"or maybe this forum is inhabited by overly analytical types - like me..."

Absolutely! Welcome to the club. You are in good company.

I've been following this thread closely and have almost decided on the Bravos MVWB850WQ washer and MEDB850WQ dryer. Diane47 - where did you find the info on the new Whirlpool coming out in June? I'd like to see what they say before I commit. Thanks.

There is a post on this forum with a link to a video with new Whirlpool products, that post just went up this afternoon. The other forum with posts by repair people is in the link below.

The automaticwasher.org forum is for absolute washerheads, the people over there are beyond obsessed. My absolute favorite part of their forum would be the sections with the photos of giant appliance graveyards, also many "collections" of antique washing machines in what look like basement rooms of their homes. I LOVE the rows of colorful old machines, the laundry equivalent of Jay Leno's car collection.

I've been reading this forum for a couple of years, knowing I would be buying a new W/D set when my new home is built. I've learned that it's not wise to buy a brand new washing machine technology. It takes a while for the kinks to be worked out. The Bravos have been out for a couple of years now, so I feel confident that the wrinkles have been ironed out, so to speak. :)) I wouldn't buy a new washer technology the first year, I'm content to let someone(s) else be the guinea pigs.

Here is a link that might be useful: One thread about new Whirlpools

I must add another link from the automaticwasher site. It's "The Aberdeen Farm," acres and acres of old appliances. The link is to 71 photos of "the farm" and I absolutely love the title of the first photo..

Here is a link that might be useful: The Aberdeen Farm - appliances graveyard

Thanks for the links - I'll be reading all night. Did you buy the Bravos 850 washer & dryer? There is a 26 day availability delay here in southwest Pa. - at least through Lowes, Home Depot and a local appliance store. We are painting our laundry room and putting in a new floor so not in a hurry for the new machines.

Dianne,

We just recently purchased a washer/dryer set and looked at the Bravos set. We have a long vent run, and there were not many to choose from. After much "analyzing and testing", we went with the GE Profile triangle window set over the Bravos because of the challenge it was to reach way into the bottom of the drum of the washer. I am just under 5'4" with back issues and felt it was worth the money to get the pedestals to raise up the front loaders.

I am not trying to throw a monkey wrench in to your decision making process but I am surprised that, at your height, you haven't had problems getting to the bottom of the Bravos washer. I have a good friend who has the round window GE FL series and she loves them not being on a pedestal. And she is 4' 10"!!

Good Luck with whatever you purchase!

LG now has a their version of a HE top loader out to give the Bravos some competition. It has a 158 degree sanitary cycle, 5.2 wash drum, 1100rpm spin speed and a water plus option.

My only suggestion for anyone is to have the installer go through all the cycles to see if the hot water comes on when it should. It will take a while to go through all the cycles but you want to make sure they all work BEFORE you send them on their way. I learned that once you place your repair order SOME companies may not want to take the machine back even though your manual tells you to check certain things out THEN call for repairs.

Pagram: thanks for the heads up on the wait for the Bravos in your area. I'm not needing the pair for another 6 weeks, but want to be able to get the NM stimulus money rebate. I'm going to order on Tuesday, when the department manager I'm dealing with is back from his days off. If I have to wait a month - hmm, will that cause problems with the rebate? Better check with him.

Earth Pal: I had no problem reaching the bottom of the Bravos washer, although I did have to rotate the tub to put the item at the front. Maybe I have long arms for a five footer... My favorite washer ever was my 1979 GE Filter Flo, and my husband had his own coin laundry business using all GEs (back in the 1960s). But recently I've read many negative comments and reviews about GE laundry machines, so that brand isn't on my radar for this purchase.

Mboston: Good tip on having the installer test all the cycles. I saw your posts about that on another thread or two. Honestly, I've read so much here I'm getting mixed up.

I did place the order for the Bravos 850 set today. I also sent the paperwork for the New Mexico stimulus rebate. Thanks to all for your comments.

I just wanted to let you know I have had my Bravos 300 for a week now and am delighted with it. I washed three bath mats and had no vibration, no "dancing", and they came out wonderfully clean and fresh smelling. Before the Bravos I had to take those type things to a laundry mat. All the other cycles are working just great. Clothes clean and almost dry when removed from the washer. Haven't noticed any exceptional wrinkling and no tangling.
My old GE washer just died and after some not much research decided on the Bravos as 1. it fit my budget, 2. It was on sale at Home Depot 10% off, and 3. I got the stimulus rebate of $100. I feel like I got a real deal. For those who don't know, the 300 is a HE top loader with a stainless steel drum.
My only (and it is a little one regret) is I didn't get the see through lid. I really wanted to see what was going on in there. Found a video on You Tube, naturally, and now I have no regrets.
I know it is early in the ownership, but so far so good.
Only hope the Maytag name means what it used to.

Had to buy a new w/d because our old set is hidden somewhere in the middle of a packed storage unit and we won't be able to get to that stuff for some weeks after moving (minimal apartment stuff) into our new house (and I refuse to haul clothing to a laundromat for weeks---old Kenmores are 20 yrs old, so I don't feel so bad...actually, a little happy!).

Anyway, I bought the Maytag Bravos set. Can you tell me please, fellow owners, what do I need to have on hand when the dryer gets installed to take advantage of the steam feature? I forgot to ask at BB where I bought it yesterday. Will I need a plumber to access the water line of the washing machine or does it "steam" some other way?

Thanks!

I have never quite figured out why people think they need pedestals for a FL washing machine. We've had FL dryers forever and no one ever felt compelled to put them on a pedestal. So why is it when the washing machine became FL that pedestals were suddenly "needed"?

Sorry OT but I noticed someone mentioned the need for pedestals as a reason not to get FL...

Following up on my own thread. My Bravos 850 W/D were delivered Friday to our new home in a remote area near Santa Fe. The house is still under construction, but I thought everything was ready for some washing and drying. More on that later.

I ordered the white pair and got a call a few weeks ago from the appliances manager (Baillio's in Santa Fe) saying the white 850s were unavailable from Maytag and they would give me the silver set at no additional cost. Great - that's the color I wanted but I didn't want to spend the extra $$.

It's been raining for days, so it's a really good thing the W/D were installed and ready to go. I read the manuals in detail before attempting to use the machines. We fired up the house water heater, and I proceeded to do the laundry.

I was amazed at the various sprays, fills, agitation, whirls, etc. on the washer. I ran one load with a small blanket plus some other items (on the bulky cycle) and the load was unbalanced. The machine ran a correction program, but I did have to manually rebalance the load. I accidentally pushed "cancel" instead of "pause" on one cycle (to add Oxi) and the machine drained out, very frustrating.

The loads came out very clean, despite the house hot water heater not supplying hot water (!) and the Oxi not dissolving. We obviously have to get the plumber back here to diagnose why hot water isn't making it to the washer. I do recall a thread concerning no hot water, so I hope that isn't the problem. I still have to experiment with the onboard heater. I'm unclear whether it would heat the water from cold to warm, or if it just maintains the temperature during a cycle.

As I've read on other threads, there is quite a learning curve in figuring out how to use the Bravos system. I'm pretty sure I'm going to end up happy with the Bravos machines.

dianne47, I ended up buying the washer you bought because our old hot water heater went out and our new energy-saving water heater didn't provide hot water -- it wasn't even really warm. (Thankfully, a friend needed a washer and wanted my first Bravos.)

I've had the new washer for a couple of months now, and I love it! The internal water heater DOES heat the water to very hot, and that can take awhile. The time issue doesn't bother me at all, for the HOT water cleans so well.

I've never had an unbalanced load, but I've never washed just one blanket. I have washed just one comforter -- both queen- and king-size -- and have not had any unbalanced loads.

I had to really study my washer manual, lol! It was time well-spent, though, for I wanted to make sure I was using the washer the way it was made to be used.

I also pushed Cancel instead of Pause one time and, yes, the water all went out. Now I know better.

I sincerely hope you'll love your washer as much as I love mine. :)

Since I'm new to pricing w/d's, I don't know what's a really good deal or not, BUT, this one seems to be---if you're in the market for the Bravos and have an hhgregg near you, their online price for the 850s is $599.95. Even their open box in the store is more than that, but all you have to do is tell them you saw the online price. They said the reason for the low price is that it's a "closeout" item.

dianne47

Ah, I see you're adapting to the learning curve of the Bravos....just as I have (and still am) since I purchased my 850 set back in January 2010.

No don't get me wrong, I LOVE my Bravos washer, but there is absolutely a learning curve to using them, particularly w/ the Bulky cycle!

So far I've learned not to wash one, large, (or small, in your case) single quilt or comforter by itself, particularly if it is made of heavy material like my queen-sized red patchwork quilt......the Bravos on Bulky just rolls it up into a ball and the machine goes unbalanced. Of course the Bravos will do its automatic unbalancing thing, but I have found that to be useless with an item as heavy as a single, large queen-sized quilt in one load. So you end up having to unbalance the thing yourself and canceling the cycle, which is like you say......very frustrating!!

So today I washed the same quilt along with a heavy queen-sized blanket with excellent results......the Bravos on Bulky purred like a kitten washing the two bulky items together!!! :o)

I'm curious....were these small items you washed along w/the small blanket?

But everything else washes beautifully!! The Sheets cycle is great! Once I had a issue washing one set of queen sheets in which the fitted sheet wrapped around the flat sheet and I had another rolled-up ball and uL code. But that only happened once and I've used the cycle several times before and after that, even with one sheet set, with zero problems!

And as far as washing everyday clothes it does a FANTASTIC job of that!!!! I use the colors cycle the most often and it is wonderful!!

And I continue to be amazed at how ENORMOUS of a load of clothes the Bravos can hold!! I've had huge loads of clothes where I thought for sure I'd be filling the Bravos to the max......and there would still be more room!! And I have actually filled it a couple of times where I thought I for sure would get the oL code (overloaded), but I didn't and have yet to see that code!!

Oh....and the matching dryer is awesome!!!! I definitely recommend the dryer as well!!

Now, I just have to figure out how to wash down pillows/comforters properly in the Bravos (they're so lightweight and full of air that they float to the top and don't circulate, see my separate post). I'm hoping there is a simple solution to this issue and if anyone knows what it is, I'd so appreciate the info! :o)

And what's funny is that I was sold on buying the Bravos back in January because I bought a 6600 set for my grandma a year or so before that and she loves her set......and she is usually VERY critical if something has even the slightest issue...I'd never hear the end of it!! lol! So I though for sure this must be the perfect W/D set if my grandma's raving about it!! Lo and behold she has no problems and I'm experiencing the learning curve!! LOL!!

But aside from that, the moral of the story is if I had to do it again, I'd buy the Bravos! Yes there is a learning curve but there seems to be a learning curve with every HE washer based on what I've read. So I have no doubt that you will grow through the Bravos learning curve and love yours as much as I do!!! Take care!!! :o)

Kevin

Definitely not. We have owned the Kenmore Oasis and the Maytag Bravos. While the Bravos worked much better than the Oasis (no repair calls for 8 months!), we just didn't feel that the top loading HE machines cleaned well. If I got another HE machine, it would be a front loader.

Yesterday my new Speed Queen AWN 432 top loader arrived; it is not HE, but it sure works great! Soil that the Bravos did not remove is gone after only one wash. Towels are soft again and not being frayed at the edges. The clothes are almost as dry as with the Bravos and I have not noticed an increase in drying time. Wash time is cut in half - no more hour long cycles, even with the extra rinse option. The capacity is adequate - I washed a set of queen sheets AND a queen blanket and everything came out clean and not twisted into ropes.

oasisowner,
I am looking at a Speed Queen W/D. I've had a Frigidaire FL and matching dryer for about 4 years and I absolutely hate them! Have you posted more comments elsewhere about your Speed Queen?

seattlehostmom - It's been about two weeks and we are still loving the Speed Queen. Yes, it does use a lot of water, but this is far outweighed for us by the ease of use and the speed of doing a load. So far, we have done bedding, towels, rather large throw rugs, delicates, and regular laundry. No problems, no off balance loads, and everything comes clean. We have the AWN432 with the extra rinse and I use this feature frequently, as my son is very sensitive to detergent residue. Most washes are in hot water (140 degrees) with the extra rinse. This takes about 40 minutes compared to the one hour and fifteen minutes with the Bravos. I can get through a week's worth of the family's clothing 2-3 hours faster than with the Bravos. I seldom pretreat stains and don't use any laundry additives, other than bleach to clean the washer after washing pet bedding or rugs. (I run hot water and bleach through the washer every 3-4 weeks). We are presently using Country Save detergent because it is unscented and doesn't irritate our skin. That's it and the clothes are clean!

I would not buy a Maytag Bravos washer again ever!
I left behind my original Maytag set when moving - they were almost 30 years old. Thought it was time to treat myself to a new set.
After three years the Bravos washer failed. When the repairman came to fix it I was advised that the barrel had rusted to the shaft. What...a washer can rust?!? Yes, it is true.
The warranty on the tub/barrel and the shaft is ten years. So, one would think it would be repaired or replaced. Not so in this case as the rubber seal between the two pieces failed to seal allowing moisture/water to seep through, causing the rusting to occur. That one piece...the rubber seal was warranted for three years. That is how old the washer was and Maytag did not offer any recourse. Sad results.
I now own a non-rusting Samsung washer and it cleans and operates better than the Maytag when new.

Now, I still have the Maytag drier with the steam refreshing feature. This machine has worked flawlessly and the combined pair please me greatly.

I see this thread has been revived. :)

I'm still loving my Bravos pair. I've been washing sheets today, and they come out perfectly, not twisted at all.

Haven't had any problem with rusting (or anything else). I always leave the washer open when it's not in use (as I've always done with any washer), so maybe that's why.