For me to spend $4 grand on a washer/dryer it would have to sort the laundry, load itself, diagnose the load and much much more. The many cycle choices (shown in the video) are very nice, but that's way too much $$ for a W/D. Thanks for posting the link, very interesting for all the laundry nuts on this forum!

Personally, I got a kick out of scoping out many other videos -- especially those that wanted to demonstrate how much their machines shake and vibrate. Pretty much "blame the machine" videos. There were dozens.

Can't speak to all but, from what I saw, I think I could solve most of those problems in a matter of minutes. Some were just ridiculous. In my opinion, most demonstrated the ignorance of the buyer/user rather than any shortcoming of the machine.

The one I thought was the most fun was a dealer demonstrating a new machine and how smooth the spin was...how well-controlled the vibration was....which he did by having the machine spin up to full speed....with NOTHING in the drum!!!!!! Whoa! Really impressed by that!

The USB flash drive updates is something I kept telling Miele, but if it's not the German way, then it's no way at all. Glad to someone is actually doing it as TV manufacturers' have been doing this for years now. Nice YouTube upload, thanks.

I laughed my head off (in good humor) at some of the movies people made while having vibration issues with their washers. However, most washer vibration issues are due to the machine not being leveled properly. Front loaders are critical when it comes to being perfectly level, and the installation instructions say that.

My washer (Duet) is fine even with a heavy load of towels. If it has been moved out from the wall and slid back in, you must check the level again. It can change that quickly depending on your floor. The washer will certainly talk to you if it isn't.

I can't imagine what these companies are thinking with their huge price increases on new washers! Not only would it have to sort the laundry and put it away, it would have to scrub the shower for me too, and vacuum. $4 grand for a set is ridiculous.

Might be different if they actually lasted at least 10 years these days without breakdowns all the time, usually involving expensive parts.

I also like the USB port. One of the updates I'd like to see is a truly warm wash and a truly hot wash. Or something like a profile wash: an extended warm spin-spray with detergent followed by a hot impeller-wash. But, in reality, there's probably only going to be more eco-cycles... Who knows.

Regarding my $4.000 statement: that was a quote from a Consumer Reports video.

Here is a link that might be useful: CR video footage

One set is already available. Washer is $900 and dryer is $930 with steam or $830 without. I really like the washer's easy-to-follow manual.

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Alex

One set is already available. Washer is $900 and dryer is $930 with steam or $830 without. I really like the washer's easy-to-follow manual.

{{!gwi}}{{!gwi}}

Alex

The $4K set is stunningly styled, but I'm not sure enough people care about what their laundry machines look like to pay that kind of money - it's different than kitchen appliances that are on display in a prominent place in most homes. I doubt these will sell, especially since the troubled economy has closed many of the venues where the potential buyer pool would have flocked (Expo, etc.). Also, the "Whirlpool" brand doesn't have the cachet to draw higher-than-Miele prices - given that Whirlpool Corp. sells their wares under about 15 brand names, I'm surprised these aren't Jenn-Airs or something.

The tub light is nice, but the Maytag top-loader I had in the house where I grew up had one too. They're more common on front-loaders.

The controls (both types) look too complicated. What exactly is all that "eco" stuff doing?

The dryer looks nothing at all like other Whirlpool dryers. Is this a new design that will filter its way down the line in the next few years? The basic guts of Whirlpool dryers don't seem to have changed much in half a century - always easily identifiable by the lint filter outside on the top. Some of their recent dryers don't have this - maybe they're based on the designs they acquired when the bought Maytag? The door opening on their other dryers with a front lint filter is oddly pinched, something made glaringly obvious by putting a window in the door, which becomes semicircular.

Oh, and did Whirlpool know when they priced them at $4,000 that LG was about to introduce a new top-load washer and dryer with essentially the same feature set for half the price?

Here is a link that might be useful: New LG top load washers

Lee676, Whirlpool's 27" dryer design with the lint filter at the front inside the drum has been on the market for many years. It was initially a Kenmore exclusive. I'm not sure when Whirlpool first offered it in their branded line, possibly 1996 or 1997. I know it was used for the Calypso-match model, the one I have was manuf'd in 2002 per the serial number.

KitchenAid's Pro Line frontloader washer and matching dryer (sourced from ADC) was priced at $7,000 for the pair as I recall.

Personally, I feel the pricing on some of these new washers and dryers is getting totally out of control. Greed perhaps?

I've never had any qualms about spending money on things that are truly worth it, and that are of high quality (be that material things or life experiences).

I wouldn't even consider paying $7000 for a set. Ever.

I don't know anyone who bought the $7K ADC/KitchenAid set - I never could even find a store that had them on display (I've never seen any ADC products firsthand - they mostly sell to the commercial market).

I forgot that Whirlpool has that newer 27" wide dryer lineup with conventional front/inside lint filters. I wonder why it used to be commonplace for dryers to be wider than their "matching" washers but not anymore. I think Whirlpool is the only manufacturer left making 29"w (or thereabouts) dryers, but they've steadily moved away from that old design too.

Oh, and did Whirlpool know when they priced them at $4,000 that LG was about to introduce a new top-load washer and dryer with essentially the same feature set for half the price?

The market price for the LG set is about $2.5K.

That is not half of $4K. Plus there will likely be some discount on the Whirlpools.

And in ultra-premium products there is no such thing as "essentially". Basic Kenmores can do "essentially" the same thing,in this case clean and dry clothes.

There are people willing to pay large premiums if they judge the product to be "the best."

> The market price for the LG set is about $2.5K.
> That is not half of $4K.

MSRP is $1,049 for both the washer and electric dryer in white - total $2,098. That's close to $2,000 as I see it, given that actual store prices are likely to be lower. (The most expensive variation, a graphite washer and gas dryer, list at $2388).

> And in ultra-premium products there is no such thing as "essentially". Basic Kenmores can do "essentially" the same thing,in this case clean and dry clothes.

> There are people willing to pay large premiums if they judge the product to be "the best."

I remain unconvinced that the market for laundry appliances will support this theory - for kitchen appliances, yes, but in laundry, I have yet to see any washer or dryer priced above $2,000 sell. People will spend $5,000 for a stove even if it doesn't cook better than a $800 Kenmore, but even a $1,500 washer needs something tangible you can point to and show it will work better than something cheaper. In the case of the new LG washer, that would include lower water use, better cleaning and less wear on clothes from its unique agitation method and internal water heater, an LCD display, a soft-close lid with window, a lighted interior, better water extraction from a higher spin speed, proper bleach and fabric-softener dispensers, and larger capacity.

I'll grant you that the recent market for dryers may refute my viewpoint, as people seem willing to pay twice as much for a dryer if it's a pretty color and shaped like their new front-load washer. These buyers probably don't realize that the $500 white dryer with the rear control panel from the same manufacturer is essentially the same as the $950 metallic-green dryer with round window door and front controls. Or maybe they do realize it but want to stack it, or have it built in under a countertop, or just want them to look nice together. But I think these dryers are rarely purchased alone; rather, they are sold to people who are replacing or upgrading their old washer and figure they might as well replace their dryer too, perhaps without the knowledge that dryers tend to last considerably longer than washers.

I don't know the features of the new $7K Whirlpool set yet - only what they look like. They are more artfully gorgeous than an appliance has a right to be, but I still think they'll need to actually work better than everything else to command that kind of money.

"One of the updates I'd like to see is a truly warm wash and a truly hot wash"

What I'd like to see is an indicator of what the actual temperature inside the machine is during a cycle. Seems nobody is allowed to know what "cold", "warm" or "hot" means anymore.

the LG's can show the current water temperature with a few button pushes ..

I for one do like the new machines. Would I spend $4k on a new washer and dryer??? NO!!!!.

With that being said. Yes, they have come a long way with how a washer and dryer looks. But, what you don't hear anymore is how the machine is built on the inside. Maytag hinted at it a year or so ago in their advertising, but back in the '70s and '80s every body boosted about how rugged their machines were built in their advertising. I do have a Kenmore HE3 that I bought 7 yrs ago and It hasn't given me one moment of trouble yet (knock wood) and it does a lot of wash, (mine and some friends). At any price point one should be confident that It will last at least 10yrs. You just can't get that kind of piece of mind with todays machines.

I am mad as a hatter, being forced to buy a new machine. Our washer quit on us after 25 years without a repair and it cost us less than $300. Now we are reading consumer reports and online reviews of all the machines and the prices are outrageous for a product that is probably not even going to last 10 years and is going to be nothing but headaches. Ridiculous! The prices on these machines, have gone up about $150. since January when the Consumer Reports came out. There can't be a legitimate reason for that. One guess is that they are taking advantage of the fact that many people are in the market for a machine because of the rebate programs.

I am at the present racking my brains to figure a way of NOT having to buy a new machine. We can't wash clothes by hand [g], I'm considering getting a repair man to fix the old machine. I'm even considering getting a portable hand cranked washer that I saw somewhere. I'm really mad and do not want to fork over our hard earned money for one of these over priced, disasters waiting to happen.

> racking my brains to figure a way of NOT having to buy a new machine.

Then don't buy a new machine.

buy a good used one ...

Out now! ;)

Saw the set on AJMadison (although it's supposed to come out in July *huh?*). Washer and dryer are each $1,920 - excluding a $200 rebate that ends today. Love the styling and features but... wow! They ain't cheap!

Here is a link that might be useful: link to washer

H2LOW water system! (LOL)..........Self lifting lid....Oh come on!

I am at the present racking my brains to figure a way of NOT having to buy a new machine. We can't wash clothes by hand [g], I'm considering getting a repair man to fix the old machine.

Rather than call a normal machine repair place, where the will tell you that you HAVE to buy a new machine, look for somebody who collects and repairs old machines. They will know the ins and outs of finding parts for you.
No matter what you have, your 25 yo washing machine is going to be better than anything on the market today. Who knows, it may last another 25 years!

Have people become so lazy that they need a self lifting lid on a washer?!!! I doubt it.

I like lifting my own lids, thank you.

I agree about trying to fix your old Maytag washer. As long as it is not rotted out and leaking all over the place, it's worth seeing if you find parts somewhere.

As I've mentioned before, I am disgusted with the quality of the Duet washer and dryer I bought five years ago. We should not have had to buy and install a new motor already. However, I am not thrilled with what is out there to purchase today either, and I feel the pricing has gotten even more out of line. Fortunately my husband is handy, and he isnstalled the motor. it was $140 (and redesigned, interestingly). Cheaper than a new washer.

We are also sick of the marketing hype. Things like self lifting lids and such.

My husband remarked that even if the drum bearings go on my washer, (like we hear about happening between 5 and 8 years of use) it would be worth it to buy another drum unit for $350 rather than buy another washer. Once the parts are replaced in the shell, the thing should keep going a long time.

In the meantime, hopefully some of these manufacturers will wise up and realize that many of us are fed up with it all, and start going back to some basics. Simple, with quality parts, and reasonably priced come to mind.

Good luck with your old Maytag. I hope you can keep it going. We just visited our daughter up north, and I got to use her old Maytag. I loved it. It actually got the clothes clean and fresh because it got enough water in the thing. They came out nice and soft too.

Sandy

as for the washer temp. i do miss my top loader..i could adjust the hot and cold myself and had the perfect settings...so far the duet we purchased (costco) has been really good although i know for sure the washer isn't level enough...

and the detegent itself...finally found one brand (wisk) with easy to read cap measures...

I saw the new high-end Whirlpool TL washer/dryer set (called Vantage) that are shown in the video link from the original poster today.... I was mainly at the appliance store to look at induction cooktops, but they had these on display so I looked them over briefly. They're also on Whirlpool's website. Yep, the MSRP for both the washer and dryer really is USD$2,000 - this is a $4K set. Washer model# is WTW800XG, dryer is WED7990XG (despite ending in "G" which typically denotes a gas dryer, this dryer is evidently only available in 240V electric guise).

The washer didn't impress me. Except for the artful lid, it looks just like Whirlpool's Cabrio washers that sell for half the price, and just doesn't feel like a high-quality piece, with the thin plastic surrounding the tub opening feeling particularly flimsy. The lid scraped the back panel when it opened and closed. For half the price, LG's top-load washer look better built and offers similar features.

The dryer, by contrast, feels sturdy and looks nothing at all like anything else Whirlpool sells. The drum - finally - is stainless steel; the door hinges look like they're from a bank vault door, and the fully round opening seems almost twice the size of the semicirular opening on the Cabrio dryers. I wonder if these are sourced from ADC like the ultra-high-end Kitchenaid dryer from a few years back that hardly anyone bought. All I know for sure is that they're made in the US.

Both machines have USB ports. Supposedly these are to allow for future firmware upgrades, but I hope some tech geeks think of some more imaginative use.

Regarding model WED7990XG, the gas version is WGD7990XG. Whirlpool doesn't (yet) list it on their site. A couple online vendor list it as not yet being available.

Do you know if the dryer is actually made by Whirlpool, or is it rebranded from another manufacturer (American Dryer Corp. again?) I've never seen an ADC dryer in person.

I haven't yet found that info. The Tech Sheet doesn't cover/show much on the mechanics, but it does look Whirlpool based on the front-mounted lint filter inside the drum, same as other 27" Whirlys. As I recall, the ADC-sourced KA had a large lint screen that fit horizontally into a slot on the front below the door, which was the same as ADC commercial dryers that I saw on their site.

The lint filter on the new Whirlpool is a screen that is removed vertically from the bottom of the cabinet door opening (not in the door itself); the top of the filter is curved to allow for a circular door opening. I erred in my earlier comment about the small size of the Cabrio dryer door openings - I was thinking of Whirlpool's stackable dryers that match their front-load washers. The Cabrio dryers actually have a large and especially easy-to-reach-into door opening, thanks to a door that wraps over the top a few inches. This makes it easier to reach into the back of the drum. I'm curious why they didn't use the wraparound door on the Vantage dryer, especially since its outside styling would make it easy to incorporate it. Which is why I thought it may be outsourced. That and the stainless-steel drum, which I don't recall seeing on any U.S.-built Whirlpool-made dryer.

All the new Whirlpool and Maytag top-of-the-line machines will have a stainless steel drum and the four baffles "Quad Baffles". Some have a color LCD screen. Lowes has one set out already.

Here are more pictures in other threads of mine...

New Whirlpool Washers and new Maytag washers. They have the same drum as the Vantage dryer.

Alex

I wonder why the new Whirpool/maytags are not on there website

The new models are on Whirlpool's and Maytag's web sites.

I must of missed them, will check again

Whirlpool WTW5500XW

Whirlpool WTW5550XW

Whirlpool WTW5600XW

Whirlpool WTW5700XL

Maytag MVWX500XL

Maytag MVWX550XW

Maytag MVWX600XW

Maytag MVWX700XL

I guess gates1 was referring to the new front loaders. Indeed, they are not on Whirlpool's or Maytag's web site. I only found one to be available at Lowes: Lowes. But some user's manuals are available for download at whirlpool.com.

WED95 dryer
WFW95 washer

Yes Whirlpool trainee, those are the ones I was referring to. I haven't seen one in Lowes yet. i wonder what the new models that is different

> Our washer quit on us after 25 years without a repair and it cost us less than $300.

Actually, you should be happy you have an excuse to get a new unit. That old washer was costing you money with every load. The new units use less water - probably way less than half - than your old machine used, and are more energy efficient. You'll probably save $100-$150 a year on utility costs (plus savings in detergent used). So, the new washer will pay for itself in less than a decade, and probably do a better job, especially at rinsing the soap out of your clothes.

$300 in 1980 is about $900 today, which gets you a very nice machine. And, the new machine will be way quieter.

It's like replacing your 1980 Chrylser Newport/New Yorker at 14 MPG with a 2010 model getting 28MPG - you'll save over $3000 each year in gas costs alone.

By the way, this is also new:

Precision Dispense Technology