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blueiris24

Anyone HAPPY with a recent washer/dryer purchase?

blueiris24
9 years ago

We have had the same Maytag top loading washer and dryer for 19+ years but they are coming to the end of their productive lives. I've recently started browsing the box stores and it looks like there are as many TL without the agitator as there are FL machines - is this the new trend? I see a lot of complaints about LG, but other brands as well. It makes me nervous about having to pick out new machines. Is anyone happy with the durability of their machines?

Comments (45)

  • triedandtrue
    9 years ago

    The only washer made now that is like your Maytag is Speed Queen. They have a home line that is like the commercial machines they make. They offer 3 top loaders and an front loader all with an outstanding warranty by the manufacturer.

    Bought a SQ top loader and dryer over a year ago from a mom and pop store and what a blessing from the Lord.

    They do their jobs without so much as a hiccup. Clean clothes in 30 minutes. So far they have been excellent.

  • triedandtrue
    9 years ago

    Just wanted to add that the top loaders still use old fashioned tried and true electromechanical controls and not the problematic cheap computer boards in so many machines today. Been there done that.

  • emma
    9 years ago

    I bought a cheap GE washer $549. and a dryer $449. and am very happy with it. I am tired of having problems with them, so bought cheap set, with 5 year extended warranty which I don't usually do. So if it needs repair like my last 2 Sears appliances, there will be no cost to me. Everything paid for 5 years, 3 service calls on the same machine, I get a new one. I even get yearly check ups free. I am still ahead of what I usually spend.

    I am more than happy with them. I've never had clothes come out of the dryer with so few wrinkles.

  • blueiris24
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks so much for your responses, I was wondering whether people were going back to TL -- seems people have not been happy with the higher end FL?

  • dadoes
    9 years ago

    Just wanted to add that the top loaders still use old fashioned tried and true electromechanical controls and not the problematic cheap computer boards in so many machines today. Been there done that. Electromechanical controls don't necessarily = no problems. In fact, Speed Queen had some trouble for a while with their washer timers. I see reports fairly often of bad timers on various brands on a service-help discussion board that I follow.

  • triedandtrue
    9 years ago

    Did not mean to imply that there won't ever be a problem with electromechanical controls.

    I researched reviews on SQ washers all over the web before I bought and don't recall many if any complaints about timers. Maybe the model I have now had those issues resolved ? Don't know. But so far it works doing what it was designed to do. In the end isn't that what anyone really wants ?

  • stir_fryi SE Mich
    9 years ago

    Emma -- which model GE did you get? I was all set to buy the GHWN4250DWW but so many reviews said the washer does not fill to the top even when you manually set it. I got scared away by the reviews.

  • ci_lantro
    9 years ago

    My five YO Speed Queen TL doesn't fill to the top either. That's the result of the government dictating how much water we should use when we wash clothes. I don't know what makes a bunch of senile 80 something, mostly male millionaires experts on laundry, but I digress.

    On my SQ, I can twist the 'Load Size' knob to the right, past 'reset' and the washer will continue to fill with water so long as I hold the knob. I'm never there to repeat the procedure for the rinse. I'd have to set a timer and then go back downstairs to cheat the rinse preset so I just don't worry about it.

  • sparky823
    9 years ago

    ci lantro-you know you can adjust the fill for your washer so it fills completely without using reset hold. Look on you tube for "how to adjust water level on SQ washer". Very easy and simple. No more holding reset.

  • emma
    9 years ago

    The GE dryer is # GTDP490EDWS and has an HE option. The washer is GTWN4250D1WS. I bought them at Sears so that may be the only place you can get that model number. I really like them. The controls are a bit more confusing than one that is almost all automatic. For example, "whites" on the washer means for clothes that are very soiled, sheets, work clothes, etc.. Jeans and sheets option is an easier washing mode, suppose to make jeans softer, etc. The dial does not move when as it goes through the wash cycle, it has lights that tell you what it is doing. The dryer does.

  • dadoes
    9 years ago

    EmmaR said -- The dial does not move when as it goes through the wash cycle, it has lights that tell you what it is doing. That indicates the machine has *electronic* controls. The rotary cycle knob is nothing more than a selector for the electronic board, same as would be an array of button.

  • TamaraTomNC
    9 years ago

    Blueiris- I am a SpeedQueen fan as well. Had front loaders before, but I feel the SQ does a better job of cleaning the clothes and it is MUCH faster. SQ was recommended to me by an appliance repairman - it's the brand he bought for himself. That was enough for me! Good luck with your decision.

  • emma
    9 years ago

    In this day and age I would think they all do.

  • enduring
    9 years ago

    I am very happy with my Miele washer and dryer. The washer has been amazing. The dryer is very gentle, though I think I might need to get an inline booster fan, because my vent is at the limit of acceptable and the filter warning light gets triggered from time to time, but always finishes with the dryer cycle. I needed a front loader for my small space. I have it against a load bearing wall and have no vibration in the spin cycle. I just washed a bunch of wool jackets and sweaters. Absolutely perfect with the wool cycle and the special liquid soap for wool that Miele makes. On board water heater. I personally like the smaller size compared to the behemoths I see at Lowes. I like to sort my laundry and give my washing the cycle that will work best for the fabric content, color, structure. I am very grateful I was able to get this set.

  • luckymom
    9 years ago

    I had an old Bosch (nexxt Premium- if anyone remembers those). One of the 1st front loaders Bosch made. Great machine, but it started having little issues, like not quite spinning out like it should. Over the 4th I started doing some research, thinking I'd need a machine soon. Wandered Lowes, checking out their top loaders. Well, I'm 5'5" , but must have short arms, because there is no way I could get socks or anything on the bottom of the washer. WAY to deep for me. Seemed dumb to need a step stool to get laundry out, not to mention a pain in the tush. I understand if I got a smaller machine it would have probably been fine, but I've got king size bedding and the last time I actually FOUND a Laundromat it was $7 to wash 1 comforter- plus it was about 10 miles from my house. Plus it wasn't in a great neighborhood.
    Anyway, I checked with my "local" dealers. Nobody carries anything but the same stuff I can get cheaper at Lowes. My high end dealer no longer even carries Miele or Asko. Not even Electrolux. Back to Lowes- decided on Electrolux. Wanted Wave Touch. Looked online, they were backordered over a month. Home Depot had it within a few days. Figured I'd check the stores for anything in stock as display. BINGO! I know Lowes will sell floor stuff if you need it right away. Plus they are the absolute best if you have an issue.

    Asked the salesman about getting floor model with a discount. He had to ask the appliance manager. I still was really just looking, but if the deal was good enough, well, it was going home. The manger actually started arguing with me about how long it would take to get it in. Well he looked it up and saw I was right. When I said I could get it at Home Depot in 4 days- he actually said, "well then I guess you should buy it at Home Depot" . My response? Loudly asked him if he actually told me to take my business to Home Depot. He said yes. Go to Home Depot. Got his name, got the managers name from paint dept. and the phone number for their corporate office at the service desk. Needless to say they were not really happy with a Lowes "manager" deciding they didn't need a $3000 + sale.
    Anyway, it was delivered Thursday. I actually did all the laundry in 5 loads. Normally would have taken at least 10. Could have been 4, but hubby has fire retardant shirts that have to be washed separately. So, if you want to know if I love my machine- YES! I've always left the washer door open- use either the pods or powdered detergent. If I use fabric softener, it's plant based (like Method). No dryer sheets either. I use those wool balls you can get online. I cleaned out too much gunky fabric softener in my old agitator top loader that had a "dispenser" in the middle. That stuff is nasty!! If it does that to the washer, what's it putting on my clothes? And I was told years ago the sheets can mess up the lint screen on your dryer, causing a build up.

  • suburbanmd
    9 years ago

    I don't understand why you reported the appliance manager. Seems like he did right by you, telling you honestly that you'd be better served by going to Home Depot for this purchase.

  • Lilyfinch z9a Murrieta Ca
    9 years ago

    I purchased a samsung top loading machine and adore it ! It does the balancing for you , washes all our clothes in one load instead of multiple towel loads, 2 white loads ect. Tells me how much time is left, fits my king size comforters and cleans them well. I love mine ! No agitator and I've not had anything tangle or ball up . Dryer is great and has steam .
    Also , I agree with the above poster , not to get off topic , but lucky moms post made me sad! Being in the customer service industry , you can't make everyone happy. Sometimes you can't sell the floor model til you are not selling that model anymore . And that's someone's carreer you are messing with . Did it make her feel better to make someone's life miserable ? I'm sure it did . :(

  • kclv
    9 years ago

    Just got a Whirlpool Duet Steam washer and dryer. They were on clearance at Lowe's (last year's models) and I love them. Super quiet, the dryer is quick, and my clothes come out clean and wrinkle free.

    My Frigidaire front loader lasted 8 1/2 years, so no complaints from me, but the front loader technology has improved so much since then. I am really pleased with my purchase.

  • gardenspuds
    9 years ago

    Happy with my new Speed Queen top loader machine, AWN542, just delivered a few days ago.

    Up until 7 years ago, I had always used a top loader, similar to your Maytag (different brands though). One machine lasted over 10 years before it bit the dust...

    We moved into a new house with a Bosch front loader 7 years ago. I didn't like it because it was small drum capacity, but also, I couldn't spin out my woolen items (I handknit and handweave wool clothing). Had some felting of my wool with the front loader because of the way it spins.

    3 years ago we got a LG HE toploader, with no spindle in the middle, and with a huge drum- about 5.0 cu. ft. capacity. We are a 2 adult household, and except for the times I occasionally washed my queen quilt, and 3 weeks worth of towels, the washer was just too big. For my smaller loads, the machine was constantly "rebalancing", by adding water and trying to redistribute the clothing. Only if I had the drum about half filled, which wasn't even very often, did a cycle complete without rebalancing. After 1 yr, the rotor broke on that machine, still under warranty, fixed for free. The machine broke again about 2 weeks ago, after 3 years, likely with the same problem. Only parts are still under warranty, and we decided instead of spending hundreds of dollars to get it fixed, to go back to a top loading machine, the Speed Queen.

    I have felt a little guilty because we live in the West, where water is limited, however, the Speed Queen has a wide range of water level selections, and I use only enough water to get a load done. We also conserve other ways- like turning of sprinklers in the yard- I don't mind sacrificing a few plants so I can have a top loader again.

    Very happy so far with the SQ AWN542 machine. If you are a small family, like our two adult household, I am not sure having the huge drum machines make sense... The LG was "too much" machine for us... That said, I do miss the delay wash feature, the internal heater, and the few times I used the 5 cu ft. drum's capacity. The Speed Queen is louder than the LG or previous Bosch. But going back to a top loader with a 3.3 cu ft drum with basic features, is perfect for us, even without all the options of the previous HE machines... And I'm thrilled with being able to spin out my woolen items in the SQ like my old top loading machines (the SQ has a handwash feature which may even work with my handknit sweaters, but I haven't had a chance to use it yet- will try it on something else first though!).

  • smith02_gw
    9 years ago

    Purchased a Speed Queen AWN542 and a ADG4BR (gas) dryer. Very happy so far (two weeks). As Bernie Mac said in Ocean's 11 "Nuff Said"

  • hvtech42
    9 years ago

    Not a recent purchase, but I really liked the Speed Queen front loader I bought for my last house. I think it counts because even if I didn't buy it recently, the model is still available! If you want Speed Queen quality in a design that is gentler on your clothes and saves water and energy, that's the one to buy.

    Nobody here ever seems to talk about the SQ front loader. Probably because it's expensive and has some drawbacks. No internal water heater, a smaller capacity, and less cycles compared to other frontloaders. That could be a deal breaker for many. Those things didn't bother me, and everything else about it was great. I wish I hadn't let it transfer with the house and brought it with me instead.

    Another BIG advantage to the SQ front loader is serviceability. None of this BS like on the other brands where they removed the front access panel for the "look" and to cut manufacturing costs. You can take off the panel below the door on the SQ front loader and get access to many components for servicing. On many of the other brands, you have to dismantle the whole washer to even do something basic like clean out the trap! And if you put it in a closet on a drain pan with a dryer on top, and the drain pump goes... Oh boy. You're screwed! Nobody is going to want to work on that!

  • enduring
    9 years ago

    I'm glad to hear about the SQ front loader because I have wondered about it.

  • User
    9 years ago

    So far, I'm happy with my one-month old LG WM1355HW front loader. Very quiet compared to my old GE top loader and seems a lot more gentle on my clothes.

  • knot2fast
    9 years ago

    Two years in with my Speed Queen AWN542 top loader and I couldn't be happier with it. It powers through big piles of laundry in sub-30 minute cycles. I've had no problems with it and I fully expect it to last 20 years.

  • luckymom
    9 years ago

    Yes it DID make me feel better reporting him. Lowes policy is to sell floor models if you need them immediately. If his attitude would have been at least considerate and not RUDE when I told him they were backordered a month out and he more or less called me a liar, I probably wouldn't have worried about it. If he hadn't made a snide comment to my salesperson when I asked if they were returns because of dirt in the rubber gasket, I might not have gotten upset. Lowes has quit carrying ANY Electrolux washers and dryers in stores in our area. The only reason they had that one was it was leftover from a display in the cabinetry dept., so there was no reason not to sell it off the floor. This I found out from the store manager.

    Anyone here that has actually WORKED with the public in sales should realize you don't just ignore a $3000 sale. That store has quota's to be met, daily. I've worked with the public my whole life. I would never have considered sending them to buy a product sold by our company to a competitor.

    I am the customer spending our hard earned money. Maybe those of you judging me and feeling sorry for him should take into consideration what my 70 year old husband does in order to EARN that $3K. He's outside in all types of weather sometimes 14-16 hour days making sure others have electricity. Currently we've had weather in the 90's and right now as of 5 pm, it feels like 99. Care to guess what it was at 2:00? He's worked ice storms in freezing cold, hurricanes. Been away from home for weeks on end. He may have even been someone who turned on power to your house after a disaster struck. He worked in Florida City after Hurricane Andrew and had people threatening him with guns, they had to have US Marshalls with them just to restore the power. He also cared enough and gave water and soda to those he came across in need from his own daily supply. THAT is how you treat customers. Meanwhile, you're pitying the rude guy standing in the a/c who didn't follow company policy. Wow.

    Back on topic- I did get the pedestals from Home Depot. Great height. Actually holds large sizes of detergent. Still loving Electrolux. Would have liked to see Speed Queens but none within 50 miles as far as I could find.

  • luckymom
    9 years ago

    Thank you, Enduring. Thank you for your gracious and thoughtful response and understanding. At times, it seems a lot of those on this site have money to burn and don't seem to understand some of us actually work, and work hard, for the things we spend our money on.

  • hvtech42
    9 years ago

    I can understand why you reported the manager. He was being a douchebag and you weren't going to let him get away with it. That said, don't overreact to the previous replies questioning your actions. It's possible they just didn't read your post carefully enough. I certainly didn't. When I just skimmed over it at first I misunderstood the situation. I didn't see the part about company policy and thought you reported him for simply trying to help.

    There does appear to be quite a bit of money floating around on this forum based on the products discussed and the pictures posted, but your assertion that people on here don't know what it means to work and inherited it all from mommy and daddy is not only offensive, it is also most likely just plain wrong. I don't know anyone on this forum personally so I can't make any claims about them but I will say that everyone i know in real life who is financially successful didn't have that fall into their lap. They too worked damn hard for it.

  • luckymom
    9 years ago

    Hvetch, I don't mean to insult anyone here. There are hundreds of people that earn every cent and are looking to make the best possible decision on where to spend their money. That's how "I" found this site- 12 years ago, looking for a new dishwasher. One that actually would work well and last. Poor husband about had a stroke when I got a $1200 Miele!

    This is a great place. I had issues with my Bosch machine when I first bought it. Like I'd mentioned, it was the 1st of the front loaders Bosch made, for all I know it wash the 1st venture they made into washers, period. I bought it thru Lowes- where they will stand behind what they sell no matter what (reason I continue to buy from them). The washer broke and it needed some part that wasn't available because all of parts were going into the new manufacturing. I was actually contacted by someone who worked for Bosch at the time. He'd seen my post on this site about having to wait over a month and still not having use of my washer. He arranged to have a new one shipped to me, installed and even upgraded it to the Premium model. Again, that is truly customer service. They were actually my 1st choice this time, but I needed a bigger machine and they don't make them.

    Those who were offended that I called out poor service, think about that the next time you go somewhere and stand for 15 minutes while the cashier has a conversation with her boyfriend on her cell phone, ignoring you. The restaurant that "forgets" your beverage order for 20 minutes when the place is nearly empty. Or the day you take off work to wait for a repairman who never shows up.

    If it helps, I tend to tip at least 20-30%, I let management know when I have a wonderful experience and someone deserves praise. I'm not some evil witch who lives in a gingerbread house and eats little children who nibble on my doors!

  • david1217
    9 years ago

    Good golly LUCKYMOM I was just thinking wow you're after my heart. I "ll stand with you any day, could we please start at my McDonalds, or the grocery store or the auto shop, I need a clone. David

  • luckymom
    9 years ago

    David, I'd be glad to help. Heaven knows, my hubby wanders off when he sees me get upset with service. He told the guy at Lowes he was on his own. Not sure how I'd do with McDonalds, has anyone ever gotten a meal ordered right?

  • SparklingWater
    9 years ago

    I am very happy with the SQ ATE50F, a stackable front loader W/D that I bought early 2012. I have yet to be disappointed with any load outcome. I shake big items like sheets, towels, hoodies etc before putting them in the dryer to reduce entrapment.

    I've done a lot of loads since I purchased it. It has cut down my laundry time and expense, no servicing issue. I'm doing extra dirty whites right now, using the "Hot wash/Cold rinse" button.

    Highly recommend SQ-reminds me of my old Maytag in quality before they went south.

    Here is a link that might be useful: SQ ATE50F

  • blueiris24
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    So I emailed some friends who I know do research before purchasing items and these are their responses:

    "Love our Kenmore Elite, definitely go that route!"
    "Just bought another new machine. Buy anything but a Kenmore."
    "We LOVE our LG, have not had any problems in 4 years."
    "LG is awful - avoid."

    I'm not asking people to comment on the various responses I got, but it goes to show you that people's individual experiences are so different. And it seems like it's a crapshoot whether the specific machine you get works well.

    We have decided to get a front loader w/d. We're still struggling with what to buy - since we have not bought a new w/d in almost 20 years and had such great luck with our Maytag (I know, it's different now) the price of machines now just blows our minds -- and that people don't seem to get more than 6-8 years out of them! Wow.

    There are sales on LG and Kenmore trhough the week, so debating on going with one of those.

    Also considering having a gas line put in because we want to eventually change our stove to gas, so considering a gas dryer if anyone has advice on that would love to hear it.

  • herring_maven
    9 years ago

    blueiris24: "We have decided to get a front loader w/d. ... we want to eventually change our stove to gas, so considering a gas dryer...."

    If the washer is showing signs of failing right now, but the dryer can hang in there for a little while longer, why not replace just the washer now, while you decide over the medium run whether you want to install a gas dryer?

    "We're still struggling with what to buy - since we have not bought a new w/d in almost 20 years and had such great luck with our Maytag (I know, it's different now) the price of machines now just blows our minds -- and that people don't seem to get more than 6-8 years out of them! Wow."

    Starting in the late 1930s, our family has kept each of our washing machines an average of 25+ years each, raising generations of children with all of the laundry that entails. Our latest washing machine purchase, several years ago now, was a Samsung '419, and it has performed flawlessly. We chose Samsung because, among all the brands on the market, only Samsung and Miele have a dimpled drum (Miele: "Honeycomb"; Samsung: "Diamond") that reduces the damage caused by tufts of fabric being pushed through the drainage holes in the drum during the high-speed spin at the end of the cycle.

    The very first thing that we did, before we ever ran a load through the Samsung washer, was to plug a Tripp-Lite Spike Cube (

  • hvtech42
    9 years ago

    "We chose Samsung because, among all the brands on the market, only Samsung and Miele have a dimpled drum (Miele: "Honeycomb"; Samsung: "Diamond") that reduces the damage caused by tufts of fabric being pushed through the drainage holes in the drum during the high-speed spin at the end of the cycle."

    The funny thing is that not a single Samsung model was rated "excellent" for gentleness by Consumer Reports, whereas LG, Whirlpool, Electrolux, and GE all managed to earn that score on at least one of their models despite not having a "diamond" drum.

  • Rault85
    9 years ago

    I was happy with my Samsung 419 for a while but it had a lot of problems and finally, at 5 years old, the bearings went bad and one arm of the spider assembly actually disintegrated. When it would spin, the drum would bang against the cabinet so hard that it left outward dents. With that and other needed repairs, it would have cost well over 600 dollars to fix so we got rid of it and got the Kenmore Elite 4107. I got a great deal on it. I believe the normal price is about 1650. Sears had it on sale for 1099 then they gave me the friends and family discount on top of my military discount and with taxes I ended up paying 850.

    I've only had it for 5 days but so far, for the most part, Im liking it. The huge 5 ft capacity is what initially attracted me to it but after reading the manual I found out they don't recommend putting more than 10 lbs of clothing in it during the sanitize cycle. (then whats the point of the huge drum?) I do like that it's got 14 cycles to choose from, although some of them seem rather pointless like the kids wear, rugged (you can't chose water temp or soil level on this cycle) and workout wear cycles.

    My Samsung was a little noisy when it was filling but the Kenmore is actually pretty loud while it's filling. There's a high pitched whine to it that I read about in reviews people had posted on the sears website. It's also a little on the louder side when it starts to spin, whether its a large load or a small one but neither of those things are dealbreakers to me.

    I do like the accelawash feature. It takes anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes off of the wash time depending on the cycle and soil level. I tried it out on a filthy cloth diaper load and they came out clean and daisy fresh.

  • herring_maven
    9 years ago

    hvtech42: "The funny thing is that not a single Samsung model was rated 'excellent' for gentleness by Consumer Reports, whereas LG, Whirlpool, Electrolux, and GE all managed to earn that score on at least one of their models despite not having a 'diamond' drum."

    Hvtech24, I once was a huge supporter of Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports. I personally knew the late Prof. Colston Warne, who founded the organization, and I treated the detailed tests results in the CU publications as if they were engraved on the tablets that Moses brought down from the mountain. Even today, I do not question CU's objectivity. But I gave up completely on CU several years ago, for one reason:

    Repeatedly and consistently, they ask the wrong questions. The reports will give you honest answers to the wrong questions, but if the wrong question has been asked, the answers are irrelevant.

    I have not read the report to which you allude, and therefore cannot comment on what went into CU's blanket assessment of "gentleness." It may mean nothing more than that one machine has a preprogramed cycle for "hand wash" and another does not; you tell me. But I can tell you -- keeping it strictly to laundry appliances -- that CU blackballs any clothes dryer from a Recommended Rating if the door of the clothes dryer is hinged at the bottom (hamper door) instead of at the side. CU automatically gives every dryer that has a hamper door a Not Recommended Rating. Yet we -- our laundry appliances are in the basement which has an old poured concrete floor that is impossible to keep clean -- look for a hamper door as the number one criterion in a dryer purchase, because the hamper door catches articles of wet laundry that fall during the transfer from the washer to the dryer before they can hit the dirty floor.

    Back to the washing machine: we encounter less pilling and broken fibers in our washed laundry since we replaced our former front loading Frigidaire (= Electrolux) washing machine with our current Samsung. That is OUR experience, but it may have nothing at all to do with CU's evaluation of "gentleness."

  • gsciencechick
    9 years ago

    We bought a Samsung non-steam electric dryer a year ago and have been very happy with it. It does not match our washer.

  • hvtech42
    9 years ago

    The key is figuring out what they CR does well and what they don't. There are people who just buy the top rated machine; that's stupid. However I do trust their benchmarks for gentleness, noise, etc. It's pretty hard to screw those up. What I DON'T trust is how they test performance of cooking appliances, how they average all the benchmarks together to determine the final score, and how they determine whether something is a best buy or recommended (like the dryer example you cite). So overall yes I agree CR is a fail. However it can still sometimes be a useful tool.

  • suburbanmd
    9 years ago

    I'm also a disillusioned former Consumer Reports fan. But

    "...CU blackballs any clothes dryer from a Recommended Rating if the door of the clothes dryer is hinged at the bottom (hamper door) instead of at the side."

    is certainly not true, since the current ratings include hamper door dryers that aren't marked Not Recommended. What year was this true? I'd be curious to look at my collection of old print copies of CR and see if I can verify it.

  • micasasucasa
    9 years ago

    I have front loaders which I do like though, they are not for everyone. Mine hold big loads which I love. I also like that mine has a cleaning cycle. Every month I pour some bleach in it and hit the clean cycle. It sterilizes the machine really good. What I do not like about a front loader is the constant drying of the extra water that builds up in the front rubber. I dry it out after every load otherwise it will begin to smell. I also have to cleave the door open to prevent smell. Its a give and take with my washers. Hope that helps!

  • herring_maven
    9 years ago

    suburbanmd: "I'm also a disillusioned former Consumer Reports fan. But
    "...CU blackballs any clothes dryer from a Recommended Rating if the door of the clothes dryer is hinged at the bottom (hamper door) instead of at the side."
    is certainly not true, since the current ratings include hamper door dryers that aren't marked Not Recommended."

    Help me out here. As indicated, I have given up on CU, and have not read recent issues. Was my error in capitalizing the "N" in "Not Recommended"? ("Not Recommended" vs. not "Recommended") That is to say: in the more recent CU Ratings, is there a "Recommended" dryer that has a hamper door?

  • suburbanmd
    9 years ago

    Not sure. I can rule out four of them, either because they have an obvious handle or grip on the side, or because there's a picture with the door open. The Kenmore Elite 61623 is ambiguous.

    Maybe CR didn't/doesn't like hamper doors because they make it harder to reach inside the drum.

    I don't understand letting the concrete floor dictate your top priority for a dryer, when you could put a rug on the floor in front of the machines (or a vented rubber mat if moisture precludes a rug).

  • herring_maven
    9 years ago

    suburbanmd: "Maybe CR didn't/doesn't like hamper doors because they make it harder to reach inside the drum."

    CR is Consumers Research, a different organization from Consumers Union (CU), which is the publisher of Consumer Reports. CU baldly stated its reason for opposition to hamper doors; it said that people who do laundry are so clumsy that they would bark their shins on a door that drops downward, and they need the protection of CU to prevent them from doing that.

    "I don't understand letting the concrete floor dictate your top priority for a dryer, when you could put a rug on the floor in front of the machines (or a vented rubber mat if moisture precludes a rug)."

    Putting a rug or rubber mat on the floor to avoid dirt is a bit like wearing black clothing because it does not get as dirty as white clothing does. The dirt is there.

    On another plane, clothes dryers are very, very simple appliances. They tumble laundry in a drum that has a heat source. The complicated ones have a moisture sensor inside the drum to start shutting down the dryer before the laundry gets baked. Everything else in a dryer is marketing fluff and superfluous. Given that all dryers are pretty much the same except for price, a feature that keeps wet laundry from falling on a dirty floor is a relatively HUGE feature.

  • jane__ny
    9 years ago

    Electrolux washer/dryer. Love, love, love! Best machines I've ever used. Over two years and never a problem. Huge washing capacity, clothes come out sooo clean. I can't say enough about these machines. I actually look forward to doing laundry.

    Jane