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| Would love input on those who have the front load agitatorless washers. I am in the market to replace my top loader and I cannot decide which way to go - with agitator or without. Will the agitatorless machine really knot and tangle clothes badly? I certainly don't need extra work! Do you really have to rinse once a month with bleach to keep the tub clean and prevent odors? I know I want a stainless drum, handwashabe and delicate cycles and cycle for extra small loads. I would also like warm/warm, cold/cold, warm/warm, hot/cold water choices. Leaning toward Whirlpool or Maytag. Have a Maytag Dependable Care, about 12 years old and it is on its last leg. The brake bearing needs replacing and will cost just over 400!
Comments and opinions are appreciated. Thanks. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by jdenyer232 (My Page) on Sat, Aug 29, 09 at 16:16
| Well the new washers are not gonna give you anything more than cold rinses. With that said I have been using frontloaders for more than a decade, and would never go back to one with an agitator. |
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| My HE TL washer (Maytag Bravos) does have a warm/warm cycle. It has been superseded by newer models and I don't know if they have that option. It does not have an agitator and uses much less water and energy than a conventional washer -- yet it holds much more laundry than my previous washers. Whereas I used to wash 7-10+ loads per week, now I wash 3-5 loads at most in an average week. My laundry is not knotted or tangled. I read the manual thoroughly to see how I should load the washer. I also shake out each item of laundry before putting it in the dryer -- I've always done that to reduce wrinkling. My washer has a stainless drum, Hand Wash, and Delicate cycles. It also has cycles for sheets (to prevent tangling) and a Bulky cycle for big items like comforters, blankets, pillows, and sleeping bags. I can wash my 'poufy' queen- and king-size comforters (separately, of course) with ease. It spins laundry out so well on HI spin speed, it's barely damp when I put it in the dryer. This is a real plus when drying towels, jeans, and other thick, heavy items -- they dry much more quickly than in my former dryers. I can choose HI, MED, or LO spin speed. The Wrinkle Control cycle (for permanent press), Hand Wash, and Delicate cycles automatically use LO spin speed, though you can change it if you wish. I can choose Stain Cycle (a 15-minute prewash which then goes automatically into the wash cycle) or Extra Rinse if I wish. Other cycles are Whites (only cycle which uses the liquid bleach dispenser), Super Wash (for very dirty/soiled laundry), Normal, Rapid Wash (small, quick loads), Soak, Rinse and Spin, and Spin Only. And there is a Clean Washer cycle. My washer has detergent, liquid bleach, and fabric softener dispensers. Newer models have an Oxy (for OxyClean) dispenser. The only drawback I have found is that liquid bleach is dispensed during a Rinse cycle, not in the wash. But this is true of all HE (non-agitator) washers. When it's needed, I mix bleach with 2 quarts of water and add that to the wash 5 minutes after the laundry has begun washing. Overall, I love my washer and would never go back to a conventional frontloader. I love the dryer too, but that's OT. |
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| Oops -- I meant to say I would never go back to a conventional toploader (with agitator). |
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| mara, are you saying the bleach is released into your rinse water? If so, you have a malfunction because that shouldn't be happening. I have been using a front loader for about 4 years and intend on using one till I die. They are so much better than a top loader on so many levels. The savings in energy, water and washing supplies, pays for the machine ten times over. |
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| Yes, bleach is released into a rinse cycle. I've been told here that this is true of all current HE washers. There is a huge difference between a conventional and HE toploader. My HE toploader washer is 4.6 cu ft capacity, yet uses far less energy, water, and washing supplies than did my former conventional toploaders. |
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| It is, in fact, quite a good idea to dispense liquid chlorine bleach during the last few mins of the wash period, or into the first rinse after the main wash period is finished. LCB generates the majority of its effect within 3 to 4 mins, and longer exposure can weaken fabrics. It also deactivates enzymes so shouldn't be mixed with detergents containing such until the detergent has had a good opportunity to work. |
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- Posted by mysteryclock (My Page) on Sun, Aug 30, 09 at 11:35
| One thing I really do like about my Bosch Nexxt 500 is that the bleach is released from its separate dispenser compartment as dadoes describes -- in the last few minutes of the wash cycle and before rinsing, IIRC. If I use an oxygen bleach product I usually put it in with the detergent for the main wash cycle since it isn't nearly as damaging to fabrics. |
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| It may be that my washer dispenses bleach in the last few minutes of the wash cycle, just before rinsing. I do know it does not dispense bleach after 5 minutes into the wash cycle as my former washers did. |
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| dadoes, I had meant to add -- my main concern about bleach being dispensed in the rinse cycle instead of the wash cycle is that it performs much better in hot water. Which is why I've been putting it in the wash water. |
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- Posted by brooksandivy (My Page) on Mon, Aug 31, 09 at 13:04
| Thanks, Mara, for your detailed information. Sorry, posters, meant to ask about TOP LOADER without the agitators. Though I am now thinking about the front load washers. I have read about the top loader agitatorless machines knotting clothes and wringing the clothes so well that they are wrinkled. A question about FRONT LOADERS - do they shake terribly? This washer will go in my first-floor laundry room with a plywood floor and no-wax floor on top. I understand they are extremely heavy and can shake. Anyone have a problemn with this. Should I stick to a top-loader for this reason??? |
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| I went through this purchasing dilemma a few months ago. I settled on a energy star Fisher Paykel machine with an agitator. It can be used in energy efficient mode or in traditional top load mode (which you might want if you were washing sandy beach clothes or other types of things with high debris content). I almost went with a glass lid, agitator free, whoopdee doo machine, but... I didn't. |
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- Posted by Jo Smith(joandearls@yahoo.com) onSun, Mar 20, 11 at 13:24
| I am in tears that I bought a HE top loading washer 3 months ago, worst mistake I ever made in laundry decisions. I just washed a white blouse of mine, the neck is still dirty. My clothes are so tangled I have to iron everything except the towels, I can't even hardly untangle them. The He detergent will not rinse out completely so I have to rinse about 3 more times. What is energy efficient about this and then I have to iron, that is the worse part! I hate this washing concept with a passion, dumb, dumb design. It is going to the best bidder and I am going to find me an old fashioned agitator washer. AND my water bill is not less either, this is a joke and damages my clothes also in all that tangleing. WHAT a joke! |
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| Jo It would be helpful if you shared the brand and model of your washer. Just because that model doesn't work well it doesn't necessarily follow that all HE top loaders without agitators are not good. |
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- Posted by oasisowner (My Page) on Sun, Mar 20, 11 at 16:43
| I would go with a front loader - Miele if it is in your budget - or a traditional top loader. I have had two different HE top loaders (Kenmore Oasis & Maytag Bravos) and did not feel that the clothes were getting at all clean and yes, they were more twisted. Despite the high spin speeds, I did not notice a decrease in drying time. Our electric bill remained the same. We went back to a traditional top loader (Speed Queen) and our clothes are clean again. The only drawback is the smaller capacity - but the cycles have a much shorter time, so the one extra load a week is not a problem. |
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| I have no cleaning issues with my HE TL even with it dumped down temperatures. It uses more water than the Whirlpool/Maytag models. I even did a load of whites on the coldwash cycle and was surprised by the results. I came from a Front loader, so this machine has a tough wall to over come with cleaning performance and such and so far it has |
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- Posted by peytonroad (My Page) on Sun, Mar 27, 11 at 9:20
| I would love to go back to my old fashioned top loader with agitator. It broke and they don't make them as well anymore. I have the Oasis matching set with the agitator. Are you aware that you have to manually every time you turn on the machine set the choices you want? Hot water, size, etc. I was using the autosense cycle and found my clothes were not getting clean. (Just try that on an intimate load and smell your undies after wards to convince you). I am not impressed at all by this washer. You can restart but only from the beginning of the cycle. It does at times twist my sheets, makes me crazy despite me loading them correctly. I do find I can do bigger loads with the machine. I just always use the highest amount of water I can. I loved to see a washer work in action andyou can not with this one. It stops once you unlock the lid to view. I think most TL are like this. Lately to my horror I have smelled the smell of mold coming from somewhere inside the drum. I leave the lid open. I miss my old Kenmore!! If I had to do over, I would buy the nicest least priced but highest capacity washer from Sears. These newer models are crappy. |
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- Posted by maceeraider(pbdb2@frontier.com) onFri, Jun 24, 11 at 18:31
| I bought a new HE top loader GE model last fall. I am so disappointed. Doesn't clean the easiest things. Always use full water with small loads otherwise the clothes dont' get wet and come out with detergent stuck on them. Also so twisted you have to iron. Have to pretreat everything and sometimes wash twice. Need to take bed sheets to laundry mat. Never buy these they are horrible. |
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- Posted by Lisa(smithadelic@gmail.com) onSun, Sep 11, 11 at 0:37
| I just bought a Kenmore top loading HE no agitator. I washed 3 loads and am returning it. My clothes are a tangled heap. Everything needs ironed...things that have never needed ironing in the past. I have white film on my clothes to a point I have to re-wash the clothes. It took almost 3 hours to wash a comforter...it just wouldn't stop. I finally put it to the rinse cycle. The comforter looked worse than it did going in. I bought the washer on a Saturday, they delivered it on a Tuesday and I returning it on a Sunday. My previous washing machine was a front loader. It lasted 9 years and didn't wash worth a darn either. I am going back to an old fashioned top loader with an agitator and with full water levels. The joke about the HE washers is that it uses less water, but I had to do a double rinse on all loads, the cycles lasted an hour and things were never clean. God forbid you have pet hair to deal with, that is just another huge issue. Go Basic!...Tried and True...old fashioned washing machine. |
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- Posted by livebetter (My Page) on Sun, Sep 11, 11 at 1:01
| Lisa, I'm sorry you've had a rough go of it. But I must post a reply telling you I've been using a front load washer for over 10 years (Frigidaire and a new Miele this year). NEVER an issue. I have two small boys and my laundry is very clean and well rinsed. |
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- Posted by nerdyshopper (My Page) on Mon, Sep 12, 11 at 1:38
| We have a Samsung HE front loader and I would trade it in a minute for a Speed Queen top loader with an agitator. The government regs forced them to reduce the quantity of water used in the fill cycle, but I am told that it is an easy do-it-yourself to get a full tub. I hate the computer that figures out how much water to ration in my FL. I have to do wierd things just to get the clothes agitated enough to unfold them. (Never have gotten handkerchiefs unfolded). I normally use heavy duty cycle for most washes and Sanitary (hot wash) with chlorine bleach added for whites. The bleach still doesn't work as well as my old top loaders---can't even get blue stains to bleach fully. I suspect the computer has figured out how to prevent adding bleach until the last minute even there. Yes my t-shirt collars frayed faster with the old machines, but everything got WHITE. So I am out of step with most folks posting here. |
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| Well, I am going to be the one who does not go "with the crowd's" washer choice. After much thought, as to what new washer dryer to buy, (just like nerdy shopper) I decided on a new Speed Queen. However, I am buying the front load Speed Queen washer, matching dryer + 10" pedestals. I am moving from a standard sized, water consuming, GE top load washer (which came with my new house). I left my 7 year old, front load, Kenmore HE3-T in my old house behind. What convinced me a Speed Queen front loader was for me was: A) True Horizontal axis. Benefit: Reduced clothes twisting and knotting. All B) Commercial quality. I expect to get over 10 years without a repair, and at C) Made in USA. 'nuff said. D) I got a great deal on the price. I am aware I am giving up some washer volume capacity compared to other brands, but being able to wash a load in about 40 minutes, offsets some of that. My new Speed Queen set gets here next week. Wish me luck. |
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- Posted by hoosiermama2011 (My Page) on Thu, May 16, 13 at 22:00
| Returning our new (month old) LG FL. Am very apprehensive about the HE GE TL that I "liked" at Sears. I have this gut feeling, that like most opinions above I'll wish I'd gotten an old-fashioned agitator TL. |
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