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Is anyone happy with their front loader washer and dryer?

April
10 years ago

I am in the market for a new W/D set but all I read about are the horror stories of the front loaders. It seems like that is 90% of the market these days though. I wouldn't mind getting them if I knew the issues of mildew smells, mystery holes, and short life span were resolved. So, anyone have a FL they love?

Comments (77)

  • dave1812
    10 years ago

    beagle you are a strange bird to characterize my previous post as huffy or dirty. Nor am I "bent out of shape". Kinda touchy about your machine? heck, I'd never recommend my particular unit, due to all the SERVICE CALLS I've had, but it DOES wash very, very well.

    "Second class"? LOL! You ARE touchy! Get over it. the fact is that a FL WILL clean better, all else equal. It's a matter of physics, not brands or detergent or money. Sorry you fail to understand, but don't take it personally. Chip on shoulder is not a pretty sight.

  • emma
    10 years ago

    I was thinking buying a set until I ask in here as you have done. I came to the conclusion I did not want one.

    By the way when I was looking I ask a sales person about the smell. He opened the washer and pulled up on the seal around the door. He said you have to wipe the seal down occasionally or the green stuff will grow and stink. I mentioned leaving the door open and he replied with, they don't have to do that if they wash the seal.

  • SunRaven01
    10 years ago

    We just moved into a new home, and replaced our TL W/D with a stacked LG FL set. I have two dogs, and we show them, so there's a lot of dog laundry to go around, both keeping the dogs themselves clean, but also keeping their beds clean (so they don't dirty the dogs).

    Add to that, I am picky picky picky about "dog smell" in the house.

    My #1 frustration with our old top loader set was that it couldn't handle washing the dog beds. I would load in a bed, run a cycle, and then have to flip the bed over so the other side could get washed. Or, take the beds to a laundromat. No complaints on how the TL cleaned our clothes -- that was fine.

    So, now we've moved and the past two days I've had the joy -- although I'm sure the novelty will wear off soon -- of washing every single item of clothing or bedding in the house. The FL set we have kicks the ass of our old TL in every single way. Dog beds fit fine. People clothes are clean. Wash cycles are much longer than with a TL (so far they've averaged about 50-55 minutes), but the dryer cycles are correspondingly shorter. Best of all, I can put my nose down into the dog bed and take a deep sniff and not smell dog. It just smells clean.

    I've only owned this set for about a week, so I can't speak to long term durability, but my initial impressions are very, very good!

  • jakvis
    10 years ago

    If your willing to change your washing habits a little bit you will love a frontloader.

    If you are unwilling to change your washing habits at all you will hate a front loader.

    Even though some frontloaders can have extended wash times, but because of the higher speed spin and better water extraction they spend less time in the dryer so the overall time from wash to dry is about the same as with a TL.

    Just about anybody I've seen with a FL who complained about cleanability usually was doing something wrong. Many times over stuffing the washer was the culprit. Or using too much detergent.

    Frontloads because they can spin at much higher speeds ( some up to 1600 rpm ) can make a subpar floor that was not designed for these higher stresses shake. Toploads have much slower spin speeds (600 rpm ave) and don't cause as much stress to a floor however I have seen plenty of toploaders shake a house.

    This post was edited by jakvis on Thu, Oct 10, 13 at 19:09

  • Storm 7a
    10 years ago

    Yep!
    FWIW, I absolutely adore and love my both my Bosch Axxis FL washer and dryer (the latter is ventless which is perfect for my tiny space and apartment). A lot of people donâÂÂt realize that overtime the brushes that help with spinning and, thus cleaning, in the Bosch FL will eventually wear out and need to be replaced (theyâÂÂre like $40 last time I checked). ItâÂÂs a shame that many people think that their machine is broken for good and, sadly, end up junking it for a new washer, wasting sooo much $$$! It seems that this thinking that their FL (namely Bosch) machine is now useless is many times a result of a handymen/repairmen inspecting the âÂÂworn outâ washer and telling the owner so, which is wrong! IâÂÂm not trying to cast blame and shame on anyone but it does seem that a ton of âÂÂservicemenâ are just unfamiliar with said European type of washers/HE/FLs, hence them having been educated solely on the standard American TL/agitators that we all grew up with.

    All that said *whew!* I really do love my Bosch Axxis stacked W/D - got in 2003 and theyâÂÂre each still going strong 10 years later. IâÂÂve been told numerous times by various, knowledgeable people that they should last 30 years if maintained properly (i.e. replace brushes, rubber seal, etc which is a small inconvenience compared to shelling out another $1000+ for a new set!). IâÂÂll keep my fingers crossed and knock on wood, as my luck would have it, though! It washes our clothes and linens better than anything else IâÂÂve used! Love the condensed air for the dryer - no dampness or lint everywhere; much more gentle and wrinkles far less than other dryers IâÂÂve used. For very large things like rugs, etc., I haul them over to my dear mothers who still has a Hotpoint utility-style TL from eons ago! Alas, those canâÂÂt fit into the Bosch washer. But I digress⦠:D

  • litehearted
    10 years ago

    We bought the LG white front load washing machine, 3.6 cubic ft. model WM2020CW for $700 at The Bay (regular price $850) + We bought the DLE2020W 7.1 cubic ft. LG white electric dryer at The Bay for $500 on sale (regular price $650), and had them both for TWO YEARS of trouble-free performance. I actually felt sad that we had to leave them behind when we sold the house and moved to a condo. The new homeowners were ecstatic, b/c they had the exact same pair they had to leave behind, so it worked out well for them.

    Yes, it takes an hour to do a wash, but usually the dryer only takes 20 minutes b/c the spin is so fast on the washer it pre-dries the clothes! I loved that the machines have sensors. I found that the clothes don't over-dry, therefore, they don't shrink and the colour lasts longer.

    As for the mildew smells, if you leave the washer door open for a while afterwards, or you take the time to wipe dry the inside of the door, you won't have that problem. Since our laundry was in the basement, I didn't mind the door open. Naturally if you have kids and/or pets, you need to check inside before closing the door later.

    In regards to holes in clothes -- are you talking about small pinholes that tend to appear on cotton tshirts around the waist line? Don't have a problem with that myself, but a lot of people have realized that if you pair a tshirt that hangs over a pair of trousers with a button close, and then stand at say a kitchen counter to do dishes or cook, that a hole tends to form where the tshirt material rubs and is caught between the button and the hard counter top...go figure!

    I can't comment on short life spans. My friend has had the LG Steam pair for many years now, and other than the mildew smell noted above, and a vibration issue which can be solved with rubber stands and/or mat, her only other complaint is that she wished it did a better job on cleaning the collars of her husband's shirts. They have two rough and tumble boys, so generate a lot of laundry.

    Please do post a follow up if you found something you like.

  • snowglobe
    10 years ago

    About 12 years ago, I bought the inexpensive Frigidaire FL despite hearing about 50% negative comments and 50% good comments about it. I took a chance because I absolutely HATE when clothes come out of a TL and they are twisted up and a wrinkled mess. I was assured by many that the FL would not TWIST them up and would clean them properly.

    I must say -- I used that machine for 5 or 6 years without EVER a problem. It was not an expensive machine, I had no mildew issue, (never left the door open), it never skipped a beat! I was SOOO happy that I didn't pay attention to the negative feedback. I had even bought an extended warranty in case I ran into issues. Never used the warranty.

    I since moved out of that house and had to leave that washer behind and am currently using an older GE TL. For the past few weeks, the TL has started to leak water and sounding like it needs a bearing. I am looking to buy another Frigidaire (as basic a model as they have) and feel pretty confident that I will be just as happy. I hope.

  • mr._jms
    10 years ago

    I am happy and completely satisfied with my Maytag Neptunes purchased in May 1999. These were the second models of the neptunes that Maytag came out with. Have used front loaders all my life, starting with a 1950s Westinghouse. If you're switching from a top loader to a front loader, there is a bit of a learning to do. Most of it is common sense: less water means use less detergent/bleach/softner; don't pack the machine; As far as mold/mildew go.....think what causes this: damp/airtight space: leave door open, wipe out boot so the interior of the machine & boot stay dry. I have had my Neptunes since 1999 (14 1/2 years) and no problems whatsoever. I realize a lot of Neptune owners had a lot of problems, there was even a class action suit against Maytag. Fortunately, my machines have no problems.

    This post was edited by mr._jms on Sat, Nov 2, 13 at 16:47

  • joe_in_philly
    10 years ago

    I have had my Whirlpool manufactured (Kenmore branded) FL washer and matching dryer for over 10 years. The performance of the washer has continued to be outstanding. Clothing is less wrinkled, looks newer longer, and even heavily soiled or stained items come out completely clean.

    I am also happy with the savings and convenience of using a FL washer. It uses less detergent, softener, and bleach. I also use less water and energy, not only in the washer, but also when drying, since items come out of the washer so much dryer they spend less time in the dryer.

    I no longer have to buy pretreater, as I can just hit the stain treat button and the cycle is modified to remove stains using my regular detergent. I still have the same bottle of shout pretreater I had when I bought the washer over 10 years ago.

    If I had to replace my washer, I would get an American made Whirlpool or Maytag (manufactured and owned by Whirlpool) FL washer. I do think it is a shame that the majority of Kenmore FL washers are now made in Korea by LG.

  • nopain
    10 years ago

    We have had a set of compact Bosch W/D for 12 years, nary a problem, not a bit of mold (despite living in a damp place.) Always leave the door open between loads. Love them entirely. Even though the washer is teeny, you can get a lot in there, as much as our previous top-loader. Clothes come out much cleaner than with a top-loader. Sadly the washer may need replacement soon, though the dryer is fine, and I just don't know what to get. They no longer make this model. Sigh.

  • laundryvet
    10 years ago

    I have a front load washer and l LIKE IT for many of the reasons noted above:
    -deals with full and queen size linens
    -saves some money for water/sewer and natural gas
    -does a decent job on lightly to medium soiled clothes, the ones I make
    -works OK with HE soap or just a smidge of top load soap
    -rinses well on extra rinse (3 total rinses); probably OK with default 2 rinses
    -spins at 300G so dry time is quick
    -fast cycle time, mine has an approx 45 minute cycle apparently matched to the average dry time of the mating dryer, not an hour and a half!
    -reasonably quiet, I'm sure quieter stuff is out there, but I have a laundry room door I can shut if I need silence
    -stays in place on my first floor laundry on a vinyl floor
    -very basic controls that my 13 yr old son can understand; requires only to press start if not changing the cycle from the last one

    The only thing I don't like:
    -not a big fan of stooping to get stuff in and out in my 50's
    -miss not being able to throw the forgotten sock in after starting the cycle.

    That said, with a bunch of boys in the house, laundry never ends anyhow, anything missed just goes in the next load.

    Both FLW and TLW can do laundry, it's just a personal preference and an incremental investment analysis for the utility savings vs higher acquisition cost of the FLW vs the TLW.

  • cj47
    10 years ago

    I don't understand this stuff about not being able to add something after the cycle starts. I can pause my washer and add something--I do it all the time. I think there's a point where you can't anymore, but I honestly have never tried that far in. :-)

    I do like my front loader, and I'm not sorry I bought it. I bought pedestals because I'm getting older and I didn't want to stoop--and I'm glad I did, because I like the extra storage that they provide.

    I agree that it's just personal preference, and I am confused as to why people always have to insist that everyone agrees with their choice, as if they need validation. I'm glad you like your washer. I'm glad I like mine. Can't we just leave it at that? I'm sure there will be another thread along shortly.

    Cj

  • itguy08
    10 years ago

    Love ours. Clothes go in, cycle selected and they come out later clean. No issues with failures, suds lock, etc. If there are stains, hit the stain cycle and a profile wash is done.

    Then again we actually read the manual, use HE detergent, and don't try to use old school thinking on a new machine. I'll take the "Bells and whistles" all day and twice on Sunday, thanks.

    Leave the door open when done for the day for it to dry and maybe run the clean cycle when I remember.

  • ZoapBox
    10 years ago

    Here are my comments comparing the two machine types. By top loaders, I mean the conventional, agitator type machines.

    -Both front loaders and top loaders are capable of obliterating clothing under the right circumstances. In a top loader the damage is from the rather fast agitator action. In a front loader the clothing can get abused pretty badly if the drum diameter is rather large for the amount of clothing being washed, and the drum rotation speed is such that it causes the wet (and heavy) clothing to fall from near the top of the drum to the bottom, with nothing in between to break or slow the fall.

    - Most front loaders do give you agitation/wash options that can be way much gentler than what is offered in top loaders, while still allowing for a good deal of wash water to flow through the clothing.

    - Top loaders have the edge when it comes to soaking large amounts of clothing for extended periods of time. No need to fiddle with multiple menu levels. Just open the lid and the machine is now in soak mode until further notice. Also, with a top loader, it is more likely that the water level will be high enough to adequately wet the clothing during the soak period.

    - For water extraction during the spin cycle, the front loaders have the edge. This means less time drying the load after the washer is done.

    - For washing bulky stuff that floats, like pillows and lightweight winter coats, the front loaders have the advantage. No need to manually dunk and re-dunk the item in the wash water, which can be a nuisance if the tap water during the rinse cycle is rather cold.

    - For maximum wash performance I was very impressed with how well my sister's front loader washed my winter coat. With my top loader the coat always has a residual "used tent" smell when I'm done washing and drying it. Granted, with my sister's front loader I used all of the possible settings that I could throw at it (extra water level, maximum soil/extended wash time, plus an extra rinse/spin cycle), but the coat came out with no lingering smells at all. None.

    - For energy and water efficiency, the advantage goes to the front loaders. Water requires tons of energy to get it hot, and the more water you have, to more heat you need. Considering that both water and electricity cost money, I'm not surprised that many commercial coin laundromats use only front loading washers despite their initial higher purchase cost.

  • dave1812
    10 years ago

    zoapbox, agree with pretty much all you wrote but I have a question. You wrote," In a front loader the clothing can get abused pretty badly if the drum diameter is rather large for the amount of clothing being washed, and the drum rotation speed is such that it causes the wet (and heavy) clothing to fall from near the top of the drum to the bottom, with nothing in between to break or slow the fall. "

    What fabric fit for human apparel is likely to be damaged by falling a foot and a half? I've not seen my wife's sheerest fabrics be damaged by our FL over the last few years. I've seen even durable clothes ruined by our old TL.

  • dave1812
    10 years ago

    also, the paddles of the FL drum, hitting fabrics, even during a "gentle" cycle, is likely to be an order of magnitude more of an issue for fabric wear, than fabric dropping from the top of the drum. About the only time I see anything fall from the top is at the end of a spin cycle or when the drum cycles back and forth to even out the load, before it begins spinning up to speed.

  • laundryvet
    10 years ago

    WHOA - Clothes damaged due to a larger drum diameter - absolutely not true!

    Folks, the clothes in a washer fall into one of the following:
    -puddle of water
    -clothes on top of a puddle of water
    - remote possibility, hit the drum wall, less likely if you really loaded it

    All washers turn at about .80 to .90G to facilitate the lifting and tumbling during normal wash action, slower in half wash speeds.

    More likely to damage articles is washing and drying with rigid objects like shoes in the load, and in the case of the dryer, the clothes potentially could impact a metallic object (the drum wrapper or the plastic lifter) or get hit by a flying shoe while at high temperature, without the benefit of water to dampen the blow.

    But the real culprit to fabric wear is in fact wash temperature. All of you folks who love those super hot washes, that is in fact the most damaging element of all in the wash cycle as the fibers are degraded by heat primarily and swell the most to absorb the most water with increasing temperatures. Want your clothes to last the longest? Wash warm, and save energy while doing it. Modern soap is tailored to be effective in warm washing.

  • ZoapBox
    10 years ago

    @dave1812: That was my experience using Maytag commercial front loaders when my home TL broke down. Several clothing items were quickly showing visible signs of accelerated wear like falling labels on underwear, and tears on t-shirts. The damage rate was way much faster than I normally get from a conventional top loader.

  • sandy808
    10 years ago

    I own both types of machines. We kept and rebuilt our old German made Duet front loader for washing larger throw rugs and large quilts. That is all I currently use my front loader for.

    My main go to washing machine is a basic, no frills, Speed Queen top load set. It is hands down the best washing machine I have ever owned. My clothes do not come out in a wad, they are spotless, well rinsed, no odors, and no issues with electronics because it does not have a computer board. It does what it is supposed to do...wash clothes. I am also able to soak a load overnight in plenty of water if I want to, drain it, and do a wash cycle the next morning. I can choose really hot water if I want it.

    Using hot water on my towels, and sometimes on my jeans, has not made them wear any faster than using cooler temperatures. What hot water does is kill germs better, and removes heavy garden soil from garden clothing.

    Using a top load has caused no more wear to my laundry than a front load. In any machine, the clothing needs to move freely and not be packed in tightly to avoid wear and damage to the fabrics.

    My cycle times are short with my Speed Queen as compared to a front loader. It matters to me if a cycle is ridiculously long. I want clean laundry, at temperatures I want to select, and have complete control over water levels. I want to get the load done and move on to other things. Computer boards are becoming more and more unreliable so I did not want a machine with a computer board again.

    Ditto with a dishwasher. We removed a fairly new and expensive dishwasher and it's been replaced with an old Hobart built KitchenAid. I love it. Absolutely clean dishes....very quickly. Newer isn't always better, and older can be spiffed up with repainting and new racks. I'm having my dishwasher panels painted to match my ruby red BlueStar range.

    If I ever need another washing machine and Speed Queen messes up their design, I'll look for an older washer and refurbish it.

  • ZoapBox
    10 years ago

    @laundryvet: If mechanical action has no effect whatsoever on the wear and tear of clothing, why do front loader machines typically offer a gentler drum motion in the delicates cycle?

    And no, I did not wash shoes with my clothing when I have used front loaders. In any event, the drum and the paddles in front loaders are far more rigid and unyielding than shoes are.

  • dave1812
    10 years ago

    Sandy, is your TV a CRT?

  • laundryvet
    10 years ago

    Zoapbox,

    At a common G force, drum diameter does not matter. The claim above was that drum diameter affected clothes wear. All target the same G force more or less in normal cycle. I agree delicate, half speed, is less wear and tear. I never stated as much.

    That said,
    -temperature is #1
    -mechanical action #2p

    A top loader is harshest on clothes mechanically. Strongest mechanical action, best cleaning action per minute if not overloaded.

    So if you ran a top loader at 160F-190F and normal agitation speed this will absolutely destroy the clothing over the long haul, assuming it did not destroy the machine itself. Of course without a lid lock you will have exposed yourself to a dandy of a scold hazard (anything over 135F in water). I would never advise such a situation.

    Somebody posted a Miele washer normal cycle is 160F, yikes!

    Having seen and run many very high temperatures loads during my time in the industry, without a doubt temperature is the harshest on clothes at the fiber level, with mechanical action a close 2nd. Temperature literally pulverized linens, turning them to dust over several significant cycles. Some synthetics might be able to take it, almost none survive long above 165F, which interestingly is what many state laws require the bath temp to be to kill some of the "bugs" in the linen. Hence the popularity of ozone technology, performed at much lower temperatures, with the benefits being smell and linen life. Google it, it's all out there. Ozone, recall, has the best solubility at colder temperatures.

    Just saying it like it is from a commercial laundry vet.........

  • miele1966
    10 years ago

    I wash my sheets weekly in 140 degree water, occasionally 195. Two of those sets are over 5 years old. I wash my kitchen towels at 195 every single time. I have dishtowels older than 5 years. I cannot agree that temperature is a totally true answer to degrading clothing. Bleach degrades clothing more than any detergent, washing method, or temperature. So do clothes dryers. All that friction, heat, and and air movement, combined, slowly destroy fibers more than most any washer could. Wet fabric becomes more fragile when it is wet, making it more susceptible to wear. As some of you may know, there are 5 factors to proper laundering. Each one of those contributes to wear and tear. I find it unfair to name only one cause, when really it is all factors combined that cause wear, and each individual laundry situation is different.

  • ZoapBox
    10 years ago

    @laundryvet: I'm not talking about the centrifugal G forces during the spin cycle. What I'm referring to is the distance that the laundry can fall from about the top of the drum to the bottom when the drum is lightly loaded during the wash motion. For this distance, the drum diameter does matter as the longer the vertical fall is, the faster the clothing will be traveling when it hits the bottom.

  • laundryvet
    10 years ago

    Zoapbox,

    At first I could not see your argument, but now I can. A machine of a given diameter with a fully variable speed system, you could make the case that running a larger drum at a slightly less than normal speed would equate to your statement above, a cycle slowly beginning to approach a delicate cycle.

    For very small changes in drum diameter as those present in the home market it probably does not amount to much. I think the key is a very partially loaded machine you describe.

    I would tend to agree with Miele1966 that it is most likely a combination of factors, heat, chemicals, mechanical action, and what else is in the load first, but I know from comparing life test loads in electric heat machines vs non electric heat machines over thousands of cycles that the fabrics deteriorate at a much faster pace in the electric heat machines, all other factors identical.

  • herring_maven
    10 years ago

    Zoapbox: "What I'm referring to is the distance that the laundry can fall from about the top of the drum to the bottom when the drum is lightly loaded during the wash motion. For this distance, the drum diameter does matter as the longer the vertical fall is, the faster the clothing will be traveling when it hits the bottom."

    The standard rate of acceleration of an object falling through a vacuum at sea level is 9.80665 m/s^2. Most of the pieces of clothing in a front-loading washing machine droop over and fall into the water on the upward roll of the drum; that is, they do not fall from the top of the drum, and they do not fall as a piece. And the tail of a larger piece of laundry need not fall at all, as it gets pulled back into the water below by the leading edge of the piece of laundry falling down. And, of course, the environment inside the washing machine drum is not a vacuum, and wet laundry would have considerable wind resistance slowing its fall.

    So the computations of velocity on impact would be extremely complex. But assume that every square centimeter of every piece of laundry fell all of the way from the very top of the inside of the drum all the way to the water surface somewhere below the midpoint of the drum, but well above the bottom of the cylinder. And assume that a vacuum obtained to decrease air friction. Could you please provide a calculation of the difference in velocity between a piece of laundry in a very large consumer washing machine drum and a piece of laundry in a very small consumer washing machine drum, when the respective pieces of laundry hit the water below?

    This post was edited by herring_maven on Mon, Dec 16, 13 at 20:29

  • ZoapBox
    10 years ago

    @herring_maven: Better yet, find an accelerometer app that you can download to an Android phone. Put the phone in a waterproof bag and toss it in with the laundry. That way you can get real life impact force data that you can use to make an even better mathematical model than just a straight distance vs. speed gravity calculation.

  • dave1812
    10 years ago

    Better yet, you two find something practical to occupy your lives with! No one cares about accelerometers in an appliance forum. This isn't rocket science. And your idea that fabrics are destroyed over time if they fall from "the top" of a home FL is ludicrous.
    Stop with this childish farce and get back on topic. HINT: look at the title of the thread to determine what the topic is.

  • ZoapBox
    10 years ago

    Hi Dave1812:

    "HINT: look at the title of the thread to determine what the topic is."

    That is exactly what I did when I answered the OP's question in my 12/8/13 post when I provided a summary of some of my experiences with both top loaders and front loaders.

    "And your idea that fabrics are destroyed over time if they fall from "the top" of a home FL is ludicrous."

    I already provided an answer to that question in my 12/13/13 post. I will add that YouTube has an abundance of videos of front loading washing machines in action. Plenty of examples to compare the rigors of normal/cotton wash cycles vs. delicate cycles.

    I'm not the first person who has observed accelerated wear on clothing that has been washed in some front loaders. People still need to do their homework when considering specific machines and wash cycle settings.

    "No one cares about accelerometers in an appliance forum."

    Herring_Maven wanted to expand the subtopic further by initiating discussion on calculations of the impact speeds of falling laundry for different fall heights. You can take it up with him if this annoyed you.

    If anybody else is still curious, it should not be that difficult to measure the impact forces involved. Consumer grade smartphones usually already have a built-in accelerometer, which is used to determine if you are holding the phone vertically or horizontally by sensing the direction of the pull of gravity. So all you basically need is to download an acceleration analysis APP (software) and the phone can be used to measure impact forces. No need extra hardware is need.

  • herring_maven
    10 years ago

    dave1812: ". . . idea that fabrics are destroyed over time if they fall from 'the top' of a home FL is ludicrous."

    Erm, that was kind of the whole point of another post two posts up from yours.

    "Herring_Maven wanted to expand the subtopic further . . ."

    One suggests that your understanding may be advanced if first you follow the link below.

    Here is a link that might be useful: This link may help

  • dave1812
    10 years ago

    I don't need to go to Youtube to see how fabrics move in a FL. I OWN a FL. give it a rest, you two.

  • enduring
    10 years ago

    Herring_maven I had to LOL when I read your link. I took that post of yours hook, line, and sinker!

  • herring_maven
    10 years ago

    enduring: "I had to LOL when I read your link."

    Thank you.

    "I took that post of yours hook, line, and sinker!"

    [blush]. Being taken at face value always has been the risk when employing irony in dialogue. But my ironic post seemed to encounter a bigger issue with another contributor here, who appeared to think that a link to a Wikipedia article about an English satirist was link to a YouTube video of a washing machine. (Maybe he was engaging in irony as well?)

    This post was edited by herring_maven on Fri, Dec 20, 13 at 8:38

  • ZoapBox
    10 years ago

    Interesting comment from a Miele web site related to load size vs. fabric wear during the wash process (for FL machines):

    "When small loads of towelling items are washed, a great deal of fluff is created. For this reason, it is better to wash towelling in the largest load possible."

    Here is a link that might be useful: Fabric care - Towelling

  • dave1812
    10 years ago

    zoapbox, the link you provided first condemns fluff and then extols it further on down the text. LOL!

  • ZoapBox
    10 years ago

    dave1812: The noun "fluff" in the first paragraph refers to what we call "lint" in American English. You can confirm this by doing a Google search for "tumble dryer fluff filter".

    The paragraph that I pointed to basically says that towels washed in small loads in a Miele residential FL will take more of a beating than those washed in larger loads. It confirms that the accelerated wear process that I observed on lightly loaded FL commercial laundromat machines using aggressive wash cycles does scale down to compact residential washers to a certain extent.

  • shaggnasty
    10 years ago

    I was somewhat happy with our Whirlpool Duet...up until the point one of the bearings took a dump and it now sounds like a high revving engine with terminal rod knock when it spins. I tolerated the occasional funky smell, even tho we left the tray and the door open and I cleaned out the trap (which Whirlpool, in their infinite wisdom, made exceedingly difficult to access).

    We are headed to the local appliance store tomorrow to likely buy a Speed Queen AWN542. Hopefully I'll get more than 5 years out of it.

  • fordtech
    10 years ago

    I reckon I could have been scared to death to buy my second Maytag Neptune sloped front set, this set had the touchscreen setup and very pretty but class action suit says its a nightmare. But I couldn't resist the 600.00 clearance price NIB last one from my local sears store.

    Going on 9 years without a failure or a hint of mold since I had learned with my first Neptunes that 99 percent of the failures on models made after 2001 were user abuse. I learned how to use a front loader and proper dosage of detergent and use of one hot wash a week.

    Ive seen many folks sing the praises of many replacements to their Neptunes only to see them wailing about those machines within a few years. I think Maytag had actually fixed all their bugs but unfortunately all those who ramped up the whining without cause resulted in the class action suit as well as Maytag making poor substitute replacements like the Samsung Neptunes and the top load Neptunes which were all disasters. Now Maytag as they were is dead.

  • Centexronz
    9 years ago

    After having one(Kenmore) for a few years I will never do it again. It wears out the front of all my pants so my clothing bill has gone way up. It also has horrible mold issues in the door gasket. Yes we leave the door of it open and run cleaning cycles with bleach but it does not help. If you take a close look at the door gasket with a flashlight you will see that it is impossible to clean it effectively. Way too many groves and crevices. There was even a class action lawsuit filed against the major manufacturers and Sears for the mold issue.

  • hvtech42
    9 years ago

    How do you explain all the people that have used front loaders for years without mold issues then?

    Washer cleaning cycles are a morning after pill for people with bad laundry habits. You shouldn't have to use them on a regular basis.

  • Centexronz
    9 years ago

    I would bet that the design of the door boot gasket, the door, and the tub varies by manufacturer and by model. Some of them obviously seem to work ok. Others don't seem to. We use the proper detergent, leave the door open, etc. The environment that the washer is in might have some impact also.

  • hvtech42
    9 years ago

    Okay, but that doesn't explain that there are both rave reviews and complaints of the same model. And the fact that I have seen spiders from identical models, one completely corroded and one that looked brand new. It also doesn't explain that some people have owned multiple front loaders with no problems, and others have issues with every one they try. All signs point to user error.

    Do you use fabric softener? How much detergent do you use? Too little is as bad as too much. What temperature wash water do you use? How often do you use liquid chlorine bleach? How long do you wait to remove clothes upon cycle completion? Do you remove the detergent drawer afterwards and let it dry? There is a lot more you have to pay attention to than just leaving the door open and wiping the boot.

    The fault is also with the machine manufacturers and detergent manufacturers for failing to emphasize and explain proper HE laundry habits in their documentation. In my opinion they have done a terrible job minimizing user error.

    Anyhow, this thread was completely hijacked a long time ago. The original poster wanted to hear from people who were HAPPY with their front loaders. They had already read plenty of complaints and did not want to read more. They just wanted to confirm that there were people who liked theirs. Although they did get some relevant responses they also got plenty of people with bad experiences who just had to get their word in.

    This post was edited by hvtech42 on Sat, Aug 9, 14 at 21:43

  • cj47
    9 years ago

    Well, just for the record, I'm still happy with my Electrolux 70 series front loader set. It still outcleans my old top loader Maytag and I'm still in love with the capacity. I run approximately two hot washes a week (whites and kitchen towels) and I use a fraction of the detergent that the label suggests. Fortunately, Electrolux has suggested detergent levels marked on the dispenser cup, about 1/3 of what the detergent bottle/box recommends. I've found that it's enough to do the job without excess sudsing. I still run an occasional bleach cycle, mostly in the hot and humid summer months, not because the machine smells, but because I've read so many complaints about mold that I'm not taking any chances. Bleach is pretty cheap insurance.

    I agree about detergent manufacturers and most machine manufacturers not doing enough to prevent user error. If I used the amount suggested by the detergent manufacturer, I have no doubt that I'd not be as happy with my machine.

  • fordtech
    9 years ago

    Manufacturers obviously lost all motivation to properly instruct users on use and care to increase durability and performance when they all bailed out on long warranty periods. Most all of them only allow one year on parts and labor these days. So many of the name brands have the same parent company. I guess they figure the odds of reselling to the same customer is pretty high over shorter periods of time.

    Ages ago there was a time when Maytag for example would offer up to 10 year warranty on some components of their machines and could count on a LONG time between customer purchases. They also knew word of mouth would sell a lot more machines to first time buyers.
    Too bad this ethic is lost in todays industry.

  • queenkeem
    9 years ago

    Hello I'm glad I stumbled into this thread. I'm a new owner of a ge front load washer. I was worried about the time that it took to wash a load. I figured that it was quite long but from the comments I see that the lengthy time is normal. I guess I have to get used to my new washer

  • rosesr4me
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have an asko set for about 20 years and have been happy with it. Would I get another Asko? Probably not only because there is only one service company for 30 miles that will service Asko. I would look into Bosch FL for my next set...I am confined with 24" width and I want a heater. Never have to use bleach...use my 220 degree setting with Oxyclean. I always use the short cycle, which is about 30 minutes for everyday clothes, while sheets and towels I use extended washing cycles. I have not noticed any wear and tear on my clothes.

  • wildchild2x2
    8 years ago

    I would like it a lot better if government would QUIT placing ridiculous regulations on laundry equipment. When you have to use a work around to get the appliance to do what it was meant to do, we are moving backwards!

    Amen to that. Same goes for dishwashers. I am happy with my Samsung front loader. I don't buy matching dryers. When my dryer went out recently I went out and bought another with a hamper door at Sears that was on clearance. It was one of two hamper styles available. It works very well. Don't know if it will last 20 years like my last one did.

  • mjsmas21
    8 years ago

    My wife has been using something called laundry lasso. She cleaned the machine really well and started using it and we have had no odors and the door is not in the way anymore. Worth the twenty bucks.

  • arcoladad
    8 years ago

    Siemens FL 6 months after purchasing from best buy the dryer qualified for the replacement program 4 calls on an item for service but they wouldn't change the set and didn't have a match, The dryer still after a month keeps popping the overheat switch which should require a tear down but i cut a hand hole in the back to reset it because it happens so often and now after 4 years a drum carrier bearing is going out. squeak, squeak.

    now the washing machine was 1 month new, new main board, door switch and the clothes dont get clean and the towells are roufgh no mater what detergent or softener and i have tried them all.

    if you get one of these make sure you get the extended warranty or be extraordinarily handy...