I also noticed a few differences between the two.

On the He5t with Sanitary cycle you have the following options; Prewash, Extended Spin.

On the He5t with Steam Treat you get; Rinse & Spin AND Drain & Spin, Timed Oxi but NO Pre Wash and a Sanitized indicator on the Cycle Status.

I just had a thought...why on the Steam Treat model do they give the option Timed Oxi? Is that to fill the void of removing the Pre Treat option (in the dispenser) or do you need the boost of the additive to help the steam process clean better.

I can't believe that they didn't give an option for Water Plus (a little more water in the wash & rinse water level).

My set should be delivered tomorrow, so after that maybe I can help out with particulars. :)

From what I understand, the stain fighting steam setting is designed to start out cool (warm?) and slowly get hotter so that it doesn't set in stains. It is designed to remove those stains that would be set if used in hot water before it gets hot. Make any sense (the way I'm saying it, I mean - my head is foggy this morning)?

The oxi thing is designed to dispense at the optimal time rather than having to include it mixed in with the detergent.

I am pretty sure there is a way to add extra water. Will let you know.

HTH!!
kristi

kristi,

You will have to let us know the details!

It seems like the oxi option uses the "prewash" dispenser, and that the prewash option has been removed. I am curious to know what the optimum time is to add the oxi cleaner. I would think towards the beginning of the wash cycle since it takes a while to work. My understanding is that some European washers tend to have similar feature that adds the stain treatment later into the wash cycle once the wash water has been heated.

I think the stain fighting option is basically the stain treat option with the addition of steam. I have had the first generation of the HE5t (called HE3t back then) for over 4 years now, and I use the stain treat option regularly. It does a great job. With that option, the washer fills with warm water, and then heats it up to the hot temperature for that particular cycle, over an extended wash time.

Since the HE5t Steam washer no longer has a sanitary cycle, it seems to imply that the "steam sanitize" hot water temp can be used on several cycles. That would also increase flexibility.

So it seems that the Steam version adds the steam sanitize and steam stain treat options, and loses the prewash and extended spin options. I only occasionally use the prewash, and rarely use the extended spin option. My washer spins at 1200, and the HE5t spins at 1300, so I think the extended spin option would probably not be missed.

Good Luck with your new washer.

Joe

they are completely different right? sanitary would be temperature related wash similar to a dishwasher required setting to kill certain bacteria, whereas a steam cycle would be only to refresh clothes and reduce wrinkles with less water and reduce temperature

laundrytech,

I think that the steam is in addition to the hot water temperature. There is a temperature selection called "steam sanitize." My thought is that the water is heated by the internal heater, and at some point steam is also applied.

There is no cycle on the HE5t Steam that is just a steam refresh cycle, although there is such a cycle on the HE5 Steam Dryer.

Joe

texaskristi...

Please let us know how everything goes from delivery to installation to first empty run to actually washing clothes.

Best of luck.

So you do an empty load first? I told you - this is all new to me! LOL! I did do some sprucing up to the room today in anticipation of the big delivery! LoL!

texaskristi...

So what the verdict, how did everything go?

Clothes will be instantly infected with germs in the air as soon as they come out of the washer or dryer. If you don't have a person in the household that has a fatal communicable disease why would you use a Sanitary or Steam cycle?

jerrod6...

I think it has somthing to do with mites and/or what they produce and sensitive peoples adverse reaction to it/them.

Joe, the HeT5 with Steam does have a Sanitary Cycle. On the Whirlpool equivalent, there is still a Sanitize wash temp option. I am guessing only a couple of cycles, maybe only one, allows the Sanitize wash temp to be eselected. Just like on the Sanitary Cycle, that was the only cycle where that wash temp was available. And George, FYI, the HEt% Skin Care rinse does add extra water to the rinse fills.

boba1,

I was just mentioning that the HE5t steam washer does not actually have a "Sanitary" cycle, like the HE5t washer does. I assume that you can select the "Steam Sanitize" wash temperature on any of the cycles that can use the steam treat option, but I am not sure about that. Obviously the sanitize temp option must be available for at least one cycle.

Joe

boba1...
Thanks for the heads up on the Skin Care rinse.