My goal is to get a reliable, high-capacity washer that kills dust mites and tackles the laundry challenges our two active children (both of whom have asthma) regularly provide. We regularly do a load or two each day, with some days (especially after vacations and when kids return from camp) being veritable "laundry marathons".

My wife is more comfortable with simple controls, and I am comfortable suppressing the gadget freak that lives within me. The machine will be in a first-floor laundry room (on slab) and we are planning to have a countertop above it and its matching dryer.

Is the difference between the Whirlpool and the Kenmore primarily where they are sold and who services them, or are there functional differences worth noting? Are their matching dryers also more or less the same?

What, if any, is the difference between the model #47081 and model #47091 HE5t? They appear pretty much identical to me. And why does Sears variously list the HE5t's capacity as 4.0 or 3.8 cubic feet? Are there better deals available on the non-steam models now that the latter are (apparently) the hottest thing on the market?

Is there a source showing the feature and option differences? The information on the two websites doesn't lay out for a convenient side-by-side comparison.

I had good experiences with Sears years ago. It sounds like the company isn't what it used to be.

hhhmmm Let's see .... Sears was bought-out by ..... Kmart.

Nov. 2004

I found the fridge on sale (20% off) for less than I paid (15% off) a couple of weeks after I bought it, and my sales person gave me back the price difference. I have had no problems dealing with Sears.

Over 4 years ago when I listed the differences between the Kenmore and Whirlpool, the most significant difference for me was that the Kenmore offered the stain treat option for use on several cycles, while the Whirlpool had it built into the heavy duty cycle only. I use the stain treat option fairly frequently with excellent results, and that alone would direct me to the Kenmore over the Whirlpool. The stain treat option starts a wash cycle with warm water and heats it to hot over an extended wash time.

I don't know if it is still true, but the Kenmore cycles were slightly longer than the Whirlpool, and the Kenmore's final spin speed was slightly faster. The top of the Kenmore was porcelain, the Duet was painted. The Kenmore offered an extra low spin speed and additional temp selection, including controlled and tap cold, while the duet only offered controlled cold.

The Kenmore models usually have a few features that their sister Whirlpool models don't have, but you have to decide it they are worth the price difference.

Joe

The Kenmore's now seem to have done away with the prewash, instead using the prewash detergent compartment as a "timed oxy" dispenser. The Whirlpool still has a prewash. I think the oxy dispenser sounds rather gimmicky.

The Kenmore does offer two rinse options, a "2nd" rinse and a skincare rinse. I believe the skincare rinse adds extra water to the rinses.

The Kenmore's "2nd" rinse and Whirlpool's "extra" rinse option is the same. The default is for each cycle to have 2 rinses, the first dispenses the bleach, and the last dispenses the fabric softener. So in essence, the extra rinse is put between the two, as nothing is dispensed in that rinse.

The Kenmore also offers a "Save Energy Plus" option, which reduces the temp and extends the wash time a little bit on certain high temp cycles to reduce energy usage while still producing the same cleaning results.

Joe

"There is no perfect washer and dryer."
"There is no perfect washer and dryer."
"There is no perfect washer and dryer."

I mean, if there was, we'd all have them. Right?

Maybe I should try a different mantra:

"Whatever we get will be fine."

I have the first version of the HE3t/HE4t/H35t line, named HE3t. I have to say it is working as well as it did the first day I got it! I am please as can be with it. I do have it plugged into a spike protected power strip. I don't know if that has had any effect.

When they first came out, they offered two versions, the HE3 and HE3t. The "t," which stood for thermal optimization, included a heater, faster spin speed, more cycles and additional options. Then the HE4t came out, and the HE3t name was relegated to a lesser featured machine that still had a heater. The HE4t became the HE5t as the model line evolved.

I still have the original posters and literature that come out when the HE3t debuted. The HE stands for High Efficiency, the 3 represents Capacity, Convenience, and Conservation, and the "t" for thermal optimization. The HE4t added "Care" to list. I don't know what HE5t added...maybe compassion? :-)

Here is a bit about the HE4t I found on the web. The link below shows the excitement with which the original HE3t debuted.

HE4t:
In 2001, Sears introduced its Kenmore Elite HE3t washer, an appliance which lead the industry in cleaning, capacity, and conservation. Now Sears introduces an upgraded model the new Kenmore Elite washer with a fourth "t" for features that "care" about special fabric needs. The new HE4t includes two new cycles, three new options, higher spin speeds to extract more water, an even larger capacity, and a newly configured pedestal (sold as an option) that can serve as a handy basket ledge when loading and unloading laundry.

The first of its innovations is a Kids-Wear Cycle. This provides more washing action for better removal of common and hard-to-get-out stains and more rinsing to provide better removal of detergent. The new washer is also designed with a Bulky/Bedding Cycle and a 3.8-cubic-foot wash basket capacity. The Skincare Option can be used with any cycle. It adds a third-rinse cycle to remove soap residue, an option that is used to help keep your family's skin healthy. For tough protein-based stains such as blood, the washer has a Smart Heat Option that actually washes with dual temperature control. By choosing this option, the washer will wash at 104F for a set time to remove a stain. It then heats the water to a higher temperature (as high as 153F) for the remainder of the wash cycle.

A new ergonomically designed 15-inch pedestal is also available with a sliding shelf. A laundry basket can be conveniently set on it for loading and unloading the washer. The pedestal also provides storage for fabric softener and will accommodate 100-ounce liquid laundry soap bottles. Another energy-saving feature of the HE4t is its 1,300 revolutions-per-minute spin-speed, which results in more water extraction from wet clothes.

An aside, I was at a Best Buy yesterday purchasing some holiday gifts and was surprised not to see a Duet (other than the Sport) displayed.

Sears does sell Whirlpool washers, including the Duet HT. The HE5t is a Kenmore, and is only sold at Sears stores.

Joe

Did you put something in the washers or just run them empty? I imagine that, along with how the machines are installed has a profound impact on the amount of vibration.

Perhaps OT, but in my experience Best Buy is more about "moving boxes" than about educating customers about what products best fit their needs. Maybe it's just the ones around me. I hope so for everyone else's sake.