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New Washer and Dryer

Suzy

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My dryer went out, and I am thinking about getting a new washer also. I just got back from Lowes, and am more confused than ever.

A couple just bought a Samsung washer/dryer while I was there. He said he's been reading the reviews for the past three weeks, and it is very highly rated, with LG being the best. I've always had a GE, a top loader, and I like it, but it's 20 years old. Everything is now front-loading machines. He said GE is low rated, with Maytag being about the lowest.

Any advise? Anyone have a Samsung?

TIA,
Suzy
 

Dave M

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Based on the most recent Consumer Reports ratings, he is correct. However, CR's ratings find very little difference in quality at the top among LG, Whirlpool Duet, Kenmore Elite, Frigidaire Gallery and Samsung WF203AN, among others.

The top GE, Profile Harmony, is well down the list, with the biggest weaknesses (according to CR) being in energy efficiency, water efficiency and gentleness. However, the GE WJRE5500G, ranked just below the Profile and in 25th place on the list (6th place for top-loaders), is ranked by CR as a "Best Buy, primarily because of its low price.

GE as a brand ranks very high (low incidence) in incurring serious problems needing repairs. There weren't enough Samsung reports for CR to include Samsung in that ranking.

Edited to add that the Maytag Epic is rated almost the same as the Samsung WF203AN (mentioned above).
 
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UWSurfer

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About those pricey pedestals that are now fashionable.

I just bought an LG pair and did not get the pedestal because I did not see why I would need one. The dryer we were replacing did not sit on a pedestal and I did not miss it - yes I help with the laundry. However, the new LG dryer is deeper than our old dryer and it is difficult to reach the clothes in the back of the dryer. Just something to consider.

And another thing, please make sure your new front load washer is perfectly leveled on install, and that it sits on vibration reducing pads - not pricey. They spin much faster than old top loaders and will shake your house apart [dramatic exaggeration] if not leveled and installed on a upper floor.

Charles "The Timeshare-owning Laundry Helper"
 

maddaug

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We just bought a pair of frontloaders. The washer went out and the dryer (gas) was 23 years old. We opted to stack them and I have no regrets. I have more space now. I kinda like how I can throw everything in the dryer and then stand up and pull out what I like to hang dry. The dryer has a light so you can see easily inside.
We bought the Frigidaire for the rating it received and someone I know has the same model and had it for a year. We originallly were going to get them at Sears but stopped by Lowes. They matched the price and took an extra 10% off.
We also opted for their extended warranty. $159.00 for 5 years. After seeing how that washer spins I got a little nervous about a repair if needed. BTW, that price is on both the washer and dryer.
 

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Thanks, everyone. I am going to get the Whirlpool Duet. It sounds like some TUGGERS have the Duets and like them. Does anyone have the steam feature? It sounds nice, but more money. It also has a hand-wash cycle, which I will like in addition to the delicate cycle. The Samsung has a cycle for wool. I didn't know you could wash wool. I always send it to the dry cleaners.

If anyone else has any comments, let me know, as I will be purchasing the pair on Monday, hopefully.

Suzy
 

laura1957

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I have Maytag - but I LOVE the handwash cycle. Comes in very handy with my 2 daughters.
 

mo1950

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Oh, Suzy - I just saw this thread.

Hope you haven't made the purchase yet. If not, please go to www.epinions.com and research the Whirlpool Duet.

I have the Whirlpool Duet set and it's the most expensive mistake I've ever made. It simply won't get the clothes clean. Repairmen have made numerous trips to my house. It's always the same thing - you use the wrong kind of detergent, you use the wrong amount of detergent, etc. etc. I always use their suggestions and it doesn't help anything.

Right now, I have to wash every load on the soak cycle for 35 minutes. Then I wash the same load on the Whitest Whites cycle for 1 hour and 10 minutes - most of the time this will clean the clothes. The dryer works great.

I know some other people who are having the same problem I am, and as you will see on the website some of these machines are just lemons. So far, I'm stuck with mine. It's pretty much a nightmare.
 

mo1950

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Suzy, just wanted to add something.

I bought the pricey pedestals with my washer/dryer - bought the ones that also have storage. And I have to say this was one of my better decisions.

Because the front loaders hold more clothes, you are dragging a heavier load out from the washer to the dryer. Having the pedestals makes it so much easier on your back. Plus you are able to see into the windows more easily.

And the storage underneath has been a godsend to me. I never have enough cabinet space, so this helped me tremendously.

If you've already bought your new washer/dryer by now, I hope you have a very good one. And I wish you the best.
 

Suzy

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I didn't buy the washer/dryer. I am glad you posted this. I have been busy this week getting bids for a new patio (stamped concrete in another post). I was going to see about it this weekend. I have an older GE that I just love and now I many just get the dryer (which I need) and not the washer. I guess I'll just keep the washer until it wears out.

Again, thanks for posting. I would hate to put that much money into a new washer and wish I had my old one back.

Suzy
 

vivalour

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I didn't buy the washer/dryer. I am glad you posted this. I have been busy this week getting bids for a new patio (stamped concrete in another post). I was going to see about it this weekend. I have an older GE that I just love and now I many just get the dryer (which I need) and not the washer. I guess I'll just keep the washer until it wears out.

Again, thanks for posting. I would hate to put that much money into a new washer and wish I had my old one back.

Suzy

We did a thorough research online and in CR about a year ago and settled on a Miele front-loading washer and dryer. Although not the most popular because they are relatively pricey -- they have been great. Washer turns out CLEAN washes of my son's muddy football pants, has large capacity, is very energy efficient, quiet, and uses a fraction of the water used by old top loaders. No problem with mold as appears to affect some front-loaders. The dryer is also very quiet, with wrinkle-free results even for mixed loads of heavy towels plus sheets and shirts. Mieles are made in Germany and are not a bargain -- but IMO are worth checking out for excellent results & trouble-free operation.
 

DeniseM

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I have the Whirlpool Duet set and it's the most expensive mistake I've ever made. It simply won't get the clothes clean.

I'm curious about this. None of us do hard physical labor, so our dirty clothes don't look dirty. What is it that doesn't come out of your clothes?
 

Jbart74

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We have a Frigidaire frontloading set that we bought about 2 years ago. Great set, but we just had to replace the motherboard (computer) of the dryer because of an electrical surge. It was about $400, close to the cost of the dryer itself. The repair man recommended unplugging the machine when not in use or having a surge protector installed in our main breaker panel to protect the dryer. He said we can just plug the washer into a standard surge protector strip because it runs on 120V. Just some unsolicited advice to those out there who have paid a BUNCH for fancy computerized machines.
 

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If you have kids or grandkids who participate in sports, play outside, etc., their clothing will have a sweaty dirty smell. Plus, the socks they wear to sports will smell.

Anyway, when you pick up a load of this laundry to put it in the washing machine, this clothing will have a definite dirty sweaty smell.

With my machine, after I wash this sweaty dirty smelling sports laundry and socks, when I open the door of the washer and start pulling the clothes out, it still smells the same - sweaty and dirty (only wet now).

But if I do a presoak (where the machine actually puts in a lot more water), for 35 minutes, and then wash a Whitest Whites cycle for another 1 hour 10 minutes, most of the time the clothing will come out of the washer smelling clean. But still not as clean smelling as my old style washer that I had for 23 years.
 

mo1950

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Just to add something, about two weeks ago when the repairman came about a piece that broke off my washer, I talked to him at length about my clothes still smelling badly after they were washed.

He said a common cause of that with front loaders is using too much detergent. He explained it this way:

A regular washing machine uses lots of water washing and rinsing. The regular detergent permeates the clothing and is gotten rid of along with the dirt by the agitator and lots of rinse water.

But a front loader uses only a small amount of water with a specialized detergent. The dirt from the clothing is actually pulled up and attracted to the very thin layer of detergent which is supposed to lay on top and away from the clothes. Then when the washer spins, it spins away the small amount of detergent along with the dirt and smells.

So, if a person uses too much detergent in a front loader, the detergent stays in the clothing and the dirt along with it instead of being whisked away in the spin cycle.

Long explanation the repairman gave me, but I finally did understand what he was trying to get through to me -- use VERY little detergent in front loaders or your clothing will not get clean.

Have followed his instructions to a tee, but guess I just got stuck with one of the lemons the Whirlpool Duet is occasionally known to have. And I know others with my same dilemma.
 

LisaRex

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My husband's family is in the appliance business so I get all my appliances at cost. I haven't gotten a FL. While the new FLers are prettier, if something goes wrong with the seal, you aren't just looking at a new washer; you're looking at new floors if you aren't aware that there's a problem (or aren't home). My friend just bought a new FLer 8 months ago and already had to replace the door because it had a hairline crack.

No thanks.
 

pittle

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Suzy - if you have not bought your washer and dryer yet, check out the GE top loading High Efficiency. I bought this model in late July and love it. It has the low water use of a front loader and no agitator. Lowes has it in a "Champagne" color. I chose white. The top is clear and the dryer has a glass door.

I did not want the front loader (especially if I did not get the drawer underneath), but did like the no agitator feature for washing large items and my husband wanted a stainless steel tank and dryer drum plus electronic push-button controls. This GE Top-loader met both our criteria.
 

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Whirlpool Duet HT Washer/Steam Dryer

We have a Whirlpool Duet HT washer and Steam Dryer. We absolutely love them. No problems during the year we've had them. I use less HE detergent than recommended and leave the washer door open after washing is done. Gets the clothes much cleaner than our Maytag top loader and the whites are definitely whiter. Noticed a big difference in our water usage.

- Michael
 

swift

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We have a Whirlpool Duet HT washer and Steam Dryer. We absolutely love them. No problems during the year we've had them. I use less HE detergent than recommended and leave the washer door open after washing is done. Gets the clothes much cleaner than our Maytag top loader and the whites are definitely whiter. Noticed a big difference in our water usage.

- Michael

Leaving the washer door open to air out is another key point in not having a smelly washer. Our Duet is in the hallway and at first my DH was always shutting the door and then a smell started brewing and yes it did get on our "clean clothes". The washer has a setting to clean the washing machine so I put a little bleach in an ran it on that setting. Now my DH knows to leave the door at least a little open and when I am home alone I try to occasionally open it all the way.
 

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I'm dwn in MB, and our unit has an LG washer/dryer machine. I have never heard o this before! It seems odd. Haven't used it yet. however, it says one load will take 4-41/2 hours to complete, and the clothes will feel a bit damp when the drying cycle is done.

Have any of you used one of these? Yes it only takes up the space of one machine, which my husband has mentioned several times, as we are starting to try and scale things down at home. but I'm still havng a hard time feeling comfortable about such an appliance.

I'll probably do some researching about it while down here, and have some time on my hands.
 

Jennie

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When I needed to replace my washer 18 months ago, I did a ton of on-line and in store research. I finally chose the front loader LG 2688HMW. It is the best machine I've ever had! It has so many different cycles and features but is very simple to figure out w/o even reading the instruction manual. It comes with a video too, which I have yet to watch. (And I still have trouble programming our 12 year old VCR!). The clothes come out so clean and with few wrinkles. Some reviews of other brands had mentioned how tangled and even ripped the clothing gets. My washer has the steam feature but I've never used it. Some of the reviews said it really didn't do much.

There was a lower priced LG available but Home Depot had a special deal on my washer that made it come out cheaper than the lower model :shrug:
I have had no problems whatsoever with my machine and I really love it. I do leave the front door open a bit (an hour or two) after removing the clothes to prevent mold or mildew from forming. I have never had the problem but some reviews indicate that this can be a problem with all front load washers. I guess it may depend upon how humid conditions are in the part of the home where the washer is located. Mine is in a dry well-ventilated basement.

I was recently attending a local school soccer event as a favor to a Mom who had an emergency to take care of. One Mom at the game asked for recommendations for a washer and before I had a chance to speak up, three other Moms almost simultaneously said "LG". I was really surprised because this is not a very well known brand compared to Whirlpool, Kenmore, GE, etc... They were all raving about how clean it gets their kids clothes, especially the mud and dirt on the soccer uniforms.

So I would definitely recommend that you check out LG when shopping for a washer.
 

luvsvacation22

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When I needed to replace my washer 18 months ago, I did a ton of on-line and in store research. I finally chose the front loader LG 2688HMW. It is the best machine I've ever had! It has so many different cycles and features but is very simple to figure out w/o even reading the instruction manual. It comes with a video too, which I have yet to watch. (And I still have trouble programming our 12 year old VCR!). The clothes come out so clean and with few wrinkles. Some reviews of other brands had mentioned how tangled and even ripped the clothing gets. My washer has the steam feature but I've never used it. Some of the reviews said it really didn't do much.

There was a lower priced LG available but Home Depot had a special deal on my washer that made it come out cheaper than the lower model :shrug:
I have had no problems whatsoever with my machine and I really love it. I do leave the front door open a bit (an hour or two) after removing the clothes to prevent mold or mildew from forming. I have never had the problem but some reviews indicate that this can be a problem with all front load washers. I guess it may depend upon how humid conditions are in the part of the home where the washer is located. Mine is in a dry well-ventilated basement.

I was recently attending a local school soccer event as a favor to a Mom who had an emergency to take care of. One Mom at the game asked for recommendations for a washer and before I had a chance to speak up, three other Moms almost simultaneously said "LG". I was really surprised because this is not a very well known brand compared to Whirlpool, Kenmore, GE, etc... They were all raving about how clean it gets their kids clothes, especially the mud and dirt on the soccer uniforms.

So I would definitely recommend that you check out LG when shopping for a washer.

I concur! I love my LG and it gets my son's (who is a lineman on the varsity football team's) clothes clean! I am happy!:cheer:
 
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