Originally Posted by quilt1950
My first washer (not the Maytag) lasted 25 years. Now they are expected to last 10 years. I find that very annoying.
My first washing machine of my own was a Kenmore; it also lasted about 25 yrs. (Ouch, I'm getting old!) I can't remember the brands but my next machine was a front loader. I liked the water/detergent savings but it died at the 8 yr mark.
With my first front loader, I came home one day to the sound of a cement mixer in my basement. I asked my boyfriend, "what's that noise?" He says, "Oh, its just the washing machine." Huh? Being female, I ran down and stopped the washer, thinking that something is wrong, don't make it worse, call the repairman. His thinking, being male, was to let it run to completion, take out the laundry, then throw in another load. Huh?!!
Turns out neither approach would have worked in the long run. If I remember correctly, the bearings on the main shaft had rusted to the point of failure and couldn't be fixed. I liked the front loader style so I went out and bought another one. Four years later it's still going strong but I'm waiting for that fateful day when I come home to hear another cement mixer in the basement! :-)
In the meantime, a couple of observations/points:
1. I've heard/read more than once that the front loaders typically fail at the ten year mark. Given the hefty purchase price, I expect longevity!
2. There are times I have really missed the high-speed spin cycle on the top loaders. The front loader does most things okay but there are those rare times...
3. The front loaders are gentler on the clothes but I'm noticing that my whites are not staying white; they eventually pick up a grey(?) tinge that all the non-chlorine bleach and OxyClean won't touch. Maybe it's the fabrics now-a-days -- anyone else experience this?
Long & short of it, sorry for the long post, I think I'll buy a top loader next time. They're coming out with ones now that are gentler than the ones from years back. JMHO.