Washer/Dryer Opinions Needed!!
 

Okay. I've been reading a post about color catchers and see lots of comments pro and con front loading machines. I'm getting ready to buy a new washer and dryer in the next few weeks and am leaning toward a HE front loader. Throw those opinion at me - why should I buy or not buy a front loading machine? I know I can count on you guys to tell me like it is!! Thanks!!

I bought a Maytag HE front loader washer and the matching dryer. I use the recipe for home made soap in it. I have had no trouble at all and have owned it 1 year. The clerk told me to leave the door open after I finished using it to make sure the rubber seal was thoroughly dried each time or it would develop an odor. No problem. I leave it open until it is dry and I have no odor. It cleans wonderfully, saves on water. It super spins so the clothes go into the dryer drier and the dryer uses less electricity. Most of the clothes come out of the dryer, go on hangers and go straight into the closet. I bought the raised drawers for the units to sit on to save bending over. I totally love everything about both machines.

I love my HE front loader- it uses much less water and is so much easier on the fabrics than the old top loader. Only drawback for me is that I can no longer felt in the machine.

Have a front loader....works wonderful. The only draw back that I see is that when you are unable to 'soak' in it. Other than that, I leave the door on the washer open until dry and there is no order

I love my front loader -- have owned it for over 10 years. I use less soap and water. I can stuff a sleeping bag into it, and it comes out thoroughly wetted and cleaned, whereas in my agitator machine it just floated in the same position through the cycles and came out with clumps of wet powdered detergent folded into it. I have successfully felted mittens and pieces of woolen sweaters that I cut up and use for pot holder innards. They don't have an agitator to get tangled in a length of fabric. My old machine's agitator once got tangled in a bra and ripped the straps off, and once got tangled up with a sleeveless shell and stretched one armhole to elephant proportions. I'll never go back. Oh, and I used to live downstairs from a woman who had a machine with an agitator that pumped up and down. It was like having a trampoline squad living overhead.

If you're wanting a front-loading washer, for the size, you can get the same in a top-loader. I have an LG, which is every bit as big as most front-loaders. It's HE and has no agitator.

Have front load, LOVE IT!!! LOL, but I would consider getting the stands also, to cut down on bending. I didn't because I didn't think it would make a difference but now I think it would!

About the dryer - if you are in an area where natural gas is available, consider a gas dryer. We had one and it was so much more economical than an electric one.

I'm one of the ones who posted about the color catchers and had to have the repair person come out. Now I and everyone on here know about this so it isn't an issue any more. Anytime there is a new product that comes on the market something like that can happen but once you know you also know to take measures like pinning it to the fabric or putting it in a mesh bag to keep it out of the pump. Years ago it happened to a friend of mine with a baby sock and a top loading washer.

I love my Maytag front loader HE washer. It uses less water, it senses how big your load is and fills it accordingly so you save on your water. I can honestly say that my water and electricity bill went down when I got my set. You can wash more clothes at a time with a front loader than a top loader. I use the laundry detergent at the store that says HE on it which is easy to find even in the cheaper brands and it works great. If I could go out now and do it all over again knowing what I know I'd buy the same ones again. It was and is a good investment. I think that with all appliances though if you can afford it buy the best warranty plan you can afford to get you thru the most yrs. This is only the second washer I've owned in 23 yrs and I've only had this one for 1 1/2 yrs so that tells you how long the other one lasted. Actually it was still working but I put it out to pastor when the outside housing rusted away from the frame and it really made a lot of noise when it ran. I figured 21 1/2 yrs was good enough. I hope I'm half as lucky with this one.

My front loader has a soak feature so that isn't with all front loaders.