Washing Machines
 

Has anyone purchased a new washing machine, I have bought bought two new ones in the past couple of weeks and have had to send them both back, they do not clean well and only shower your clothes and not wash them... I need a machine that fills the tub with Water, not showers them clean.
The one that was delivered yesterday is a GE the one last week was a Samsung.

PS my Husband said he's going shopping for a wash tub and board, I told him we didnt need something that old, a wringer washer would do.


any advise.

If clothes washers have migrated the way dishwashers have in the last years, all I can say is Good Luck! Seems that everything is low water consumption now and, as you say, doesn't clean anything. Add to the mix the fact that all the phosphates have been taken out of the detergents/soaps - we are doomed.

I have a 15 year old Maytag that I'm praying doesn't give up the ghost any time soon. Friends purchased Bosch machines a few years ago and I know had issues initially with them as well.

I'd vote for a top load machine vs a front load. I think you might get higher water levels in those than the front loaders but couldn't really say for sure. Just a guess.

i spent a lot of money on a top load. but it is energy efficient... will not let you set the water temp to hot and will not let you open the lid to add anything after it starts.

I bought a new Speed Queen mechanical washer. A machine with a computer in it for the same three cycles cost $600 more than the mechanical one. I don't understand why we need a computer to do laundry. My old Maytag just stopped working and it was so old, they don't make parts anymore. It was 26 years old and as the mom of 6, I did a ton of laundry in it. It was a workhorse.

I love my whirlpool duet front loaders. Have had them for app 8 years. I can control the temp and just change the cycle and add an extra rinse if needed. That said, I agree they cost way too much just to do laundry. I believe the front loaders are easier on your clothes too, the reason I got them.

I really don't understand the love of the front loading washers..I wish my dryer was a top loader...easier on the back than having to stoop to get clothes out......each time I push the on buttons of both I breathe a sigh of relieve that they start......

I got one of the new types of washers(using less water and detergent). I found if you follow the directions and don't panic over the amount of water used it does a good job. I feel like the clothes are softer than before because of no agitator post I think. Don't use too much detergent. I must add that I do add an extra rinse to any cycle that doesn't have one. Mine lets me add something after it has started.

What I don't like is the life span of these new washers. The salesman told us it was 6-8 years. What??
We replaced a washer that was 25 years old.

So getting one without all the computerization might be a good idea.

This is a quandary of our modern times. We bought our home 7 years ago, when it was a year old. Since then, the only appliance that has not failed (yet) is our GE washer. It's a top loader with an agitator, mechanical. It works well. I suggest that you go on line and read the reviews for the various washers available at your local big box stores, throw out the best review and the worst reviews and pay close attention to the others.

While appliances have different brand names, most are made by the same manufacturers, so there really isn't that much difference in them. I like the washers with the fewest different cycles and the largest capacity possible.

We had a front loader at one time ; perhaps it was my imagination, but it didn't seem to clean well. It died after about 6 years - racking my memory to think what failed and I'm coming up with the drum rotation failed. Apparently it was cheaper to get a new mechanical washer than to fix it, so that's what we did.

When our dryer (also GE) failed, we checked out dryers on line. After our research, we went to Lowes and bought a low end, very few options dryer. It is front loading and has a much bigger dryer drum than the one that failed. We are much happier with it than we were with the old one - and we don't miss the 'extra' special drying cycles at all.

I feel your 'bending over' pain! Put your dryer on a stand if you have the room. That will help your back immensely.

Yes, 6 - 8 years sounds right for the life of the front loaders. And they are expensive to replace!!!

We had a Maytag washer and dryer at the old house for almost 25 years. No problems other than the dryer timer broke. We bought Maytag again for here, 13 years ago. No problems other than the dryer buzzer doesn't work.

The washer is top loader.

If your clothes aren't worn to do dirty, greasy work, just normal wearing, then the fast agitation and lots of water isn't needed. I love my swish top loader. My clothes aren't agitated to death making them look old fast. It has a super water level setting that fills the tub over the clothes level, I can open the lid after starting and it has a hand wash cycle which is the best ever for washing fabric. No threads and no raveling. It's a GE Profile about three years old. I got the dryer to match and it works like dryer should. I have no preference in dryers. I just buy a new dryer when I get a new washer so they match.

Same for me. I love my Whirlpool Duets! I have well water and my clothes come out perfect, no graying from the hard water. My washer and dryer are 12 years old and have never needed any repairs.

I think I had better baby my 25 year old Maytag washer!!

I guess I won't be of any help to you since I have a front loading Maytag that I really like. We've had it for 4 or 5 years and it did need an expensive repair about a year ago but we had an extended warranty so didn't have to pay extra for the repair. The biggest test it gets is DGS's white baseball pants with the ground in red stuff they use on the fields, plus grass stains, a little blood now and then. Those pants come out looking great! Our machine has many different settings for water temp, wash time, etc. Major save on water use and our water is high cost so we appreciate that. I know I sound like a Maytag sales person whenever I talk about it! :) Good luck, hope you find something that works for you.

You ALL are so lucky. I live in an senior housing and we ALL have to go to the one laundry facility in my side of the complex. But they seem to do their duty that they are paid well for (5 quarters for a wash and 4 for a dry!).

I have one of the new Maytag HE top loaders and it cleans just fine. Like Selm said, it uses a lot less water. I use probably half the detergent and water of a regular machine, I can set hot water wash but it only rinses in cold. I can add stuff after it starts and also keep the extra rinse cycle on most of the time.

We bought Maytag Bravo HE top loaders about six months ago, and I LOVE them! But if you're looking for the tub to fill out, I think you have to stay away from the HEs.

I'm knocking on wood like crazy! Both my washer and dryer are ancient...BUT...so far....they are great. I can adjust water temp, open any time I want, and adjust load size. The latch on the dryer door is broken, but a magnet keeps it closed. They are truly work-horses. Over the years my sons have worked at a junk yard, the city maintenance yard, and a printing plant. They challenged me with every kind of gunk/grease/dirt/oil etc known to mankind!! That goes back 15 years...my machines are still chugging away!

For me, top load only. I am very dedicated to Maytags. My mom had a Maytag wringer washer we grew up with until I was in the 8th grade in 1972. Then she got a set of electric Maytags. She worshipped those things. We were a family of 9 and they lasted until 2003 with very few repairs. My first Maytags lasted 16 years, and I am in the 18th year with my current Maytags. We have replaced the belt and heating element on the dryer, and the buzzer stopped working about 6 months ago. Not one repair on the washer yet. Clean, dry clothes every wash.
You are right. Nothing wrong with a wringer. Just don't let my younger sister get her arm near it...

Appliances are not made to last any more. My brother and BIL both can pretty much fix anything. They said that not only are they not made to last they are making them so you can hardly work on them yourself any more. They recommend buying the extended warranty. When we bought our TV Costco had the best, least expensive warranty. Also American Express added an extra year for free if you used it to buy the product. I'm not sure if they still do that or not.

We had to buy a new washer and I REFUSED to buy an energy efficient one because they do not use enough water. My husband gets his clothing really dirty and sometimes greasy (restores old cars) and I knew they would not get clean in the new washers. Finally found one that wasn't an energy efficient one and it does a fine job and uses regular detergent. Could not find a dishwasher that was not energy efficient and it does NOT do the job the old one did. I hate it when you have to wash dishes before you wash dishes!

I just bought a new dishwasher and they make them so they run for 2 hours!!! (lots of soak time) to be more energy efficient. I don't think they are as clean also. I'm ready to go back to doing them by hand. I have also come to the conclusion to not buy the top of the line appliances since they are all junk that you have to replace prematurely.

6-8 yrs as a lifespan for the front loaders seems right. The newest Frigidaire front loader we have lasted just about 6 til the bearing went recently. Our local appliance store sells all Frigidaire. I'm trying to decide whether or not to go with another washer from that store or shop farther. For now I'm going to the laundromat where there are nice, big, New front loaders and better water than we have here.

We bought a Crosley washing machine and dryer about 8 yrs . ago, and have not had a minutes worth of problem. I had never heard of the brand, but the clothes are always clean, it has every cycle possible on it, and uses enough water to get everything nice and clean.
The dryer does a super job also.
Good luck with your search! A local harware store had them, so suppose go online to find the name Croslley.
Mariah

Ours is a top loader. It's like beating clothes on a rock...the clothes are wet, but just tossed on the paddles. I washed a small baby quilt in it, and it couldn't handle even that much weight on the spin cycle. Had to take them down to my mother's and spin them out in her 35+ year old washer. My nephew bought a commercial Speed Queen for a duplex he rents out. They are still made in America. It's a top loader. Personally, I think all these "improvements"....aren't!!!

When I got married the first time, I got my grandmothers wringer washer and the double tub. No one wanted it. I had that washer for almost 2 years. It was probably 20-25 yrs or older when we got it. I cried really hard when it started smoking. The motor in it was done and no parts. My clothes were so clean. In the winter I used the dryer on loads that didn't go on the line. I could start my laundry in the morning when I got up and have it all done by 9:00 and put away. in the past 20 years we've been through 4 washers and on our 2nd dryer and the dryer's end is near. washer is rusted and will need to be replaced soon. I wipe it when I'm done but it sits out in the utility shed on the carport out of the weather but humidity is still there. :(

I went back to doing dishes by hand. Our water bill has gone down significantly. I put the dishes into the sink with nothing but the hottest water and let them soak while I do other things. Running a dishwasher for 2 hours never made sense to me. When I can have them actually done with in 1/2 hour and put away. I hated having to load my dishwasher a certain way and no matter how hard trying not to let the utensils nest they would anyway. I would just have to rewash so what's the point of the dw?

Oh, my.

We started out with a gray square tubbed wringer washer, and two galvanized squarish rinse tubs. Wash DAY was a production. We carried the water to the machines and tubs and carried the water away.

When I got a new White maytag wringer washer and had cement rinse tubs where I used a hose to fill the machine and just drained the water into a floor drain - WOW - what an improvement. Still dried the clothes on lines or drying racks, but life was much better.

I do have a washer and dryer now. The washer is a Maytag suds saver - circa 1990. It has been repaired a few times, but I still use it.

A few years ago we lived in a small town. Our washer went out and we were so busy, had no time to go shopping. My DH said he saw 3 Maytags for sale in the adjoining city for $50 each. He brought one home and plugged it in and it is still going strong 6 years later. I think we will do that again when this one goes out ! Try buying a used washer.

I had to replace my 24 year old Whirlpool about 3 weeks ago. It was a top loader, agitator, I set the water level and temp. for whatever I was washing. I knew I wanted another Whirlpool as I had such great results with my old one. As I was looking and reading about the new washers I picked the one I thought I wanted, a heavy duty top load, agitator which was about $650. I was buying from a local family business that I have done business with for the last 45 years. The owner gave me plenty of time to determine which one I wanted before she came over to help me. Then she made a suggestion - the one I picked was computer driven, meaning it weighted the clothes, chose the water level and the temp and had to use the high efficient detergent AND only had a ONE year warranty. She steered me to another model, a Whirlpool that was a heavy duty, top load, agitator that lets me choose the water level and temp and lets me pause it if I need to add something after it had started its cycle AND came with a 10 year warranty AND a price of $450. I am blessed to live in a small town with expert retail and service people that I have known for a long time.

the new washers all stink but I did find a top loader at Home Depot it does not have the settings of my old washer and I have to keep it set on super wash all the time to get it to do anything but spray I can fill it with hot water for my whites but if I want warm water I have to watch it and set by hand no hand cycle or small load like my old machine so to get water everything is washed on super load therefore using much more water and electricity than my old machine I have heard many people say this

:thumbup::thumbup: ... We think alike. I have a 30 yr old dishwasher that looks brand new ... seldom if ever use it !!

I really like my dishwasher but if or when it goes I to will wash by hand I gave not heard one good thing on the new ones I think all things are now made in China

I have an LG front loading machine -- I really like it. I use less detergent, can set the water temp, can add additional water (which I do as we have low water pressure here). I think the clothes are cleaner and they certainly last longer. I did not replace my dryer when I bought the washer, the dryer technology hadn't changed. It also takes less time for my clothes to dry as I use the high speed spin cycle.

We bought a new washer and dryer last year to go in our new house. They are Electrolux front loaders and we put them on pedestles so we don't have to bend over to get into them. So far we love them but time will tell as far as how long they last. I was a bit freaked out when I first started using them since you hardly see any water in them. But the clothes come out clean, and they spin out so much water they dry really fast.

We left the old set in the house we sold. They were Whirlpool top loaders about 16 years old and still working except the dryer senser didn't work and we always had to start it a second time to get clothes dry.

A year or so ago I contemplated starting to shop for a new washer as mine is getting way up there in years. I did some comparisons , and the higher cost of the new "efficient" models would take me 12 years or more to recover the higher price. So don't assume that the value or savings of the highly efficient but costly machines will indeed pay for itself.
When mine finally quits I will go low tech, stripped down, basic machine.

Go to the nearest second hand appliance store and ask for an old Kenmore or Hotpoint washer. They work until they rust away. I bought mine second hand eight years ago, and they are still going strong. I always add the Oxyclean type cleaner from the dollar store, to my regular detergent and my clothes look like new.

Yeah, I bought a new HE top loading model about a year ago, and I keep hoping it will die. I don't like that it doesn't fill with water when I want it to- I feel like the clothes are not being rinsed enough! It will probably be just a matter of time till there's a law about how long our showers can be and how much soap we're allowed to use!