We have to buy a new washer. Advice welcomed.

[Laurie2]

Good morning,

We will be buying a new washer soon. The laundry room space does not allow a good fit for a front-loader so a top-loader it will be.

I would like the washer to have the following:

Stainless tub.

Capacity to handle bedspreads and such.

Quiet. And stays balanced.

A reasonable choice of cycles, especially to include a very short cycle when doing just a few things.

Gentle on clothes. (I think not having an agitator might make for a kinder, gentler washer. -- But I do not want to fall in on my head when trying to reach the bottom. I am 5' 4".)

I have been reading reviews, but just when I think something looks like a possibility, I run across a terrible review.

If anyone out there has a recommendation for a new washer, please let me know. Or if there is one you have bought recently that you do not like, I would like to know that, too.

Thank you.

Washer Woman Laurie

[Villager1970]

I know this sounds like a joke, but it isn't. We have an LG. It is not on a pedestal. I cannot reach the clothes on the bottom of the washer. I need to use a grabber. I'm 5'2.

[graciegirl]

We are awfully satisfied with the Maytags we brought with us. One is older than the other. I think the oldest is 12

Where is some wood to knock on?

[vinricci]

As a 10 year appliance salesperson, I would stay away from Maytag. It is owned by Whirlpool which also owns Roper, Kitchenaid, Admiral and Amana. LG and Samsung are not perfect but usually well constructed. S. Korean workers live at their factories and if they get fired they not only lose their job, but homes, insurance etc. I think the only appliance that's American made is Viking and they are super expensive. I own an LG model WM1101 top load.

[Lauren Sweeny]

When shopping for your washer try reaching onto the bottom to see if it is comfortable for you. Investigate front loaders. They used to have a terrible odor from the water that remains in the hoses ,rim gasket ( I would wipe mine out after each use) and any internal reservoir . Go on YouTube and type in "front loading washer " to see some problems owners had.
Take the time to research , go to several big box stores ( Lowes, HG Gregg , Sears , Best Buy And Home Depot have there people explain the qualities ,differences and their most sold washers. Each may have a sale, 1 yr. same as cash, interest free etc, promotion now or soon. Good luck on your quest!

[CFrance]

I really dislike my top-load Sears water-saver. It is like the Cabriole (sp), top of the line Sears (whoever that is; Sears doesn't make appliances). It does all the things you asked for. Except get the clothes clean.

However, I have made peace with it by using Tide liquid (not the tabs--not enough detergent), a Tide whatchacallit stain remover tab, setting the machine to heavy wash rather than normal, and always using a second rinse. These machines just don't use enough water to get the clothes clean otherwise--at least not our clothes.

Having said that, there are several selections, including rinse/spin, delicates, spin/drain, and enough room to wash a set of king size sheets. I will say, however, that no washer is going to stay balanced if you don't load it correctly, unless it's a front loader.

We had a front loader for 16 years. It was still going strong when we sold it with the condo in MI, and boy do I miss it. I wish I hadn't listened to all the hype about water savers. But maybe today's front loaders don't use enough water either.

I have heard good things about LG washers. I've had experience with LG French door refrigerators and dishwashers, and I guess the Koreans were all sick that day.

[sunnyatlast]

Fisher Paykel, sold at Lowes in Lady Lake and in Leesburg.

Their machines are total workhorses. From New Zealand, they've been in the U.S. market for about 12 years. They also make top-load dryers so people of average height or taller don't have to stand on their head to see into the back of a front-load dryer.

https://www.fisherpaykel.com/us/laundry/washing-machines/washing-machine/

https://www.fisherpaykel.com/us/company/

[tuccillo]

We have Kenmore front loader washer and dryer on pedestals. They fit fine in the laundry room. 11 years old and not a single issue.

Good morning,

We will be buying a new washer soon. The laundry room space does not allow a good fit for a front-loader so a top-loader it will be.

I would like the washer to have the following:

Stainless tub.

Capacity to handle bedspreads and such.

Quiet. And stays balanced.

A reasonable choice of cycles, especially to include a very short cycle when doing just a few things.

Gentle on clothes. (I think not having an agitator might make for a kinder, gentler washer. -- But I do not want to fall in on my head when trying to reach the bottom. I am 5' 4".)

I have been reading reviews, but just when I think something looks like a possibility, I run across a terrible review.

If anyone out there has a recommendation for a new washer, please let me know. Or if there is one you have bought recently that you do not like, I would like to know that, too.

Thank you.

Washer Woman Laurie

[D&Lsunfun]

I purchased a Sears top loader, it lasted two years, first the bearings in the tub then the locking lid control broke. Both repairs were more than a new washer. My next purchased was
a Samsung, because it had a low noise rating, which it does run smoothly and quiet. It was installed in November and satisfied.

[NotGolfer]

Kenmore is made by Maytag...or used to be, just as an FYI. We watched the commentary on the recent news (WKMG) that spoke of the life-spans of appliances. They recommended not getting top of the line, latest models as the life-spans now are approx 5 to 6 yrs. Definately NOT made the way they used to be. Our throw-away society probably is always looking to the "newest best" thing so that's the mind-set. I'd go with the posters who recommended the 2 or 3 others, that have a better track-record then all the rest.

Don't we ALL remember purchasing that appliance that lasted nearly "our" life-time because it was considered a major purchase??

[NYGUY]

We are happy with our Samsung HE (no agitator) top load washer and dryer.

[jnieman]

Many of the newer washers are low water machines. Some of the settings on ours put so little water in the tub that it hardly gets the clothes wet and you cannot change the amount of water yourself. We have just two cycles, bulky and hand wash on our Maytag Bravo that will put in enough water.
The normal cycle just puts in about 5 inches of water for a whole load. I just cannot get used to it so I use the handwash cycle for everything except bulky things.

[chuckinca]

Kenmore is made by Maytag...or used to be, just as an FYI.


From Wikipedia:

"Kenmore Appliances is a brand of household appliances sold by Sears since 1927. The products are currently[when?] produced by manufacturers such as Whirlpool, GE, Panasonic, Sanyo, LG, Bosch, Electrolux, and Mabe Mexico."

.

[Boston Buckeye]

Look at Speed Queen--can be found at Setzer's in Ocala. Ratings by users have been excellent. Made in Wisconsin.

[outahere]

I haven't looked to see if any appliance stores carry them around here, but we brought a Speed Queen washer and dryer with us from MA. They are commercial grade (the same brand you see at a lot of laundromats) and we have not had any problems. The washer has several different cycles, and even the longest one is not very long - maybe 15 - 20 minutes, and it cleans well on all the cycles.

[Whimsey]

When we moved here going on 2 years ago we purchased the Samsung Steam Front Loader washer and dryer. Love love love them both. The washer gets clothes super clean - it even gets stains out. Yes I wipe it down after each wash cycle around and under the rim so I don't get any oder but it is well worth it. We bought the pedestals as they put the machines at just the right height - easy to reach in an get laundry out. This will be great as I age and can't bend over quite as easily. It is definitely not the least expensive way to go but I love clean laundry so I am happy. Good luck with your choice.

[gap2415]

We took back our top loader and purchased a Samsung Front Loader without pedestal. Works excellently and not a problem. The high efficiency top loader didn't get the clothes clean and in some instances didn't have enough water even with the extra deep feature to do its job. They charged us $275 to return it within 48 hours but worth getting rid of it! Go Samsung or LG.

[2newyorkers]

Do not buy a Maytag agitator-less top loader. It leaves tiny pinholes in your clothes and destroys your towels. Had 3 different maintenance men in to complain and each had a different suggestion. None of the suggestions worked.

[CFrance]

Many of the newer washers are low water machines. Some of the settings on ours put so little water in the tub that it hardly gets the clothes wet and you cannot change the amount of water yourself. We have just two cycles, bulky and hand wash on our Maytag Bravo that will put in enough water.
The normal cycle just puts in about 5 inches of water for a whole load. I just cannot get used to it so I use the handwash cycle for everything except bulky things.
Serious question, jnieman. How can you tell how much water it is using. Does it have a glass top?

[wisbad1]

I also have LG,washer &dryer. love them, but found out hard way HH Greg does not do service. had guy coming from Orlando 6 times before LG replaced washer. didn't have same model so they up graded to next bigger.Took over a year ! But happy now,lots of stress.

[asianthree]

Did you try consumers report.

[jnieman]

Serious question, jnieman. How can you tell how much water it is using. Does it have a glass top?

Yes the washer has a glass top. Easy to see.

[Karenu]

I haven't looked to see if any appliance stores carry them around here, but we brought a Speed Queen washer and dryer with us from MA. They are commercial grade (the same brand you see at a lot of laundromats) and we have not had any problems. The washer has several different cycles, and even the longest one is not very long - maybe 15 - 20 minutes, and it cleans well on all the cycles.

We bought these from ABC Appliance and love them. They are made in the USA.

[Laurie2]

Thank you to all for your kind responses.

Here's what's going on......

We are downsizing the northern part of our lives so we can be in TV more. We will not have to rush back in early spring to take care of a big yard.

The only drawback I have found about the northern place we are buying is my Electrolux front-loaders would have a hard time fitting because of the door coming into the laundry room from the garage. -- I could have learned to accept the front of the washer being half-way across the door's trim, but then the washer's knob became my nemesis.

It is a close call but the knob sticks out enough to get in the way. And because they are on pedestals, we would have to move cabinets above and repaint and.......it just would turn into a big rigmarole when all we want to do is simplify our northern lives. (We have done a lot of work on houses over the years and now it is time to stop doing that. We just want to move in.)

And....so....I must say goodbye to my lovely front-loaders. For 5 years, I have honored and cherished that washer. I have faithfully wiped it out. I have never abandoned it with a load of laundry in it. Its door remains open except when it is working. I run Clorox through it on a regular basis. And, in return, my front-loader has never given me a bit of trouble. -- and it has never torn up our clothes like my last washer did.

But, alas, my front-loaders cannot go with us. I hope they find happiness with their new owner. I will miss those loyal machines. I try to tell myself it has been 5 years together so they might be planning to mess up, anyway.

Please continue with suggestions. I am reading every one of them. Thank you.

But I sure will miss those front loaders.....sniff....sniff

Soap-Gets-In-My-Eyes Laurie

[leftyf]

We bought a new Samsung front load washer and dryer last year and just love them. They are too short and we didn't like the pedestals, so I build a cabinet to set them on that raises them to about 1" form the overhead cabinets. I bought matching cabinets from Lowes and took the fronts off and used them on my cabinets. Works beautiful, the washer and dryer are the perfect height and there is lots of storage underneath for detergents, etc.

[Laurie2]

leftyf,

The idea you shared about building your own pedestals sounds like a really good one.

The front-loaders I have to leave behind have pedestals, but I remember being so aggravated at paying 250 dollars EACH for them. Your idea to design and build your own might help someone else who wants a front-loader but does not want those store-bought pedestals. -- I still remember feeling "had" by the price we paid for those pedestals. -- I sure do like that washer though.

But I now must face the reality that the easiest solution in the new laundry room will have to be a top-loader.

[Sandtrap328]

Be sure to check with both Lowes and Home Depot. One of them (or both) give a 10 percent discount to veterans on everything. You just have to show your VA card as proof of service. I do not think they take other evidence as proof.

[Topspinmo]

If you want to know who makes what brands of appliances go to appliance411.com

[Laurie2]

I haven't looked to see if any appliance stores carry them around here, but we brought a Speed Queen washer and dryer with us from MA. They are commercial grade (the same brand you see at a lot of laundromats) and we have not had any problems. The washer has several different cycles, and even the longest one is not very long - maybe 15 - 20 minutes, and it cleans well on all the cycles.


I never would have thought about Speed Queen. I remember though when my mom got her "fancy" new Speed Queen when I was a little kid. (Lots of people still had wringer washers then.)

I am reading more about Speed Queen now.

Thank you to all who have commented and advised. I hope the thread will continue.

Choosing new appliances is not easy. Built in obsolescence is a foregone conclusion with way too many of these things. All bells and whistles and not enough getting the job done.

And I just read that the amount of water a washer can use will be regulated soon. Within a decade, we might all be going around smelling like the Elizabethans.

[cmj1210]

I never would have thought about Speed Queen. I remember though when my mom got her "fancy" new Speed Queen when I was a little kid. (Lots of people still had wringer washers then.)



I am reading more about Speed Queen now.



Thank you to all who have commented and advised. I hope the thread will continue.



Choosing new appliances is not easy. Built in obsolescence is a foregone conclusion with way too many of these things. All bells and whistles and not enough getting the job done.



And I just read that the amount of water a washer can use will be regulated soon. Within a decade, we might all be going around smelling like the Elizabethans.


My sister recently got rid of her high end washer & dryer which she hated & went with a Speed Queen which she loves. They get very good reviews.

[BobandMary]

Buy a big, old, energy inefficient one that works! When you find it, please tell us the make and model. Our washer looks great but stinks.

[CFrance]

Buy a big, old, energy inefficient one that works! When you find it, please tell us the make and model. Our washer looks great but stinks.
Agree! They're finally making low-flush johns that actually flush. It only took 20+ years. Hope they come with low-water washers that actually wash before another twenty years.:cus:

[dbussone]

Agree! They're finally making low-flush johns that actually flush. It only took 20+ years. Hope they come with low-water washers that actually wash before another twenty years.:cus:

CF - we've had a low water usage washer for 8 years and thru 2 moves. It's a front loading Samsung and it runs like a fine clock. I'd get another in a heartbeat.

[CFrance]

CF - we've had a low water usage washer for 8 years and thru 2 moves. It's a front loading Samsung and it runs like a fine clock. I'd get another in a heartbeat.
That sounds great, DB, but I wonder what the new ones are doing.

[dbussone]

Agree! They're finally making low-flush johns that actually flush. It only took 20+ years. Hope they come with low-water washers that actually wash before another twenty years.:cus:


Have you selected a washer yet? I'd be interested in your final decision. Good luck!

[Laurie2]

Looks like it will be Speed Queen for us.

Thank you to all for your help. I think anecdotal advice often is the most helpful of all.

(Maybe it's just me, but I kind of like it when posters let us know what they decided to do after getting advice here on appliances, decorating, etc. -- I don't know if that makes me a tidier of loose ends......or.......just.......uh......curious. Yes! That's it. Curious.)

Or am I......

Nosy Rosie Laurie? (Blush)

So anyway, Speed Queen it will be.

[Buffalo Jim]

Question : Where can we purchase " Speed Queen " products around here ?

Also any recommendations for brand / model of electric dryers ? Thanks !

[Laurie2]

Question : Where can we purchase " Speed Queen " products around here ?

Also any recommendations for brand / model of electric dryers ? Thanks !

We are buying our Speed Queen from a Mom & Pop store for our new northern house. We are downsizing on the northern end so we can spend more time in our house in TV. No more rushing back to maintain a big yard.

Our new dryer will be Speed Queen, too. The place where we will buy has really good things to say about Speed Queen, even though they sell several brands. They do their own repairs so they know what happens after-market to the machines and said they see fewer problems with Speed Queen. -- Speed Queen is located in Wisconsin, I think.

If you do not find your answer here to where Speed Queen is sold near TV, you might be able to find a "store locator" section on the Speed Queen website.

[outahere]

Looks like it will be Speed Queen for us.

Thank you to all for your help. I think anecdotal advice often is the most helpful of all.

(Maybe it's just me, but I kind of like it when posters let us know what they decided to do after getting advice here on appliances, decorating, etc. -- I don't know if that makes me a tidier of loose ends......or.......just.......uh......curious. Yes! That's it. Curious.)

Or am I......

Nosy Rosie Laurie? (Blush)

So anyway, Speed Queen it will be.

I think you will like Speed Queen. We've had our Speed Queen washer and dryer for several years without any problems.

Question : Where can we purchase " Speed Queen " products around here ?

Also any recommendations for brand / model of electric dryers ? Thanks !

The Speed Queen web site shows several places near TV, with the closest one being on 441/27 in Fruitland Park. Look under "Where to buy" on their web site for others.

[dbussone]

We just had an appliance repairman here and asked him which washer he thought was best. He said, in all regards, the current top of the line Whirlpool top loader. We're not in the market, but I asked him knowing this thread was still alive.

[Laurie2]

I think you will like Speed Queen. We've had our Speed Queen washer and dryer for several years without any problems.



The Speed Queen web site shows several places near TV, with the closest one being on 441/27 in Fruitland Park. Look under "Where to buy" on their web site for others.

Thank you.

I just now looked at speedqueen.com and saw that both TV and our northern location list only Mom & Pop appliance stores. I really like our northern Mom & Pop. I wish I had checked for a small local store when we bought new appliances for our TV house, but we were strangers in a strange land so we automatically went to 27 to the big box stores. Ended up defaulting to HD just because Lowe's was so understaffed that day.

[outahere]

Thank you.

I just now looked at speedqueen.com and saw that both TV and our northern location list only Mom & Pop appliance stores.

I'm pretty sure that Speed Queen only sells through independent appliance stores. When we bought ours in MA, I could not find that brand anywhere but a few local appliance stores. I did check a few stores, and the prices were pretty much the same at all of them.

[Laurie2]

My new Speed Queen washer and dryer arrived today. They come with a choice of a mechanical or an electronic dial. I got the electronic version. Speed Queen tested their electronics for a while in laundromats before bringing them to the residential market.

The manual says to use HE detergent which I already had planned to do. I think maybe suds in detergent are just for their psychological effect, anyway. -- But I could be making that up.

I think I am going to really like these simple, sturdy machines.

I just wanted to follow up to tell you how it all turned out. Thanks for your help.

[Bay Kid]

GE top loader is what I purchased.

[Bay Kid]

Also look at adding a Purewash system. This is great around $200. NO hot water or detergent. Everything smells great!