[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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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]

Originally Posted by CFrance

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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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]

Originally Posted by Laurie2

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.