Washers and Dryers

[phillyman36]

Looking at getting a new washer and dryer. From what ive read so far it seems i should go with either a front loader or HE top loader. Just wonder what people have/suggest on the forum as far as brand, model etc etc. Thanks for any info

 

[kranky]

Of the people I have talked to who have new washers, the majority hate them. People with front loaders say their washers smell, some say it makes their clothes smell too. People with Energy Star washers say dirty clothes don't get clean unless they wash them twice. They are loaded with electronics that cost a fortune to fix if they break. One person had their washer break after 3 years and the company couldn't even fix it - the control panel they needed wasn't made any longer and they didn't have any!

I'm dreading the day when ours breaks.

 

[Soundmanred]

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[marvdmartian]

I'd say it depends entirely on how much laundry you do. Personally, I'm lucky to do 1 large wash load per week, maybe 2 tops. Why invest a couple thousand dollars into a washer/dryer set, that's sitting unused for 90% of the time??

My last set was Whirlpool, and it lasted >10 years. My current set is Whirlpool, and it's lasted almost 6 years, so far, since I bought it. Both sets cost ~$700. This new set is a high capacity, which I'd definitely recommend (especially if you're doing a lot of laundry!).

 

[rcpratt]

Bought an LG front-load with steam dryer thingy in November. Haven't used it yet.

 

[jaha2000]

Have LG front loaders that i got a few years ago...
You have to leave the door of the washer open or it will start to stink...

Other than that they are great...
I would recommend either buying the stands or building a platform for them.

 

[CraigRT]

LG LG LG LG LG LG LG LG LG LG LG LG LG LG LG LG LG LG

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This
I just bought a new LG HE top loader, the thing is awesome. Clothes are clean and smell fine (not musty like some) and even when you open the top it smells fine inside.

Also its so quiet I have zero issues hearing the TV when I'm chilling on the couch. (My laundry room is very close to my TV)

 

[notposting]

We bought a Frigidaire full size stacked unit in late 2008. Still works fine, front load HE washer, keep the door open and check the gasket occasionally and all is fine. I worked construction, we have a toddler, certainly get our clothes dirty and it has never needed extra cycles or anything. Uses a lot less water than a tub washer, definitely very quiet.

Will run a bleach only wash every 3-6 months, otherwise we don't even use HE detergents (using Charlie's Soap now). Standard dial controls so should be a lot cheaper to fix if ever needed.

 

[EagleKeeper]

LG LG LG LG LG LG LG LG LG LG LG LG LG LG LG LG LG LG

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Two years ago from Home Depot - End of year clearance.

Wife, daughter and granddaughter love it.

 

[thedarkwolf]

I'd say it depends entirely on how much laundry you do. Personally, I'm lucky to do 1 large wash load per week, maybe 2 tops. Why invest a couple thousand dollars into a washer/dryer set, that's sitting unused for 90% of the time??

My last set was Whirlpool, and it lasted >10 years. My current set is Whirlpool, and it's lasted almost 6 years, so far, since I bought it. Both sets cost ~$700. This new set is a high capacity, which I'd definitely recommend (especially if you're doing a lot of laundry!).

Same here. I have a set of old Whirlpools probably 20 years old that I got for free when another family member upgraded. One foot on the washer has rotted off from sitting in a wet basement for so long but a block of wood fixed that. They work great for me and I pay the minimum on my water bill so no reason to buy new expensive ones. If I were going to upgrade anything it would be the dryer to gas but it still wouldn't be anything fancy.

 

[LegendKiller]

We are getting the LG 5070 and 5170. We don't want a front loader (who cares about looks).

If you want something that's bare bones but is said to last longer (and made in the USA) look at a Speed Queen.

 

[WackyDan]

We have some basic Whirlpool washer and dryer I bought in 03... Both have been reliable and get the job done for I think a total of $600 investment at the time.

My friend bitches about her fancy HE front loader all the time in that it gets funked up and smells bad. The washer alone was probably $1500.

Sorry... But that extra coin for HE isn't going to pay off for a long time. I can't see investing over $2k in something designed to wash your clothes.

 

[MiniDoom]

Have LG front loaders that i got a few years ago...
You have to leave the door of the washer open or it will start to stink...

This...

 

[CraigRT]

We are getting the LG 5070 and 5170. We don't want a front loader (who cares about looks).

I have this one: http://www.lg.com/ca_en/washing-machines/lg-WT4801CW-top-load-washer
It is a great machine.

 

[rcpratt]

These are the ones we got: washer, dryer. Too much for washer/dryer, but at least we got a good deal.

 

[iamwiz82]

These are the ones we got: washer, dryer. Too much for washer/dryer, but at least we got a good deal.

I have the same basic one, but a few years older. It's been run 2-3 a week for the past 6-7 years and have never had a problem. Love them.

 

[Canun]

Went the cheapo route and got Samsung front loading washer and dryer. In total spent about $700, and they work great. Never had a problem with smelly washer or clothes. One thing I did notice is that the HE washer usually have a much longer wash time than regular washers.

***edit - got them at Frye's, which was the best deal we found anywhere.

 

[SandEagle]

i need new washer/dryer too.

should i let Home Depot haul away the old ones or should i put them out on craigslist?

 

[Canun]

i need new washer/dryer too.

should i let Home Depot haul away the old ones or should i put them out on craigslist?

Sell em cheap, no refunds, and have them pick them up. Had a great set that I bought in college for $40 that lasted for years.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Just add a cup of white vinegar to the prewash cycle occasionally and the washer will not stink.

I like my LG front loader., but every other major appliance in my home is now Maytag. They are assembled here in the U.S. and I have been very happy with the quality and styling.

 

[spacejamz]

Bought my Samsungs on Black Friday 2008 and haven't had any problems with bad odors or anything else...I leave the door open...

 

[rsutoratosu]

I have own my LG front loader from 2007. I do notice the smell but it wasn't bad, so once a while I do the tub clean. Now they sell the tub cleaning stuff...

Before I just add some bleach and turn on tub cleaning..

 

[destrekor]

My folks have a washer and dryer that I think are both around 25 years old.

The dryer (gas) recently stopped working, and my folks were starting to look at new models. Coworkers and friends had told them to try and get it fixed, to avoid new models if the old ones can be kept around.
The dryer has received new belts since then, but otherwise is original equipment.

From my own research on the topic, it definitely seems unheard of to get 10+ years out of most dryers today. Just another case of "they don't build them like they used to."

Based on what they told me, I too strongly believed it was only a belt after doing a bit of google-fu: it sounded like it was "on", thus suggesting the motor was fine; it continued to produce heat (thus, the gas heating element was fine); it just didn't spin.

A serviceman replaced the belt, and another part or two (tensioner and perhaps something else) for about $150. If the dryer continues to work until the next time a belt is needed, that will be a hell of a deal compared to buying a $500+ dryer that will be cheaper to replace in a decade.

 

[Murloc]

the new models are built to self-destroy after a set amount of time (kinda like some cars) and to be impossible to repair so you buy a new one (like most electronic products nowadays).
I've always had front-loading machines and they don't stink, and neither do the clothes.
I'd think it's a given that when something is wet, your air it out (like if you wash a thermos bottle: do you close it to let it dry or leave it open?), but I see that for some people it isn't.

 

[OSULugan]

I'd think it's a given that when something is wet, your air it out (like if you wash a thermos bottle: do you close it to let it dry or leave it open?), but I see that for some people it isn't.

I think it is more attributable to people not being used to leaving the washer open when transitioning from a top-load to a front-load washer. In a top-load washer, no gasket to seal the door up is necessary, so even if the cover is closed, the thing will dry just fine. With a front-load, that isn't possible. People just don't think about it/aren't used to it, and so they don't do it.