Washing Machine

[MossRoad]

We've had 3 washing machines in 35 years. The first one we bought used for $100 in 1985, and left it with the house when we sold it in 1996. The 2nd came with the house we are currently in in 1995. It was still working when we sold it 8ish years ago and got matching Speedqueens. Never had one fail. Guess we're lucky. k-nock on wood.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

We had one quit on us a few months back. The one that quit we got secondhand, and we'd been using it for 10 years.

We needed one quick, fast, and in a hurry. For some reason due to covid, at that time at least, washing machines were in short supply.

We found ONE in stock that we could purchase without waiting for months on backorder. It was $870. That hurt! We searched all Lowe's and Home Depots within a reasonable driving distance.

This was one they weren't supposed to sell too. I can't remember what kind of inventory they called it but it wasn't supposed to be one they could sell at the time, we had to make a few phone calls to get it authorized to sell.

It's nice though. If we get 10+ years out of it I'll be happy.

 

[Oaktree]

All the new ones are basically the same...Junk. I have a wringer in the shop for towels and it's older than I am (70) and runs like a top. It's the backup when the house machines die.

Wife had an Amana----- Junk.. Then a Speed Queen-----junk, Now has a Maytag----- working on junk. Maybe an LG is better but I doubt it. Wife is smart though, she gets the extended warranty and when they puke, she gets a new one cheap because they buy back the junk one. She has that figured out. Interestingly, always the same thing, the unitized motor assembly. Shaft seals leak and short the motor and instant junk. They haul the clunker away and drop a new machine, about every 3 years. The electric dryer is forever it seems. Still have the Amana.

What are you doing to trash washing machines? I don't think I've ever gotten less than 10 years out of one.
As far as your comment about "all the new ones are junk"...well, they said that 40 years ago too.

Everyone seems to like to hate on front loaders, but I really like them now.

Who is hating on them? I've only ever had one...a Kenmore that my wife had when we met. Trouble is the tub bearings go after a while, and are expensive to replace. Not hard to imagine why...all that weight only supported on one end.
Other than that it was very good, used very little water and spun it out very well.

Some of the newer "water saver" units go a bit too far in conserving water...sister had one and sometimes not everything in a load even got wet, let alone clean.

 

[mrmikey]

Give me a washer that washes clothes, three water levels, hot, warm, cold and I'm good. I don't need fancy controls, just the old mechanical timer. Friend of mine just bought a washer, $800.00, 'Its programmable, says "hi' when you start it and put in your name". Ok....so did you buy a friend or a washer, looks like the dash of the space shuttle,......totally unnecessary superfluous crap IHMO.
The salesman told him average life is 8 years or so then start looking for a new one. Wow, totally a waste.........Mike

 

[GSVette]

Bought a lightly used Whirlpool Duet front loader to with the Frigidaire dryer I had remaining to put in my shop. Really happy with it so far.

Have an LG front loader at home-been bullet proof

 

[Egon]

We have a top loader washing machine upstairs. It’s at least one hundred years old and still works perfectly. There is variable control on water amount and temperature. The cycles also have variable control at your own disgresion.

 

[radios1]

front loaders take way more time to clean properly, whites are a problem if you don't use the sanitary cycle which takes one hour to finish.. top loaders clean much better, that forceful agitation does the trick.. and as far as quality goes, people wanted cheaper machines, so they built cheaper machines..

 

[MossRoad]

We have a top loader washing machine upstairs. It痴 at least one hundred years old and still works perfectly. There is variable control on water amount and temperature. The cycles also have variable control at your own disgresion.

That described my grandmother... :laughing:

I miss her.

 

[RustyA]

Whirlpool Duet set we bought new in 2005. At the time the tech terrified me but they've both been great...One water discharge pump in washer I replaced for $40, one idler pulley in dryer the bearing got noisy for $29. Washes and dries large loads and clothes seem to last forever compared to our old top load washer.

 

[CADplans]

We went with a front loader because we're on a septic, and dumping massive water through a septic system is a really bad idea.

I am pretty sure that different septic systems handle water volumes differently.

Our septic was installed in ~1978,, we actually have one outside rain water source directed into the septic.
I have raised two daughters (both with l o n g hair) and the septic has never even needed pumping.

We did have it pumped, once, the guy asked why we called,, there was almost nothing but water in the tank,, that was the year 2001.
He left about 1/4 of the water in the tank, because he felt our bacteria must be just right for our tank.

So, I think our septic operates very good with high volumes of water,, and yes, we have a top loader washer.