Front Load Washer

[dfeck]

Our dryer just bit the dust. It's been slowly fading for a few months but finally has no heat. I checked the vents/etc and don't see anything obvious. Could be minor but then again could be major. The washer has had some issues the past year. Both are about 6-7 years old and I'm afraid if I call a repair man it might cost 2-300 hundred to fix. I've been thinking about buying a front load washer and dryer to replace the older washer and dryer to a few reasons. First, we have a well and septic and feel I'll save the water consumption along with being less taxing to our septic system. Second, I don't think spending the money to fix the washer and dryer is money well spent. They say washer/dryers last 12-14 years. So, can anyone give me recommendations of a GOOD front loader under 1K? I have NO clue what options are important and which ones are "fluff".

Thanks,
Doug

 

[jbos333]

Well I don't know about the dryer, but I recently (<1 yr.) found myself in a similar situation and did lots of research on front load WASHERS and wound up buying a Maytag front load washer. I don't know the model # offhand but I can say it was a higher-end one with the largest capacity (will do a King size comforter). It is a "made in germany" one while some of the lower end Maytags were different and "made in china" I think.

I believe the washer ran me around $800-900.

And, I have a Maytag dryer (gas) that's been with me for about 10 years now and Knock on Wood it's never given me trouble.

The washer is awesome in that the clothes come out so dry that it seems to take about 1/2 the normal time to dry them.

 

[Travelover]

I have a Sears Kenmore He2 (made by Whirlpool) that I paid about $600 for. I'm totally happy with it so far (2 years). I have simple needs, so I got the basic machine. As you mentioned it really spins out the clothes so drying is much faster and it uses a lot less water than the old one.

I did not buy the pedestal as it seems over priced and I find that I can just roll the clothes into a basket and scoot it over to the dryer, which is at the same height.

You might find a really good deal on craigslist for both a washer and dryer if you are in a metro area and don't have your heart set on a "matched" set. In my area there are lots of appliances less than a year old on the market as people move on for various reasons. The Sears outlet also has scratch and dent specials regularly, but compare to a sale price.

Be sure to get a good surge suppressor to plug your new washer into. They have control chips that are ridiculously priced. The Costco near me has a nice two pack for $16 that includes an outlet mounted one and a corded one.

 

[tanglefoot]

So, JB, how is that front-load washer working out? Does it do a good job with less water? I have heard that some of the front-load don't get clothes as clean as the old top-loaders.
Butch

 

[jbos333]

I believe it washes the clothes quite well, but I wouldn't throw, say, a muddy pair of jeans in it like I might have done with the top load washer. It definitely doesn't give the clothes the beating that a top load agitator type washer does.

 

[charlz]

One thing to be aware of with the front loader washers is they are designed to go on a cement pad, not framed flooring. They spin quite fast and can cause a lot of vibration. My wife purchased a LG front load washer/dryer set. We have framed construction and I can feel it vibrating in my computer mouse upstairs when it is on spin.

As for cleaning, the 'sanitary' mode took stains out of my work jeans that had been there through many top loader cycles.

 

[tanglefoot]

Good to know. Thanks.
Butch

 

[Scooby074]

+1 on the vibration.
Dad has a Miele washer. It has a wicked fast spin (something like 2500-3000 RPM). It would shake the china in the cupboard. I had to go and reenforce the floor and screw it down tight. Also put jack posts under the washer to the slab below. It helped alot.

As far as quality goes i have no hesitation recomending a Miele. In fact once my old maytag dies i plan on getting one. Only issue is the price is more than your 1k limit. They definitely use less water and soap. THeyre also much easier on the fabric. My clothes feel much cleaner than when they come from a top load too.

Whatever model you buy, ensure that it is absolutely level and plumb when you set it up. This will help greatly with the vibration issues.

 

[RonMar]

+2 on the vibration, so a good solid floor is needed. The vibration on a springy floor can be extreme. The high speed spin does cut the drying time down significantly. We got one this last fall. I measured the water output of the old one and the new one. The frontload uses about 1/3 the water as teh old topload. Septic was also one of our deciding factors as I have had trouble in the past with extra family at home, and the extra water from the wash stirring up the material in the septic tank and clogging the outlet filter screen on the tank.

Some complain of an odor from the washer, because they never fully drain. I have read, and firmly believe that this is because of using excessive detergent. The excess detergent builds a film on the inside of the tank and this gives a place for mold to grow causing the smell. I did some tests with ours when we first got it and they require only a fraction of the ammount of laundry detergent you are used to using. The test was to run a normal load with soap. When it finishes, restart the machine with extra water, but do not add any more soap. If you are using too much soap, you will see soap bubbles in the second wash. That is the excess soap from the first wash that wasn't rinsed away... Even the ammount on the HE detergent measuring cups is excessive in my opinion. The reccomendation I read about was about 1/2 OZ for a typical load. In my 6 months of use, and some tests, I find this to be about right. The cloths wash great, and I have detected NO odor from the washer.

 

[Travelover]

...........<snip>........Some complain of an odor from the washer, because they never fully drain. I have read, and firmly believe that this is because of using excessive detergent. ......<snip>......

Agree, use minimal detergent - less than the manufacturer's recommendation. I also leave the washer door and soap dispenser open so they can air out. No smell in 2 years.