New Washer and Dryer

We've had a Kenmore HE2 for 6 years and it's been great! I'd never go back to a top-loader. You use less detergent and water and the clothes spin so rapidly that they are fairly dry when they come out of the washer, reducing drying time and wear and tear.

We have had nothing but problems with Maytags. (A service man told us the old maytags were quality, but the new Maytags are made cheaply.) We got an LG front loading washer, and it has worked well.

We got the Maytag Neptune set about 6 years ago. NEVER had a problem!

Best of luck to you!

K.

We got a front loader washer and new dryer almost two years ago. We love it. I have a septic system and the amount of water that it cuts down is amazing. I actually like the front loader because with my family of 7 I do big loads. It makes it easier for me to move from one to the other because they are the same height. If you are looking for great deals I would suggest going to an ApplianceSmart if there is one in your area. That is where we bought ours and we got a great deal and good rebates. Plus they were running a special where they hauled our old stuff away for free.

Good Luck!!!

S.

I have a Fisher and Paykel washing machine that I love. It was one of the most expensive in the store (Warner Stellion) but the salesperson talked me into it. It is very quiet, won't go out of balance and automatically senses how much water you need so it doesn't use any more that is necessary. It can handle bigger loads than most machines. I've had it for five years and it still works like new. I would not recommend front-load machines as they need special detergent and it is HARD getting the wash out - lots of stooping and reaching. We moved into a house where they just put in a brand new front load machine and we had to do two repairs to it in the first year - then it died. Both repair guys said the belts on the front load wear out quickly and that they service front load more than top load styles. Check out the consumer reports website before you buy!

I have a new stackable washer/dryer that I've used for only a year and now is in storage. I think it's a Maytag. Works great. If you're interested in it you can email me at ____@____.com.

I LOVE my Whirlpool duets! My sister has the larger model of Whirlpool and loves them, too. My mom has the Maytag front loader and loves hers. I highly recommend ApplianceSmart to shop for best prices. They had the best prices when we bought ours...and, like you, we'd shopped around!

Interesting some people's postings indicate troubles getting the soap out. I've been delighted at how little soap I have to use and how clean the clothes get. Also, the clothes seem to last longer and not get so out of shape. I think it's because they're not being agitated each time.

I don't know about front loaders first hand, but my neighbor has always told me never to buy a front loader because it doesn't get all the soap out of her clothes.

I absolutely LOVE my LG front loader washer and dryer. It's amazing how much less water and energy they use. The washer spins everything so much that very little drying time is needed. It also uses so much less water. I also love that it has a "Speed" cycle that washes loads in 20 minutes. When I do speed cycle I can wash clothes in 20 minutes and they dry in about 18 minutes. AMAZING from coming from my Whirlpool which would wash in about 35 minutes and it took over 45 to dry!! You can check out BestBuy.com as you can look at all the models, compare prices and see the reviews from other people. I went with the steam washer and dryer but I sometimes wish I hadn't spent the extra money for the steam. I have a new baby (new baby = poop) so I use the steam for poopy loads to sanitize, but once we're out of that stage, I don't think I'll use it much -exept for major stains. They are kind of expensive but we're going to live in our house for 20 years so I'm assuming I’ll get that money back in water and energy cost savings. I also saw a new GE model at Best Buy that stores all your washer fluid for like a month which would be cool too. Good luck!

I used this site...http://wize.com/...to pick out my washer and dryer last year. We went with a whirlpool set, and we love them. They were the larger set. They weren't the highest ranking ones, but the price was a little better for us.

Good Luck!!

A.

Research front loaders verrrry carefully. We moved into a house with a first-generation front loader, and the mildew problem is a nightmare. And we can't afford to replace it right now.

So ask a lot of questions about mildew!

I can't stand our front loader!! We got it in March. It is a Kenmore HE2. I was very hesitant on getting one and from what the sales person said it is the best thing out there. I wish i would have bought the top loader. We have had the maintenance guy out once because it shakes so bad and the door leaks occasionally --basically he said good luck. We didnt want to pay the 15% restocking fee to return it. Our brand new towels smell like mold because it is sealed so tight the water sits in it and stinks. You have to keep the door open to let it vent when you arent using it. I do the recommended bleaching and all that good stuff. We have the repair guy coming again today because yesterday it stopped working. It flashed a code. I did what the book said and it made a huge clunking sound and stopped completely. We were sold on the dryer because the dry time is 20-40 min. WRONG! It has always taken about 60 min to dry clothes. When there are jeans, it takes a lonnnnng time. I just recommend do your research on whatever brand you buy before you buy it. We have always had Kenmore stuff and it has been wonderful, but I dont think i will ever buy again after this.
Thanks for letting me vent :-)
The guy just came to fix it--and the motor is already broken and they have to order a new one --7 months old, this shouldn't be happening. Thank goodness for warranties.

We are on our second Bosch washer and dryer. We had our first set for 3 years and had to sell them with the place when we left. We then bought a new set and have had that for a year and a half. We love them! The wash cycle is around an hour, but the dryer time is maybe 30 minutes. You have to use the HD laundry detergent. We had our first set on the second floor of our condo and it did shake the place during the spin cycle. Now we have ours on the first floor, but the floor is reinforced and we have no problems with vibrations. Others have mentioned leaving the door open-we keep ours propped open a couple of inches and have never had a problem with mildew, etc. My husband used to sell appliances and he is a big believer in front loaders. Good luck with your purchase!

I have the Whirlpool Duet set. I have had mine for 2 1/5 years and I lve them. My clothes are clean, I use less detergent, and less water.

I don't know if this is the case for sure, but my dad said that he saw a copy of the Sears after Thanksgiving ad. Apparently they are going to have the Whirlpool Duet set for $599. I know you said you were saving for the spring, but you might want to check this out.

I am a big believer in Maytag washers and dryers. Our Maytag washer and dryer made it for over 20 years while I was raising 5 children. Around 11 or 12 they started doing their own laundry and there were times when the washer and dryer ran 24 hours a day. We replaced the dryer heater element a few times over the years and had to replace the dryer a little sooner than the washer. Needless to say we replaced them with Maytag. Our daughter just recently bought a new front loading Maytag washer and dryer. They are supposed to be more energy efficent in both water and electricy than the old top loading.

My SIL has a set that I LOVE. I can't remember the name, but I think if you describe it to a sales person they will know. Hers works like a front-loader (in terms of not having an agitator, being water-efficient, tipped drum, etc.) But, it opens on the top. So unlike a standard front loader, when you discover that single sock that fell out of the basket on your way to the laundry room, you can throw it in after the cycle has started. And the dryer that comes with it is connected (maybe via modem cable?) so it can "read" what was in the wash cycle (gentle, jeans, full, dirty, etc.), and adjust the dry cycle accordingly. I used these once while visiting her and I will look for them when I finally need to replace mine.

I have had a Miele (German) front load washer for about 5 years. I love it. It is energy and water efficient. It uses very little detergent, although I do have to purchase special detergent for it. There are places here to do it, but I usually just get it on line. I do an extra rinse (one of its settings) and have always heard that front loaders get the soap out better than traditional washers. I always leave the door open between loads and have never had a smell or mildew issue. My only complaint is that it isn't as big as I thought it would be and I can get a twin size comforter in it, but not a double or queen. Happy shopping.

My advice: Don't get a front loader if your laundry room is on the second floor. We got a really nice LG, and ended up having to return it in a few weeks cause the whole house shook so badly when it spun. (We called LG and they said they only recommend putting it on concrete floors! Would have been nice if someone told us that before we bought it!!!)We exchanged it for a high efficiency GE top load and I really love it.

Some things I wish I'd known about front loaders before I bought mine (maybe you're a ton more informed than I was; if so, sorry for being condescending!):

The wash cycle is LONG--ours is an hour.
However, this is counteracted by the fact that the dryer cycle is only 40 minutes, at the max.
This is possible because the washer really really spins things very dry, which is great since I try to hang dry a lot of my stuff, even in the winter, and it actually dries in teh house in a matter of hours.

We have a Maytag and like them.

We LOVE our new LG's. Some people have problems with front loaders and smells. We always leave the washer door open to avoid that. If I forget to unload the washer overnight, there will be a smell. I've rewashed and all is OK. People are annoyed by this, but when you think about how well the seal has to be on a front loader to keep the water IN, then obviously if you close it after use it would seal in the moisture. Open to air and problem gone! This may be a pain in a mud room, but ours is in the basement and not as issue. We also got the pedestals, which make them at a better level for us to us, and gives us storage space!

A.,

I bought the Maytag Epic series from Home Depot and am so happy with them. Whirlpool actually makes them and it's the same washer and dryer, but they sell for less with the Maytag brand. (Long story; bad reputation with the Neptune series.) Anyway...

If you are looking for ways to save money, you picked a good time to buy. Now is about the time they go 10% off at Home Depot and offer free delivery and take your old ones away for free. In addition, about this time of year Maytag does their mail in rebates. Also, check with your electric company. Ours gave a $150 rebate for buying them because they are so energy efficient. I ended up paying about the same as for the old fashioned kind after all the discounts and rebates.

I would recommend buying the pedastals to go under them. They prop the washer and dryer up to a natural height so you don't hurt your back. My friend gave me this recommendation because she said she regretted not buying them as soon as she used the washer. And it isn't something you go back and get later. It is tricky to install after the washer installation and can break the washer. Do it at first or don't do it at all.

Lots of people say you can put small amounts of regular soap in a high capacity, but don't do it. I have been told it works great for about a year or two, then causes problems and you void your warrantee if you do it. And don't close the washer door all the way when not in use or it get's smelly like mold. Just leave the door ajar and let it breathe.

Good luck. I hope you love your washer and dryer as much as I love mine.

S.

We went through this a year ago and I talked to multiple repair men on appliances. For washers and dryers there was unanimous agreement that we should get a Whirlpool. We purchased a low-end Whirlpool and are pleased with it thus far.

I thought the shopping and research was a pain in the a**. I hope it's less annoying for you! :)

We bought our front loaders almost two years ago and I love them! I always leave the washer door and soap drawer open between loads, and I do the montly bleach cleaning cycle and we've never had a problem with mildew or odors. We spent the extra money to get the storage drawers to set them on so that the doors are at a back-friendlier height for loading and unloading. They were part of a deal, so we didn't end up paying full price for them...they're kind of expensive just for a set of drawers. My BIL built a set of boosters for their front loaders and that works fine for them.

My husband sell's appliance's for a distribution company and I sell them at a furniture store that I work at and I would highly recommend that you check out a brand called Crosley! Yes it is an off brand name but they are made by Electrolux who in turn make's Maytag, Kenmore , Frigidaire Etc. Anyway they carry a 10 year warranty. 9 year's part's and 1 year part's and labor. For an extra $10 you can purchase an extra year of part's and labor. They carry the Red and some other color's that are fun. One thing I want to warn you about is that there are alot of bottom line unit's out there and they have part's that cannot be replaced or that are so expensive to replace that it is actually cheaper to replace the whole unit. Also in these unit's if you use to much soap or the wrong soap that it will suds up so bad and messes with the rinse/spin trigger and will degrease that part which in these unit's cannot be re greased and you will end up with soapy soaking wet clothes and a ruined washer. LG is also a great brand but is on the spendy side. Hope this help's. If you have more question's I'm sure that my husband could help you out, just let me know.