Washer and Dryer - Utica,MI

I really like my front loader washer. However, I wouldn't recommend the brand. It has a small tub. But when I replace it, I will go with a front loader again. Why? Cleans better and I use 1/2 the amount of detergent.

Kenmore is an excellent brand and Whirlpool is good as well. Both have much larger tubs than my Maytag. The "Maytag" repairman has been to my house a few times and that is one of the reasons why I wouldn't choose Maytag.

I just bought the Maytag Bravos washer and dryer too. I got the dryer with the steam function because I hate ironing. Sears price matched some online prices from Home Depot ($698 for the washer and $880 for the dryer). Bought them last week and the special at Home Depot is still going on so Sears will still price match. With the HE washers you have to buy special detergent that is more water soluble since you aren't using as much water. Maytag is also offering $175 rebate on the pair (ask for the rebate form) and the state is refunding $50 for HE washers with rebate postmarked by April 25.

The Bravos washer isn't front load but it's still HE. Just look around on the net and read the reviews before you choose.

LOVE the Whirlpool Duet pair!

I'd check out what Consumer Reports has to say about ratings and performance. I have a washer / dryer from Amana that's about 10 years old. We just replaced the belt on the washer and we'll keep them till one of them burns out. Some makes and models do better in some years than others, and newer, more energy efficient technology comes out every year. I haven't heard a lot of good news so far regarding front loaders, so I'm wary of them. There can be sealing issues on the doors (leaks). When the belt on my Amana broke, I could open it up and bail the water. If it were a front loader, if I had to open it up before the water drained, I would have flooded my laundry room.

I would stay away from LG appliances if I were purchasing. They are notorious for breaks and needing repairs. If you can get a front loader with a sanitary cycle, it gives you more options, like cloth diapers, sanitizing smelling towels, etc. I didn't know that when I bought mine and I regret that one part. Otherwise, I love my front loader.

I don't have any brand suggestions but...my daughter went to Sears ding and dent showroom and got really good deals on her kitchen appliances. Her washer and dryer she got at a garage sale. Funny, I got my first washer and dryer at a garage sale...it was a Lady Kenmore (olive green no less) and I had them for 15 years...they were 4 years old when I got them. There are all kinds of deals to be had. Good luck!

Just know on the front loader you HAVE to wipe the seal down once a week. I just pour some bleach on a towel and give it a good once over before I throw in the towel! (hahaha)
I would defiantly get a front loader, though. If you read the water usage info on both...you'll be convinced! My old top loader used 45 gallons a load! (the new one uses 12!!!)

Find a Whirlpool scratch and dent location nearby, that's where we got our washer and dryer very affordably and they usually have some newer brands that are used or maybe dented in the back. We have one here near Benton Harbor MI, but maybe there is something like it near where you are.

We just recently purchased the Maytag Bravos washer and dryer...and it's amazing!!! It is super huge, I get all my laundry done in a 1/4 of the time it used to take (which is great with a 3 year old and a 10 week old!)!!! We it is a top loader, which we chose to go with because of several reasons. First, the front loaders are having alot of problems with the drums after about 6-7 years and they have issues with mildew smells because of water seeping into the door. the Bravos was recommended to us and we love it--its got all the sensor features of the front loaders but without any of the issues, and again is HUGE!!! Also, it is not an agitator washer, it is an HE washer--so its not like the old top loaders! Much more efficient and washes a lot better! Good luck!

Many of the different brands are actually made by the same company. I've had top loaders and front loaders and prefer front loaders even tho top loaders are less expensive. Shop around and ask salesmen questions. Go to a store, such as Standard, that sells several different brands so that you can compare.

I found my last two front loaders, on sale, at a good markdown, at Sears. I helped my daughter buy a washer and dryer at Standard TV and Appliance. A friend just bought a washer at the Sears outlet store. My cousin bought a washer and dryer at Home Depot this winter. They had a sale on red sets priced at less than half price but the only color available was red. I've purchased many new items that had suffered minor body damage during shipping. This gives a great mark down. Sometimes the regular store knows of one that is available and you'll always find them at outlet stores.

A word of caution. Front loaders are now he, high energy, and require he detergent. My next to last washer was one of the first ones out and did not specify a specific detergent. It lasted just a few years and I was told that if I'd used the he detergent it probably would've lasted longer.

The he detergent does cost a bit more but I use less which evens the cost out in the long run. I've also found that for lightly soiled fabrics that I can use the "express wash" and they still come out clean. The clothes are spun dryer in a front loader so that it takes less time to dry them. Generally front loaders last longer than top loaders.

Just FYI.. I think Marda meant HE (high efficiency - not high energy), lol. :)

I have the LG front loader and matching dryer. We've had them about 3 years now and have had no problems. We bought them to replace our 10 year old set. Our water bill and PG&E bill went down right away and at this point we've saved more than we spent buying them. With High Efficiency washers the detergent is a little more costly, but you use much less so it comes out about the same. Trader Joe's has a great detergent at a great price. Also, they use so much less water to wash a load and spin at much higher rates so the clothes are not as wet when you transfer them to the dryer which means they take less time to dry. (less time means less electricity, or gas)
We spent a little extra to get the storage drawers that go under them. The storage is great, but more importantly for me is the fact that my back is much happier loading and unloading since I don't have to bend down to reach the doors.
Really look at energy and water savings when deciding what is a good price to pay. If you can save $50 a month on water and PG&E, paying a few hundred more on an appliance that is likely to last 10 years or more is totally worth it.

I have had my Whirlpool Duet front loading HE machines for about 8 years! I beat the life out of them - they do about 3 loads a day and CLOTH DIAPERS. Love them but . . .

If you are cloth diapering, remember that front loaders use less water. Sometimes I have to soak the diapers in a big rubbermaid pail, then wash them. I always have to do a soak cycle first, but can only do about 10 diapers that way. Top loaders allow you to fill the washer tub with water, eliminating the need for a rubbermaid bucket.

I did spend good money on them, but that is because I learned you get what you pay for. They had just come out when I got them - now-a-days you can get them for about $1000 a piece.

we bought GE front load washer and dryer. Love them now but hated them when we first bought them. Not true lol I have always loved the dryer. I have always been a mom who soaked things. With a front load you can't soak. So keep tht in mind. Also there is no chance of opening the door and tossing something in after it is going. So if you know that going in your ok lol. My biggest suggestion. Make sure you get the drawer things under the front loads. My brother has the front loads but not the stands. he has to get practically on his knees to get the laundry in and out. Makes for very sore back if you do a lot of laundry. The stands are great for storing laundry soap, etc.

Check out Lowes, we got a extra large top loading washer and dryer for pretty cheap. I love it . My mom bought the front loaders and now wishes that she didnt, when the computer went down it was very expensive to fix. If you still want the front loaders ask a about a deal on the display models. If ou don't mind a few dents you can get a pretty good deal. Good luck let me know how it goes.

We have a Bosch front end loader washer and dryer system and LOVE it! When my friend's washer and dryer went, she and her husband also checked all the consumer reports and ended up buying the same washer and dryer.

We have had it for almost 5 years now and NO problems (versus I know some folks who had Neptune's and had nightmares).

Hope this helps.

My only suggestion is DO NOT buy a Kenmore HE2. What a piece of garbage. We had the repair guy out here 4 times in 6 months. One of those times being that the motor died. I wish i would have checked the reviews first because they arent good. We ended up being able to exchange it finally and got a Samsung front loader. I do like it. It works great, it's quiet, holds a lot. We stacked ours too to save space. It had much better reviews. If I had to do it again though, I would have gone with the good old fashioned top loader. You have to leave the door on the front loaders open all the time, otherwise they smell (because they are sealed so tight) With small children it makes me a little nervous--hide n seek, one gets in, the other hits a button--I am a paranoid mom though too. Good Luck!

I'd agree with doing as much research as possible. Go online to see what consumer reporting companies recommend, see what people say on sites where they can enter comments, and go to as many different stores as possible.

It used to be that Kenmore was made by Whirlpool, but they've changed. I want to say they're LG's now, but I can't verify without calling.

We have a 5.5 year old set of Whirlpool Duet. We've had lots of repairs and are glad we got the service plan from Sears. HOWEVER, it takes at least a week if not longer for them to schedule service calls. When our son had a bad stomach bug last year and was throwing-up on everything, I had to go to a laundromat twice. And, if it breaks down, you can only use Sears's repairmen despite it being a Whirlpool.

Washers/Dryers are only built to last 5-8 years these days. So, don't expect you're going to get 25 years out of them like our parents did when they bought their first set.

The ONLY thing I don't like about a front-loader is that the laundry almost always ends-up on the floor when transferring it from the washer to the dryer.