New Front Loading Washing

Got a HE top loader by LG 2 years ago. So far no real complaints and it is very miserly on water maybe a bit too much for the kind of dirt I get into, but you can get around that. I stayed away from the front loaders for all the various issues, some of which were no different then the last time front loaders made a big splash on the home appliance market some 40+ years ago. This one is a direct drive motor on the drum/tub and man that spin speed is something else. Because of grease/oil on my clothes I end up doing a bunch of pre-treating so use very little additional soap. I use a heavy duty cleaner de-greaser for pre-treat, do not even end up with a ring around the tub like my old conventional washer used to acquire.

 

@chris Can you share a product name for that degreaser?

 

We do the same.

 

x2

 

We bought a front load washer and a new dryer last summer after the old top loader I had chit the bed. The dryer was an open box unit that we got a good deal on. The washer was already on sale, and they gave us more off for buying the pair. The Lowe's delivery guys dented the back of the washer when they were carrying it down my basement stairs. They offered to exchange it or give me 10% off. I took the 10%. Can't see the dent unless you stick your head behind the unit and the wall and look for it. I can't say I've ever done that.

We use a lot less water, less detergent and the clothes get cleaner. The dryer gets a full load dried in 45 minutes where the old dryer would take over an hour.

We also leave the door open for a day or so, and leave the detergent tray pulled out. We do all our laundry one day a week. We haven't had the smell issue, yet anyways.

 

I'm just curious 343, when you had to make a purchase to replace the fallen oldies did you do any research on the new ones or make your decision soley on prices and sales etc??

 

Fisher Paykel is supposed to be one of the best top load washer and dryer on the market. Theyre made in USA use little amount of water very efficient and it plays the star spangled banner I wanted to get them when we bought ours but my wife was set on front loaders and since she does the laundry I let her pick.

 

I've learned after 11+ years of marriage that it's best to leave appliance and paint color decisions to my wife. She did her research before we went out on the hunt. It doesn't seem to matter what you look at for internet reviews as very few people post reviews extolling the virtues of their purchase. Most people post reviews saying they had problems, etc. if there is one thing I've learned in life, everything will break at some point, especially if it plugs into a wall or runs on hydrocarbon based fuel.

We ended up with a LG pair. The washer has a direct drive inverter motor that for all I know very well may have a small nuclear reactor that powers it. It sounds like a jet engine winding up when it starts spinning. The nice part is the clothes come out with very little moisture in them, which is the reason they dry so much faster. We haven't had any issues in the 13 months or so we've had them.

In all seriousness, we didn't end up with the cheapest set and not the most expensive. These were middle of the road price wise, but closer to the lower end of a pair price point after the open box discount on the dryer and the dent on the washer during delivery. We got the pair for a bit over $1200 when all was said and done. We were pretty happy with that price.

 

My wife would want the front loaders for look, I would want the top loaders for research results. AND, I do the laundry here But, the Star-Spangled Banner is cool.

 

Thanks for sharing

 

far cry from that old 1/2 hp induction motor

 

I get the cleaner/ de-greaser at Sam's club, house brand of some sort, about $6 gallon, same thing with dish detergent. Cosco has similar items/price. The various farm store have similar products/price as well. That bar/chain oil is tough to break down. Tried dawn dish soap not even a dent. I use a small nail brush from the back side to agitate it into the fibers. Tried Simple Green in a powder form that you mix yourself with water, that didn't seem to cut it for me.

 

We've had the cheapest Whirlpool front loader we could buy for about ten years now, maybe a little longer. The only problems we've had are the door handle and soap tray breaking, but they still work.

After watching many friends and family have all kinds of problems, I know we've been lucky. The next one will be a basic top load, and probably a craigslist deal. We bought one for the vacation place for $50, and it just keeps going. And I can fix it when it breaks. Or scrap it and buy another for $50.

Try wool dryer balls. They work. I don't know if the clothes are any softer, but they definitely dry faster. And they are pretty quiet.
http://lifehacker.com/5951620/wool-dryer-balls-save-time-and-energy

 

Dunno. My dryer takes maybe 25-30 mins to dry a full load.

 

Everyone I know that purchased a front loader had an issue with them about a year or two after they purchased them. So I stayed away.
I ended up getting a Maytag washer and dryer brand new, big units for $500 on sale. About 5 years old and not an issue. Knocking on wood......

 

Got front loader kenmores from 2007.no probs yet...

 

You know you Wisconsin Folk don't wash your clothes...They don't break if they're not used!!