efficient washer/dryer

rogdan · Jun 8, 2005

I am looking for advice and suggestions from the TBN crew. I will be purchasing a new washer and electric dryer for our new home. I am mainly interested in water efficiency from the washer but electric use by both is a secondary consideration.
I only know that the front loaders use less water over the top loaders. Also brand specific suggestions as to quality would be great.
Thanks

Phils · Jun 8, 2005

Because our water supply is somewhat limited, we bought the Maytag Neptune set when they first came out (maybe 7 or 8 years ago?) and have had zero problems. That washer helped limit our water usage significantly. I've seen newer brands that look like they'd be just as good or better and would be comparing specs if we were buying now. At the time, Neptune was the only new readily available American made water saving machine.

Do you not have propane or gas available? Heating anything with electricity is much more expensive. (Yes, I know you said it didn't matter but I had to ask anyway)

Phil

_RaT_ · Jun 8, 2005

Bosch washer and dryers

rogdan · Jun 8, 2005

Phils,
Thanks for the reply, I have a Maytag now and I will check out the Neptune. I will be heating with propane and with its cost I didn't think I would save much over electric Am I wrong?

Bird · Jun 8, 2005

We just recently replaced out 10 year old Kenmore washer and dryer and specifically wanted smaller units, so we bought this Maytag washer and this Maytag dryer. We like them so far, but they're still new. And they may be smaller in size than you want.

MarkLeininger · Jun 8, 2005

There was a class action lawsuit against Maytag for the Neptune because it had so many problems. Consumer reports flags it as particularly repair prone. We've had 5 repairs on ours in the 5 years since we bought it for a total of something like $800. Fortunately I bought the extended warranty so it didn't cost us anything. I'd look at some other brand if I had it to do over again. I notice when I wander through sears that several other manufacturers are making front loaders for the home market, so you've got some choices.

gsxr1100 · Jun 8, 2005

As much as I like my Neptune I will NOT be buying another Maytag washer. I guess Maytag sent all the owners of there Neptune forms to fill out since people have complained about the things needing repair big-time. The lastest issue with mine is the door not locking when spinning. Junk washer in my book for over $1,100...

I would buy another gas dryer by maytag, not a washer though. I am going to try Kenmore front loader in 2006 (warranty is up). I have had more itemes repaired; it would have been cheaper for the place to give me a free washer and call it even..

Bird · Jun 8, 2005

Mark, I generally do not believe extended warranties are worth what they cost, and seldom buy them, but I did on these new Maytags.

kenmac · Jun 8, 2005

Be careful when you buy your kenmore. You just mabe getting another maytag. Sears bids their appliances out.Who ever bids the lowest gets the kenmore name plate. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

gsxr1100 · Jun 9, 2005

Thanks. I am trying to find a front loader (washer /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif) that has a big opening and is not a well, item that has major repair problems. You would think for the prices they get, they would never break. If it was not for my $99 extended warranty, my Neptune would have been "put in a in a hole" in my back yard with my BX when the warranty was up!..not kidding either.

So far the only others that I can see are GE and Whirlpool; while GE look to have a small door. I know Fisher & Paykel make good stuff but it is only top loaders. I might look at the Miele Washers and the LG washers. Prices go from $800 to about $2,200. If the things do not break, any price is 100% fine with me.

Dargo · Jun 9, 2005

Since I have a family of 7, our Kenmore front load washer and dryer get an average of 15 to 20 loads per week. I've now had them for just over a year. So far, no issues at all. The washer does a great job, is very quiet, and uses only a small amount of water and detergent. The dryer surprisingly keeps up with the washer no problem. In the past, we have always been slowed by the dryer; waiting for it to finish.

PhilNH5 · Jun 9, 2005

We got the front loading Neptune washer 6 years ago. I had two problems with it. First the water pump broke. That was fixed under warranty. Second was the door seal holding water and then getting moldy. I posted that here and someone replied that Maytag knew that was a problem and would repair it free even though I was out of warranty if I called them. I did and Maytag did. I love the info I get from TBN.

I got a mailing to join the class action suit. I declined. Maytag did okay by me and it looked like the only beneficiaries were the lawyers.

Now about effeciency. I do not believe I will ever make back the premium cost of the purchase price in energy savings. I paid $900 after a utility rebate. I could by a perfectly servicable washer for $400 bucks. So I need to save $500 in energy/utility usage over the life of the washer to break even.
The tag on the machine in the showroom said payback was 5 years. But that was based on 9 loads of laundry a week and using electric to heat the water and using hot water for all loads. Well we (not really we - my wife) do 3 loads a week and use oil-fired hot water for only one of those. So I will never make it to a breakeven point.

So why did I buy one? I have a well and septic. The less water I suck out of my well and the less I dump into my drain field the better. I would buy another front loader for that reason alone.

One last caveat - my wife is not to fond of it. It has a chip to adjust the balance of the load during the spin cycle. If it senses an uneven load it will stop and start spinning again to try and reposition the clothes. Great idea in concept. But it will do this fovever - the time to do a load can vary by as much as forty minutes. Our old washer had a timer and cycle time was consistent. My wife hates going to the basement to find the thing still spinning.

Phil

gsxr1100 · Jun 9, 2005

nice to know since we do all our clothes before all the darn dogs stuff (lots)!

MadReferee · Jun 9, 2005

( Be careful when you buy your kenmore. You just mabe getting another maytag. Sears bids their appliances out.Who ever bids the lowest gets the kenmore name plate. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif )

For washer/dryer appliances it has been pretty stable for the last 15-20 years. Kenmore washers and dryers are made by Whirlpool. Whirlpool also makes many of the other Sears Kenmore appliances including most models of refrigerators.

Dargo · Jun 9, 2005

The Whirlpool washers and refrigerators are mostly built a few miles from where I live. Whirlpool manufacturers them in the old P-47 Thunderbolt facility. Most of our best WW II fighter planes were the P-47 built in the very same plant. Here is a brief description of the fighter: " Used as both a high-altitude escort fighter and a low-level fighter-bomber, the P-47 quickly gained a reputation for ruggedness. Its sturdy construction and air-cooled radial engine enabled the Thunderbolt to absorb severe battle damage and keep flying." It has been a running joke that if your Kenmore/Whirlpool washer ever says "fire" instead of "spin dry", you better run! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Besides, wouldn't it be cool to have a 2430 hp washing machine?! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Bird · Jun 9, 2005

( Whirlpool washers and refrigerators are mostly built a few miles from where I live )

I have no idea how many are made where, but when we were shopping, we considered a Whirlpool at Sears (Whirlpool name on it; not Kenmore) and it had a sticker showing "Made in Brazil".

BlueRidge · Jun 9, 2005

( Be careful when you buy your kenmore. You just mabe getting another maytag. Sears bids their appliances out.Who ever bids the lowest gets the kenmore name plate. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif )

( 
For washer/dryer appliances it has been pretty stable for the last 15-20 years. Kenmore washers and dryers are made by Whirlpool. Whirlpool also makes many of the other Sears Kenmore appliances including most models of refrigerators. )

Some by Whirlpool, some by Fridgidaire. The larger Kenmore front loader is the Whirlpool Duet. The smaller Kenmore FL is the Fridgidaire.

I've been researching this exhaustively for the past two months, and here's what I've found:

Any FL will save water (and I'll be getting one if a few weeks just for that reason, the aforementioned well & septic), but there seems to be a wide difference in quality, with the Neptune at the bottom of the heap of the better known names. There's something called a Danby that seems to be worse. The Fridgidaire is also not good.

Mielhe and Bosch seem to be solid machines, if you can handle the price. Same for the weird Staber top loading but horzontal axis machine. It IS American made, though. I doubt that many of the others are.

There are also the Haier (Chinese) and LG (Korean) machines.

ONE IMPORTANT CAVEAT! Apparently it's VERY important that you don't move these machines unless the shipping bolts are in place - you can do serious damage otherwise. Many folks have had machines ruined because the delivery crew prepped the machine while still on the truck, and then moved it into the house. Getting the machine replaced was then a major battle. DON'T let anyone take the shipping bolts out until the machine is parked right next to where it's going to live.

We plan to start bugging the sears outlet store in hopes of finding a dented or scratched Duet (or the Kenmore equivalent).

(why, yes, I'll check for the shipping bolts!)

Hope that helps! Search for Front load washers on your favorite search engine or check epinions.com for more info.

Your mileage may vary, see dealer for details, some restrictions apply. Offer void where prohibited. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Spiffy · Jun 9, 2005

I love it /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif another area with quality issues just like many we've discussed about lawn tractors.

Mike, in an earlier post, said that quality is more important then initial cost to him.

Like lawnmowers, I go the two extremes; $50 used, if it lasts a year [I'd say my average life of used washers and dryers is 5+ years] it doesn't owe me dime [but good luck finding a quality front loader in good shape]; else just get a true [not some pansy thing just labeled commercial or heavy duty] commecial unit. These things have stout enough bearings to run a true extraction ["spin"] cycle also saving drying cost.

I thought Unimac had taken over the Huebsch name [that was what the dealer said about 10 years ago when I was spending someone elses money on a new machine]; the Unimac while not built quite like the 50year old beat to heck Huebsch it replaced, it was [and, I believe, still is] a very good machine - yes I still say names mean nothing unless the quality is truely still there [I think these are, but beware].

Anyway if you survive the sticker shock here is your machine:

huebsch.

18lb probably treat you fine, I'd be really surprised if you need more than 25 [this number is the dry fabric weight not water weight]. I can can ever justify building a house, I guarantee the Huebsch [or similar] will be in the budget.

riptides · Jun 9, 2005

( water efficiency from the washer but electric use by both is a secondary consideration )

Efficiency and Quality are two divergant topics.

Quality to me is directly proportianal to my wallet.
That being said, it is a random event I have no control over.
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif