Clothes Washer/dryer recommendations

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MeanDean

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SuperFanatic
Jan 5, 2009
13,250
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Blue Grass IA-Jensen Beach FL
I have a vintage Kenmore pair - top loading washer and gas dryer from the 1980's. Still running strong. I had to replace the drum drive belt in the dryer about 8 years ago. I hope they last me the rest of my life. Basic, simple, and reliable. That would be my criteria when I have to replace them.

I have a combo stack single unit (GE) in FL. It works but makes all kinds of weird noises and when it goes on spin cycle you want to move out for a while, even with the door closed it is LOUD!

It was virtually the only decent capacity unit small enough to fit in the closet so I didn't have a big list of options.
 
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Reactions: NWICY

Sparkplug

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SuperFanatic T2
Oct 9, 2008
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Central Iowa
A lot depends on the type of laundry you are/will be doing

If you have chore clothes that old style agitator is a must

Smelly sport uniforms a machine with presoak and long cycles

So many machines are made by the same group. That’s why Whirlpool parts correspond with Maytag.

Look at your needs and budget and plan to replace at least the washer every 8-10 years

Inside most washers is a book with the error codes and troubleshooting information Repair people look for this book first thing.
 

NickTheGreat

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Jan 17, 2012
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Central Iowa
Speed queen. Not fancy but lasts forever. Made in the US.

I know they've radically changes them a year or two ago, but our Speed Queen is fantastic. It still uses 30 gallons of water (or whatver) and takes 30 minutes per load. Just like your Grandma's washing machine.

We bought ours in Adel from Archer, and they sell a metric crapton of those things. I think they said they'll go through 10 or 12 weeks per week. And sells those 3:1 of all the other brands combines.

Until this thread I'd never heard anybody say anything good about their front loaders. Expensive, break down, stinky. Etc.
 

jbhtexas

Well-Known Member
Oct 20, 2006
14,124
4,075
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Arlington, TX
Stay away from top loaders unless it has an agitator.

Why?

We got a GE top loader without agitator a little over a year ago, and my wife really likes it. We have some of those big Mambe waterproof blankets for the couches, and it really works well for those.
 

Acylum

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Nov 18, 2006
12,786
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Fisher & Paykel. We bought washer and dryer probably 12 years ago and wife says other than me, best choice she ever made!

I had a F&P pair and they were both horrible. Put two circuit boards in the washer right after the warranty at $600 each time, and the dryer seemed to operate only on the highest temp. You could set it at the lowest and the clothes would nearly burn your hands when you took them out. Also, their repair history and ratings are horrible.
 

jsb

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Mar 7, 2008
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I know they've radically changes them a year or two ago, but our Speed Queen is fantastic. It still uses 30 gallons of water (or whatver) and takes 30 minutes per load. Just like your Grandma's washing machine.

We bought ours in Adel from Archer, and they sell a metric crapton of those things. I think they said they'll go through 10 or 12 weeks per week. And sells those 3:1 of all the other brands combines.

Until this thread I'd never heard anybody say anything good about their front loaders. Expensive, break down, stinky. Etc.

My mom loves hers. Just a simple machine. It’s disappointing if they’ve changed them.

I, too, have heard nothing good about front loaders. I have a kenmore HE top loader that’s been good for 7 years.
 

VeloClone

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Jan 19, 2010
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Brooklyn Park, MN
If the drugs are asking you yes or no questions, you've already had too many drugs.
Nancy approves of this joke.
september_21_001.jpg
 

stateofmind

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Jul 16, 2007
6,472
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Ankeny
I HATE LG washers. Sadly we have had 3 in a row in 13 years. Our current one had the seal around the door replaced 2 or 3 times in the first year. My wife just said screw it and puts a plastic dish underneath to catch the leak. I have no idea why I allowed her to get LG after the first two. But after this last one, I hope that we will go back to topload.

The biggest reason I hate LG is that only one company would work with their warranty, and after multiple fixes came back to us to collect money that LG was apparently not paying. There is a good reason that nobody in Central Iowa will work with LG machines under warranty.

When shopping for a new set we were told the same about Samsung.

If you do buy a set I recommend buying from Lowe's and buy their warranty so that they will send the repair personnel and you won't have to deal with the crap that we did.
 

NWICY

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Sep 2, 2012
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Well hell I've got 30yr old Maytags had to replace the dryer belt and the igniter (LP Dryer) Never have touched the washer knock on wood. So I'd say Maytag but I guess I'm the exception to the rule.
 

NodawayRiverClone

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May 1, 2018
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Have about a 10-year old Fisher & Paykel washer. It is a top loader, but has similar high speed spin as front loaders. New Zealand company that had to design for areas short on water, so washer will load only enough water to cover clothes after they are wetted and washed down to lowest profile reasonable. No particular repair issues. However, Chinese company Haier bought F&P appliances and I don't know if that has affected quality/reliaility.
 

flycy

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Jul 17, 2008
2,022
2,111
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Crescent, IA
We have a topload Whirlpool that is about 2 years old (no true agitator, but a small spinny thing at the bottom that is like a flat agitator) and a 20 year old whirlpool dryer. Both work very well. The washer made it 18 years before it needed to be replaced. A washer lasting just 3 years is crazy. I don't understand why anyone in an area that has plenty of water would have a front load. California I get it, Iowa just crazy.
 

jdoggivjc

Well-Known Member
Sep 27, 2006
59,399
20,931
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Macomb, MI
We just bought a GE front load washer and dryer that's being delivered tomorrow morning. That's not the hard part. The hard part is the new utility sink that I'm having to install. Our old washer was so off balance that my 3-year old daughter described it as a "monster in the laundry room", and it vibrated so badly it moved in the laundry room and cracked the old sink as a result. My wife decided she wanted a "nice" utility sink. It has been nothing short of a pain in the ass to install. The biggest problem is how the pipes were installed into the house. The shut-off valves are virtually inches off the floor and the pipes are much taller than they have to be. I had to hack off nearly a quarter of the bottom shelf just for access to the shut-off valves, and even then, because of the unnecessary height of the pipes, I still can't push the sink up against the wall. And because of that, the drainage pipes that came with the sink is just too short - like an inch or two. Which means I have to get up earlier than I really want to on a Saturday morning to run to the hardware store and buy some more piping and hope I finish installing it before the guys deliver the washer and dryer tomorrow morning.

This is the definition of FML.
 

motorcy90

Well-Known Member
Aug 12, 2018
3,673
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30
Iowa
I bought a whirlpool front load washer and corresponding gas dryer last year so far no issues, and thats with dog hair and major grease/oil from work clothes. parents replaced their old kenmore dryer from the early 90's and a washer I can't remember the brand of (replaced the Kenmore washer from that set) with the same set we have now and no issues for theirs either. Kenmore/Whirlpool/Maytag are all the same brand really with a few changes.

from what I heard from Sears and Home Depot rep was to stay away from the newer Samsung sets, straight garbage there.