Washer and dryer

[hopkins_student]

In about two months we're going to be moving into an apartment with hookups, but without a supplied washer and dryer. We hope to only be there for six months while we're searching for a house and fortunately the laundry room is very large with space for a large washer and dryer, so we're going to go ahead and buy the machines we'll want for our house. Is Maytag still the best? What's the smallest size (cubic feet) you would purchase? Is it worth an extra couple hundred dollars for the steam cleaning feature? I'd appreciate any advice you can offer here because I've got no experience in this area. Regards, H_S.

 

[Connemara]

If you go for the $2K ice maker, you may be able to upgrade on the washer/dryer.

 

[hopkins_student]

Originally Posted by Connemara

If you go for the $2K ice maker, you may be able to upgrade on the washer/dryer.
Are you suggesting I should compromise my ice? Never.

 

[GQgeek]

just make sure you get a euro-style washer. The big tubs with the rotating agitators are horrible for your nice shirts.

 

[tiecollector]

I'm in the same boat and am considering getting the old-style top loader because you can soak things in them. The front load looks cool but you can't soak very conveniently and your detergents are limited. You can't use anything that sudz in the front loading.

What is the best detergent to use in a front load?

 

[matadorpoeta]

Originally Posted by hopkins_student

In about two months we're going to be moving into an apartment with hookups, but without a supplied washer and dryer. We hope to only be there for six months while we're searching for a house and fortunately the laundry room is very large with space for a large washer and dryer, so we're going to go ahead and buy the machines we'll want for our house. Is Maytag still the best? What's the smallest size (cubic feet) you would purchase? Is it worth an extra couple hundred dollars for the steam cleaning feature? I'd appreciate any advice you can offer here because I've got no experience in this area. Regards, H_S.

a few years ago i made a thread on this same topic. we ended up going with a bosch and it was a good choice. we had problems with every other washer, including maytags, but the bosch just plain works. no problems, no weird noises, nada.

 

[GQgeek]

how are you limited in your detergents? I use woolite zero for my shirts and liquid tide free for everything else. As for soaking, I have a big blue bin that I bought at canadian tire for $10 that I keep for that.

 

[crazyquik]

Since it's only 6 months, why not use a laundromat or rent an apartment with a community laundry room?

Maytag was bought by Whirlpool. Haven't heard whether their quality has gone up or down because of it.

Bitchez I know (ok, J.D. Power & Associates) like Korea stuff. Samsung, LG, Bosch. They predict that the major appliance market, dominated by American brands until recently, is about to turn like the car market did in the 1980s from domestic to Asian import. Read more, here: http://www.jdpower.com/corporate/new...spx?ID=2008132

Or you could sacrifice your ice and go Fisher & Paykel. They even make a top-load dryer, which none of your friends will have because it's the only one on the market.

As a general rule, many front-loads have a faster spin-cycle than top loads. They spin out more of the water, so it takes less time to dry the clothes. They also 'set' wrinkles in the clothes more often, for the same reason. If you're own a budget (let's say $2000), I would spend more on the washer and scrimp on the dryer. Just because you can buy a "pair" or 'duet' of washer & dryer doesn't mean your clothes will fall apart if you buy the $1300 washer and a $100 dryer from Craigslist.

If you plan on having a lot of kids gets a Whirlpool Cabrio 4.5 cubic foot washer. You can put about 3 loads of clothes in it at once. Of course, now there are 4.2 cubic foot front-loaders, so the Cabrio isn't as cavernous as it was 2 or 3 years ago when it came out.

 

[tiecollector]

The Korean stuff is hit or miss I think. Lots of stuff is actually made in Germany. When it comes to mechanics, nobody beats the Germans. The Kenmore Elite series is actually made in Germany, maybe by Bosch. This is what I'll probably end up using. The Kenmores have a bin for OxyClean too.

Does Woolite Zero work in front loaders?

 

[Artisan Fan]

I have a Maytag Neptune which has been perfect since 1999. We are thinking about a Whirlpool (same company now) for a replacement. Front loading is the way to go. Uses less water and cleans better.

 

[crazyquik]

Originally Posted by Artisan Fan

I have a Maytag Neptune which has been perfect since 1999. We are thinking about a Whirlpool (same company now) for a replacement. Front loading is the way to go. Uses less water and cleans better.

Except for the Fisher & Paykel top loaders, which use very little water and are easier to load and unload than a front loader, and allow you to soak.

 

[Piobaire]

We will be getting a new set too, when we move into the new place. Currently looking at Bosch and Miele.

 

[summej2]

Originally Posted by crazyquik

Except for the Fisher & Paykel top loaders, which use very little water and are easier to load and unload than a front loader, and allow you to soak.

We bought the first edition of the top-loading washer/dryer set from FP since there was no room for the door of a front loader in our tiny laundry room. They've been going strong for about 4 years now. The newer units have no central agitator, but I've had no problems with wear using our older version.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Originally Posted by crazyquik

Or you could sacrifice your ice and go Fisher & Paykel. They even make a top-load dryer, which none of your friends will have because it's the only one on the market.

I'll second F&P. Based on a recommendation from a repair tech, I bought a F&P set about four years ago. Based on his experiences, the F&P set was the most durable outside of the extreme premium brands. GE was the worst, according to him.

The F&P top-loading washer provides the same water savings as a trendy front-loader, without the leak/mildew problems or the necessity of buying high efficiency detergent. My water bill dropped 10% when I got my F&P washer.

My F&P dryer is the top-loading gas model. It's great not having to bend down to transfer wet clothes from the washer to the dryer.

The F&P units seem to derive much of their reliability from the fact that they don't use belts. Less parts to break = less problems.

You can find them @ Lowe's.

 

[A Y]

I have a Miele, and its only fault is that it takes an hour and 4 minutes to finish a wash. Otherwise it's wonderful, especially its high speed spin cycle which takes out more water than other washers, but leaves shirts damp enough to iron without steam or a spray bottle. It cleans well, is efficient, and doesn't need that much soap --- I use about half as much, cut with some vinegar in the rinse compartment. If you get the optional stand, you don't really don't have to bend over too much to put clothes in it.

If you have nice shirts, I don't recommend a laundromat --- one of those machines has torn the shoulder-sleeve seam of one of my shirts. With a few thousand dollars spent on shirts already, I don't see the point of thrifting on a machine they'll be seeing perhaps weekly.

I use 7th generation HE soap powder, which is pretty much free from any kind of smell or color, and it's almost like the DIY soap powders you find on the Internet. It works well, is relatively cheap, and green, if that's important to you. I add a bit of vinegar to get rid of soap residue, and I sometimes cut that with lemon juice.

The Miele-recommended soap, Persil, is nice too, and smells pretty good, but it's too hard to find around here.

--Andre