Washers and Dryers?

We're buying our very first washer and dryer soon, and would love to hear any knowledge, experiences, and advice on brands, designs, quality, value, retailers, what to look for, etc.

We are probably going to stay away from the really low- and high-end models (under $1000 for the pair would be great unless going a bit higher will pay off big time in the long-run), prefer higher capacity, and would like them to be somewhat efficient.

Thanks in advance!

SweetErika said:

...prefer higher capacity, and would like them to be somewhat efficient.

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A gas dryer is generally more efficient than electric -- at least in terms of cost of operation in most markets.

A tumble style washer (one with a horizontal tub) uses less water and is gentler on the clothes than a washer with an agitator. For a long time, theywere unpopular for the home market and only found in comercial versions, but I've started to see them in appliance stores again over the last few years -- they're generally more expensive than the agitator types, but if you're paying the water bill save you enough on that to be worth it.

I concur. The more bells and whistles you get on it=more things to go wrong, as far as I'm concerned.

We've had our dryer for over 20 years. It's a Kenmore and we haven't had any major problems with it. The washer's a GE. It's only about 4 or 5 years old and it's been fine.

i sold white goods for a number of years and the best guidance i can give you is to buy from a store that employs a knowledgable salesperson. tell him/her what you want and what you've had and they should make a good suggestion for you.

dryers are pretty cut and dry. maytag uses a higher velocity of air which tends to be more efficient (at least this used to be the case). for example, if you were drying your clothes on a line, would you rather they be out on a 90 degree day with high humidity or on a 70 degree day with a nice breeze?

washers usually fall into two categories... belt drive and direct drive transmissions. belt driven tend to need repair sooner or more frequently while direct drive tends to last longer. conversely, the direct drive repair is typically more costly (which stands to reason).

try to find a washer that allows access to the transmission from the front (a removable front panel rather than a wrap around housing).

outside of that i think that if you stick with a name brand you'll be ok. every brand has its share of problems but you're really only concerned with the ONE you take home with you... you'll either get one that lasts for 3 months or for 15 years. there are horror stories and endorsements for all brands so anyone who says "buy a whirlpool" or "don't get a GE" or what have you is just speaking from their own experience. honest to god it's just hit or miss and you'll usually be happy with whatever you get... just don't buy one that was made on a monday or a friday.

Weird Harold said:

A gas dryer is generally more efficient than electric -- at least in terms of cost of operation in most markets.

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The house has a gas furnace in the laundry room, but I don't think there are any hookups for a dryer. Would it be really worth it to have them put in?

A tumble style washer (one with a horizontal tub) uses less water and is gentler on the clothes than a washer with an agitator. For a long time, theywere unpopular for the home market and only found in comercial versions, but I've started to see them in appliance stores again over the last few years -- they're generally more expensive than the agitator types, but if you're paying the water bill save you enough on that to be worth it.

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I laugh at the prices of the newer high efficiency front-loaders on the market. They advertise them as such a novel concept, when they're inexpensive and have long been the norm in Europe and other parts of the world. Same goes for the "never run out of hot water"/tankless water heaters (when we replace this one, that's definitely what we're getting).

Anyway, my in-laws bought a high efficiency washer and dryer a few years back, and have been pleased. I'll have to do some research on how much they'll save in the long run.

EJFan said:

i sold white goods for a number of years and the best guidance i can give you is to buy from a store that employs a knowledgable salesperson. tell him/her what you want and what you've had and they should make a good suggestion for you.

dryers are pretty cut and dry. maytag uses a higher velocity of air which tends to be more efficient (at least this used to be the case). for example, if you were drying your clothes on a line, would you rather they be out on a 90 degree day with high humidity or on a 70 degree day with a nice breeze?

washers usually fall into two categories... belt drive and direct drive transmissions. belt driven tend to need repair sooner or more frequently while direct drive tends to last longer. conversely, the direct drive repair is typically more costly (which stands to reason).

try to find a washer that allows access to the transmission from the front (a removable front panel rather than a wrap around housing).

outside of that i think that if you stick with a name brand you'll be ok. every brand has its share of problems but you're really only concerned with the ONE you take home with you... you'll either get one that lasts for 3 months or for 15 years. there are horror stories and endorsements for all brands so anyone who says "buy a whirlpool" or "don't get a GE" or what have you is just speaking from their own experience. honest to god it's just hit or miss and you'll usually be happy with whatever you get... just don't buy one that was made on a monday or a friday.

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Great info, thanks, EJ! I would have never thought about the type of transmission or looked for easy access.

There's a Maytag Store close that encourages prospective buyers to bring in laundry and dishes to try different models out. They have other brands as well, and we have a pile of laundry, so perhaps we'll take a trip down there soon and take them up on their offer! They've also been advertising a "Scratch and Dent" sale; if we don't care what about blemishes, might that be a good way to get higher quality at a lower price, or would you shy away from it?

SweetErika said:

They've also been advertising a "Scratch and Dent" sale; if we don't care what about blemishes, might that be a good way to get higher quality at a lower price, or would you shy away from it?

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nothing wrong with scratch and dents at all... as long as they're not actually USED machines.

if you do get a scratch and dent item, be sure that either the store or you touch up the scratches with good enamel appliance paint... otherwise you'll wind up with rust problems.

one other note on washers... think of the tub as a high tech version of the old washboards your grandmother or great grandmother might have used. avoid anything that's completely smooth or plastic. the tub should be metal, mildly textured and well enameled.

with dryers, you'll be happier if you get one that has one fin that's larger than the others. this will keep your clothes from balling up. also, if there's an auto-dry feature of any kind, look for one that's humidity sensitive rather than temperature sensative.

SweetErika said:

I laugh at the prices of the newer high efficiency front-loaders on the market. They advertise them as such a novel concept, when they're inexpensive and have long been the norm in Europe and other parts of the world.

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My husband's aunt was using a Westinghouse front-loader in the 60's.

Anyway, my in-laws bought a high efficiency washer and dryer a few years back, and have been pleased. I'll have to do some research on how much they'll save in the long run.

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I know it's more than you want to spend, but a couple of months ago, we bought a LG front-loading washer and dryer. The dryer was making a thumping sound after we bought it, but that seems to have gone away. *shrug*

We've been pleased so far.

EJFan said:

nothing wrong with scratch and dents at all... as long as they're not actually USED machines.

if you do get a scratch and dent item, be sure that either the store or you touch up the scratches with good enamel appliance paint... otherwise you'll wind up with rust problems.

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We got a really good deal on a dented stainless-steel cooktop; it was the display model. Our old cooktop died and we were looking to replace it on the cheap since kitchen remodeling is next on our home-improvement to-do list.

My husband was able to remove the dent pretty easily.

EJFan said:

one other note on washers... think of the tub as a high tech version of the old washboards your grandmother or great grandmother might have used. avoid anything that's completely smooth or plastic. the tub should be metal, mildly textured and well enameled.

with dryers, you'll be happier if you get one that has one fin that's larger than the others. this will keep your clothes from balling up. also, if there's an auto-dry feature of any kind, look for one that's humidity sensitive rather than temperature sensative.

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See, this ^^^ is why I love this place!

Good to know because I was just looking at Maytags (which has apparently been bought out by Whirlpool) with polymer tubs and auto-dry sensors. Little is worse laundry-wise than coming back to unload the dryer only to find pant legs twisted, a ball of clothes rolled up in sheets, and tons of damp spots.

I'm making a list of all of this, so keep the ideas coming, guys! We're also in the market for a lighter weight, not too expensive vacuum, chest freezer (though we may go Craigslist on that), and mower for a little lawn.

Eilan said:

I know it's more than you want to spend, but a couple of months ago, we bought a LG front-loading washer and dryer. The dryer was making a thumping sound after we bought it, but that seems to have gone away. *shrug*

We've been pleased so far.

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LG is what Hubby's dad has, too. He had a hell of a time figuring out how to use it when my m-i-l got too sick to start the wash and refused to give him instructions out of pride.

Have you seen a noticeable drop in your utility bills? You'd be the person to ask with all those kiddies running around!

SweetErika said:

I was just looking at Maytags (which has apparently been bought out by Whirlpool) with polymer tubs and auto-dry sensors.

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polymer isn't necessarily bad... pariticularly with a dryer. in the washer tub, however, just make sure that it isn't a smooth plastic (typical of the very cheap, low-cost washers). i can't honestly speak to the idea of polymer drums in dryers but i'd suspect metal would be better there as well. the issue of polymer in washer tubs is that there's no texture to "scrub" the clothes. your clothes get clean, not from sloshing around in soapy water, but from rubbing against the side of the tub during agitation.

there are two types of agitators. one (the traditional type) moves in a clcokwise/counterclockwise motion... the other (typical of whirlpool and its subsidiaries) has a corkscrew style spindle that draws the clothes in a vertical circle, moving them up the outside of the tub where they rub against the walls of the tub and then down the center of the tub. i don't believe either is superior but they're easy to identify as the corkscrew type has a narrow, deep tub; the traditional type has a wide, shallow tub... the spindle in the center is pretty easy to figure out as well... the corkscrew type is shaped like a corkscrew oddly enough while the other is just a sort of stick with fins at the bottom.

SweetErika said:

LG is what Hubby's dad has, too. He had a hell of a time figuring out how to use it when my m-i-l got too sick to start the wash and refused to give him instructions out of pride.

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Our has lots of buttons and pretty lights. I'll let the kids push the buttons to get things started--with my guidance, of course. Thank goodness for the child lock feature!

Have you seen a noticeable drop in your utility bills? You'd be the person to ask with all those kiddies running around!

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We just got out electric bill today, and it was under $70. For us, that's a huge deal because it's rarely under $100, even in the summer!

We weren't using the furnace as much, so it was likely because of that, but the old dryer was getting to the point where it would take two or three cycles to dry a load of clothes. Definitely a waste of electricity.

hey erika! ok, some things about washers and dryers... pesonally, i prefer whirlpool to anything else.... front loaders are great... but if you have a problem with them leaking etc, they can get extremely expensive to repair... polymer washtubs are good, but, be forewarned, if you wash something smelly {work clothes, icky bed sheets -did that alot when my 6 yo was a bit younger-} the tubs do soak up some of the smell, and you have to run a bleach load, or a load with white vinegar afterwards to make sure the smell is out... i agree with the general consensus of the board, that the more bells and whistles, the more problems... i am on my second whirlpool set {the first one, i burnt the motor out of the washer, and the dryer was gas- and there is no gas connections here, so when we moved we left it in the house} and i love it.. the washer is great--{whirlpool-LSR7333PQ4} has a nice big tub, and a few features {adj water depth, and temp} and has 4 different wash settings... the dryer {whirlpoolLER3624p20} is ok. it heats up good, but, you cant adj the temperature {which i miss} and it doesnt have a buzzer on it {which i REALLY miss} it also has a smaller tub than the washer so i have to be a little careful not to cram to much stuff in... its an electric dryer.. i like electric, but to tell you the truth, the gas dryer i had in the states dried better... but! with gas prices rising the weay they are {our house in PA has the thermostat set @ 50 so the pipes dont freeze, and my gas bill last month was still $250---i REALLY need to sell that house! } it might not be worth getting a gas dryer.

also, whirlpool and kenmore have the SAME items but! kenmore sells thiers for quite a bit more.... and dont get GE... a few years ago, when i was selling furniture {appliances also} GE had the WORST rating onthe market for repair. that *might* have changed, but im not sure{ive been out of the loop} hope this helps!

~5PHF

Hi SweetErika,

Sorry, I don't know how to add your quote here in a reply. But - if you're looking at buying several large ticket items in the near future, it might be worth your while checking out your local Consumers Association. The one here has a magazine with product reviews and, even if it's a bit out of date with regard to models, it lists things to look for that you may not have even thought about. They also have an online version. If you subscribe there's a buying service - you tell them exactly what you want and they will find where to get the best price on that make/model.
The articles are interesting reading even if you're not in the market for that particular product. You can check out some examples here
http://www.choice.com.au/defaultView.aspx?id=102314&catId=100165

regards, hypatia

I'm sure that EJ is right, that most such appliances will serve you well. I don't have much first-hand experience to report, however, as our Maytag set just had its 21st birthday with only one visit from the lonely repair guy in that time. For purposes of comparison, we have been doing anywhere from 5 to 12 loads of laundry each week for that entire period.

STAY AWAY FROM AMANA!!

I have had nothing but problems

My husband and I bought an LG set not to long ago. I guess the total cost was about $1600, but they are front loading machines and I believe energy
star as well. I could be mistaken, so if you are some sort of energy star genius please don't belittle me in front of everyone for my ignorance! Anyway, we are very happy with both washer and dryer, and have noticed that the water consumption is less than our old agitator style washer. Best of luck!

Mine runs on quarters

midwestyankee said:

...our Maytag set just had its 21st birthday with only one visit from the lonely repair guy in that time.

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meanwhile, gordon jump died... of lonliness perhaps.

SweetErika said:

The house has a gas furnace in the laundry room, but I don't think there are any hookups for a dryer. Would it be really worth it to have them put in?

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If there is a gas line into the Laundry room for the Furnace, then there is probably also one for a Dryer. If not, it shouldn't be too expensive to add one.

I think it would be worth a bit of extra cost to tap the gas line to the furnace. If nothing else, a gas dryer heats up quicker than an electric so it starts drying sooner. How much you save over electric on the bills will depend on what your local gas and electric rates are -- around here, the electric rates are climbing faster than the gas rates.

SweetErika said:

Anyway, my in-laws bought a high efficiency washer and dryer a few years back, and have been pleased. I'll have to do some research on how much they'll save in the long run.

Click to expand...

IIRC, a front loading washer requires about one-fourth as much water and half as much detergent per load. I don't think even a "high efficiency" top-loader can match that kind of water efficiency because "high efficiency" often only means a significant reduction in energy usage without changing the water usage.

Be wary of taking sticker claims at face value; look at the actual numbers for water usage and energy usage.

Heavy Duty

Brands aside, get ones marked "Heavy Duty". They have stronger motors that will probably last 20 years. With minor cost to repair the simple parts, you can keep them working for a long time.
If you get cheap motors, they will burn out or under-perform.

Quick note about electric dryers:
Get 220Volt ones! 115 won't get it done.
Another note: I had an old condo that only had 2 standard 115 VAC plugs and I had a 220V dryer. I found that the smart people who designed the condos put in 2 different phases in the two plugs so that you could easily wire it to 220 volts. Cool, huh? Ask.

Weird Harold said:

IIIRC, a front loading washer requires about one-fourth as much water and half as much detergent per load. I don't think even a "high efficiency" top-loader can match that kind of water efficiency because "high efficiency" often only means a significant reduction in energy usage without changing the water usage.

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My front-loader uses the same amount of detergent as my old top-loader did. However, I have to buy the H.E. detergent instead of regular laundry detergent.