Need help deciding on new washing machine....

[vicb]

My less than 5 year old Whirlpool Cabrio HE top loader washer is a piece of crap! I am so frustrated. Repair tech tells me it now needs a $500 repair (we had to do a $150 repair when it was only 1 1/2 years old!) and he doesn't recommend putting the money into this machine. I never felt like it cleaned my clothes as well as my old traditional agitator machine did, and that machine lasted 17 years.

My DH called Whirlpool customer service, talked to two different people (one was supposedly a "supervisor") and was basically told tough luck. They did not offer any apology or offer of compensation. DH asked if they thought it was acceptable for a machine to have the major bearings wear out in less than five years and leak oil everywhere and he said "out of warranty can't do anything for you". Our repair tech thought they might ship the part free (cost $300, we'd still have had to pay $200 labor) or offer a $200 voucher toward a new Whirlpool product, ha no way.

Needless to say we won't buy a Whirlpool product which also now rules out Amana, Kitchen Aid, Kenmore and Maytag. Anyone have better luck with GE products? Looks like they are assembled in KY which is important to us. And I'm thinking of going back to the older style with a center agitator.

Appreciate any thoughts, advice on GE washers. Thanks!

 

[FINFAN]

My less than 5 year old Whirlpool Cabrio HE top loader washer is a piece of crap! I am so frustrated. Repair tech tells me it now needs a $500 repair (we had to do a $150 repair when it was only 1 1/2 years old!) and he doesn't recommend putting the money into this machine. I never felt like it cleaned my clothes as well as my old traditional agitator machine did, and that machine lasted 17 years.

My DH called Whirlpool customer service, talked to two different people (one was supposedly a "supervisor") and was basically told tough luck. They did not offer any apology or offer of compensation. DH asked if they thought it was acceptable for a machine to have the major bearings wear out in less than five years and leak oil everywhere and he said "out of warranty can't do anything for you". Our repair tech thought they might ship the part free (cost $300, we'd still have had to pay $200 labor) or offer a $200 voucher toward a new Whirlpool product, ha no way.

Needless to say we won't buy a Whirlpool product which also now rules out Amana, Kitchen Aid, Kenmore and Maytag. Anyone have better luck with GE products? Looks like they are assembled in KY which is important to us. And I'm thinking of going back to the older style with a center agitator.

Appreciate any thoughts, advice on GE washers. Thanks!

We didn't have luck with Maytag, and finally bought a Speed Queen top loading washer, basic model. Made in the U.S.A., I will never move without this machine! We had a dealer who carries them about 3 miles from home so we were lucky to be able to see it and pick it up ourselves, but they are heavy!
http://www.amazon.com/Speed-Queen-AWN412-White-Washer/product-reviews/B003O4QDWS
It's not the most modern/bells and whistles design out there...and to me, that's exactly why it works so great lol. It's super quiet and quick too, holds a otn and nothing, I mean nothing gets all tangled/twisted in it. I honestly wish we had known about the brand long ago.
Also, do a search on the boards, there are lots of folks who have the Speed Queen and other machines so that will be helpful for you

 

[LJSquishy]

If you're considering going back to a standard machine, definitely get a Speed Queen. They are built like tanks.

If you're considering another HE machine, I'd choose frontloading and only buy LG or Samsung.

 

[jesusluvsu2005]

We just bought a speed queen top loading washer a few months ago and love it! They are supposed to be built to last 20-25 years. Highly recommend them! I like that the panel is not all computerized (computerized looks cool, but more to go wrong and have to repair). Also, it really fills it up with water unlike all of the other machines out there today. And you can hold down the knob thingy to add more water than what it does add. Can't say enough good things about it!

 

[fly girl]

Get a top loader!

Front loaders are a pain with seals getting funky. Next machine will be top loader -- whenever that time comes.

 

[JanaDee]

I love my Samsung VRT front loader.

 

[Disneylover99]

Our less then five year old, expensive Maytag front loader is a piece of crap. Seals have gone a few times. It doesn't always drain properly and for the past three years it sounds like an airplane is taking off in our laundry room every time I start it. We've had it fixed a few times.

Sorry. No recommendations from me. But I also look forward to hearing about what people love.

 

[Gorechick]

Last repairman we had recommended Speed Queen.

 

[AppleDumpling]

I have a GE washer about 2 years old, old-style, top loader with agitator. It works just fine. I wanted a basic model that got clothes clean. I wasn’t interested in the latest high-tech models with umpteen different settings and lots of electronic and computer controls, which IMO are unnecessary and just more things to break down. I've always had a top loader and saw no reason to switch, especially after hearing about problems with front loaders from friends. Unfortunately, I don't think any appliances are built as well as they used to be, even 15, 20 years ago. Now you're lucky if they last 5 or 6 years. FWIW, all of my kitchen appliances are also GE and I've had good luck with them so far.

 

[vicb]

Thanks everyone. We ended up buying a GE top loader with an agitator over the weekend, planning to start laundry this morning so hopefully I will be happy with this. Interestingly enough the delivery guys from Lowes told us that they are hauling away Whirlpool Cabrios "all the time"... sigh. The model we chose wasn't the bottom of the line but not the top either and it does have an "energy star" rating so I guess a compromise from what we had before. Appreciate the advice.

 

[Katy Belle]

I hope this one works for you!

We bought a Maytag Centinnial set 5 years ago. It was cheap, about $600 for the set. I've had no problems. It has an agitator, but is larger than the old ones. Sometimes simple is better! A friend bought a front load set at the same time, it's been repaired at least 3 times! She's spent more on repairs than I spent on the machines.