Anybody has a great washer dryer set? Got our new set!

[cseca]

Our old set is over 12 years old, they are falling apart and we are planning to get a new one.
My only requirement is that it would be able to do our ginormous queen comforter. I tried to wash it on our old machine and it didn't come out right...

So... we went to Lowe's and the guy there said that the best set for my purpose would be maytag epic (not the epic z). It's a front loader which fits more stuff and cleans better than the top loader. it's 4cuft washer and 7cuft dryer capacity.
Then we went home to do a research and found that front loader needs He detergent (???)... We don't want to buy special detergent for our laundry (since we still have a giant bottle from our last grocery run).

Now we are confused again on what to get.
Does anyone has a good w/d set at home that they could recommend?

 

[goalierich]

We bought the LG Steamwash set last November and we love it. For large loads, I would recommend the 4 cu ft washer and 7 cu ft dryer, as we have king size bedding to wash every now and then. WE got ours at Home Depot, which was a clearance floor item, and it was cheaper than the one we went in for, which was the Magtag epic. As far as the detergent. They do recommend the HE detergents, but you can use the regular one's. Just make sure that you do not use as much because the front loaders do not use as much water (about 15 gallons versus 45 gallons for the top loaders). I hope this helps.

 

[me-lady]

I have a whirlpool duet front loader set and absolutely love them. the HE detergent is not big deal anymore. Walmart carries it in most detergets now. You can still use your old stuff to use it up, but use about 1/4 of the required amount.

front loaders use much less water than the top loaders. they also get the clothes cleaner and spin them dryer. that is the only kind I would buy now, no matter what model

 

[maggiew]

I have the Whirlpool Duet frontloader and love it.
Maggie

 

[CalvaryMike]

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1872874

 

[edk35]

I have a whirlpool duet front loader set and absolutely love them. the HE detergent is not big deal anymore. Walmart carries it in most detergets now. You can still use your old stuff to use it up, but use about 1/4 of the required amount.

front loaders use much less water than the top loaders. they also get the clothes cleaner and spin them dryer. that is the only kind I would buy now, no matter what model

I have the Duet set too. LOVE IT.

 

[maggiew]

First, you can use regular detergent in the front load washers. Just use about 1/3 the amount you would normally use.

Second, you usually can find HE detergent for the same price as regular detergent during CVS, Walgreens, etc. sales. Like Tide and All Small & Mighty. I think Gain has an HE also.

Maggie

 

[alexedan]

We have LG too....floor sample also. Not cheap but good. I get my detergent on sale also.

 

[ocalla]

DD16 and DD11!!!!! They work great after I bribe them


Seriously, I would love one of the front loading sets. One day, One day!!!

 

[englishteacha]

I have a Whirlpool top loader (the biggest they make) and a giant Estate (by Whirlpool) dryer. Both work very well and were very affordable. A thought for you, though, is to find a "handyman" and see if he can repair what you have. We are lucky to have a friend who used to own an appliance store and kept our old dryer running for about 5 years for about $5 in parts and $25 for his time. It was a dryer from the early 1970s (I'm sure it was an energy hog-I only used it when it was too cold or wet to hang laundry outside). It still ran when we decided to replace it with the Estate dryer and we sold it for $15 to a lady down the street, who was thrilled. The old dryer was a Whirlpool. So I can say that I'm pretty pleased with my Whirlpool products.

The next washer I get I hope will be a front loader since they're so much more efficient. (this one was a wedding gift, so I'm NOT complaining!) You can use regular detergent in an HE washer. As mentioned before, just use about 1/4 the amount. If you're already using a concentrated detergent (like All Small and Mighty), try just a couple tablespoons and see if it works. It's better to use too little than to end up with a really sudsy batch of laundry!

 

[SuzanneSLO]

We just got the Kenmore HE2t FL washer (3.7 capacity) and HE2 dryer (6.7 capacity), which are the same as the Whirlpool Duet 9400 (washer) and 8400 (dryer). We found the online price on the Kenmore during one of the Sears Sunday night specials to be better than on the Whirlpool, but the entire purchase prociess with Sears was miserable. -- Suzanne

 

[cseca]

Thanks everyone... Duet seems to be popular. I have to check that out. I haven't heard much about LG w/d but from the other thread they are popular too. I will need to research them too.

Thank you much for the info on He detergent. I'm glad front loaders are more water and detergent efficient. Every little bit of savings help

 

[Dancemom03]

I had a huge bottle of tide when my washer broke and we replaced with an LG steamwasher set. I called the 800 number on the bottle to ask about using the regular detergent and lady told me that to use that would cause oversudsing which could back up in the mechanics of the machine and cause damage.
Instead she sent me coupons to pay for a new bottle of HE and told me to give the old stuff away. Can't remember for sure the amounts, but know it paid for three bottles of the tide HE with febreeze on sale so I think it was either 2 or 3 - $5coupons - A terrific unexpected surprise.

I love my LG set, clothes are cleaner, it's super quiet, and I've never, in 31 years of marriage and 4 new washer/dryers, had a dryer that dried as fast or faster than my washer washed. So nice to finally be able to keep up instead of having baskets of wet clothes waiting...

 

[littlelulu33]

Don't use regular soap in a front loader. We thought it would be ok just use a lot less. This is when front loaders were coming out and HE soap was not so easy to find. Well just over the 1 year mark we starting have a leak called to have it repaired and it was not covered since it was over 1 year and we had some type of pan problem and was told it was caused by not using all HE soap. Too much suds I was using only a 1/4 of what you normally use for a top loader too, so I thought I was ok. It was over $200-$300 to repair.

 

[ibela]

Another vote for the Whirlpool Duet and we love it! It manages our king size comforter just fine. Also, do NOT use regular detergent in the machines, HE only. If your detergent is still closed, most stores will let you exchange for the one you need.

 

[mousehouselover]

I have a whirlpool duet front loader set and absolutely love them. the HE detergent is not big deal anymore. Walmart carries it in most detergets now.

We have the duet also and this has been our experience too. I've always been able to get the all small and mighty at Walmart. I've found it at Big Lots as well. I haven't regretted buying the new set and actually find it less costly to operate. My youngest sister has laundry room envy.

PS, the dryers come in both gas and electric, we have gas.

 

[edk35]

We have the duet also and this has been our experience too. I've always been able to get the all small and mighty at Walmart. I've found it at Big Lots as well. I haven't regretted buying the new set and actually find it less costly to operate. My youngest sister has laundry room envy.

PS, the dryers come in both gas and electric, we have gas.

We were told the same thing about regular laundry detergent too with our Duets. HE might be more expensive but because you use such a small amt.....it all works out in the wash.

 

[kathi29]

We have the duet also and this has been our experience too. I've always been able to get the all small and mighty at Walmart. I've found it at Big Lots as well. I haven't regretted buying the new set and actually find it less costly to operate. My youngest sister has laundry room envy.

PS, the dryers come in both gas and electric, we have gas.

I love All Small and Mighty HE! I'm not quite sure how I ever lived without it. Small bottle, lots of loads, inexpensive and does a great job. I usually get it at Target, though. I will have to compare Walmart's price.

 

[mom-2-3]

We just replaced a 14yr old whirlpool top load super capacity washer and dryer with the Bosch 500 series. We chose it over LG (wasn't sure about availabilty of service/parts yet, but I feel that when this improves, they have a great machine) and Whirlpool (I can't remember for sure but this had something to do with the drive mechanism-belt? and the unavailabilty of a stainless steel drum in dryer). I am still getting used to the new machines but have found that comforters don't fair as well as they did in the top loader. Other Bosch machines have a comforter setting so this may help, mine does not. I second the notion of not using regular detergent, there is more to the formulation than the amount you use. I actually think Lowe's may have the best price on Tide HE, compared to Target. Best wishes on your purchase.

 

[Microcell]

Love, love, love my Fischer and Paykel washer and dryer.. they are Australian but Sears repairs them, though you hardly ever need to have repairs since there are very few moving parts on them.

Keep in mind my DH and I are tall both 5'10.. but what we love most about them is that the dryer is TOP LOADING!!!! No bending all sideways to get your clothes out. It is decked out with all the cool stuff like delayed start, automatic presoak, programmable favorite cycles so you hit favorite and start it!

The dryer has a 24 hour cool down cycle...

They are energy efficient....

Can not say enough good things about them!

Wait yes I can...

The washer and dryer are huge! Totally have room for the biggest comforters.

Might be a little pricey... got them at the Sears Scratch and Dent (though not damaged at all.. they sell them new there) for 625.00 each. I think totally worth it.