Front Loading Washer & Dryer....Need Opinions

[Wishing on a star]

Yes, I think it is safe to say that everybody here who has a front loader does use HE detergent. I always do! I don't usually ever even fill the cap up the line for the recommended amount.

And, even with the low-sudsing HE detergent, you should see the suds that still come to the suface when I run my loads thru that extra rinse.

I didn't even mention, but like the other poster above, I feel that my dryer leaves my clothing more wrinkled than my old dryer.

I also stand by my other words of wisdom, and warning, in my post above (re: type of drum, etc...)

Just a note... the Calypso is very different from a regular front loading washer like the Whirlpools or the Bosch or other brands.

 

[Mickey527]

I just bought an LG Tromm and so far I love it although I have only done two washes.
I have a dog who is 23 years old. that's 161 in people years). He is blind and deaf now but he still loves to be petted and hugged, eats well and we just can't do anything yet.
But he is incontinent. I have a quilt that he sleeps on and no matter how many times I wash it I can't get the urine smell totally out.
Well I washed it yesterday using the sanitary cycle and it smelled like a new quilt. It looks great and smells wonderful.
The only problem is that it takes 154 minutes for the cycle to finish.
Today I washed towels for 114 minutes but they are cleaner than ever, not a drop of soap residue on them.
I am doing clothing tomorrow and hopefully everything will be wonderful with that too. Much better than the toploader that I had that used 44 gallons of water for a regular wash.,

 

[Bluestars]

I've always used regular detergent in mine and have never had a problem. I've used about 10 different types too. The only time the suds light has ever come on is when I put a large load of towels in it.

 

[SueM in MN]

the only times we have had to do extra rinsing was when people put in too much detergent. As a PP mentioned, you NEED to get the HE detergent. Any other kind will cause too much sudsing and make you need to do more rinsing.

We got the Whirlpool Duet washer and dryer.
We looked at some others, including LG, Samsung and Bosch. One of the things we had heard and were told by several salespeople is that some of those are not well suited for installation anywhere other than a basement or concrete slab. Some of the machines have such powerful spinning that they set up vibrations in the floor joists that can cause problems after a while.

We like the Whirlpool Duet washer and dryer a lot. No downside that we have seen.

 

[mfd25wife]

Mine are Bosch Nexxt series, and I love them. They are huge, they easily fit what would have been 1 1/2 or 2 loads in my old top loading set, and I can do a whole load of jeans which my old set couldn't handle.

If you do get a set, make sure you leave the door on the washer open when you are not using it, or they get really foul and stinky (because they seal so well).

We just bought this set also a couple of months ago. We really like it.

 

[sameyeyam]

I have a GE front loader that we got at Home Depot about 5 years ago. That was when the front loaders were just starting to become popular. I asked the salesperson what he thought was the best front loader and why. He immediately pointed to the GE. He said he had never seen one of them brought back. Also, he recommended staying away from the digital display ones. He had seen several burn out and they are very expensive to replace.

I've been very happy with my GE. It's fairly plain and doesn't have all the tons of fancy features like others, but it's a workhorse. It has about 4 different settings, various water temperatures. I've always used regular detergent in it. Bought HE detergent a couple of times, but IMO it was a waste of my money. I just buy whatever is on sale or in the clearance bin.

Before you buy any appliance check with your local utility company for rebates. I ended up only paying about $200 for my washer because I got several rebates because it was an Energy Star appliance. Sometimes they will have the lists at the store, but best to check the utility company website before you shop. Nothing like getting a new appliance and a rebate check.

 

[LuvBaloo]

We got an LG 3 years ago this month. I will not buy any LG appliance again. The motor on the washing machine died after 2years and 1 week. The motor was still covered by warranty, but there's no LG service place where we live, so we had to pay to ship it where there is one. I had no washing machine for 3 months while it was being fixed.

LG's service was awful. When we called their 1-800 number they refered me to a TV repair place. They argued that it couldn't possibly be the motor, but eventually did fix it, but it cost me $200 in shipping.

I recommend check on warranties and where there is certified repair shops in case you have problems.

 

[olena]

We have the Samsung with the VRT. I love them it took my DH forever to talk me into getting them because i dont like to spend that kind of money but i am so glad that he didnt let me get a regular washing machine and dryer.

I guess I'm the opposite. DH wanted the front loaders and refused to discuss anything else. He even picked out the brand...Samsung. I was extremely irritated to not have a say in choosing my own appliances. I do the laundry.

We went to the store looking at several models, because I at least have to be able to see the panels to use them. The cost of the high-end model made my head spin.....even on sale. It was outrageous. The low-end washer didn't have the features we wanted, so DH chose the mid-level Samsungs during his Cosumer Reports and reader review research. We went to the store but all they had were the high and low end...not the mid-level models. The sales guy (at H.H. Gregg) was really pushing the high-end washer and I (already being pissy about the whole thing) just wouldn't budge or let DH budge. We wanted the mid-level washer and dryer. The sales guy started knocking the price down on the high-end one. It was tempting but not enough. He finally knocked it down over $500 and we said OK, but we wanted the low-end Samsung dryer to go with it. He knocked $100 off of that and came back with paperwork for both under $2000 total. That was taxes, delivery, installation, etc. We didn't opt for the pedestal/storage drawers.

The point is....bargain with these people. The time is right for it and you might be surprised what you get. We were pleasantly surprised. Narrow down your brands and models and search prices online for several stores to know what a good deal is, so you can try to get it matched.

Now as for my Samsung dryer, it works just fine. A dryer is a dryer and getting that Steam model would-ve meant hooking up a water line to it. No thanks. My low-end dryer works well and quickly.

The washer with the Steam feature? I'm still getting used to it. I used to do about 6 loads of laundry once every 7-10 days. With the old units, I'd pop them in and out in succession. The front loading washers don't really allow for that. They may be water and energy efficient but they are NOT time efficient. The quickest wash cycle on my washer is 39 minutes. The longest is 3hrs and 6 minutes. I have to do fewer loads more frequently and I've adjusted to that. I do like the Sanitize and Silver Care options and I have noticed a big improvement in the quality of cleanliness. The other concern I expressed to the sales guy was about mildew and smell. He showed me how to wipe down the gasket (seal) and door after the last load is done and to leave the door open. So far so good with that. I never leave clothes in there after the cycle is finished. Also, drying doesn't take long because clothes are nearly dry when they come out of the washer. So even though it washes longer than before, it makes up some of that time in drying.

I've used the Sanitize cycle on our comforter and some mildewed bathroom rugs with great success. Next I will try some pillows.

 

[luvindisneyworld]

I am not sure which one we have probably the mid level one.I think with both of them it was 1400-1500. So they were not that bad at all really but what was bad was those stupid pedestals that DH would not leave the store without, 400.00 for 2 . The crazy thing about it I buy the bigger bottles of detergent and they will not fit down under .

I guess I'm the opposite. DH wanted the front loaders and refused to discuss anything else. He even picked out the brand...Samsung. I was extremely irritated to not have a say in choosing my own appliances. I do the laundry.

We went to the store looking at several models, because I at least have to be able to see the panels to use them. The cost of the high-end model made my head spin.....even on sale. It was outrageous. The low-end washer didn't have the features we wanted, so DH chose the mid-level Samsungs during his Cosumer Reports and reader review research. We went to the store but all they had were the high and low end...not the mid-level models. The sales guy (at H.H. Gregg) was really pushing the high-end washer and I (already being pissy about the whole thing) just wouldn't budge or let DH budge. We wanted the mid-level washer and dryer. The sales guy started knocking the price down on the high-end one. It was tempting but not enough. He finally knocked it down over $500 and we said OK, but we wanted the low-end Samsung dryer to go with it. He knocked $100 off of that and came back with paperwork for both under $2000 total. That was taxes, delivery, installation, etc. We didn't opt for the pedestal/storage drawers.

The point is....bargain with these people. The time is right for it and you might be surprised what you get. We were pleasantly surprised. Narrow down your brands and models and search prices online for several stores to know what a good deal is, so you can try to get it matched.

Now as for my Samsung dryer, it works just fine. A dryer is a dryer and getting that Steam model would-ve meant hooking up a water line to it. No thanks. My low-end dryer works well and quickly.

The washer with the Steam feature? I'm still getting used to it. I used to do about 6 loads of laundry once every 7-10 days. With the old units, I'd pop them in and out in succession. The front loading washers don't really allow for that. They may be water and energy efficient but they are NOT time efficient. The quickest wash cycle on my washer is 39 minutes. The longest is 3hrs and 6 minutes. I have to do fewer loads more frequently and I've adjusted to that. I do like the Sanitize and Silver Care options and I have noticed a big improvement in the quality of cleanliness. The other concern I expressed to the sales guy was about mildew and smell. He showed me how to wipe down the gasket (seal) and door after the last load is done and to leave the door open. So far so good with that. I never leave clothes in there after the cycle is finished. Also, drying doesn't take long because clothes are nearly dry when they come out of the washer. So even though it washes longer than before, it makes up some of that time in drying.

I've used the Sanitize cycle on our comforter and some mildewed bathroom rugs with great success. Next I will try some pillows.

 

[rcraw45425]

When I bought the Duet washer a few weeks back, I was extremely lucky to deal with a local dealer and the sales person was someone that has been a family "aquaintance" for years. She told me I didn't need the pedestal since I was short (first time that's ever been a plus!) and saved me $200. I knew that it would become a catch all, not to mention the fact that our house has a full basement, but the laundry is on the main floor. My Calypso would sometimes vibrate on the Pergo laundry room floor, I was afraid if I put the Duet on a pedestal it would move around. Well, so far no movement, I think it's also better insulated than the Calypso was, sound wise. I can actually do laundry while my DH is asleep without it waking him up. As far as the wrikles from the Dryer, maybe I don't really experience that because I tend to use my drying cabinet for a lot of things that might wrinkle, using the screens to dry flat or hanging with the shaking motion.

 

[C&G'sMama]

We just got Fridgidaire Affinity. Since our other washing machine is from 1993 and the dryer from 1973 (they were my moms) I'm thrilled. We just went on the relatively inexpensive side and figure if we need to upgrade in a few years, we will. In the mean time the old washer and dryer are still tickin' so a friend of ours is taking them.

 

[KATHINOWA]

My parents just bought an Electrolux. Those are the ones Kelly Ripa is now the spokeswoman for. My parents love it.

We have these too. Got them in November. So far I'm very happy with them.

 

[FloraFauna]

I also have the Bosch Nexxt. I bought it about 1 1/2 years ago and I am very pleased with it.

 

[MegaDisney]

I am also going to be a voice of dissention here and say I have one and I hate it. It's a Bosch 500plus series. First off, someone here recommended to leave the door open when the wash is done so the washer can air out. Because of the location of my washer, I can't do this or I literally can't get out of my bathroom (washer and dryer are in our 1st floor bathroom, behind folding doors and when the folding doors are open I can't open the bathroom door!) So, my washer constantly has a gross smell. I even used one of those cleaning tablets the guy at Home Depot recommended and it didn't work. For what we paid for this washer I should not have to "air it out" after each use.

Second of all, and the reason we are returning the washer, is this. I saw a report on a news station a couple of weeks ago regarding issues some people where having with these washers regarding mold. They had a woman on who took a white rag and wiped the inside of the washer, both on the glass and the rim, and sure enough, the rag was covered in black. It was disgusting. So we did the same to ours and sure enough, the same thing. The report even said there was a class action lawsuit a while back against LG for this very issue. I don't know if we can have it tested to see if it is indeed mold, but we're not taking the chance. The fact that the washer always smells gross is enough for me- I'm betting this is mold. So, no thanks!! This washer is going back, and we're going to get a nice regular Maytag top loader.

Anyway, this is our experience. Hope it helps!

 

[mhsjax]

I am so glad that there are a few people who don't like theirs, I thought I was the only one. Well I am sorry you don't like it, but you know what I mean. And yes those darn washers take forever, and true your laundry is dries quick cause it is almost dry when finished washing. Which reminds me, these darn washers spin so hard that it flung and entire 100oz bottle of Tide HE that was designed to sit on top of your washer, it sent it sailing onto the floor broke the cap and I now have the cleanest floors anywhere, it took me days to wash all of the towels I used to wipe all of it up, So to anyone who is buying one of theses, just watch that spin cycle, it is a doozie. lol