need new washer-help

[paper1225]

Our washing machine is 12 1/2 years old and today gave in.....we have had it fixed twice over the last few years so this time we are going to replace..........need opinions........have decided upon a front loader(will get dryer to match), have heard from two friends to not get the duet....looking at frigidaire-affinity has been recommended.......any advice? what a horrible time to have to buy such a big item-but we need it now.......also, how do we get the water out of our current machine???

 

[Cjmuma]

Amy,
My friends at work have the LG front loaders, and my mother just ordered hers. My friends love theirs so much, and my mom can't wait to get hers. LG is the parent company for kenmore... so they are high quality, even though they have a slightly lower price. If you are having a hard time with the money for them, most sears stores have a clearance section for scratch and dent, and returned items. as far as getting the water out, try taking the drain hose down to a lower level. I know that mine wouldn't hold water if that hose wasn't up high enough. Good Luck!
Cj

 

[Disneyjamie]

Unless the front loader washer will be on a cement slab/basement floor, I would not get one. We bought ours this year and have it on the first floor of our house, above the basement. Already, we wished we got a top loader. No matter what brand, etc., it seems that if the base is not solid/stable, the washer will vibrate, shake and have issues with keeping the load balanced.

 

[cglaura]

I just went through this with my 10 year old Whirlpool. It would fill and agitate, but not drain.

To get the water out, as pp stated, take the drain hose out of the pipe it is draining in to and find something low and shallow to drain. If the hose is lower than where the hose goes into the machine, gravity will drain it (I used an old cat litter jug, took many trips to fill/empty...).

If money is a concern now, make sure to check it is not the lid switch. I thought mine was the pump, which would have been either $165 for the plumber to come out, or buy new washer $$$. I googled and found to check the lid switch first.

Start a small empty load (or try it with the water you have now, just make sure it is in the cycle part where it is supposed to drain...), then when it doesn't drain, take a wood dowel or pencil, and push it gently down in the hole where the lid "pin" on the lid (?) would normaly go. If it starts to drain, then you know it is the lid switch. If it is really busted you may have to move the dowel around a bit to catch the switch. In my case the switch looks sort of like a box with a pedal on the edge. The pedal gets depressed by the lid peg, which keeps the machine going. The box broke apart, so the pedal was kind of just flimsy and wouldn't click on.

Mine was a $12 for the part and about 15 minutes to replace myself.

Huge budget saver for me!

 

[Praying Colonel]

We just bought a Bosch front-loader @ Lowe's--regularly $999, on sale for $699, plus they deliver, install & haul away the old one. We were impressed with the large size (4.4 cu ft) and the separate comforter setting so we can wash those @ home and don't have to take them to the laundry.