Stack units or side by side? Was: I need a new washer and dryer, recommendations please!

[Immadismom]

I’ve had great luck with very basic Whirlpool top loader and dryers. However, we moved into a new house in June where he prior owners left the washer & dryer. The washer is a Midea front loader, which was brand new in January (they left the receipt & manual, etc). Never heard of this brand, but I really like it so far. The dryer left behind is a Samsung, which I have no clue the age of. It works ok, but I liked my Whirlpool one better. We kept our appliances & put them in storage, as the washer was brand new in December. We’ll likely give them to our DD when she finishes college & moves to her own place.

 

[tvguy]

The top loader doesn't have as much of a mold/mildew issue because the door doesn't need to be water-tight like on a front loader. If you leave the door of a front loader open when not it use, that lets it dry out and keeps stuff from growing.

I have a top loader with no agitator and it works fine for me.

Most (if not all) front loaders have a special detent in the door hinge that keeps the door slightly open after you use it to dry everything out.

We had a top loader Maytag without an agitator for a few days. It twisted up the clothing badly and my wife had Lowes come back and get her money back. They didn't even flinch. They said they get a lot of the washers with agitators returned.

 

[tvguy]

Wherever you are shopping for new washer/dryer be sure to ask: 1) do they take the old ones away from your property? and 2) is there a charge to connect the new machines? Some cities are very picky about what you can put out for trash so if all they do is put it on your lawn for trash pick-up, you might have issues getting it taken away. Some places charge for these services while others do not. Be sure to consider that when doing comparison shopping.

Good question to ask. All stores here include delivery, set up and haul away in the sale. They might want to sell you new hoses with the washer, and a new 220 plug for an electric dryer, but the rest is included at no extra charge.

 

[barkley]

Does the top loader prevent the mildew that people have been reporting?

If you leave the door of a front loader open when not it use, that lets it dry out and keeps stuff from growing.

i was going to mention the same thing re. leaving the door open. i find that if i just leave the door open after running a load while that load is drying it provides enough time and benefits from the ambient heat such that mildew isn't an issue (if your laundry area has a fan turning it on can speed the process as well). i also periodically take a washrag and wipe the interior of the gasket on the washer door.

just thought of something-if you are going to buy from a costco or other type of store that does not have their own repairs in-house do a quick search on the manufacturers website of any brand you are considering to see if you've got LOCAL AUTHORIZED repair services available. best warranty in the world won't help if there's no one local to you and it's a multi month battle/wait to get someone from out of area for a repair.

 

[Her Dotness]

We did have the Maytag Bravos as well. Had 5 service calls in 13 months. They finally basically told me I did not know how to wash clothes. Imagine that I have been doing it wrong for over 40 years.

Actually, I felt like I didn't know how with the 2nd Bravos.

It was a nightmare trying to wash synthetic-filled pillows. I had to add towels to get the thing to balance once the pillows were wet. The burning question was how many towels and exactly where--took me three tries to get that load to run right.

I've since read that if your HE goes out-of-balance much, it can ruin the machine. Also that you should never fill the tub more than 60-70% full, not even loosely. Does anything tell you that? No.

No idea but what I may have ruined it if they're really that delicate. Which is ridiculous if so.

 

[abdmom]

Thank you everyone! Your answers have been very helpful!

I went to Costco yesterday and browsed some of the laundry appliances they had on display. I noticed that they had top loaders with tubs (no agitators) that looked the same as the front loaders. Are they the same except for the orientation? Does the top loader prevent the mildew that people have been reporting?

I don't think I want a washer with an agitator, I think the one I have has been pretty tough on my clothes and I'm ready for a change.

I have an LG machine without an agitator that I bought last year. It does not get mildew like my previous front loaders. It's pretty smart and measures the weight and balance of the clothes before it starts. There are quite a few different cycles, some of which add extra water automatically. I also have the ability to add extra water to the cycle. Even though it looks like there isn't enough water to get the clothes clean, I have had no issues with the cleanliness of the clothes or other things I send through the laundry. This is the one I bought: https://www.homedepot.com/p/LG-Elec...-Drum-TurboWash3D-in-White-WT7400CW/320326878 It's 5.5 cubic feet which is huge. I'm a solo empty nester. I wish I'd had one this big when I had kids and I was drowning in laundry.

I bought mine through a big box store (not Costco). At the time I bought, laundry machines were hard to find. I originally wanted Speed Queen, but there were none available within 50 miles. I was on a waitlist at an appliance store for a pair . They eventually called me 3-4 months after I was put on the waitlist. As I had just moved and there was no laundry, I needed a pair immediately.

 

[holden]

Haven’t read the whole thread but I love my Speed Queen washer (top loader) and dryer.

 

[_19disnA]

They might want to sell you new hoses with the washer, and a new 220 plug for an electric dryer, but the rest is included at no extra charge.

I agree. When we moved into our new home a couple of years ago and brought our existing washer/dryer with us, seem to recall the builder saying the 220 cord had to be replaced due to local electrical code. Apparently those high voltage cords can wear out or get brittle over time and replacing it makes sense. We were charged a nominal amount for the cost of the new 220 cord/plug the builder had to buy. Good idea to check/replace the washer hoses since they can also wear out and/or leak over time.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Thank you everyone! Your answers have been very helpful!

I went to Costco yesterday and browsed some of the laundry appliances they had on display. I noticed that they had top loaders with tubs (no agitators) that looked the same as the front loaders. Are they the same except for the orientation? Does the top loader prevent the mildew that people have been reporting?

I don't think I want a washer with an agitator, I think the one I have has been pretty tough on my clothes and I'm ready for a change.

Top loaders don't prevent mildew. It's just because of the way top loaders are that you don't get it nearly as easily. You don't seal the door on a top loader and it doesn't have a gasket. That is two big sources of mildew. Some front loaders come now so that the front door naturally stays open a bit when not latched to help you combat that. But some don't. But also the way top loaders are oriented also means less chance of mildew.

BTW minimize the electronics if you can. The #1 repair call for washers, dryers, dishwashers and stoves is....... The electronics. I have all manual switches on my washer and dryer. Not a one has gone out.

 

[donaldbuzz&minnie]

I have a top loading LG washer and dryer that we bought about 5 years ago when our old geezers finally gave out. I love the new ones.

 

[tvguy]

I agree. When we moved into our new home a couple of years ago and brought our existing washer/dryer with us, seem to recall the builder saying the 220 cord had to be replaced due to local electrical code. Apparently those high voltage cords can wear out or get brittle over time and replacing it makes sense. We were charged a nominal amount for the cost of the new 220 cord/plug the builder had to buy. Good idea to check/replace the washer hoses since they can also wear out and/or leak over time.

I replaced my Heat Pump last December and the building code here required that they replace all the 220 wiring to it. That added $1,500 to the cost. And the building inspector did check to see it had been replaced. But the house and wiring were 42 years old.

 

[mmbrad02]

We had a set of LG front loaders that I liked quite well; I'm barely 5 foot so personally the loading and unloading is much easier in a front load for me. They lasted 11 or so years but we were happy enough with them that when the washer gave out, we replaced then with the same thing - just current model. One nice thing was they fit perfectly on the original set of pedestals. I don't plan to ever return to top load.

 

[BayouQueen]

Very happy Speed Queen owner here.

 

[tcufrog]

We have an LG front-loading washer and dryer that I'm happy with. My husband had to replace a door gasket on the dryer. It was a pain in the a$$ but he was able to buy the gasket online and there was a YouTube tutorial explaining how to do it. I recommend getting a dryer that has a steam cycle. It's great at getting wrinkles out of clothes if they don't need to look pressed.

 

[Cadiewampus]

Actually, I felt like I didn't know how with the 2nd Bravos.

It was a nightmare trying to wash synthetic-filled pillows. I had to add towels to get the thing to balance once the pillows were wet. The burning question was how many towels and exactly where--took me three tries to get that load to run right.

I've since read that if your HE goes out-of-balance much, it can ruin the machine. Also that you should never fill the tub more than 60-70% full, not even loosely. Does anything tell you that? No.

No idea but what I may have ruined it if they're really that delicate. Which is ridiculous if so

We ended up washing everything on deep wash just so we could get enough water to at least get everything wet. Even then we would still end up with fuss and detergent spots all over the darks. We would have to run a second and sometimes a third rinse to get it all out. How energy efficient is that? Eventually I got down to using 1 teaspoon of detergent and still had spots. They would tell me the machine was functioning as it was designed. UM were your designers blind? They never would admit it was a bad machine. Just out of curiosity I just checked reviews again. On Amazon 87% gave it a 1 star

 

[Moliphino]

We did have the Maytag Bravos as well. Had 5 service calls in 13 months. They finally basically told me I did not know how to wash clothes. Imagine that I have been doing it wrong for over 40 years.

I looked at my set this weekend and they are Maytag Bravos. I guess I'm lucky, mine have been doing fine for 2+ years. Once I saw that you're supposed to load it like there is an agitator (around the center, leaving the middle open) I haven't had issues with sheets ballooning up during the wash cycle.

 

[robinb]

Good News! I bought a pair of LG front loaders from Costco. They will be delivered this week. I had help my DH to get over his sticker shock a bit . I narrowed my choices down to 1 front loader and 2 top loaders (LG & Samsung) and we went to Best Buy to look at washers and dryers in person. I would have been happy to buy from them, but Costco had a much better price.

I did not buy pedestals because they were not in stock and I wanted the appliances ASAP. My DH does most of the laundry and he said that the openings are not too low for him. They are a bit too low for me. but I figured that I don't do laundry often and I can put a stepstool next to the laundry to sit on while dragging laundry out of the machines.

So ... here is my new question:

Should I stack the washer and dryer? I'm thinking that if the units are stacked I can move the laundry from washer to dryer easier and then the dry laundry will be at eye level I have enough room in my basement to stack or to have them side by side.

 

[MrsPete]

No real suggestions, but a tip: Measure your space before you shop. When I bought my new set two years ago I was AMAZED at how much bigger machines have become. They don't look so big in the showroom.

Also, don't buy a set unless they can promise to deliver both machines to you at once. Admittedly, I bought when the pandemic was still raging, but they delivered the washing machine, and then the matching dryer was suddenly unavailable /would never be available. They took back the washer, and I got a different set.

 

[MrsPete]

EVERYONE I know who's gotten one of the new, HE, low water washers has hated it (everything always smells musty) and they've died in 2-3 yea

Very false. I had an HE machine that lasted about 15 years -- years when my children were small, and I was washing loads and loads.
As for smelling musty, the materials that come with the machine tell you how to avoid that -- but I think too many people don't read them.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Most (if not all) front loaders have a special detent in the door hinge that keeps the door slightly open after you use it to dry everything out.

We had a top loader Maytag without an agitator for a few days. It twisted up the clothing badly and my wife had Lowes come back and get her money back. They didn't even flinch. They said they get a lot of the washers with agitators returned.

That knotting nonsense is horrendous. First, I am 5'1" so reaching in is an ordeal on a good day, toss in a second annoyance of an invisibile (because I am short) tug o war with a pair of jeans twisted into sheets and a towel and I have a back/neck injury for 2 days .

Did I mention how much I hate the new ones, if the old ones come back at any point in my lifetime I will happily donate every single garbage contraption to others and rebuy. Is it weird I am wishing for appliance repairmen to rebuild old devices like they do cars? Like forget about Pimp my ride, how about Pimp my washing machine, de-dazzle away, sure make it Black 3.0 or Vantablack, of course I'd love an attached radio and latte machine with a refrigerated milk/soy compartment, but can you just give me a 1970's normal amount of water, an agitator and finger faucet while you are at it?