Washer/Dryer recommendations?

[Skittl1321]

We are buying a new house, so we are going to need a new washer/dryer. Our old ones are staying with the old house.

I, of course, want a super pretty red LG, because it is super pretty, and they are kind of the "thing" of the moment.

But, I am trying to be realistic, so I was wondering if anyone had recommendations on good washing machines and dryers. I don't really have a budget, we'll spend what we need to- but I don't need super duper top of the line.

Thanks for the help!

[mrr50]

I have a front load maytag washer which I love, its 3 years old. the dryer is good too. prior to that i had a frigidare(?) front load washer with matching dryer which were horror stories. the drum belts broke on both at least twice in the 9 years i owned them. granted, I'm sure that defect has been fixed but i tend not to trust brands after that kind of crap.
Of course Whirlpool (I think) now owns several different brands, including the two i mentioned(I think).

[Jenny]

If you get front loaders, you may be tempted to save a few bucks and not get the stands that raise them up off the floor. SPEND THE MONEY.

We just moved, and the previous owners did not buy the stands, and it's a pain. The units are quite deep, so to ensure that you have everything removed you have to double over to see and reach in, plus when the doors are open you can't put your laundry baskets under them as they don't fit.

Sounds picky I know, but along with the million other things we need to spend money on, this is near the top of my list.

[Skittl1321]

If you get front loaders, you may be tempted to save a few bucks and not get the stands that raise them up off the floor. SPEND THE MONEY.

Thanks for the suggestion. Can I ask one question- are you tall?

I guess I need to weigh not having to bend over with not being able to use the top of the washer/dryer for folding. If they are on pedestals, I can no longer reach above them.

[CynicElle]

We just replaced our washer/dryer last month with a Whirlpool top-loading high efficiency washer and a Whirlpool dryer. They have so many functions that they make my head hurt, but so far I really like them. I'm especially fond of the "Allergen" wash setting -- it takes a long time, but it does seem to have helped reduce my husband's allergy attacks when we use it to wash bedding.

[Really]

I'm 5'2" and we bought the pedestals for our new set last winter. I got Kenmore steam machines. I've used the steam in both machines. Mine are pretty purple...look quite nice in my white laundry room!

[rfisher]

I do not recommend Samsung front loaders if you ever plan to move. The drum has a special locking mechanism and requires a specialty moving company. It cost me almost $1,000 to move them. Something if I'd known before the fact would have had me including them with the house or buying another brand. They will stay with my house when I move again. Also, double check that there are available repair people in your area for any brand you buy. This is another problem with Samsung.

[Jenny]

Thanks for the suggestion. Can I ask one question- are you tall?

5'8" and my husband is 6'3"

[Louis]

I highly recommend Electrolux - largest tub capacity, very quiet, reversible doors, steam wash and dry, and many stylish colors. I got the Mediterranean Blue.

[agalisgv]

I have front-loading Bosch. Works great for me. I'm not tall and don't have the pedestals. No problem reaching in to get the clothes or placing something below the doors. I use the top of the w/d to fold, so I like having that available.

[A.H.Black]

Somewhat on a tangent.

Some/many of the front loaders don't do a good job of getting whites white. Many people complain of grey underwear. The problem seems to be that there isn't enough water to really carry the dirt away. Try to find a model where you can change the water level and it isn't done completely by a sensor.

[madm]

I have front-loading Bosch. Works great for me. I'm not tall and don't have the pedestals. No problem reaching in to get the clothes or placing something below the doors. I use the top of the w/d to fold, so I like having that available.

One year ago I had to replace my under-counter (23.5" x 33") Asko washer when the washer motor failed and was $500 to repair. My criteria for replacing vs. fixing is to replace when the repair is >50% of a new machine and when the machine is old (mine was 10 years). I still have the Asko dryer. I chose the Bosch Axxis front-loading machine. Like my other washer, it is energy efficient, uses very little water, and heats it's own water. Ten years ago I switched from a full-size GE top-load washer/dryer to the smaller under-counter front-load washer/dryer, and I love them. They give me back so much of the space in my small laundry room that doubles as a garage entry room. I also had a carpenter build a counter above and around the washer/dryer so that I have a melamine counter on top of the units that I can iron on. And my husband installed a 4-outlet receptacle above the counter. The only drawback to this whole arrangement is that I am now limited to buying under-counter models and that limits my choices. If you are interested in saving money, I believe a gas dryer is less costly to run than the electric one.

When choosing my new washer, I asked the repairman what brands have the best and worst repair records that he's seen. He told me Bosch and Maytag had fewer repairs, and that Asko has a lot of repairs. Before you buy, check with your local appliance repair shop to get their opinion about which models they recommend based on repair frequency and cost to own. Also consider buying the extended warranty as it is not uncommon to have to get a repairman for something during the first 4 years of ownership, especially with these highly computerized models.

IMO front-loaders do a better job of washing than top-loaders. The only disadvantage of the under-counter model is its capacity - the biggest thing I've ever put in it is a queen comforter and I had to stuff it in there. Since we only have 2-3 adults' laundry to do now, we don't need a giant machine. Also, the time to do a load is a bit longer with the foreign machines than the American ones, but that's because they do such a good job of cleaning the clothes. My Bosch has many wash cycles to choose from with the shortest one being 20 min. You will also want a model that is easy to use and not totally confusing to select wash options.

[agalisgv]

I was going to mention some of what madm posted, but wasn't sure if all washers did these things nowadays. With Bosch, it weighs the amount of clothes you put in before starting the cycle. Then the machine adds only as much water to wash that amount of clothes. If you need to throw in an extra towel after starting the cycle, it reweighs your clothes and adds water accordingly. It's exceedingly efficient. It will also adjust the washing/rinsing time based on the load amount. That way no matter how big a load you do, those clothes will be clean at the end. A very small load will wash quickly. Finally, if you accidentally put too much detergent in, it has a suds sensor that will run an extra rinse cycle so you don't end up with soapy clothes.

I heart my Bosch

[madm]

One more thing I forgot to mention is to be sure to get a washer with the option to spin clothes at 1200 rpm. This really gets the water out of the clothes, which will reduce the time required to dry the clothes. I find that anything less than this leaves the clothes kind of soggy. Also get the biggest capacity you can. Here's the Bosch Axxis spec:

Bosch Axxis Plus Series WAS24460UC - 24" Front-Load Washer with 2.2 cu. ft. Capacity, 15 Wash Programs, Energy Consumption of 130 kWH/year, Touch Controls & LED Display and 1,200 RPM Spin Speed

[PDilemma]

We are buying a new house, so we are going to need a new washer/dryer. Our old ones are staying with the old house.

I, of course, want a super pretty red LG, because it is super pretty, and they are kind of the "thing" of the moment.

But, I am trying to be realistic, so I was wondering if anyone had recommendations on good washing machines and dryers. I don't really have a budget, we'll spend what we need to- but I don't need super duper top of the line.

Thanks for the help!

My father-in-law repairs washers and dryers and occasionally other appliances. His recommendation is to avoid the front loading washers as they have more issues and do not last as long. He also suggests avoiding as many bells and whistles as possible as they are just more reasons that you end up calling for repairs and make repairs cost more. People get absolutely irate when they find out how much it costs to repair some of that stuff that you do not need for washing/drying clothes anyway. Also, if you get a high efficiency washer, be aware that you have to clean it or it will smell. Because if you call him to fix that, that's what he is going to tell you and you will have to pay for the service call. (He goes on those calls roughly once a week).

When our washer (provided by our land lady) died, he recommended a Maytag. That's what she got. It is very basic and works great. If you want to pay more, he would probably say Bosch.

[Jenny]

He also suggests avoiding as many bells and whistles as possible as they are just more reasons that you end up calling for repairs and make repairs cost more.

Agree with this, and not just for appliances. So many products these days have a million settings, features and extras that you never end up using - but you pay for them, and they provide a million more ways the product can break down. Plus, money spent on all the extras is often at the expense of the basic quality and function of a product.

[madm]

Finally, if you accidentally put too much detergent in, it has a suds sensor that will run an extra rinse cycle so you don't end up with soapy clothes.

I love how little detergent is required by a front-loader. I only use about 2-3 Tbsp powder per load. This means that I get a lot of wash loads out of one box of HE detergent. If you buy a front-loading HE machine, you MUST use HE detergent so that it does not produce too many suds. Buy a good quality detergent like Tide HE. Using the wrong detergent can cause drainage issues and may prevent the machine from spinning.

Make sure you buy a washer with a stainless steel drum if possible and as many metal parts as you can get. The plastic parts are more prone to breakage.

Also take note of the power requirement for your washer and dryer. The Bosch and other European models require a 208-240V power supply.

[Aceon6]

We have bought the low end Electrolux pair last August during our state sales tax holiday. Absolutely zero problems. We went to an independent appliance dealer who also does a ton of service calls. He recommended against the LG due to frequency of repair.

[AxelAnnie]

We are buying a new house, so we are going to need a new washer/dryer. Our old ones are staying with the old house.

I, of course, want a super pretty red LG, because it is super pretty, and they are kind of the "thing" of the moment.

But, I am trying to be realistic, so I was wondering if anyone had recommendations on good washing machines and dryers. I don't really have a budget, we'll spend what we need to- but I don't need super duper top of the line.

Thanks for the help!

I have the super pretty red LG! I have had it 4 years, and love, love, love it!
I highly recommend it, for both it prettiness, and it's cleaning ability. It does a fab job on the clothes, with less wear and tear.

Good luck with your new home.

[agalisgv]

Fwiw, I haven't had a single repair since we got the machine five years and two moves ago. Also haven't had any issues with smells. I know that's often cited for front loaders, but we've never had an issue. We use the sanitary cycle frequently for our laundry, so that may be why. Also haven't had any issues with whites coming out gray. Our clothes come out much cleaner than any top loader I've ever had. Before I would have to run our clothes in two or three cycles to get them as clean as they get in our front-loader with just one cycle. As madm mentioned, the cycles tend to run longer on average, but they get your clothes clean the first time. So overall you save on power, time, and really save on water.

Also, I shopped around and got the deal of a lifetime--a brand new, top of the line Bosch for just $400 including tax, with free delivery, set-up, and full warranty. Regular retail price for it was $1300 or so, not including tax or delivery. The lower-end models were near double the price I paid--why pay more for less I say?

If someone is cost conscious, the place to save is on the dryer. While the quality of the washer matters a lot, dryers are pretty similar across the board. People pay lots of money to have that matching set, but you really are getting hosed on the dryer side. If you need to cut back, get an inexpensive dryer, and performance-wise you'll be fine while saving $500-1000 or more.