Posted on 01/11/2010 11:58:02 AM PST by DCBryan1
New wife and I are looking to upgrade our old, worn out top loading washer and dryer. We are in a new house now, and I noticed a gas hookup in the laundry room.
Do any of you have experience, comments, and recommendations on the following issues:
1) Working with Sears for purchase and installation;
2) Front end loading washer and dryers;
3) Gas dryers.
Any suggestions, comments, etc. would be appreciated.
Wife and I bought the Kenmore Elite 5e steam series. We’ve had them for two years - they clean so well even I noticed! They are so very quiet and do a great job. My wife raves over how they handle delicates. I have yet to see any mold or odor issues - but our equipment is in use several times per week, no time to stagnate.
About a year ago, my mother bought a Fisher & Paykel electric washer and dryer from Sears and is pleased with them.
Front loading washers definitely use considerably less detergent, bleach and water.
My personal experience has been that they get the clothes cleaner and cause less wear, particularly on finer fabrics. They also get the clothes drier, which means shorter dryer time. This translates to less energy and money, and less wear on the fabric.
We’ve had a front loading washer (Kenmore) for about 10 years and love it! Doesn’t use as much detergent as top loader and the extraction is much better resulting in less dryer time.
Have always left the door open to prevent mildew smell.
Good luck in your quest for the *perfect washer and dryer*!
- I do NOT work for GE.
And never use liquid detergent, only powder in a front load washer.
Animal fat in the liquid will promote the mildew smell.
Found this out the hard way, Yuck!!!
We have the early Maytag Neptune set up. Mildew can be a problemin many places, fortunately we are in an area where humidity is rarely over 30%, so it hasn’t caused trouble.
My buddy has a front load washer and absolutely HATES it! Don’t go there!
Everyone I know with a front loading washer loved it for the first few months and now hates it. Also, they’ve all needed repairs in less than 2 years.
We just replaced our dryer and used Sears. They were great - even inspected all the tubing. In and out in no time and took the old one for free (may have been the special at the time).
We recently purchased a front loading washer (had one for about 10 years and it broke and was too expensive to fix—but loved it). Also bought the matching dryer. We got the Whirlpool Duet Sport, and I am very happy with them. I read that some people have trouble with the washer walking, I think it’s REALLY important that the washer be level. I have not had that problem. I keep the door slightly ajar when not in use to keep it from getting mildewy smelling inside (I have heard this is an issue, has not been for me, but I can see how it could be if you left the door closed and didn’t use it every day).
When we bought them they were having a sale on the platforms, and I HIGHLY recommend them. It can be hard on your back otherwise, reaching down and twisting to get clothes from washer to dryer. Also the platforms have a nice storage area, I am able to keep all of my laundry supplies PLUS dogwashing towels in there and out of the way.
Lastly, I did not buy it, but there is also a thing you can buy that goes across the top of both so you don’t drop things behind or beside, I think it’s called a work space or something.
Years ago gas dryers were a lot cheaper to operate. I doubt that is still true. Does anyone know for sure??
Another advantage of gas over electric dryers is the over-drying issue. Electric dryers can over dry the clothes making the fabric brittle resulting in a shorter life span for the clothes. Since water is a by-product of gas combustion there is a finite limit as to how “dry” your clothes with be.
I have a tankless gas water-heater, which is an investment I'm very glad to have made. It runs on gas. When I do a load of clothes, I run the water for a minute or so to bring the hot water to the washing machine, so that the gas heats the water, and not the machine. At least not so much. Saves me a surprising amount of fuel.
I dunno about gas dryers--never tried them.
I just toss it into the next load. Hard to imagine that being a deal breaker.
I haven’t had any trouble with mildew, but I do keep the door ajar because I read that could be a problem. I did not do this with my old one (Sears) that I had for about 10 years, and never had a problem, but I thought why tempt fate?
ping!
When we were looking I read some not very good things about these, so I didn’t go there. Do you like yours?
I sure wish we had gas in our neighborhood. Years ago I had a gas dryer and gas stove. I miss that!
My wife and I just bought a Maytag Bravos top load washer (quiet series 300) and frontload dryer (both electric). The washer is high efficiency and and uses little water. It is also a large capacity so we can wash LARGE amts. We can wash blankets and sleeping bags. The dryer dries until the clotehs are dry. The only downside I have found is that blankets tend to “ball up” but easy to stop the dryer and refluff it. Other than that, we can finish laundry in one evening rather than two days. Trust me, it is worth it.
What brand? I am on my second front loader and have never seen or heard of that. Sounds dreadful!
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