Wash Machine Replacement

[showcrop]

Long life is important, but don't forget cost of operation. Front loaders use 1/3 the water of a top loader, and due to the way the load drops as the wheel turns, the agitation is much better than a top loader. So if you are on a well and or septic the difference can be significant.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

Some people don't like front loaders because you have to bend over and must keep the door open and the gasket dry or it will stink like a sewer.
People on a well, water usage isn't a big deal. Most washers use cold water to rinse too.
My back doesn't like bending over.

 

[TerryfromSWIowa]

Do you have a top load dryer?

 

[redtom]

We only use front loaders. After all you have to bend over to use the dryer anyways. The frontloaders use less hit water and are easier on the clothes. We had a Samsung front loader spun like crazy and the clothes came out dang near dry. Sadly, it spun itself to death. Now We have an intermediate Maytag front loader. We figured what the heck many brands are made under the same roof anyways. It's a disappointment. The clothes come out wet and it often doesn't like the load and requires redistribution of load. We won't buy another Maytag

 

[farmersamm]

A top loader is the absolute best for really dirty stuff. Hose the manure off your pant legs/cuffs, and plop it in the machine. Ton of water, great agitation, and K'kins lets you sit at the dinner table But.................sometimes it shreds her undies...........which ain't a problem so much anymore.......she's wearin' somethin' lookin' like bloomers these days

 

[tractorford]

samsung will do ya, not too expensive not too cheap. i guess they offer more expensive models tho. keep the "wurrhsurr" or dryer under a grand. the thing will die in 2-3 years anyway.
keep the stink outta the front loader you gotta 'crik the door open when not in use and let the solution drawer 'crik out some too so that water evaps over time else you get those smells...

 

[tom upton]

I think my mother had it right- wringer washer, clothesline over a hundred feet long off the back porch, and the cheapest used dryer she could buy at an auction. She used the wringer washer right up until we moved laundry upstairs as she was having trouble with the stairs. Then had a hard time to convince her to part with the wringer washer. Mom washed a lot of dirty clothes with the size of our household at one time but to my knowledge never had a new washing machine or dryer.

 

[Brownie450]

Only thing I have against our speed queen heavy duty
is that it doesn't wring the clothes out enough. Works
the dryer more. Electric bill goes up.
Jim

 

[farmersamm]

Speaking of (shhhhhhh!) unmentionables.............................

 

[Fred Werring]

Speaking of (shhhhhhh!) unmentionables.............................

View attachment 101552

My personal experience over the past 37 years has the progression going the other way...

 

[Hobo,NC]

Only thing I have against our speed queen heavy duty
is that it doesn't wring the clothes out enough. Works
the dryer more. Electric bill goes up.
Jim

I noticed that its not a problem for me as I wash 3 to 4 loads a week I can let heavy stuff set after the wash for awhile. I have a NG dryer I doubt I will ever notice the bill being higher.

 

[runwoolf]

I have a 20 year old GE electric dryer that will power up but that is all, none of the control options work. Time to replace..probably!
Suggestions on a new replacement would be appreciated (brand/model/etc). Has to be left side outlet. Thanks!

UPDATE..Bought a speed queen W/D, basic model. Prices were quite surprising!! Local dealer been using for 20 years, said speed queen what he has and recommends. Thanks to all who replied.

 

[Charles in Aus.]

Only thing I have against our speed queen heavy duty
is that it doesn't wring the clothes out enough. Works
the dryer more. Electric bill goes up.
Jim

There was a manufacturing glitch in the transmission of the Speed Qeen a few years ago . Clearances within some components were too tight which lead to an overall lower spin speed . It might be worth following this up with the supplier . Washed clothes in our Speed Queen come out almost dry to touch .

 

[495man]

Almost all of the new top load machines use "load" or "soil" sensing and don't clean farm clothes as well as the older ones that will let you fill the entire machine to wash a pair of socks. The new ones will put hardly enough water in to wet the clothes and run agonizing slow in the way of water and energy savings. All savings are lost when you have to wash the clothes several times to get them clean.

BTDT. Front load for me.

 

[JD Dave]

Review here. I have a Speed Queen commercial-style machine with a matched dryer, about 4 years old. These have been by far the best washing machine and dryer duo I've ever owned. I'm 76, - hate to admit it, but I've seen some good machines years ago like GE and others, but this duo is the best I've had. Tricks are: don't overload the washer! Water is cheap, - your clothes are not. Limit the detergent in the cycle. I use Tide but distrust their recommendation that the tub needs up to 2 on the cap. If really greasy, dirty clothes, then use 1-2 but normally only 2-3 tablespoons will suffice. This may vary depending on the softness of your water. The Speed Queen offers a button which says "deep fill", which adds more water to the cycle. I use that. More water, - more clean. Exactly why front loaders are a pathetic solution because they claim you're saving water by only using 5 gallons to wash your clothes, when most of us are not office queens and have really dirty clothes. The Speed Queen has a very, -very long spin cycle and I find it sheds and dries the clothes very well.

 

[sotxbill]

Long life is important, but don't forget cost of operation. Front loaders use 1/3 the water of a top loader, and due to the way the load drops as the wheel turns, the agitation is much better than a top loader. So if you are on a well and or septic the difference can be significant.

Front loaders WASHERSare the bane of modern society. They will NOT dissolve a tide pod if the pod is put on top of the clothes. The do NOT clean heavily soiled farm clothes. They barely get the clothes wet, then use a stinky detergent to cover up the smell of the clothes. You must use the extra water, and extra wash, and extra rinse to come close to getting clothes clean. And the cycles are so long, that the dryer is now the faster appliance... especially since the clothes are hardly wet, when you put them in the dryer. You have to pretreat all clothes now to begin to get common dirt and mud out of them.. What the hell happened !!!???!!!

 

[Fred Werring]

Front loaders WASHERSare the bane of modern society. They will NOT dissolve a tide pod if the pod is put on top of the clothes. The do NOT clean heavily soiled farm clothes. They barely get the clothes wet, then use a stinky detergent to cover up the smell of the clothes. You must use the extra water, and extra wash, and extra rinse to come close to getting clothes clean. And the cycles are so long, that the dryer is now the faster appliance... especially since the clothes are hardly wet, when you put them in the dryer. You have to pretreat all clothes now to begin to get common dirt and mud out of them.. What the hell happened !!!???!!!

Kinda agree. The first front load we had, we bought 20ish years ago. It did not do a good job on my really nasty farm/shop clothes. It got to the point we had a separate clothes basket for my farm clothes, as we would have to run them through twice to get them clean.

The GE we bought 4 years ago when I got tired of working on the Kenmore has a half again bigger capacity than our old one, does a decent job on my clothes. Has a lot more options for heavily soiled clothes, and mine get a second rinse. A lot better than the first one.

We quit using pods in the washing machine and the dishwasher. The two times I pulled the dishwasher out for not working, I found remnants of the pods plugging up a filter. Back to liquid detergent on both machines.

 

[tractorford]

Almost all of the new top load machines use "load" or "soil" sensing and don't clean farm clothes as well as the older ones that will let you fill the entire machine to wash a pair of socks. The new ones will put hardly enough water in to wet the clothes and run agonizing slow in the way of water and energy savings. All savings are lost when you have to wash the clothes several times to get them clean.

BTDT. Front load for me.

This is true, Id wager they are built to the specs of the largest customer base whose most soiled items include the errant ketchup stain or ranch dip oopsie. I might give speed queens a second wink if im in the market sooner or later.

 

[johnnmr]

I have a 20 year old GE electric dryer that will power up but that is all, none of the control options work. Time to replace..probably!
Suggestions on a new replacement would be appreciated (brand/model/etc). Has to be left side outlet. Thanks!

I'd get on YouTube and see if there's videos showing a fix before junking a machine. I have a 20 plus year old whirlpool set that I bought used that has been pretty easy and cheap to keep working.

It's already broke, you can't make it any worse.

 

[tractorford]

ya depending on how complex yer machine is might not be a bad idea with the youtube, I replaced the heating element once upon a moon on a non-computer board controlled whirlpool dryer and got another 2 years out of it. also replaced the diaphragm plastic looking bib on an electric washer that was newer once and got another 3 years out of it.... just depends on what yer effort/time/patience/IDAF threshold looks like