What brand of front-loading washer and dryer?

[MillCreek]

So we need to start researching for a front loader washer and dryer.  The last time I bought laundry appliances was 1998, and things have changed since.  Any thoughts on a good mid-level brand?

[zahc]

Why front load?

I would suggest finding a cheap top load,  non-water-saving model from about 10 or 15 years ago. The best washers and dishwashers I have had have been cheap ones at apartments or 20 year old Maytags.

Never buy a water-saving top-loader. My poor wife suffered with one that tore up our clothes and left black crud on them, no matter what soap was used and even running clean cycles between every run.

My house came with Samsung frontloaders about 5 years old. I had to totally rebuild the washer and replace the element on the dryer. They are all built cleverly but sparely. I also had to rebuild my similar-aged LG dishwasher. So I am not thrilled with korean appliances right now. I have to admit that parts are available and not outrageously priced, I'm just not happy to have to find that out. Then again American brands may be just as bad for all I know.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

I killed my front loader
Emphasis on "I"
I overload and the higher speed spin and overload is hard on em.
If you want amazing go Miele but it's like buying a car. But then my Miele is 22 years old
The combo washer dryers will not dry a real big load well though
I have a Miele I got free then put a gasket in for 60 bucks. It's a heavy bugger but that helps dampen the vibration when it spins


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[K Frame]

"I would suggest finding a cheap top load,  non-water-saving model from about 10 or 15 years ago. The best washers and dishwashers I have had have been cheap ones at apartments or 20 year old Maytags."

[Chester32141]

My experience w/ Maytag washer/dryer & fridge purchased 3 yrs ago is that they are crap ... 

[bedlamite]

My experience w/ Maytag washer/dryer & fridge purchased 3 yrs ago is that they are crap ... 

About 10? years ago Maytag was bought by Whirlpool. They promptly shut down the factory, and there is no difference now except for the name and the price.

[grampster]

Had a front load washer.  Lots of malfunctions.  The repairman said to never buy a front load washer.  Buy a top load.

[Ben]

I have to add to the front loader negativity. I have an 8 year old Kenmore. These "energy and water conservation" washers are NOT like the front loaders in the laundromat. The stupid water conservation feature has a sensor that only gives your clothes the amount of water it thinks you need. It's never enough. I always have to run mine with the "2nd rinse" feature on to ensure that soap gets rinsed out. Also stains don't seem to come out as easily in the front load. It sometimes takes three washings before the stain finally disappears.

That's never a problem if I wash at the folks place, where last year,  I bought them a cheaper GE top loader - one of the older styles that apparently isn't made anymore because they don't conserve enough water. But it gets clothes clean ten times better than my front loader, and at 1/3 the price. It could be that there are newer front loaders that do a better job, but I'm not sure that I will get one as my next washer. Though with the newer Dept of Energy conservation rules, top loaders may not be that great either.

I will say that I've had zero functionality problems with the washer. It just doesn't wash as well as top loaders that I've used.

[K Frame]

I have a top-load Amana that my ex and I bought not long after we moved into the house, so it's about 20 years old.

Not a single lick of trouble with it ever.

It's got the stainless steel tub, so I intend on keeping it just as long as I possibly can.

My way of saving water with it is, in the summer when I'm running the dehumidifier non stop in the basement, is to use that water in the washer. Normally not enough to do a full load, so it's good in that it cuts down on the hardness of my tap water and my whites don't look so dingy.

[KD5NRH]

I keep thinking about going this route:
http://www.lowes.com/pd_598801-49317-WM3477HW_4294653877__?productId=50175589

Then again, I'd sort of just like to find a good used front loader and put up a couple of clotheslines in the garage.  Not much point, IMO, in wasting the electricity on a dryer when I don't need most of the clothes right away and I do need more humidity in the house.  There are free dryers on the curb at least once a month if I just had to have one for the occasional bit of laundry that I need clean and dry in a hurry.

The main reason for a front load would be that I have yet to find a top load that extracts anywhere near as well as the medium-grade front loaders that I've used.

[MillCreek]

I have only ever used top-load machines, and the Kenmore set in my current house has worked well.  Except for that one time the washer overflowed all night and flooded the first floor of my house.  $ 23K in flood repairs later, it has not done that since.  But the wife wants a front-loader set for the new house and she had good experiences with them in the past.

[AJ Dual]

If you don't go uber-high end like C&SD did with the Miele, and you're set on a front-loader, LG or Samsung is the way to go.

My advice is for any washer, front or top load, is to do your load of hot/whites with bleach last. Then prop the door open so it dries out.

[roo_ster]

My way of saving water with it is, in the summer when I'm running the dehumidifier non stop in the basement, is to use that water in the washer. Normally not enough to do a full load, so it's good in that it cuts down on the hardness of my tap water and my whites don't look so dingy.

That is outstanding.

[K Frame]

That is outstanding.

I just wish there was a way that I could store the dehumidifier water through until winter, and then I could run it through my humidifier in the living room.

[roo_ster]

I just wish there was a way that I could store the dehumidifier water through until winter, and then I could run it through my humidifier in the living room.

Dehumidifier plopped on top of a 55gal drum with a few drops of bleach every week?  Or on top of a 5 gal bucket, bring bucket up to 55gal drum upstairs? 

Main problem I see is moving water at 8lbs/gallon upstairs.

[AJ Dual]

My grandmother would bottle the water from the dehumidifier in their basement, and then use it in her iron to keep it from clogging up with mineral crust.

[K Frame]

Main problem I see is a build-up of algae and mold and the like. Last thing I'd want to do would be spreading that around with my humidifier.

I could probably rig something with a UV light, but that would be expensive and I'm not sure it would be all that effective. Filtering would be another way of going about it, but again, seems like over kill to me to rig up a big activated carbon filter.

The humidifier tank holds 3 gallons, but it has a good handle, so that would be all that much of an issue. I'd need some sort of pump to fill the tank, though.

[KD5NRH]

I just wish there was a way that I could store the dehumidifier water through until winter, and then I could run it through my humidifier in the living room.

http://www.uline.com/BL_7700/Rapid-Fill

Just store the basement air until summer, then pop a few bags in the living room when it's too dry.

Or you could have the dehumidifier drain into a dehydrator to make pure instant water for later use.

[Fly320s]

I've had Samsung front load W/Ds in the past and had no issue with them over a 4 year period.  My local dry cleaner uses Samsung W/Ds for their laundry business. They have been using the same machines for over two years without issues.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

My first fridgidaire front loaders lasted 10 years and I own a great deal of the credit for killing them


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[brimic]

Why front load?

I would suggest finding a cheap top load,  non-water-saving model from about 10 or 15 years ago. The best washers and dishwashers I have had have been cheap ones at apartments or 20 year old Maytags.

Never buy a water-saving top-loader. My poor wife suffered with one that tore up our clothes and left black crud on them, no matter what soap was used and even running clean cycles between every run.

My house came with Samsung frontloaders about 5 years old. I had to totally rebuild the washer and replace the element on the dryer. They are all built cleverly but sparely. I also had to rebuild my similar-aged LG dishwasher. So I am not thrilled with korean appliances right now. I have to admit that parts are available and not outrageously priced, I'm just not happy to have to find that out. Then again American brands may be just as bad for all I know.

Yes. All of that. I had an older maytag set that just kept going, I ended up giving it to my inlaws for their apartments when I bought a new Speed Queen commercial set (steep discount, have family that work there).

I have a top-load Amana that my ex and I bought not long after we moved into the house, so it's about 20 years old.

Not a single lick of trouble with it ever.

It's got the stainless steel tub, so I intend on keeping it just as long as I possibly can.

The older Amanas are likely the same machines as the Speed Queen commercial laundromat machines (They made them for home use without the coin/card slot), as Amana was owned by Speed Queen for quite a long time. These machines are simple and nearly bullet proof. Amanas had a bit more options in the controls and timers, but were pretty much the same machine otherwise.

[Andiron]

My wife spent most my AT money on a Speed Queen washer dryer set.  Very happy with them,  and they still have mechanical timers, which was a must have for longevity/serviceability.

[erik the bold]

Highly recommend the Speed Queen top load washer and front load dryer combination.

I've had mine for a little over a year and these are the best washer/dryer combo I've ever had.

Washer even went through a basement flood without a hitch.

Large loads = no problem
Quiet = yes
No stupid locking lid = yes
Warranty = probably the best in the business (not that I've had to use it)

[RoadKingLarry]

[RevDisk]

Plan on replacing my washer and dryer. Sounds like Speed Queen is a winner.

Suggestions on fridge?