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I hate today's washing machines

SolderIron said:
Web finds.

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I have an ancient Baycrest (Hudsons Bay housebrand, I think it's a GE) and my GF has an equally ancient Whirlpool (Inglis).

They're both rusty, noisy, old school, all-mechanical clothes grinders that refuse to die. And no matter what goes in, it comes out clean. I wouldn't trade them for the world.
In the past 25 years or so, mine has needed a drive belt, hers a new water pump. Both cost under 30 buck and an hours time for me to replace.

Considering what we've stuffed into them over the years (horse blankets, cat blankets, machine shop clothes, rolling in the driveway under the truck clothes) I'm thinking the phrase "they don't make 'em like they used to!" may just have something to it.
 
I have a Whirlpool "Thin Twin" (i.e. one unit with the dryer on top of the washer). Not sure the age since it was here when I moved in, but I don't see any Energy Star labels anywhere if that's a clue. The tub is full-size for a top loader, but the dryer not so much and takes forever on things like bath towels, so best to just hang towels up for a while first. Oh, and all mechanical and does everything except the spin cycle without the lid closed. Only used for 2 or 3 loads a week, but no repairs that I know about.
 
Just last month we bought a new LG washer-dryer combo with all the bells and whistles. Learning curve wasn't bad at all; even for a pair of older people with poor eyesight. Once we found the settings we like it was set it and forget it. They have bluetooth and can communicate with each other but we haven't felt the need to do that.
The best part is the clothes come out cleaner than the old Maytag got them. I'm also amazed at how fast the washer spins as they come out of that almost dry. Fingers crossed that they last as long as what they replaced but I'm not expecting it.
 
Plainly said:
I have a Whirlpool "Thin Twin" (i.e. one unit with the dryer on top of the washer). Not sure the age since it was here when I moved in, but I don't see any Energy Star labels anywhere if that's a clue. The tub is full-size for a top loader, but the dryer not so much and takes forever on things like bath towels, so best to just hang towels up for a while first. Oh, and all mechanical and does everything except the spin cycle without the lid closed. Only used for 2 or 3 loads a week, but no repairs that I know about.
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Likewise, "Whirlpool" has functioned faithfully for us, but there's just the two of us using it.

Last one lasted 15 years without a hitch. Reason it had probs, was the SO punched way too hard on one of the main controls, and the mother board was way too expensive to replace, so went with a comparable new one. And this one's been on the go for 5 years (fingers crossed).

Just do your homework reading reviews. Consider the sources, and read up on what some of the "pro's think.

Gotta be careful, as it's a chunk of change to get one, and get if set up with top quality connections.

Also, make sure there's a solid "support" system wherein you can talk to a real person. And again, "Whirlpool" was good.


Not affiliated in any way with the above brand. Just had so far...success.

Q
 
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I have an LG front load washer and LG dryer I got 9 1/2 years ago. The sensor in the washer motor died a few years back, and the whole rotor had to be replaced (at least that's what the repairman said - I'm not so sure). Anyway, I have had no other problems (knock on plastic). The smell problem has not happened to me because of the dry climate here and always leaving the door open between washes. I am also pleased with how well it cleans, but am wary of washing anything that might bleed, since that would obviously be much worse than in a top loader that uses much more water.
 
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old_tv_nut said:
I have an LG front load washer and LG dryer I got 9 1/2 years ago. The sensor in the washer motor died a few years back, and the whole rotor had to be repllaced (at least that's what the repairman said - I'm not so sure). Anyway, I have had no other problems (knock on plastic). The smell problem has not happened to me because of the dry climate here and always leaving the door open betweem washes. I am also pleased with how well it cleans, but am wary of washing anything that might bleed, since that would obviously be much worse than in a top loader that uses much more water.
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LG front loader here. 12 years, no problems.
 
Telecolor 3007 said:
"L.G." direct drive are good, but the water use and the programs are crap.
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Absolutely correct. The DD motor appealed to me, but the programs, adjustment of those programs, the "fuzzy" logic and the inability of the LGs to handle small and large loads without being able to properly balance drove me insane.

We've had a few Samsungs and they are easy to fix, parts are cheap and they wash better than any previous machines we've ever had. Top loaders are primitive things. There's simply no comparison in washing performance, water usage, spin speed and overall silence in modern front loaders.

The most you are up for is a drain pump now and then (girls, earrings, bobby pins, money etc), but most have a coin trap, every 7 years or so, perhaps a cold water valve if you have mineralized water, and maybe and $20 set of motor brushes on belt drive units if you have a big family and wash several times a week.

You couldn't pay me to use a top-loader, speed queen or anything else. Your clothes simply get spotlessly clean and never destroyed by an agitator.
 
Purchased an LG washer and dryer about 5 years ago. Dryer is amazing but the washer, in particular the water fill is garbage. Put a normal size load in and the water doesn't even cover the clothes. Workaround is to start the machine and let it partially fill with water, shut it off and wait about 10 minutes then start again. The extra water weight tells the machine that it has a heavier load. It's a hassle but it does clean our britches.
 
ToxicTele said:
Purchased an LG washer and dryer about 5 years ago. Dryer is amazing but the washer, in particular the water fill is garbage. Put a normal size load in and the water doesn't even cover the clothes. Workaround is to start the machine and let it partially fill with water, shut it off and wait about 10 minutes then start again. The extra water weight tells the machine that it has a heavier load. It's a hassle but it does clean our britches.
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That is the part of "Energy Star" that I don't understand. My water bill is around $100 a year. My electric bill is around $2,000 a year. How does it save money using less water if it takes twice as long to run a cycle. (87 minutes on the new washer vs 40 on the old one) Same thing with my new dishwasher. It takes over 2 hours to run.
 
I think it haves to do with what they call "Eco cycle", meaning the resistence heater will use less energy, so you can power the machine with the help of solar electric panels, which don't provide too much energy, unless you have a big house or yard. But the motor will eat up electricity.
Seem that Energy Star is more idiotic then the Euro Rules.... here we have a sytsem that haves A, B, C..., A beeing the best score. You can have A+++, this beeing the best of all.
"L.G." din't put that weight above the tub because they say that theyr dircet drive system and probably shock absorbers makes no need for that. But it isn't so, because sometimes will take a long time for the spining to begin and on an non plate surface, the machine will start to move...
As for the water use, the ones we have and it's broke, haves an electronic system for pressure measure, so you can't adjust is. But it did another thing: put it to the delicate laundrary program, let more water in, and then switch to another program... when washing big loads, I had to stop when filling and after that switch, because otherwise, it will not end the washing program and woul spit out the water earlier. I did that filling swhitch when rising too, to add more water... image doing that for many times, because I like good rising. Older fron loading machines had 1 and 1/2 button, so if you put less laundrary, you used less water - that was for the 1/2 button. The weighting system, not good, because not all laundrary is the same and you can mix differnt types of laundrary (shyntetic, cotton) and... it's not like one single type of material. But I don't think they test them proprely.
 
On the subject of washing machines, back in the sixties when I was in my twenties, I managed a branch of a chain of TV and electrical stores.
This is our oldest son, in 1964, in a Hoover Keymatic washing machine, (he eventually became a consultant engineer).

We sold a few Keymatics, but not many.

In those days, electrical "brown and white goods" were priced in guineas. (twenty-one shillings)

Andrew in Washing machine.jpg

The equivalent price of this these days, would be over £3,100.
 
Yes, they where expensive. But back then wages where lower... in the '70's probably it wouldn't be so pricey. 3,100 £ it's much for a British, it's a luxury for a Romanian.
A machine like that probably would be cheaper if produced today, even in U.K. More automatization, more efficent machine-tools and other producing stuff.
 
restorer-john said:
Absolutely correct. The DD motor appealed to me, but the programs, adjustment of those programs, the "fuzzy" logic and the inability of the LGs to handle small and large loads without being able to properly balance drove me insane.

We've had a few Samsungs and they are easy to fix, parts are cheap and they wash better than any previous machines we've ever had. Top loaders are primitive things. There's simply no comparison in washing performance, water usage, spin speed and overall silence in modern front loaders.

The most you are up for is a drain pump now and then (girls, earrings, bobby pins, money etc), but most have a coin trap, every 7 years or so, perhaps a cold water valve if you have mineralized water, and maybe and $20 set of motor brushes on belt drive units if you have a big family and wash several times a week.

You couldn't pay me to use a top-loader, speed queen or anything else. Your clothes simply get spotlessly clean and never destroyed by an agitator.
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Our speed Queen top loader and the top loader before it, also got our clothes clean, and the agitator did not damage our clothes.

I can also adjust the amount of water used. So while top loader has been around longer, that does not make it, primitive.

Belt drive vs DD, this sounds like a debate on a Turntable forum. :rflmao:
 
ducati_EL34 said:
Our speed Queen top loader and the top loader before it, also got our clothes clean, and the agitator did not damage our clothes.

I can also adjust the amount of water used. So while top loader has been around longer, that does not make it, primitive.

Belt drive vs DD, this sounds like a debate on a Turntable forum. :rflmao:
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Speed Queens are essentially laundromat units without the coin box:) Rugged for sure. When our ancient Maytag gave up the ghost, I WISH I could've replaced it with a Speed Queen...but finances dictated the cheapest Amana Menards had. It's been trouble-free for about 5 years now. The ancient Maytag dryer still soldiers on with only the replacement of the heating element and the drum drive belt.
 
Enzymes that break down organic matter work at temperatures up to 40C. You don't need too much water either.

A modern machine would use little of lukewarm water in the first cycle for enzymes to break down organic matter; enzymes break down themselves at temperatures above 40C. Then if you chose hot wash, the machine would drain and replace the water, heat it up and use hot cycle for whitening.

Most American top-loaders don't (or did not 20 years ago, I don't follow the current developments) have built-in heaters. Useless.

We dry clothes outside: large items on a cloth line, small items on a folding rack. California sun is hot and free, and it slows down the impending global collapse from the planet's warming.
 
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