Need help buying a washing machine

ned1 · #1 12-13-2002, 09:34 PM

Please help me before I cry.

My POS wahing machine just died this afternoon - like with a week before x-mas this mom of four needs that to happen.

If I read one more epinion I may puke (although many are well written - it's just info overload, cause I have to get one this weekend - and I'm not an impulse appliance shopper).

Please, can someone in a few sentences tell me the brand they have and why they like it.

I need a large capacity machine that can handle being run and run and run - I average 4-6 loads a day. I'm open to suggestions and wouldlove to hear why front load may be better or not. I've been a top load gal but might change.

I'd prefer not to break th bank, being that x-mas is a week away and I do have those 4 kids.

thanks in advance for your help.

Nancy

**slick4591**[$] · #2 12-13-2002, 09:40 PM

Whirlpool Super Capacity Plus Automatic Washer LSQ8243H

Four years old and it still gets stuff clean and has lots of whistles and bells.

Please rate this post.

**amykhar** · #3 12-13-2002, 09:41 PM

It was a tad verbose. I'd have to give that post an H. If you could make the writing tighter, I could give it a VH.

**Joubert**[$] · #4 12-13-2002, 09:52 PM

Mr. Slick, I travel a lot and sometimes spill food from my continental breakfast on my clothes. Will the Whirlpool Super Capacity Plus Automatic Washer LSQ8243H get those clothes clean? You really didn't answer that question, nor did you list the parts that make up the "washing machine", so I rated this "Somewhat Helpful". Don't be discouraged though. You've got a good start on a helpful opinion. If you conform to my demands, I'll reconsider.

If you wash my clothes, I'll give you a "MH" rating.

---------------------

Nancy, we have a Whirlpool as well. A couple of years old, but no problems ever.

**slick4591**[$] · #5 12-13-2002, 10:12 PM

Four years old & it still gets stuff clean & has lots of whistles and bells. It'll make a spilled continental breakfast bye bye.

Dang! This is hard! One wants it tighter and the other needs more info.

Hell with it. George, send me your clothes.

**amykhar** · #6 12-13-2002, 10:13 PM

Four years old & it still gets stuff clean & has lots of whistles and bells. It'll make a spilled continental breakfast bye bye.

Dang! This is hard! One wants it tighter and the other needs more info.

Hell with it. George, take off your clothes.

*emeleel* · #7 12-13-2002, 10:35 PM

Kenmore Heavy Duty 80 Series Extra Capacity Plus
Model 110 #92380200

Have had it about 6 or more years and it's still going strong.

Forget George's clothes - even with 4 kids, I want to know how someone manages to run 4-6 loads of laundry EVERY DAY!

ned1 · #8 12-13-2002, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by emeleel
Kenmore Heavy Duty 80 Series Extra Capacity Plus
Model 110 #92380200

Have had it about 6 or more years and it's still going strong.

Forget George's clothes - even with 4 kids, I want to know how someone manages to run 4-6 loads of laundry EVERY DAY!

thanks - how do I get that much laundry - it's not that hard - with four kids in activities that require uniforms (like karate and cheerleading) I have to clean them almost every day or buy extra uniforms - four kids, plus me in karate - not thanks, I'd rather do the extra laundry - plus my one son has bad allergeis and asthma so I must constantly clean his bed linens, towels and sometimes stuffed animals - laundry is my other full-time job.

although in researching machines I see that Sears does sell coin operated ones. maybe if they have to pay to get clean clothes they might keep them cleaner longer.

Nancy
it worked last year - we got a payphone for the kitchen and the rate of outgoing calls dropped significantly.

**jgibson2**[$] · #9 12-13-2002, 11:03 PM

Someone who's doing 4-6 loads of laundry every day has a washing machine that's too darn small and they should be glad it died.

You can get discounts by going to Best Buy, etc and asking to look at their scratch and dent appliances.

I have a Maytag large capacity that's 13 year's old and I WANT one of those front-loading types, because they put much less water and soap into your septic system. I went looking, even though my washer is still going strong, and I don't want to wait until it dies. Talk about information overload. Those front-loaders have more buttons than my computer keyboard.

ned1 · #10 12-13-2002, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jgibson2
Someone who's doing 4-6 loads of laundry every day has a washing machine that's too darn small and they should be glad it died.

You can get discounts by going to Best Buy, etc and asking to look at their scratch and dent appliances.

I have a Maytag large capacity that's 13 year's old and I WANT one of those front-loading types, because they put much less water and soap into your septic system. I went looking, even though my washer is still going strong, and I don't want to wait until it dies. Talk about information overload. Those front-loaders have more buttons than my computer keyboard.

thanks for your input

my machine seemed big at the time, but then again I only had two kids when I got it. normally I'd be happy it died, but not the week before x-mas.

The Maytag Atlantis is in the lead right now. I looked at front load, but I'm a "if it's still agitating it's never too late to add someting else kind of gal" and I don't think front loads work like that.

Nancy

**jgibson2**[$] · #11 12-13-2002, 11:13 PM

Quote:

I'm a "if it's still agitating it's never too late to add someting else kind of gal" and I don't think front loads work like that.

Ooh! I forgot about that.

sleeper54 · #12 12-13-2002, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Slick4592
It was a tad verbose. I'd have to give that post an H. If you could make the writing tighter, I could give it a VH.

'lean-n-mean', that's the ticket you bore, err... boar.

...tom...

'SH'

sleeper54 · #13 12-13-2002, 11:39 PM

.
OK, a serious reply...

Our Maytag washer has performed admirably for several years now. The previous one went 15 years at 2-3 loads a day in a three-kid family...

Has many favorable reviews at Eps. And it does hold a lot !!

I would highly recommend it...:-)

They used to be assembled in Newton, Iowa...:-)
But not sure where they are put together now...:-(

Company website Performa page here.

...tom...
' Just realized he could review his washing machine !! '

ned1 · #14 12-14-2002, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by sleeper54

'lean-n-mean', that's the ticket you bore, err... boar.

...tom...

'SH'

thanks for the info

I'll tell you, today is a day I wish all appliance reviews were lean and mean (like in the old days). I got lots of good info and read some funny stuff. best being about the Duet front load washer and the guy says you can stack the dryer on it - I'm like no way and then I go to the Duet website and darn if you can't stack them - although I'm not a pro basketball player and stacked you'd have to pretty tall to reach the buttons.

honestly though after a few hours I was like just tell me, will it last 10 years or will I really regret the purchase. Not like I'm one to talk about other reviews being long - as I am one of the long winded queens - maybe I'll mend my ways after today.

Nancy
ok, I'll mend my ways except for when it comes to Barbie

magenta321 · #15 12-14-2002, 08:13 AM

We just bought a Kenmore HE3T from Sears last week. Similar story. Our dryer broke last week. So, my mom just bought a new washer and dryer.

It's front load, so it saves water and energy. It uses HE3T detergent, so you can use less detergent.

As far as not being able to add clothes, with ours, you can add them for up to 8 minutes after the cycle started.

It's got a ton of buttons, so you can wash your clothes exactly the way you want every time.

It also has storage under the washer and dryer. It's good to put the dryer sheets and stuff in. It's also good because we've lost a dryer before when our basement flooded. Hopefully, the storage will keep the electrical componants out of the water when we inevitably flood in January or February.

frazzledspice · #16 12-14-2002, 09:12 AM

Sears Kenmore washers are manufactured by Whirlpool, so if you buy that brand, you're buying a Whirlpool

We purchased a Whirlpool last summer, because rebates brought the price down below the Kenmore price.

I got a larger capacity washer than I'd had previously, but I don't do the amount of laundry you do, with only one child left at home.

I'm satisfied with the washer, but buying from Sears was kind of pesty. They delivered it twice with dents. They offered me 10% off, which wasn't enough of an incentive for me to accept a dented machine.

After I refused the second machine, I called up my salesperson. She set up the third delivery date and gave me a $50 credit for "my trouble."

The machine was a real bargain by that point, but it was inconvenient meeting delivery people three times.

(This town is great in one respect--you can get a delivery person to call you on your cell phone when they're ten minutes from your house, and then you can meet them. Saves time off work, but still it's a real inconvenience to wait for three deliveries.)

ned1 · #17 12-14-2002, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by magenta321
We just bought a Kenmore HE3T from Sears last week. Similar story. Our dryer broke last week. So, my mom just bought a new washer and dryer.

It's front load, so it saves water and energy. It uses HE3T detergent, so you can use less detergent.

As far as not being able to add clothes, with ours, you can add them for up to 8 minutes after the cycle started.

It's got a ton of buttons, so you can wash your clothes exactly the way you want every time.

It also has storage under the washer and dryer. It's good to put the dryer sheets and stuff in. It's also good because we've lost a dryer before when our basement flooded. Hopefully, the storage will keep the electrical componants out of the water when we inevitably flood in January or February.

thanks for the info - just went out and got myself the washer this am - if I like it I'll add the dryer later on. After dropping that chunk of change I came home and told the kids we were getting a washer for X-mas - they almost began to cry (oops).

it's coming tuesday, can't wait - of course then I'll have to read that huge manual. I may not have clean clothes until April.

I've never had a front load machine so this will be interesting - my 5 yo daughter is so happy - not because she'll be using it, but because it looks the washing machine in the Staurt Little movies.

Nancy

magenta321 · #18 12-14-2002, 03:03 PM

I guess this means I should write a real review of it some time in the near future then, huh?

Glad you got your washer! Hope you can hold out until Tuesday.

When you get it, you'll have plenty of practice with all of those buttons.

Oh, and if you got the same one we did, there was a sort of "cheat sheet" that gave you the quicky version of the instructions. That's all we bothered to read

It's only daunting in the beginning, I promise.

**thinkerlady**[$] · #19 12-15-2002, 07:15 PM

I wish I had seen this thread earlier. We just bought the Maytag Neptune. Washer and Dryer. Because our laundry room is small, I got the stackable kind. It is a front loader, and a gas dryer. I absolutly love it. I have been doing laundry non stop, because it is so easy to use.

The "keyboard" is easier than with two freestanding models. It still has a dial. But yes, it uses less water, less detergent, and the dryer is always finsihed before the washer.

It was a huge chunk of change, but well worth it.

ned1 · #20 12-15-2002, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by thinkerlady
I wish I had seen this thread earlier. We just bought the Maytag Neptune. Washer and Dryer. Because our laundry room is small, I got the stackable kind. It is a front loader, and a gas dryer. I absolutly love it. I have been doing laundry non stop, because it is so easy to use.

The "keyboard" is easier than with two freestanding models. It still has a dial. But yes, it uses less water, less detergent, and the dryer is always finsihed before the washer.

It was a huge chunk of change, but well worth it.

thanks, that was my other choice. I hope I made the right one, and I only have to wait two more days to find out.

Nancy

AmyLEnsor · #21 12-16-2002, 03:43 PM

I didn't read the other posts in this thread, but I would strongly advise against getting a Whirlpool Duet. I had one that didn't work right for awhile, finally it broke and Lowe's replaced it. I never could get any help out of Whirlpool. Now we have a new one, and it goes out of balance about one out of 10 times that I use it, and it is damaging the door. It is a front loader and the basket comes out so far of the machine that it bangs against the door, causing sparks on the inside. There is damage to the glass. It only happens if I put a full load of clothes in, but the large capacity was one of the reasons why I got this machine. I could do more laundry in a regular toploader than in this dang machine. I tell everyone not to get this. Oh, that reminds me, I'd better change my review because right now I'm recommending it.

AmyLEnsor · #22 12-16-2002, 03:48 PM

OK, I see you bought a washer. I hope it works well for you. We've had Kenmore machines in the past with no problems, but I'm not buying anymore Whirlpool products as I've been so unhappy with their crappy customer service, so that leaves out Kenmore too. Or maybe I'll get better service with Kenmore since I can go through Sears, although I boycotted Sears for many years because of a credit card issue, and I don't know if I trust them. Sheesh, I sound like an old curmudgeon, huh? I have friends with the Maytag Neptunes, and one of them really likes it. The other friend's machine has had a lot of problems with the motor, but they always repair it promptly.