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thrillme
04-24-2009, 06:48 PM
My washer and dryer are 14 years old...Yes they work but it seems like the washer is getting off balance a bit more and the dryer sometimes just doesn't seem like it does the job. It gets hot but takes forever.

I've had friends who have bought those new front loaders. Recently the LG Steam washer has gone on sale a pretty good one. I know there can be a bit of an issue with ALL front loaders with a bit of "moldiness"...my mother-in-law leaves the door open for a while after her last load and hasn't had a problem. Another friend runs a light load (like a towel) with some heavy bleach a couple of times a year and that seems to help. But I'm not so sure this is only an LG issue...it appears to be all of them.

I also know that if they're "installed" on a wood subfloor they could be a problem (circuit board wriggling out) but I'll be putting mine on concrete.

Everytime I've used one of these washers at a friends they "seem" (could be in my mind) to get my clothes cleaner than my old set. How long are washers supposed to last. Could mine be nearing their end even though they work? I know my Mom had one for 20 years before she finally got rid of it. But toward the end she started having lots of problems.

What do you think of front loaders. Should I take the plunge?

Daisy'sMom
04-24-2009, 07:10 PM
You know what? I really wish we had our top loader again. Don't get me wrong, the front loader is great, but I miss being able to add a sock I might have dropped, I miss adding my Rust Out, (you have to mix it with water first). It does a good job, but I really don't see much of a difference. Good luck deciding. :mickey:

BMan62
04-24-2009, 08:22 PM
We have Maytag front loaders and love them! Have had them seven years! Wash comes out cleaner and uses less water.

Have not had the moldiness concern you speak of.

As far as the other poster talking about Rust Out, you just need to add it as the water is running into the machine. It's easy to do with our Maytag, we add OxyClean the same way.

LauraF
04-24-2009, 09:02 PM
I recently bought the Whirlpool Duet washer and I love mine. If I'd had the money I would have bought the dryer too.

It does get the clothes cleaner, and for me, who has a lot of allergies, the reduced amounts of soap helps save my skin. The wash cycle *is* longer, but because it get so much water out of the clothes, the dry cycle is much shorter than it used to be. Having an old dryer myself, this is just helping it last longer.

Other than a slight tendency to 'walk' across the concrete floor every couple of months (which just requires a hip check to fix), I've had no problems with it. I do leave the door and detergent tray open after the last load for a few hours to prevent and mildew buildup.

The installer told me that my washer is rated to last about 12-15 years if I take care it right, so that's plenty of time for me. My last one was about 20 when it died.

RedSoxFan
04-24-2009, 10:00 PM
We have the Sears front loader washer and dryer. I think it's 5HT (something like that). We bought them 2 years ago when we moved into our new house. We used to have the Maytag Neptune front loaders. Both machines worked great. I do like the Sears ones better. The Maytag would get mold around the door. I've no mold problems with the Sears brand.

Blfarm
04-24-2009, 11:18 PM
To get rid of the "moldiness" with front load washers, I use a product called smelly washer - it does an awesome job!

I have a set of front loading washer/dryer and just love them after having the top loading kind. I can easily fit a blanket in for washing, and the sanitary cycle for sheets/towels is nice. They seem to do a better job of cleaning the clothes, but it probably isn't fair to compare it to my old set as they were truely worn out when I replaced them 2 years ago.

AZ Disney
05-04-2009, 05:03 PM
This is my experience with FL's. We bought the Kenmore set about 4 years ago and a fridge when we moved into our new house. Horrible! I will never purchase from Sears again. We just sold that house and all the appliances stayed too! Yahoo!

I looked around a lot and finally decided on the Whirlpool Cabrio set. This was the best of both worlds for me. I get my top load back, but all the great features of a FL. Love this set!