Washer & Dryer - Torrance,CA

We bought a GE front loading washer that saved water, energy efficient, etc and we hate it. I do like that I can wash more clothes at once but the shortest wash cycle is 45 min so there is no such thing as a quick load. My kids are older now but I would never recommend it to someone with babies or young kids where the need for a quick wash or a soak is needed. Get a warranty. We bought it in Nov and someone has been out to fix it once already.

I have Maytag Neptune front loading w/d. We payed $1500 for the set. They are energy efficiant as well as using less water. Amount of water used depends on size of load. They also have a touch screen and many different settings that can be customized. I absolutly LOVE!!!! them. I can do very large loads and everything is clean. And they are pretty quiet. When I washed my first load, I was so excited that I could barely hear the washer. I highly recommend them.

Hi E.,

I loved my old Kitchenaid top loader, but when it died we purchased a Kenmore Elite
model ####-###-#### front loader and I bought a pedestal which is great because you don't have to bend so much when you load or unload the washer, and the pedestal has some storage as well.

My advice is to buy the LARGEST machine that you can afford. I was told that the cubic foot measurement isn't the same for the top loaders as compared with the front loaders.

I also like having the express wash cycle. This is designed for when you forget to wash something and need it in a hurry. I wanted that feature for when I forget to wash the boy scout uniform, or the baseball uniform and need it in a hurry.

Regarding the mold issue: My machine has a special cycle to clean the machine once a month - you just add 2/3 cup bleach and use the special Clean Washer cycle. You need the special cycle as it adds more water, and rinses the machine out so you don't accidently bleach your next load. I leave my door slightly ajar after each load - and that made it so I didn't have a problem, but once I forgot a load for a few days, and as the machine is air tight it was a stinky load by the time I got to it. So, I used the Clean Washer cycle and the machine was fine after that.

The best part about my new machine is that it holds more than my old machine so I do less loads.

I kept my old dryer, as it still works, and having it match perfectly wasn't important to me. I think the washer was around $799 and the pedestal was another $200.

I hope this was helpful, and I hope you are happy with whatever washer you buy.

Linda

We selected our Samsung front loaders from doing a ton of research, and consumerreports.com highly recommends. We got one notch under the top of the line and it's been wonderful. Laundry finishes so much faster and it's just a better laundry experience, if that's possible :) Once you get all of the controls/dials down, it's pretty awesome. Also, it has VCT-vibration control technology, and balances itself out w/in seconds! My monthly gas bill has gone down $10/month (from $26.50 to $16)!!!

I've heard NOT to buy the Whirlpool set from Costco. They've been advertising a set w/pedistals for a long time. I checked out the reviews for them and they were horrible! It consistently had vibration and electrical issues.

Please seriously rethink your decision to go with a front loader. We moved into a new house this year and bought the LG steam cleaning front load washer. Steam clean - hypoallergenic - great for my asthma, right? Ha! About 3 months in, I started to notice that all of our clothes were smelling funny, so after rewashing on extra hot, even with bleach, it kept getting worse and worse, to the point where I had to throw out a lot of our clothes!
After researching a bit online, I read that LG washers are notorious for this, and actually Whirlpools, Electrolux also have the issue. They don't completely empty all of the water and detergent out of the drum of the washer, causing mold to grow on the inside of the washer itself, which redistributes all over your clothes. The only solution, it seems, is to buy a pretty expensive product called Affresh and run an empty "tub cleaning" cycle once a month. After that, after every wash cycle I have to drain the bottom of my machine, and leave the door hanging open. AND I have to use the extra rinse cycle for every load (despite the promise of conservation and high efficiency). So far, we've been doing all of this with mixed results - it hasn't completely fixed the issue.

I talked with a friend in Europe, where they've had front loading washers for decades in every house, and she couldn't believe my story. It seems awfully ridiculous to pay over $1000 for a washing machine that makes your clothes moldy. Maybe the Bosch might not have this issue, but it's about 2x the cost.

If I could get my money back, I would and go back to the tried and true top-loader. Actually, with the money in the trash from thrown out clothes, I could afford to throw the LG in the dump, and buy a top-loader!

I'm not kidding, either. Do some research online about this issue before you buy. Start here: http://housewares.about.com/od/laundryappliances/qt/preve...

I was deadset on getting the LG front loading washer/dryer set... until my dad (an insurance investigator) mentioned that a recent client had $15,000 worth of damage because her one month old washer leaked. My SIL's brother, who does repairs for Sears said the same thing about not going with a front loader yet. Dang it!

I love love love my GE Harmony. It works like a front loader, but loads from the top - energy efficent with a extra large tub so you can do big loads. It also "weighs" the load so it only uses as much water as needed. So far we have had it 8 years with no problems what so ever. We bought our set at the Sears outlet, both the washer and dryer had small scratches on them, but nothing else wrong and we saved bou-cou bucks on the pair. They are less expensive than the front loaders and take up less space, but work just as well.

We've had our LG washer/dryer for a year and a half and couldnt' be more happy with them. They are quiet, efficient, and clean wonderfully. The mold/mildew smell that people talk about with front loaders can be a problem for some machines, but the LGs have a door on the front of the washer that gives you access to a little hose so that you can drain the residual standing water, and filter/lint trap. If we are not planning any washing for several days, we drain the machine. It only takes a minute, and so far we have never had an issue with "smell."

I have the LG front loader and washer. We bought it in January of 2006 and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! We got a rebate from DWP as it conserves water and energy. It was a little pricey but I have to say well worth it. I've recommended it to a friend of mine as well and she loves hers. Never had a problem with it yet=)

This may not help you too much but we just had an eye opening experience with our dryer. We have an electric dryer that is about 6 years old. We just got solar panels and the other day my husband was gleefully watching our electric meter run backward until I turned on the dryer. The dial immediately began to run FORWARD again! Not even our air conditioner has as much of an effect on the electric meter! I will do everything I can to get a gas dryer or at least a much more efficient electric dryer in the future (pretty sure ours is rated energy star too!).

I'll be interested to hear what you find out as we may be in the market soon too!

Good luck!

We bought a new LG set from a scratch and dent place (cost was about $1400), and loved it! Never a problem, so many good features. We had them for about 2 years, and sold them when we moved to our new apartment. I really didn't want to, but our new landlord has a Maytag set (front load also) that we could use. So, I sold ours for $1,000, and have been using hers. She's had the repair guy over twice to fix some broken mounts inside the washer, it makes a horrible knocking noise when it's spinning.

So, from my experience, I would say go LG!

Hello E.. I have a front loading washer and wish I didn't. I can't remember what brand it is (it's downstairs in the garage and I'm too comfy to go look! lol plus it's not new anymore, so it doesn't stick out in my head) but if I could turn back time, I would have got another top loading washer. I feel that the top loading one holds more clothes, and I am able to be more versatile with my washes. I add vinegar or ammonia to every wash load (long story) and it have to put it in the bleach compartment, because the detergent and softener ones are taken. This really isn't a big issue until, you guessed it, I have to use bleach in my cycle. (I am OSHA trained so I would NEVER mix ammonia and bleach, but I would like to add the vinegar). Additionally, I do not have the option to soak my clothes anymore, and I can't control my loads (ex - large or small loads). Sometimes I just need to do a few things, but there isn't an option for that, on my washer anyway. I could go on and on, but I won't. One more thing I will add is that it makes using powder detergent impossible (nearly), so I don't use it anymore. Best of luck to you, and try doing a little research with Consumer Reports, to kind of give you a feel. I did that before I bought mine and bought the one I have because it had the best reviews for my price range.

Dear E.:

I loved my Frigidaire Gallery (front loader) and got almost nine years of use out of it. Unfortunately, a simple part broke and since there very few repairmen here in Vegas (overbooked or overpriced) I had to get a new one.

My sister had the Samsung for about a year and since she loves it and it has more capacity and a larger opening than the Frigidaire, I considered the Samsung.

I would have been MORE than satisfied with either machine but when my husband went in to get one, the Samsung (which is usually $1200) was marked down, the guy at Lowe's haggled and we ended up getting it AND a five-year warranty for $855! Can't be beat!

I'm super happy with it and I recommend it (OR the Frigidaire!)

Just so you know, most repairmen are now doing only warranty work and that's why they turn away calls from machine owners past the warranty period. They want to be on call and available ONLY for warranty work because by keeping the warranty company happy, they get to keep their contracts. This applies to ALL machines, front and top loaders.

Since front loaders can't get "out of balance", there is much less wear and tear on them. That's why my friends with front loaders and I never have to call for repairs. I have a friend with a top loader whose repairman told her the same thing you heard. When the knob broke on my Frigidaire, I called him and he confessed he didn't KNOW HOW to fix front loaders...that's why he bad-mouths them!

Best wishes,

M.
PS: Avoid the pedestals. My friends who have bought them are so BUMMED! They can't use the tops of the machines to fold clothes, no soap fits properly in the drawers and the kids open them to use them to climb...eek! Save your money!

PPS: Both of these machines have a soak setting and the Samsung has a delay wash setting. Both have locking doors.

We bought the Whirlpool Duet series washer and dryer about 3.5 years ago and I've had no problems with them. We received energy saver rebates from SDGE as well and they work really well. I'm very happy with them and the price is reasonable.

All the best,
G.

I love our maytag neptune set! (Both front loading) They are approx. 10 years old, and the only thing that has gone wrong is this last month a coin got into the water pump on the washer. It took less than 10 minutes to fix. Anyway, we love it along with the rest of our family, who have all tried different sets. Good luck!

I have the Bosch 500+ series and am completely happy. They aren't as flashy as some of the other sets. But, after lots of research (and reading about mold issues), I decided on Bosch. We lived in Indianapolis when I purchased them and were able to get them at "contractor's cost"....got the set for about $2000.
Have fun shopping!

I love my front loader (in terms of how it cleans my clothes and saving money by using less water)--I have a frigidaire, but the only thing that I would change is to get a bigger load washer. I didn't realize that there were such differences in how many clothes they wash. My mom's front loader does twice the load size that mine does. :)
This article at ConsumerReports.com tells the best ones to buy http://pressroom.consumerreports.org/pressroom/2009/01/co...

Good luck!

Love my Whirlpool duet!

Wait for another month or two to buy and you will get a good stimulus rebate. Google appliance stimulus, and they say in late October or November if you buy an appliance with an energy seal, you get a rebate of up to $250 back. We have had our washer and dryer for 26 years and it still works good. You may have a lot of time left on yours!

I have a Maytag Neptune front-loader and I would NOT recommend this IF you live in a humid environment or close to the ocean. I live relatively close to the ocean and my wash machine smells musty! Apparently this is very common when you go online and search front-loaders, musty smell. Anyways, good luck!

Just something to think about...I have heard from several people that front loaders (the kind with the glass on the front)can have electrical problems as well as mold/mildew issues with the gaskets not sealing correctly and that once the machines develop this mold/mildew that it cannot be corrected easily.

Best of luck in looking for a new washer and dryer. We have a Whirlpool Cabrio and have really enjoyed them. I think they were about $500 a piece.

Look at Consumer Reports, pick the best one and get a warranty. You can subscribe to their website (I think month-to-month) until you find what you need. They really put products through some rigorous testing.