I have a Bosch set. Washer is a front loader and the clothes are almost dry when the spin is finished and it uses much less water and detergent than most American washers. My dryer is one with its own condenser and does not need venting since DH did something years ago when he was fooling around with the vent outside and caused our old dryer to vent into the kitchen cabinets-ha. Slightly more expensive, but well worth it IMHO. Gentle on clothes and has lasted without any repairs so far (knock on wood) since we purchased the set exactly four years ago. Of course, I expect them to last 15-20 years! ;)

I've had the Kenmore front loader for 6 years and I love it. It's just like a Whirlpool Duet. This one really spins clothes nearly dry.

We have the Kenmore front loader too, the set is 5 years old and I've never noticed the clothes being too wet after washing. What I'm not impressed with is the matching dryer. It doesn't even come close to drying the way the manufacture claimed. I can't get 4 towels to dry easily much less 20 something they way they promised. Even though it's only my DH and I have to dry less clothes in that big drum than I did with our older dryer. It's been serviced too and they never find anything wrong with it.

I bought an Electrolux pair last year. I spent quite a bit of time on the Laundry Forum beforehand. SO many opinions.

I like the washer a lot. The dryer is OK...the cycles dont' always dry everything.

Beth P.

I believe I have the Maytag Centennial top load W&D. The washer holds 5.0 cubic and the dryer 7.0 cubic. I am happy with them. I opted not to get front loaders due to the problems they seem to have and the computer boards some machines have can cost a small fortune repair. I did spend time at the laundry forum and walked away reminding myself the older machines had less bells and whistles and lasted forever...hence my choice for top loader with manual dials, DH wanted me to get the front loaders =). The larger sizes are nice as is the load size sensing. Oh! I almost forgot, my clothes come out very dry and wrung to go in the dryer...way dryer than my old machine did.

Like never ending I wanted basic ... no computer board, few bells & whistles. Have a top loader Maytag and no complaints except it is noisy, but since the laundry room is off the kitchen that's no big deal.

I am also looking at washing machines. I have an older Maytag- when it was still good- and have never had a single issue with it. But, the dryer has issues and the set isn't very pretty, and I would like to a machine with no agitator and one of the giant tubs.

I'm looking at the Bravos quiet series 300- does anybody have any experiences with that?

I have a Maytag Neptune front loader washer and dryer in our primary home and haven't had any issues with it and it's at least 8 years old. In our vacation home I have a Cabrio top loader washer and dryer. The only issue is the depth of the washer tub requires me to stand on my toes to get the last of the clothes out. Both wash and dry well. Good luck!

I sadly had to let go of my Maytag front loader when it turned 10yrs old. C Board went out and later learned that this is common due to moisture. Now a set that is 1.5 yrs and hate it. Never has worked as well as the older one and this sour smell thing is driving me nuts. Doesn't matter what I do to solve it.

Brands all seem the same, tough call to identfy one brand over another. Same companies making different labels, I even looked inside a GE and the parts were LG. Made in the USA isn't happening either. The issues are common with what I see as the luck of the draw.

Am buying a new set and giving this one to my son. Maybe his just having it will make it work. Am still looking at options and reviews, confusing my life in the laundry arena.

Greatful for GW forums. I found a couple of references to posted reviews on sites where they mentioned that people actually get paid to write positive ones. Guess this means caution for reviews at retailers.

Why no agitator Bumble? My machine has a removable agitator, but I've (so far) not had a need to remove it. I don't wash anything huge and it is only the two of us, no I don't have a giant tub, but there are probably models with a larger tub. Here's a few pointers on the FP if anyone is interested.

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Fisher-Paykel (r) was the first maker of HE top loaders and have a lot of very innovative features. They have a fast spin, but also have several other spin options, so you can slow it down for permanent press fabric or items that are likely to be out-of-balance, like a carpet.

However, the FP models dynamically balance all but the most impossible loads. If out of balance conditions occur, it stops and beeps.

It does have an agitator (which is easily removed and replaced) but the agitator action is carefully programmed for the type of load one is washing, and it is remarkably gentle. Much of the water movement is performed by recirculation and by gentle spinning of the tub in both directions.

Adjusting the FP washer to a solid level is very easy, as the top is designed as the indicator.

One negative, for some, is that the lid covers the entire top, and it is not flat. This is a big positive for others, as it keeps the top of the washer much cleaner. All water flows back into the tub when the lid is open, so adding chemicals, spot treating, adjusting clothes position (admittedly very rare) is much neater.

HE washers, in general, require the operator to adjust their washing habits. One must use half (and often much less than half) of the chemicals used for a load in a non-HE washer. One must also learn how the low-water rinse works and understand when and how to increase the amount of water used for rinse.

There are a lot of other delightful features of the FP. My favorite is that it is mechanically dead simple. The sophistication (and there is plenty) is in the electronic control. It does have a different "sound", it isn�t loud, but it is distinctive. Another feature is that it is easy to disassemble and clean, if that is ever necessary. I can take most any washer apart and reassemble it properly, but the FP is delightfully simple and amazingly well thought out.

(Note from Tina - I didn't write the above points, but one thing I love is being able to set up "favorite" cycles for certain items/loads. You just program them in and they are saved for future use.)
The water supply mechanism works flawlessly, I have had no problem with the pump, and there is no belt.

I want to be able to wash large comforters and various dog blankets. Oh, all kinds of stuff when I want.

Same reason I want a table that seats 10 although it's only two of us!

I have a comforter that has been sitting in Dad's kitchen, for hmmm, a LONG time, waiting for me to haul it to a laundry mat.

I didn't know there were removable agitators these days. Interesting.

I still like the appeal of the empty tub though.

It is so confusing. Now I am not sure if I should look at front loaders or top loaders. What are the pros and cons?

I have the Electrolux wave front loader washer/dryer. I really am very pleased with them. I like some of the little things the best - there's an light when you open up the door in the washer and dryer so you can see those stray socks stuck on the washer roof...

Occasionally, a load won't be really dry after spinning, but I think that tends to be due to what I'm washing vs. a washing machine issue.

Overall, I have been very pleased. In particular loved my pedestals, but had to give them up in this new house to stack them in a laundry closet on the second floor.

I am planning to replace the set that came with our house with top loading Speed Queens. They last forever and Speed Queen actually cares about quality and customer service. My aunt's SQs have been going strong for 40+ years.

I have the Maytag Bravos Series 300 model 450. What I particularly like about it that I didn't know before I got it:

1) A countdown timer for the load.

2) A light that tells you when it's time to run a cleaning cycle.

It's quiet, although sometimes there is a braking noise, which the manual says is to be expected and is not a problem.

It's got a huge capacity. King sized comforters can fit easily. I've done 11 pairs of jeans in one load (don't ask how two people can get 11 pairs of jeans so dirty), twice the number of towels that my old machine could handle, and the load comes out dryer, so that drying time is less.

It's a top loader, and I keep the top open when the machine is empty. That's to remind me that when the top is closed that there are clothes in the washer that need to go into the dryer. Yes, there is an end of cycle light that would do the same, but the closed lid is much more obvious.

Kenmore is generally listed in Consumers near the top and always a good sale on them. I have one and have no idea how old it is, works like a wonder and my dryer is like 30 yrs. old. I think this is all I have ever had in 49 yrs. of marriage and five children so I did have lots to do. Go to library and read up on them and you'll be an aware consumer.

Thanks Suero for your input. Unless I hear lots of negative reviews, that one is at the top of the list.

One thing I see often, is people who had good experiences with certain brands 10, 15, 20 years ago and expect the same.
Everything has changed and "they don't make 'em like they use to" is unfortunately true in the quality of parts.

From what I have read, ten years seems to be the planned obsolescence of most major appliances these days.

Hi Roseabby! You should head over to the laundry forum. Lots of useful information and helpful, knowledgeable posters. Everything you ever wanted to know - and more - LOL!

I think you are right Bumble. I had a Kenmore set for 20+ years before my FP. There is still a Kenmore washer at my grandmother's house! But, sadly, they are not that good anymore. I did alot of researching before buying our set (about 3 years ago), and Kenmore was not getting as good reviews.

I have an LG Tromm FL washer and a Whirlpool Duet dryer. Before that I had a matched set by Frigidaire. Worst W&D I have ever owned. The dryer lasted a year and the washer 3 years. The dryer was especially bad, took forever to dry clothes. No complaints about the machines I have now except that my dog's fur gets trapped inside the clear fins in the dryer. No way to remove it so it's getting blacker and blacker because I wash & dry my black Lab's blankets in the same machine I use for our clothes. I run a short cycle in the washer to clear out leftover fur but there's nothing I can do to clean out the fins. At least the fur seems contained and I don't find fur escaping onto my clothes. It gets in there but it doesn't come out. I like some of the special features on the washer such as the extra short (13 minutes) rinse cycle. I use that a lot to clean out any dog hair if I happen to see it.

I love the FL style, will never go back to the water hog top loader. Fl's are gentler on material too because you don't have the agitator. I also like having a window in the door to see what's going on inside. HE detergent is more expensive but you also use a lot less (only 1 Tbsp per load). When I bought my first HE machine it was hard to find HE products but now they're more prevalent but still not available in all options. Tide just came out with a cold water HE detergent which I'm very happy to see. Before you decide on a machine check out the detergent isle and familiarize yourself with the HE products. Make sure you can still buy your favorite brand in HE. Don't try to substitute non-HE detergent by using less, your clothes will not be cleaned properly.

I've had the Maytag Bravos washer for a year and been very happy with it. I didn't want a front loader because we have a water pump and I'm always adding clothes in the first few minutes of the wash cycle (both no-goes with a front-loader.) We didn't buy a new dryer at the same time, and that has been the only problem. The washer capacity is huge and the dryer can't always handle the load. Several reviews I read before buying mentioned that clothes were very wrinkled from the wash cycle, but I've gotten better with how I wash in the machine and this is no longer a problem. I also don't load all that I wash into the smaller capacity dryer. I highly recommend this washer.

We also have a GE washer and dryer. Have you had the filter cleaned? Once the filter is full, the clothes don't spin right. We had a service guy out, and now DH knows how to clean the filter.

Thanks Maryanne for posting. I have read those comments about wrinkled, tangled clothes....how did you solve that?
What are you doing that prevents that from happening?

"I love the FL style, will never go back to the water hog top loader. Fl's are gentler on material too because you don't have the agitator. I also like having a window in the door to see what's going on inside. HE detergent is more expensive but you also use a lot less (only 1 Tbsp per load)."

FF there are now energy efficient top loaders that work the same way.

To prevent wrinkling in the Bravos washer, distribute the clothes around the center. There is no agitator, which gives the tub a huge capacity, but if you load clothes across the center, they do have a tendency to tangle. I hook bras closed, button pants, and tie loose ties, try to keep the center uncovered, and don't have a problem with tangling.

I bought a Samsung WF330 washer last August online at Sears and got a great deal (marked down to $530). It washes king comforters with ease, so any other bedding size is no problem at all. It handles fine sweaters really well too. I'm washing things at home now that I never would have dreamed of washing before, either because the items were too bulky or too delicate. Needless to say, I am very, very happy with the washer.

Last month it started to smell moldy, but I tried the Purifier cycle (designed to eliminate mold) & the machine is now fresh as a daisy! Great machine.

Also got a smaller Samsung dryer for $430, but should have paid for the larger, matching model. The smaller dryer model doesn't dry the king sized comforters, and once in a while an extra large load isn't totally dry as well.

It takes a while to get used to the longer cycles, but once you've adjusted, these machines are wonderful. Mine has a delay timer, which is useful every now & then.

Here is a link that might be useful: Samsung washer

Thanks Sue! I was indeed wondering.

One note: with my front loader I always leave the door open per manufacturer's recommendation to avoid the issue awm mentions. It isn't fully open, just enough to be sure it can dry out. I have never had a problem with mold or mildew or the odors thereof.

Thanks for mentioning that, cyn. That's the simple, best solution. AFAIK, all front loaders are prone to the mold issue, & all manufacturers suggest leaving the door ajar for the machines to air out.

My laundry area is in a passage way between the kitchen & the family room, the most heavily trafficked path in my house. Leaving the washer door open blocks the path. If I try to leave it open even just a little bit, somebody always shuts it! Also, with 5 athletic adults in our household, the washer's going 'round the clock and just never gets a chance to dry out.

So for those of you with washers in dumb places like mine or who are constantly doing laundry, I just wanted to mention the Samsung's Purify cycle works well.

I am paranoid about snakes and the thought of leaving the washer or dryer open all the time, even a crack, is scary to me.

Do you get snakes in the house?

Awm03 - I think the mold issue is pretty much all front loaders. At least what I've heard/read when I was researching. I wouldn't want a machine I needed to leave the door open on. The purifying cycle sounds like a good thing - had not heard of that. I would think Samsung IS a good brand.

We have had one in the basement and I do see them occasionally outside the laundry room next to the driveway.

Several weeks ago in that spot there was a small copperhead and dh killed it. I saw a snake skin later under a shrub.

In the past month, I have had 5 snake encounters outside.

I forgot about the one that tried to come in the front door, I managed to slam the door on it and trap it....thankfully dh was home for lunch that day and got it for me.

I had walked outside in my bare feet with the dog and left the front door cracked. I looked back at the front door and saw it slithering in. I ran back in the house from the garage and then closed the door. Creepy that I walked over it with bare feet.

It come up through the 1/2 inch crack between the porch flooring and the door.

I can spell somewhat, ignore those verb malfunctions too.

I don't want them touching me, but otherwise I'm okay with snakes (as long as it's not poisonous). We get them in the yard but not inside the house.

You remind me of my MIL. Hubby and I were over there a couple of years ago to do something - she wasn't home. We have a garage door opener to her house and opened the garage and there were tire marks ALL over the place, this way and that way. We could not figure out what happened . . . she later tells us she was trying to run over a snake. LOL

tina

No no, that would Not be me, as I have proof!

A black rat snake was in the driveway when I came home one day, it would not move, so I went inside and got my camera. It stayed there for almost an hour.

Here's the copperhead picture too. Now, if I had a snake in my living room, there might be tire marks all over the place! But seriously, I don't kill anything much. It all has it's place in my organic yard/ecosystem. Inside, is my sanctuary though. I do get lizards all the time in my art studio and I always catch and release.

We have had small snakes in the garage but I had Dad use the grabber to catch them.

A huge lizard was living in my dryer, (I don't know for how long) found by a repairman. By huge I mean at least a foot long.

We have indoor cats so no interest in FLs and their mold issues.

Heard a major ruckus in the azalea outside the dining room window the other day. A couple cardinals were having a fit. When I went out to investigate I saw what I'm guessing was a rat snake with a baby bird in its mouth. Made me sick, but I was helpless to do anything. That's nature.

I will never go back to a top loader if I can help it. The front loader uses MUCH less water and soap, spins things practically dry, so less use of the dryer, is gentle on clothes (I wash my cashmere sweaters in the machine) and I have never had any issues at all with mold in the 15 years I have had front loaders. I have had Asko and Bosch washers. Like the Bosch better than the Asko.

Natal, so sad about the baby cardinal, but I sure could use that snake here to get rid of our mice and chipmunks!

You know it's funny, people talk about top loaders being hard on clothes, but I've never had that problem. I throw everything in the washer. Avoid dry cleaning unless it's men's suits or wool coats.

Cyn, there are new toploaders that do the same thing as front loaders and are energy efficient, as I posted above. To each their own of course, it's whatever works for you.

tina

Agreed, we all choose our own preferences. However, it is a fact that front loaders use less water than top loaders (my old Asko used only 7 gallons of water per load-I think the Bosch uses about 12, but I am not sure) and on the whole, are more energy efficient according to the government and consumer ratings I have seen. Water is going to be the most valuable commodity on the Earth in the not-too-distant future. The European brands seem to use much less water than other brands perhaps because they tend to be more conscious of water use than many Americans (not all, so don't jump on me for that, but in Switzerland, for example, I used to live with a family who told me that the amount of water available to them depended on the amount of snow they got in the mountains during the winter-they were very careful in their use of H20). Typical American front-loaders use 40-50% less water than top loaders. The front loaders also spin at 1000-1200 rpm (Bosch is 1200) which removes much more water and shortens drying time. A lot of the time, I don't even need to use the dryer-I just lay everything out for a bit and it dries in less than an hour or two.

Washing in cold water will also save you a bundle no matter what kind of washer you have.

I think that whatever you do is fine as long as you are happy and you are doing the best you can to leave the planet better than you found it! Anyone remember the Cuyahoga River? We are certainly doing better than in those days!

I'm thinking about a Speed Queen now.

Cyn, I had no idea how much water mine uses, so I looked it up. And while it might not save as much water as a front loader, for those who prefer a top loader, it is still energy efficient. Plus it takes less time than a front loader - so that also equals less energy (less electricity).

Yes, I agree, we should all do what we can!

Bumble, I don't know anything about Speed Queen. Hopefully someone here will.
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Is it energy efficient ? Yes, in fact its the most energy efficient top load washer in north America, and only uses 24% of the energy of a traditional washer. another way to put it a traditional washer uses around 45 - 60 gallons per load where this uses between 14 - 28 gallons depending on load size. Also it spins up to 1000 RPM so drying time is less. Takes about half as long as a front loader to wash and dry.

Sounds good, Tina. Still, you need to compare apples to apples as in the low number to the low number. !4 gal is about 24% of the 60 gallons. Still that is better than lots of machines. I like F&P, too. Also want to check out the Speed Queens just out of curiosity. Aren't most commercial machines Speed Queen? That probably means they are real work horses! I am hoping my machine lasts another 10-15 years-I'll keep you posted-ha!

I have a very basic Speed Queen, purchased a few years ago after a lot of research on-line, including the Laundry forum here. It's a top loader and I chose it over a front loader because I didn't want to deal with the long cycle time for a load of laundry in the front loaders. I also couldn't fine anyone who was unhappy with their Speed Queen. I have no complaints.

People on the laundry forum seem to like the Speed Queens. After Miele, of course, the laundry forum darling.

They do make the commercial machines.

I would have loved to get a Speed Queen, but no one sells them around here. So far I'm happy with the Maytag. I only use cold water.

Stay away from Whirlpool- especially anything with a cabrio like design. Never cleaned properly. If you try to add a little more soap to try to help it along, you just end up with clothes covered in soap. So busy being water efficient that they don't clean clothes. I wrote TONS of letters but never got anywhere. Ended up giving a 3 month old 1500 dollar machine to goodwill. Never another Whirlpool. :-(