Keep FisherPaykel or go for Front Loader?

16 years ago

Hi,

I'm new to the forum but need some help from the FisherPaykel owners out there.

I just bought (Saturday) a FisherPaykel Ecosmart based on all the positive reviews from Epinions and here. However, I'm having some buyer remorse. I am concerned that my whites are not coming out clean.

The problem is, we had a non-auto temp control Maytag before that was just not cutting it in getting stains out. Then we decided not to do any washes until we picked up the Fisher & Paykel machine. So of course, on Saturday, I did a ton of washes, but I'm not sure that the stains in the clothes I washed were perhaps already set in from the other machine and then drying them, or if these were new stains, since it'd been awhile (about a week, which is an eternity in a house of 3 boys under 5), since I'd done a wash. So when the clothes came out less than stellar, I was disappointed, and went back to the Epinions reviews and looked at only the negative reviews. I related to them, especially the negative ones for the GWL11 machine (which, correct me if I'm wrong, is very similar to the GWL15 in mechanics), which complained that in terms of kids' clothes which can be very dirty from play/eating, the machine just doesn't cut it. Mainly because if you want to do a hot wash, the hot is actually only 4 minutes long and then the cold water comes rushing in. And then the permanent press trick you can do to get a full-fill hot wash isn't great either. But reading so many negative reviews of people with young children who said that the machine didn't cut it for them, or made them have to go through all kinds of stain removal products they never had to before, quite frankly freaked me out.

Another problem is this: my machine doesn't beep. So the bottom line is, I made a service call, and they are coming TOMORROW, and the deal is this: if I let them fix the machine, which they probably can, to get it to beep, I will no longer be able to return the machine, even if I pay a re-stocking fee, because it has been repaired. If I refuse to let them fix it, I can test it for awhile and if I want to return it, I don't have to pay the restocking fee. But if I test it and want to keep it, I can't get it fixed! And it would be nice to have some end-of-cycle beeping! (It's set to 15 beeps and I hear nothing).

So short of calling off the repair call, I'm not sure what I should do. I think my best bet is postponing the service call until I'm sure I want to keep this thing. If I want to return it, I'm willing to pay the restocking fee at this point, because I have the future (10+ years of young boys in the grass/playgound) to consider. If I end up returning the F&P, we will probably go for a Frigidaire FrontLoader, the one that Consumer Reports rated as a best buy.

Any advice out there, or testimonies that the F&P can really handle dirty loads? Of KIDS?

THANKS!

Mom of 3 boys

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Comments (4)

regus_patoff
16 years ago
just a thought, you could connect the COLD water inlet hose to the SINK WATER SPOUT (if you have one)

and adjust the water spout as needed. Set the washer to cold, turn the sink taps to watever temperature you want.
sparky823
16 years ago
What cycle are you using? I have a friend with one and she has 2 boys and when she first got hers she was very disappointed in the cleaning. She had a Kenmore Direct Drive before so she was used to it beating them to death so the Normal on the F&P wasn't cleaning. She switched to the Heavy Duty and she said it was more aggressive on that and cleaned the clothes better. I guess she uses that all the time now cause she has the machine and says she likes it now.
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dadoes
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F&P toploaders have ATC for ALL temperatures (they have five water temps), and the machine will beep an error if it doesn't sense a hot water flow coming in. It'll keep filling far as I know, but the beeping would be irritating.

MomOf3Boys -- options for you in handling the dirtier loads: use the Perm Press workaround (it's not difficult to do), increase wash time to maximum, add the soak option, and there's also the Heavy cycle for stronger agitation. You could also stop and restart the cycle to repeat the wash agitation phase (it won't repeat the EcoActive wash if the tub is already filled). Of course some of these are manual workaround that require attention/interaction, which you may not have time to deal with it.

If you're still interested in F&P, consider trading up to the IWL16 Intuitive Eco model. It has a lot more cycle options, including a separate setting to do a traditional deep-fill wash at the selected temperature (does NOT require the Perm Press workaround). Depends on what is the price difference compared to your alternate choice of a Frigidaire FL.
jrdown
16 years ago
I have had the Intuitive washer for over three years and had four kids at home ...... plus their guests that I got to wash for.

I like my machine very much and have been pleased with the quality of the washer and how my laundry has turned out.

Now we are down to just one kiddo at home so I do less laundry but I still think this F&P Intuitive is the best washer I have had in the 25 years of being married. I have gone through three other brands and this is tops with me.

Robyn

Keep FisherPaykel or go for Front Loader?

Comments (4)

regus_patoff

sparky823

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dadoes

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