Help me choose between these 2 washers

16 years ago

We have the 20 year old washer dryer set that came with the house when we bought it. Last fall, the dryer died and we got a great deal on a ding and dent Whirlpool Duet Sport. Now the washer bit the dust over the weekend. We cant afford the matching Duet Sport washer now that we are brand new parents and we cant afford (timewise) to go without a washer for too long because we are new parents!

Here are the two most economical option I have found that are energy star compliant:

Amana 3.2 Cu. Ft. Top-Load Washer

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=250241-99-NTW5400TQ&lpage=none

Maytag 3.2 Cu. Ft. Top-Load Washer

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=265154-99-MTW5600TQ&lpage=none

Which one would you choose?

Thanks!

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Comments (8)

justjustin
16 years ago
Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that both of these models are based on Whirlpool design. Would say that either one of these would be acceptable.

BTW, If you are doing cloth diapers you'll be glad you are using a toploader. Several of my patients who are going the cloth route who bought front loaders are either regretting that purchase (harder to clean the diapers) or are getting a toploader to hook up just for the diapers.

HTH,
Justin
looser
16 years ago
justjustin,
it is funny that you say that people prefer TLs for cleaning diapers. I wonder why people think that FLs don't get them clean. In fact, FLs clean much better (if you use them correctly) and can reach higher temperatures to sanitize diapers. I have not used cloth diapers, but even disposable diapers tend to leak and I have had my share of poopy clothes. With a little presoaking my FL didn't have any problems getting them nice and clean again. An I'd never use LCB on baby clothes. During potty-training, I have washed poopy panties in a TL and even though they looked clean afterwards, they still smelled like poop. YUCK! I will never switch back to a TL!
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dadoes
16 years ago
A factor to consider in washing diapers is the dilution angle -- having enough water to dilute and flush away the, ummm, type of soil that's involved. However, there is the higher heat and sanitizing (NOT *sterilization*, it doesn't get hot enough for that) that a FL with built-in water heating can potentially provide.
jcrowley99
16 years ago
I think Justin mentioned this because it is physically easier to use the TLer for diapers. I attached a link that tells you how to wash cloth diapers so you could see the process since you used disposables. I have to say that my Kenmore TLer I had when my son was a baby never left anything smelling "poopy", and you can be sure my MIL would have brought it to my attention. Washing cloth diapers is really easy in a TLer. Collect the rinsed diapers in the soaking solution in the diaper pail during the day (or two if you have enough diapers), then before bed dump out the soaking solution, dump the diapers in the washer and spin out the excess solution, start the soak cycle after adding your detergent and etc., then stop the machine and let the diapers soak overnight. In the morning let the soak cycle finish and then start the wash cycle. Pretty easy, and most of the work is done overnight while you (hopefully) sleep.

Here is a link that might be useful: How to clean cloth diapers
breenthumb
16 years ago
Seems no matter what you ask on this forum it always comes back to that darn TL/FL debate. Katy_bug I also think the TL's you are thinking about will be fine and save money for more important things. The one thing I'd look for is being able to set controls for what you want them to do when you want them to do it. Used to be easy. Just turn the knob.

I washed cloth diapers while dinosours grazed in the yard. The whole diaper pail, soak and all, was dumped into the washer and spun---it was that or carry it up a flight of stairs to dump solution in toilet and then down two flights or dump into kitchen sink. No thanks to both. Poopy ones had already been swished, dunked, flushed. Then rinse, and you're good to go.

Not rocket science, and my MIL surely would have let me know too. In fact she would tell me about boiling DH's diapers on the stove when he was a baby. Now I can't even get him to wash his hands before eating. Sandy
looser
16 years ago
dadoes,
the dilution level does play a role, but it does not ensure that the soils are actually flushed away. When I wash my clothes I want them to be clean afterwards and don't want the dirt just to be "watered down". A FL cleans with a higher concentration of detergent and rinses several times (two or three times by default) to make sure that all the dirt really is gone. I have seen the nasty rinse water in our TL when we had to drain it manually. It is not a good feeling to realize that part of that dirty water just stays in the clothes...
I know that our old TL was worse than most other TLs, but I still don't believe that TLs ever clean as good as FLs when comparing hot cycles. TLs without heaters just don't provide a really hot wash even though they use huge amounts of hot water. You can't sanitize anything in a TL without using LCB or other chemicals. I know hot water doesn't sterilize clothes and I am good with that. I don't want or need sterile clothes, but I want them free of nasty smells.

My mom used to wash cloth diapers when we were little and it does work in a FL. Yes, it is tougher to dump the soak water in there, but our washer was in the basement and the floor had a drain. My mom just poured it out right there (in front of the washer). We also had a laundry sink next to the washer though.

Disposable diapers are pretty expensive and cause a lot of waste. That's one of the reasons that we had our daughter potty-trained by age two (or shortly afterwards). She learned the poopong on the potty really fast (at 18 months)...YEAH!
mrskjun
16 years ago
katy, I just purchased the Amana two weeks ago. I did a lot of online research reading reviews and the Amana got top marks. I found it the cheapest at Lowes. I'm very pleased with it. Simple to operate. Has all the settings that I need. And handles a large load very well.
pato
16 years ago
Hi all, just thought I'd put my two cents in! I've had my FL for three years now. I board small dogs and so have lots of blankets and sometimes have the "ummm, type of soil" previously mentioned! After much experimenting to get a cleaner wash, I started using the extra rinse cycle with every load and am very pleased with the result. I would especially recommend the extra rinse cycle with diapers. Pat

Help me choose between these 2 washers

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justjustin

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