Kenmore Elite Oasis vs. Maytag Bravos and Whirlpool Cabrio

13 years ago

I have owned a Kenmore Elite Oasis washer and dryer for about a year now with no problems. Getting ready to move soon and the washer and dryer are staying, so looking to purchase a new set.

Debating on going with the same thing or is there any difference in the Maytag Bravos and Whirlpool Cabrio series?

Guess there were problems with the Kenmore Elite Oasis when it first came out years ago, but they have since addressed the issues.

Comments (8)

mboston_gw
13 years ago
Do a search on this site. Lots of info on all three here over the last year or so.
cynic
13 years ago
They're sibling machines, essentially the same. There's a few features that vary from model to model. The Oasis and Bravos have models available with a heater while the Cabrio doesn't yet as far as I know.
Related Discussions
Maytag Epic (9700) vs Whirlpool Duet (9400)
Q
Comments (10)
Hi, I purchased the Maytag Epic in the beginning of December, 2006 and I have been extremely pleased with it. I have no personal experience with the Duet so I canÂt give you any comparisons. I also canÂt say anything about the reliability of the Epic, as I donÂt have it all that long (barely two months). As far as I know, the Epic is really a rebranded KitchenAid Ensemble and is in no way related to the Maytag Neptunes which had so many problems, and I understand the Ensemble has a good history. I read somewhere that Whirlpool bought both Maytag and KitchenAid and wants to re-establish the Maytag name by putting it on a proven machine (the Epic/formerly Ensemble). I must say I have the cleanest laundry ever! I even washed some of my husbandÂs work clothes that have been in the closet "forever" because they looked so bad I wouldnÂt give them to him to wear. I thought with stains and soil that old that wouldnÂt come out with my previous washer, it was hopeless. Well, they are now useable once more! Now DH is eager to present me with some challenges (really dirty clothes) and the Epic has not failed me once. It is very difficult to get him interested in something like a washing machine, but he is amazed at this one. I also find the Epic to be very quiet (my cat loves to sleep on it when itÂs running) and there is barely any vibration. I do have it in the basement on a concrete floor with no pedestal. There are no signs of mold (it smells fresh and clean and I have a good nose) but I do wipe the gasket dry when IÂm done using it and leave the door open. I also regularly do hot washes and use chlorine bleach occasionally. It is extremely easy to use, you could say "intuitive". This is my first FL (wanted one "forever" but my old TL was determined to last 14 years before it gave out) and, right now, I wouldnÂt hesitate to buy another. I actually enjoy doing laundry (never thought I would say that) and am always looking for another load of dirty clothes! I hope you find these comments helpful. Good luck with your washer, whichever one you choose!
...See More
FP Aquasmart or Maytag Bravo?
Q
Comments (46)
helenbr, I am the grateful owner of a Maytag Bravos - not the current 800 series, but the 6700 model (and 6400 dryer, non-steam). Cynic and I will have to agree to disagree, because I really do think the Bravos is better than the Cabrio and Oasis. My opinion is based on three main sources: 1) people I know, both IRL and online who've owned them; 2) appliance repairmen; and 3) Consumer Reports and other online sources. Maytags are now built with commercial parts so perhaps that makes a difference. All I know is, I've read and heard many more complaints from Cabrio/Oasis owners than I have from Bravos owners. I've had my Bravos pair for almost a year, and I do recommend them. I studied my washer manual thoroughly before using it for the first time because I had always owned conventional TL's and wanted to be sure I used it properly. Thus far, I've had ZERO problems. I love the huge capacity, I love being able to wash virtually everything in my house w/o having to go to a laundromat, I love it that I can now wash 3-5 loads of laundry a week whereas I used to wash 10-12 loads per week (big family). I haven't had ANY problems with wrinkling/tangling, mold/mildew (which is common in FL washers), etc. It does seem to me that the Bravos is built more solidly than the FP washers, plus they look small to me. I bought my Bravos set at Home Depot. Have you checked websites online to save you a lot of driving? I checked Lowe's, Sears, HD, and other websites to compare prices, warranty info, delivery info, etc, before I decided where to buy. Another advantage of checking their websites is being able to read the reviews which were written by owners. HTH! :-)
...See More
Kenmore Oasis Elite Top Loader Owners - Q's
Q
Comments (2)
OP, does the Oasis washer have a Soak cycle? My 1 1/2 year-old Maytag Bravos, which is similar to the Oasis (both are HE toploaders made by Whirlpool) has a Soak cycle, and I use it in a very similar way as you said you used your former washer, with slight variations. As you already know, you cannot change water temp once you've started a wash cycle. Is the Oasis hot water truly hot? On most current HE washers which do not have internal water heaters, 'hot' water is actually warm, especially during cold weather. Because the Oasis is a TL, you can stop the washer, open the lid, and use an aquarium thermometer to check the wash water temp. True hot water is 140 degrees or higher. True warm water is between 120-130 degrees. If your Oasis hot water is actually warm, you could use the Hot temp. If you prefer, you could use the Warm temp, and you might get an actual Cool water temp. Load the washer with the laundry you want to soak, add the detergent and Oxi, let the washer fill with water and let it agitate for a few minutes. Then, IF your washer has a Pause botton, you could Pause the washer and let the laundry soak 'til morning. Before I got my Bravos HE TL, I soaked laundry as you said. Now that I have this washer, I load the washer with the laundry I want to soak, add detergent (Oxi can also be used), let the washer fill with water and let it agitate for a few minutes. If I want to soak laundry overnight, I then pause the washer. The next morning, I press Start to let the Soak cycle finish. Then I use a regular cycle (I do not add more detergent, as there is no rinse on the Soak cycle) to wash the laundry. My washer's Soak cycle allows me to add laundry throughout the entire cycle -- I do have to press Pause to unlock the lid before adding more laundry. If your washer does not have a Soak cycle, you could use a regular cycle, let the laundry agitate for a few minutes, and be sure the "Add A Garment" light is still on when you hit Pause if you want to add more laundry after you've soaked those items. I hope this helps. Do you have the manual for that washer?
...See More
GE, Whirlpool, or Kenmore?
Q
Comments (8)
I guess part of why I don't want an HE would be that I have Luddite tendencies and I want to choose water levels and so on and not have it done by the computer.....plus I've been reading the 'tiny mystery holes' thread and the HE machines/detergent/FL have been mentioned a lot in that thread. I have noticed a fair amount of posts that mention problems with HE machines, but maybe that's because they are what most posters here own. I looked up the F&P - they do have two dealers in my area, Lowes and Midway (local business). Bummer that they (F&P)are moving to Mexico, and I see in the news that GE is considering putting Appliance Park on the market - getting hard to buy things made in America every day.(Even if the owners are overseas the workers are here, and that counts a lot for me) I have been very happy with my GE Profile, and the customer service I got from them. There seem to be a lot of happy F&P owners, looking through the different threads. I think, too, that the machines that have more bells and whistles seem to have more repair issues, so that is another part of the reason I'm trying to keep it simple - I can't afford that kind of headache. Anyway, I'm learning a lot and having to do some thinking about whether my original parameters are reasonble or knee-jerk reactions to high tech stuff. Maybe I watched that cartoon (Donald Duck, I think) with the automated house once too often!! Thanks All! Dawn
...See More
john492n
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks cynic! So besides the heater, no real difference in reliability? Noticed the Maytag Bravos was rated #1 in the Feb 2010 comparison in Consumer Reports, Cabrio was #5 and #6, while the Oasis was #13.
dadoes
13 years ago
CR reliability ratings are a hack. Sure there are more Oasis models reported having trouble ... there are more Oasis washers out in the wild because the new machine design was introduced to the market through the Kenmore Oasis brand a year or more before the other brands ... plus consider how many more consumers buy Sears than other brands. CR also only asks about machines that are five years old or less as I recall from years past when I subscribed to the magazine and received the annual questionnaire. Following their rules, my appliances that have had NO repairs and are 6, 7, 11, 13, 18, and 19 years old don't qualify to be included in their statistics.
john492n
Original Author
13 years ago
Was just looking at HomeDepot.com and they have 4 different Maytag Bravos:

MVWB750W
MVWB450WQ
MVWB750WQ
MVWB750WR

Only real difference is one of them has a soak cycle while the others do not and 2 come in white, one in red, and one in black.
shirl51
13 years ago
Hi John
I have the MVWB750WQ and love it. I was tempted to buy a front loader but after reading complaints about mold, etc plus I am not a young chicken so bending over to do laundry was not my cup of tea and spending a couple of hundred dollars for a pedestal was a no no. Anyways I bought mine from Home Depot at a great price and 4 year warranty in November 2009. Washing was a learning experience. I know now to put the clothes around the impeller in small piles and I use HE powder detergent. Tried the liquid detergent but did not like the residue it left in my tub. Regarding the soak cycle yes I do have it along with extra rinse, etc. Just never needed to use it. Wish you luck on your decision.
HU-621622486
2 months ago
I have had a Kenmore Elite Oasis King Size Capacity for over 20 years and I love it. Just the other day the ol signal kept coming on and the machine was not overloaded. Just drained. Tried it several times and same thing kept happening. I was going to have someone come out and look at it, but was advised that even if the problem got fixed, something else could go wrong and then something else, etc. because of it's age. I am looking for a washer with the same features, since I can't find the Kenmore Elite Oasis anywhere. I absolutely love my current machine, but having no luck finding one with the same features. Help!!!!!!!
dadoes
2 months ago
There are none.

Kenmore Elite Oasis vs. Maytag Bravos and Whirlpool Cabrio

Comments (8)

mboston_gw

cynic

Related Discussions

john492n
Original Author

dadoes

john492n
Original Author

shirl51

HU-621622486

dadoes

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Kenmore Elite Oasis vs. Maytag Bravos and Whirlpool Cabrio

Comments (8)

mboston_gw

cynic

Related Discussions

john492nOriginal Author

dadoes

john492nOriginal Author

shirl51

HU-621622486

dadoes

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

john492n
Original Author

john492n
Original Author