Thanks for the report! I just received the same F&P this week, but they are not installed yet. I am happy that someone else is pleased with their purchase. I selected them for the same reasons that you did- all of the advantages of a FL, but with some other benefits of space and ease of use.

We've had this set for about 6 months now. I think what I like most about the washer is that it rinses everything so well. My wife's skin would break out with certain detergents on our old washer but the aquasmart seems to rinse so well that it's not a problem anymore. The washer & dryer combo seem to be the best when it comes to removing pet hair from blankets and such. That lint bucket on the dryer will collect an amazing amount of fuzziness compared to a normal setup.

I have that pair, too. See my "beware Lowe's appliance sales" post for my buying nightmare.

I'm very happy with my set.

I have been looking for a shorter wash cycle, and a "towels" wash setting (there is a towels drying cycle, but not a wash cycle especially for them).

I think I am going to use dryer sheets exclusively, instead of setting the cycles for liquid softener.

Have any of you found a soak cycle on the washer?

I have been keeping this washer in mind for a replacement and I was wondering how long a wash cycle is and how tall is the machine with the door open? And if you don't mind, how far from the back is the door? I am worried about it fitting in the spot my old washer is in now. Thanks!

55.25" tall from floor to top edge of door. Right around 6" from the flat back of the machine to the door. The back/top control panel area actually slopes forward from the flat metal body of the unit, it's not straight up all the way like an old GE or something. The cycle times vary quite a bit depending on how big the load is and what cycle you choose. I would guess that the normal cycles are right around 50 minutes.

There is a soak option on most of the wash cycles.
I will go through the steps for a "regular" wash.
Turn on machine, highlight regular and hit select. Scroll to the right until you see "soak". There will be an X on the option. Hit select and highlight the "soak on" option and press select. Then press start!

May I ask.....how are wash temperatures controlled with an F&P? Built-heater or ATC?

I have a replacement coming up that must be TL. I would never buy an FL without a heater but I don't know how things are with F&P. I have a "3-gallon-pipe" between the machine and water heater.

No F&P washers sold in the U.S. thus far have water heaters. All have ATC.

I am also considering top load Fisher & Paypal AeroSmart 6.2 LED Dryer, and AquaSmart 3.7 LED Washer, both are $799.00 at Lowes. Washer Can be used in HE and Traditional Mode, which I might like. I'm comparing these to Kenmore top loaders. I've actually liked my Kenmore , operation is simple, and clothes are CLEAN!! I really liked the top load dryer by Fisher and Paykel,no more bending over. I don't think I'd be happy with a front loader, I did look briefly at Bosch front loaders. Should I reconsider?? Would love to hear from others who LOVE , HATE their fisher and paykel.
Thanks, Michelle

sewwhatsnew- put me in the catagory of LOVE my F&P washer/dryer. I love the top load feature of the dryer, and it holds a huge amount of clothes. Also the lint catcher which you only have to change occasionally. The washer is also large and easy to use.

I'm so happy to hear the positive reports on the FP washer/dryers! We will be getting them for our new home we are building and can't wait to use them. They are very reasonably priced and like the toploading for my back! I'll be sure to update with a review once I've used them for a while

Folks: I hesitate to do this (over on Appliance Forum where I mainly hang out, this is an invitation to a public flogging), but....How do F&P fans feel about the poor reliability rating on Consumer Reports? Rated at 13%, which is more than double the lowest. Now of course, the really weird thing is that the lowest repair brand is the ultracheap warehouse club Roper brand.

I tend not to take CR too seriously, but reliability has been such a big bugaboo for our W/D's that I'm desperate for any help I can get. The F&P TL's sound like they would otherwise be very close to what we're looking for.

Your thoughts?

I decided to go with them because the salesperson (a mom with 4 kids and another on the way) had previously had the Whirlpool Duets (frontloaders) and didn't like the performance, length of cycle, maintenance, etc. She's had the toploaders for 2 years now and recommended them "without a doubt". I think that says a lot for someone who is making money off a sale to recommend a much cheaper item.

clinresga,

I may have one of the oldest F&P washer/dryer pairs amongst the participants on this board. My GWL08 washer and DE04 dryer are now 9 years 2.5 months old. No repairs ever on either one. Both are used regularly by my grandmother after I passed them to her 4 years ago.

My DD603 DishDrawer is 5 years 2.5 months, no repairs or trouble.

My IWL12 washer is 4 years, no repairs or trouble (it hasn't been used for the past 5 months since I've been using my Neptune TL, but it's definitely not on permanent retirement). My DEGX1 dryer is also 4 years old, no repairs or trouble (it's still my daily-driver dryer with the Neptune washer).

Perhaps I'm just lucky. :-)

I have next to no faith in the reliability rating of Consumer Reports itself. They've become a biased joke. That said, don't pooh-pooh the performance of Roper. It's a basic Whirlpool, long known for reliability and value. Face it, when you can buy a washer and dryer set for $400 give or take and in the end, it washes and dries clothes, probably lasts as long as a lot of expensive front loaders, well, that's what it's supposed to do. Don't look for bells & whistles on it, of course.

I don't really recall anyone who hasn't liked Fisher & Paykal, even ones who have experienced issues. Some like them more than others as with anything. The basic, front load dryer used to be made by GE and AFAIK it still is. It's had a good reputation. In fairness, there was a stretch when there were some issues with the gas top load dryers being damaged in shipping/delivery/setup but would get fixed under warranty and most with the topload dryers are ecstatic about them and they do have some nice features. The lint cup gets rave reviews from owners. I like the reversing tumble and of course the top load. I just don't like the price. Somehow it bothers me to pay more for the dryer than for the washer! And I just would like to see a little larger capacity on them. 6.2 cf is not a very big dryer these days and IMO it should be 7-7.5 cf, especially for that price, I guess I just expect more. However they seem to work well as a pair and if you amortize it out over an expected lifetime it's not bad I guess. And when you haven't used a large capacity dryer, you won't really know the difference. But then again, admittedly, I guess it's not too often that you use the full capacity either.

Let's face it, a dryer does basically three things. It tumbles the clothes, heats air and moves air through/venting out. A $200 dryer does this and a $2000 dryer does this. So the difference is the features. Few American sold dryers have a reversing tumble. No other I know of has the lint cup. And AFAIK it's the last of the top load dryers available at least in the US. (Frigidaire and Whirlpool used to make TL dryers.) Dryers are fairly simple in design and most dryers are pretty reliable. So what's the features worth for cycles, sensors, etc? That's going to determine if it's right for you.

Have there been complaints about F&P? Yes, a few, but most seem to be resolved easily and people seem to really like the products. They were sort of a pioneer in having a high spin speed top load machine. That's a big advantage when you can use the high spin speed. F&P has also been praised for ease of DIY repairs. I can't confirm or deny this since I have no experience with them. I will say it's high on my list of considerations for when I need to buy a new washer. After thinking more about front loads, I'm leaning more toward a top load for a replacement when the time comes. I wish more manufacturers made top load dryers, but people are so used to front load dryers that people won't change. And people are vein and have to have "pretty" machines! For some it's function follows form. There's a lot of people with physical issues that would appreciate using a top load dryer, even with a front load washer. But the manufacturers are hesitant to go that way since they want to sell "pairs" and prey on people's vanity.

Got a little long-winded I guess! Good luck on whatever you decide!

(Frigidaire and Whirlpool used to make TL dryers) When was the time-frame? I'm reasonably familiar with Whirlpool's dryer history, and don't recall a toploading unit being in the lineup. Not as familiar with Frigidaire's history, but don't recall a toploader amongst their dryers, either.

OK, I'm getting closer to drinking the F&P KoolAid. Here's another question: I believe I've read posts suggesting that HE TL's are prone to tangling clothes badly. Is that correct in general, and more specifically has that been a problem for any F&P owners?

I have not noticed any tangling, well no worse than any other machine I have used. I have the AquaSmart WL26CW2, and in close to a year of near commercial use (over 600 washes!) and no problems.

F&P agitator models (EcoSmart & Intuitive Eco) are not HE machines, although they are engineered toward water- & energy-savings. The AquaSmart models are HE.

Which model are you considering?

clinresga ~

I am replying before reading any of the other comments. I must tell you that I can't account for the poor rating in CR but it won't be the first time I disagree with their comments.

I have had the F&P Intuitive washer for four years. I have not had a speck of trouble with it and I love it's simplicity. I also appreciate the fact that it senses not only the amount of water needed but the strength to be used depending upon the fabric type.

I looked long and hard at front-loaders and couldn't get past the pricing and the fact that I would need to raise it up to make it more comfortable. I don't have back problems but prefer the TL for ease of use.

I didn't get a matching dryer (I had a Kenmore Elite that has been reliable but I know that dryers are simple appliances) but now wish I had the TL dryer but it hadn't come out when I got my washer.

Dadoes was very helpful and sent me the copy of the manual but, I must tell you, I haven't even needed to refer to it. I think much of the quality of this washer and have recommended it to some of my friends. What other washer senses everything and, when done, wishes you a happy day? LOL!

Robyn

No problem, at all, with my clothes tangling in the washer. I used to have another brand and many of my pants and shirts would come out a twisted mess and I would have to pull them apart before loading in the dryer.

Robyn

Wow: great responses from all: thanks mairin, dadoes, cynic, wolfc, and frdown. Really appreciated.

dadoes: great question. I don't think I appreciated the existence of three separate lines of F&P's. I've gone to the website but it's almost useless, with a table of features but no real description of what each machine does.

The AquaSmart appears to be their top of the line, but it's still quite reasonable at $799, when compared to mid level FL's which seem to all run well over $1000. I think the HE designation as well as what they refer to as the "dual washing modes" sound good. Is there any reason to consider the other two lines?

And then there are dryers! Makes great sense to go with a TL dryer to match a TL washer so that seems like the way to go, and there are a couple posts above indiating a good experience with the matching dryer (posters call it an AquaSmart, but the Lowes website references an AeroSmart LED dryer). Is that the way to go too?

Sorry for repetitive posting but I'm getting as obsessed with W/D as I was with kitchen ranges. Thanks.

All the topload dryer models are mechanically identical. Differences are aesthetics (control panel color & button design) and offered cycles/options. The SmartLoad models are the "base" models intended to match with the EcoSmart washer, same kind of button controls so the panels match. The AquaSmart washer with LCD has a matching dryer with LCD. The AquaSmart washer with buttons/LEDs has a matching dryer with buttons/LEDs. Etc. The fancier dryers have some pre-programmed 'LifeCycles' like what's offered on the Intuitive Eco washer and the top-of-line AquaSmart washer. I have the original DEGX1 dryer (intended to match the GWL11 washer at the time) paired with an IWL12 (Intuitive Eco) washer. The panels have different button designs, slightly different colors, but doesn't bother me. There was no specific matching topload dryer at the time for the IWL12 washer.

EcoSmart, Intuitive Eco, and AquaSmart refer to washers.

SmartLoad and AeroSmart refer to dryers.

Your choice of washer depends on whether you want an HE/impeller or an agitator machine. Then whether you want the fancier or simpler models of the chosen type. I'm not intimately familiar with the AquaSmart washer line, but knowing what I do about the agitator models, I'd choose Intuitive Eco for the extra flexibility & cycle options over EcoSmart. The topload dryers, the differences may be less notable.

Dadoes, I'd guess that it's been a while since it was made but when I was looking a few years ago, I found the Frigidaires available at a few places and the price was about $350 plus shipping. The Frigidaire White w/ Stainless Steel Electric Top-Load Dryer w/2 Auto Dry Cycles Model GLER341CC and gas was model GLGR341CC. I did a quick search and the pictures for the model numbers show pictures of a front load dryer. However the linked vendor had a pic of the top load dryer before. Now it's listed as discontinued, not surprisingly.

At the same time I was looking, there was a Whirlpool model mentioned too but I couldn't find a vendor for it. I assumed it was long since discontinued. Since my computer died I've had to salvage data so finding obscure files is a bit of a chore. I managed to dig up the Frigidaire info easily. Have to dig a bit for WP.

At the time I was looking I may have even downloaded some pictures and if I find them, I'll send them to you. Obviously they weren't big sellers and that's too bad. But they were an even smaller capacity than the F&P.

Although I had a bad experience with the Frigidaire dryer, I was so impressed with the topload feature I seriously considered going with one. And considering you could buy nearly 3 for the price of the F&P, it was attractive. But I got the deal on the Whirlpool Gold and didn't have to pay shipping. So that sealed the deal.

Hmm. Sounds intriguing. So you had some use or experience with the Frigidaire toploader ("... I had a bad experience with the Frigidaire dryer ...")? You say the Frigidaire unit was on the market concurrent with F&P's SmartLoad ("... you could buy nearly 3 for the price of the F&P ...")? And Whirlpool's offering was available around the same time-frame? F&P's topload dryer came on the U.S. market about 4 to 4.5 years ago, far as I'm aware. Mine was bought in October 2004, and I searched/waited for several months after I heard about them until I found one. I paid $779, so that would make the Frigidaire approx $260? I've passed this info on to a friend who has worked for Whirlpool for a number of years (I've known him since 2000 and he was already working at Whirlpool then), perhaps he has knowledge of it.

My F&P dryer lid is cracking. I have had it for about 9 months. It still works but the crack is progressively getting worse. Anyone no where I can get a new or used lid for it. It might be covered under warranty but I haven't checked into that yet either.

I'm sure F&P has a parts department that you can order through. Is there an appliance repair place near you? They should be able to get it too. I think I'd check on the warranty first. If it's not under warranty, is it important enough to worry about? I have my washer in the basement so if it wasn't under warranty I probably wouldn't fix it. But I would check on the warranty. 9 months would make me think it'd be covered unless it was abuse.

There should be a 2-year warranty on the machine. Call your retailer, or F&P at 888-936-7872.

If you have youngsters in the house, grill them on whether somebody jumping up on the dryer. The lid isn't under stress during use, no particular reason it should crack. My SmartLoad dryer is four years old, perfect condition, as is the washer. I have another F&P washer, now 9 years old, the lid on it is perfectly fine.

Also, www.searspartsdirect.com carries F&P parts.

Searching online by parts and model numbers finds several more sources. One I ran across is outrageously expensive. This one is reasonable www.fisherpaykelparts.net

We just ordered the Intuitive Eco IWL16 from Lowes last Saturday, after our Kenmore 90 of 10 years bit the dust. After much research -- inc. CR who's numeric ratings I don't look at but who's feature ratings can be useful -- we chose it. The 2 yr warranty is great. And, even though I'm not ordinarily a fan of extended warranties, Lowes 99 bucks to add another 4 yrs for 100% labor and parts coverage (don't worry, I read the fine print!) is a no-brainer.

We were originally looking at an FL, but I honestly can't see WHY anybody would pay 700+ to HAVE to leave the door open, to HAVE to wipe a gasket monthly with bleach or whatever, etc. And to put up with a smell, or worse, if you don't. Or the vibration.

Thanks to Dadoes for all his fine info I have read here.

Also, in web research, I have read of issues about F&P 800-service. While all companies have their issues, I think they are doing pretty darn good. We have a 4 yr old DCS gas range (F&P bought DCS just after we purchased it) and I had no issues getting parts lists and service locations from them just last month. Addtionally, in pricing new ignitor parts for the range, F&P California-shipped shipped prices were SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper than any web source -- $49 vs $225 for the same thing! So call them and ask -- just don't believe Sears or another source alone.

Finally, F&P has been building all their TL washer/dryers in Ohio, since mid-2007. I think that will go a long way to more brand support in North America, too.

Here is a link that might be useful: F&P Ohio Plant Press release

My neighbor bought a F&P TL washer and dryer (non agitator type) last year and hates them. She said she can't get a full water load (she thought that was an option), hot water and her dryer runs forever. I am looking for a new TL washer and now am not sure whether to consider these based on her problems, yet so many people like F&P. Any comments?

Sue15c, difficult to comment on the neighbor's situation without knowing more detail, such as which models are involved. Far as I'm aware, all the AquaSmart washers have an option for a deep-fill wash on a couple cycles. Maybe she isn't selecting the correct cycle and/or option. If the topload dryer, they dry quite fast if properly vented. Improper or obstructed venting will cause long run times. Even

I've had my Aquasmart (no agitator) and Ecosmart TL dryer F&P pair for almost a year - and am still very happy.

I don't have tangling problems, except jeans are sometimes tangled. I've also found sheets in a strange position when I've opened the washer - the best way I can describe is that they look like a mushroon - I think I used the wrong cycle!

It has some quirky things - like, there is a "sheets" cycle on the washer and dryer, but no "towels" cycle - also I would like for the denim cycle to be on the main menu, instead of the specialty sub menu. You can't set a specialty wash to start later. And, like I've said before, I would like a quick wash cycle.

About the dryer, I think the reverse-tumble system should have a time out feature - I've left the house with stuff drying on the wrinkle free cycle - not realizing it - come home hours later and it was still tumbling! A couple of notes about top load dryer - it is very deep - at 5'1", sometimes I feel like I'm catapulting myself into the dryer to get the clothes out! Also, if you have a space challenged laundry room, you lose that folded-clothes area people with FL dryers have!

tinatark said:
You can't set a specialty wash to start later.
- and -
About the dryer, I think the reverse-tumble system should have a time out feature - I've left the house with stuff drying on the wrinkle free cycle - not realizing it - come home hours later and it was still tumbling!

The washer's menu doesn't allow scrolling to a Lifecycle, pressing Select, then scrolling the menu back to the Delay Start option?

You mean the Wrinkle Free function, not reverse tumble. Reverse tumble occurs every 4.5 minutes throughout the drying cycle, and is not directly related to the Wrinkle Free option. The Wrinkle Free function does time-out after approx 24 hrs.

You do understand what the Wrinkle Free option is for, yes? It comes into play at the end of the drying cycle, when the machine would otherwise be done and shut off. If the Wrinkle Free option is enabled, the clothes will be tumbled without heat for about 30 seconds every five minutes to prevent wrinkles that would otherwise occur if the dry clothes were left crumpled and stationary in the drum for an extended period. The end-of-cycle signal beeps after each tumble, reminding the user that the load is actually done and ready to come out. Since you're out of the house and unable to unload, Wrinkle Free is doing exactly what it's supposed to do -- tumbling the clothes periodically until you return so they don't get wrinkled. Most dryers with this feature have it run a maximum of 40 mins to 2.5 hrs, depending on the brand and model. Running it for 24 hrs is one of F&P's unique features for clothes care and convenience of the user. Wrinkle Free is enabled by default on several cycles (Easy Iron, Delicate, Sheets, Shirts), but can be turned off before Starting .. or added to any cycle that doesn't include it by default.

If your neighbor can't get a full water load, she isn't playing with a full load herself. Tell her to read the manual.

It's there, it's usable, and it works if you need it. And, if the load NEEDS it, it gets it in the other cycles.

I just purchased a Bosch front load washer & dryer, I had to return them because they were too deep to fit in my laundry room. I am geeting the Fisher & Paykel Washer and Dryer. I just wanted to get a current update on how your Fisher & Payket Washer and Dryer is working and if you would buy them again. I really had my heart set on a front loader, so this was an option I did not even consider.