I am dropping my recommendation for Staber.

17 years ago

I have owned my Staber washer for over 2 years now. It is with great sadness that I drop my recommendation to purchase them. While I do still like this machine, it has been very reliable and it washes very well, and it is very efficient, my wife does not like it due to some problems we have had with it.

Problems:

1) We have had a mold issue. I think I have the mold issue under control now, but it has ruined several pieces of clothing that my girls have thrown away. I've cleaned the rubber parts in the washer and run "Smelly Washer" through the washer, and this has very much helped. I've done a regular maintenance-wash cycle over the last month that I think has made a difference. But, the women in my house say no more and it must go.

2) There are occasionally remnants of detergent, or softeners when we were using them (we don't use any softeners in this washer anymore due to its propensity to increase mold growth). The net effect here is this will get on a piece of clothing and leave a bleached-out stain on the clothing. Its happened quite a bit.

I think both of the above issues could be resolved by proper management of this machine. By that I mean very regular maintenance-wash cycles being performed and not ever washing anything after a white load where you used bleach (which we don't use anymore either in this washer)

unless its another while load or you've done a maintenance-wash prior to putting in any colors.

My family is not willing to do this, they want to be able to dump any load in at any time, without regard to what was washed before it. Just like you'd be able to do with an old top-loader.

So this weekend we go and look at a standard washer. A Whirlpool Roper in going to be looked at, and a Fisher Paykel GWL15 (which I'm hoping my wife will go for). The only think I have against the Roper is its vibration on spin and water usage, and lack of spin speed, which the Fisher Paykel should resolve.

I'll let you know what we get.

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Comments (7)

steve_o
17 years ago
Is there a reason you're not considering a front-loader?
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mihi
Original Author
17 years ago
Hi,

Yes, my wife won't consider it now. The Staber is a horizontal-axis machine, basically a front-loader that loads from the top.

We did go this weekend and buy a Fisher Paykel GWL15. She liked it, maybe it will be the washer we're looking for, I think it will be and hopefully all will go well.

Just very unfortunate with the Staber, in so many ways I like the washer.
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asolo: I thought that only happened to me. Glad I wasn't overreacting. They responded to my query about the lack of a heater with the exact same snotty response. So...I fired back with a stern message that I would be the first to buy one of their machines when they learned the four basics of washing: time, temperature, mechanical action, and chemical action...and put a heater in their machine. And I put in a big "HELLO???!!!" since they seemed to think they knew so much. Well...I got a response from a Staber family member stating that detergents in the US are specifically formulated to wash in temps less than 140 degrees F and that they clearly understood (NOT!) the four prinicples of washing clothes. HA! Idiots! I think they have a great machine...but it NEEDS a heater. It irritates me that we don't go w/ 220 V in our laundry rooms. Then...if we go back to the four principles and use enough water...anyone, regardless of laundry knowledge, can have sparkling clean clothes in very little time (although a small bit of common sense is still required). andalee...the poster was Mihi. He had a Staber. Ironically...after a number of years...he developed a mold problem. Once again, it shows that you cannot simply wash in cold water using liquid detergents and fabric softners. No machine will ever be made that can do that and never develop mold over time. Greases, sebum from our bodies, and anything oily will simply cling to the plastic outter tubs in the machines and be food for mold because detergents with cold water simply cannot completely get rid of these compounds. And...waxes in softerner exacerbate the problem. Mihi put the machine out of commission for a while and bought a Fisher Paykel to replace it. I believe he cleaned the machine once all the mold dried up and died and gave it to his daughter. The last I read from him it was still in service at her house. I think he developed a cleaning regimen for the machine. I have a Bosch 700...and LOVE the machine! Best machine I ever had. Virtually all my clothes are cotton...and I wash almost everything at 150 degrees F and some things at 170 deg F. I am one of those "weirdos" who will never give up HOT water washing...especially since my machine heats the water. I don't use the dryer though...I line dry everything. I LOVE line dried clothes. Here in South Florida it would be a shame for me not to line dry. I have tracked my savings for about a year now...and it amouts to somewhere between $10 and $20 per month on average. Dryers are electricity hogs! Now, if only I could get rid of my air conditioner...my electric bill would be next to nothing! LOL!
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Louis
17 years ago
I just wonder, did you leave the lid up between washes? The environment in the machine was way too humid, that is probably the reason mold started growing in your Staber. That can happen in any frontloader and toploader if you don't air it out after use.
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mihi
Original Author
17 years ago
Yes, we always left the lid up. We also always did at least one bleach load every 1 to 2 weeks. We also did a bleach maintenance wash every 4 weeks after the problem started.

I think the use of detergent and softeners caused a water-line build-up that isn't removed as yet. Also, the hose that drains the tub always has water in it, as do most washers, and this can't help either.

I really do think this washer can be corrected and not have the mold problem. I'm not sure about the remnant detergent problem staining cloths, but this could just be from the build-up, I don't know.

I've been fighting the Staber issues for a year and a half, have had it for about 2.5 years, and my wife said she is sick of it and it goes. Period.

So we got a Fisher Paykel GWL15. So far we love it. We'll see how it does over the years.
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dualref
17 years ago
Did you inquire with Staber about these problems to see what action they recommend you take with your moldy washer?
I'd be interested to see what they would have to say.
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mihi
Original Author
16 years ago
Yes, I contacted Lehmans twice, where I bought the washer, and I contacted Staber three times concerning the issue.

The first thing Staber said was to leave the top open, which I always did anyway, and to run a load with bleach thru the washer, which we did.

The second time they told me to clean the rubber skirt that is at the top of the tub. This seemed to help a bit, but just didn't solve the problem. I also ran bleach thru it, as I had done on several occasions.

The third time they said to check for any coins that might be in the hose, which I did and I did find a few coins. Then I ran bleach as well as stuff called Smelly Washer, which again seemed to help somewhat, but it just didn't seem to correct the problem, but it did help.

Staber said they didn't know of anyone else having the problem I was having. At this point, I decided they were avoiding this issue with their product, there wasn't anything else they could tell me to do.

Lehmans said that no one there that had the washer had this problem, they didn't know anything to do except contact Staber. I guess I'm the only guy in America that has this issue with a Staber washer (I am being sarcastic here).
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timindy
16 years ago
If your wife is happy, the whole house will run more smoothly.

I'm sure that all of you will like the F&P; almost everyone does.

Be careful with the amount of detergent and softener and bleach that you use in it.

I think that you use about 1/2 what you normally would in a F&P - so read and follow the directions.

F&P washers also recommend regular "clean" cycles.

In general, excessive dosing with detergent causes a lot of problems with the washer and the clothes that are washed in it.

Whether a front loader or top loader one doesn't need as much detergent as is generally recommended on the box.

If the water is slippery or you see just a bit of bubbles or foam or the water looks like it has a slightly soapy look to it, then you have plenty of detergent - you don't need "layers" of suds.

Asko is adamant about this and their Use & Care manual is one of the most detailed and helpful about detergent dosing that I've seen any where.

Over doing it with detergent is not new, believe it or not I read this recently in a book written in 1962 and of course it's still true today.

Good luck with your F&P - enjoy it - as I said, almost everyone does - they are great machines.
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I am dropping my recommendation for Staber.

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I am dropping my recommendation for Staber.

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