I would take a look at Whirlpool Duet Sport, Frigidaire Affinity, or Maytag Epic Z. These are all below $1100 for the basic washer with some options, and I think you can get a Duet with steam for very close to that price.

We just bought Maytag Epic Z and I'm really happy with it.

If you go tomorrow, Sears is having a big appliance sale with all appliances on sale plus 10% off the sale prices, free delivery and 12 months no interest financing. We will be able to save $400 plus delivery over another store's sale prices.

I have heard some not so great things about the Duet Sport models. I have heard they are made in Mexico, unlike the larger models that are made in Germany. I have heard there are more problems with them.

You can get most of the LG models at the Sears sale tomorrow in that range. I think the two highest steamwashers would be a bit more.

I've heard good things about the Frigidaire Affinity. DH doesn't like the smaller dryer size onthat one, but you could probably get the washer and dryer under you budget for the washer.

In my time zone, I began typing on Friday night. The sale is Friday and Saturday only.

I've been considering the LG Tromm (w/o SteamFresh); the model # is WM2455H. At Sears this weekend, it's $950 (plus an extra 10% off?). The ratings and opinions I've read on the Tromm washers make me think that the Tromm is the right washer for us, but that the SteamFresh technology isn't something we'd use enough to justify the extra money. Perhaps it's worth a gander for you, too?

Correction: LG products are not eligible for the add'l 10% off discount at Sears. It's $999 at Home Depot, but there's a rebate form for free delivery.

We were told last night it would. :(

I'd definitely consider the Bosch Nexxt 500 or 500plus. I have the latter and am very pleased with it. It is very easy to use, no unnecessary bells and whistles, and performs very well. It always uses the internal heater to ensure the correct water temperature during the wash cycle. It also has a two hour long soak cycle which gave me great results with some set in stains.

Don't worry about the sticker price, I paid a lot less at Lowes using their 10% movers rebate and some additional negotiation...

Thanks for the advice so far. Unfortunately, we don't own the "new" house (it's actually 30 years old, and in another state) until mid-July. So no Sears appliance shopping for me today.

"Don't worry about the sticker price, I paid a lot less at Lowes using their 10% movers rebate and some additional negotiation..."

I have the 10% moving coupon. But as for additional negotiation - have any tips on that? I've never negotiated prices at Lowe's before.

I bought a washer, dryer and dishwasher all at the same time, so they were pretty willing to work with me. They ended up giving me 20% off. The sales person entered the 10% rebate without actually using the coupon. He said I can use that for another purchase. I then asked if I could get some of the accessories like the dryer cable for free since I was spending so much money. He said he could get a manager to mark it down to a penny. When he talked to the manager he asked about entering the movers rebate, so the manager used that to mark everything down another 10% (he didn't realize that I already got 10% off).

It would be tougher to negotiate when only buying one item I guess. They do have some wiggle room on all the prices though.

I'm curious: Do you specifically need a front-loader?

I have a large family, wash mega loads each week, and I chose a top-loading HE washer partly because its capacity is bigger than front loaders. The biggest front loader I saw had a capacity of 4 cu. ft. My washer's capacity is 4.5 cu. ft.

Also - little ones wouldn't be able to touch the controls on a top-loader.

My washer cost much less than $1K. I bought a Maytag Bravos MTW6700 (Whirlpool bought out Maytag two years ago) which is very similar to Whirlpool Cabrio and Sears Kenmore Oasis (also made by Whirlpool); they all have larger capacity than front-loaders and have the same benefits of front-loaders.

I bought my Maytag washer in May at Home Depot when Maytag was offering rebates - I also got two rebates from Home Depot. I could have bought it at Sears, for they sell Maytag too.

The washer was on sale for $699 (normally costs $950), and the rebates brought the price down to about $450.

I believe Sears is offering similar rebates now, not sure which appliances; you can also check online for manufacturers' rebates.

BTW - I recently saw a Sears Kenmore dryer with a huge capacity of 7.5 cu. ft. on sale for about $750. Sears offers 12-month payoff w/no interest, something that has helped us a few times.

I *love* my top-loading HE washer! I much prefer it to a front-loader.

Good thoughts, Mara.

I'm interested in a FLer because of the energy efficiency, low water usage, internal heater, and gentleness on clothing (no central agitator thingy). I look forward to finally being able to wash my own quilts/comforters, too.

Does your top-loading HE washer have the agitator? How are TLers with water and electricity usage? Do some TLers have an internal heater?

welldone, my top-loader is an HE washer. There is no agitator, but an impeller which moves clothes through the water as they wash. It cleans better than any washer I've ever owned, yet is very gentle, even with the fast spin that enables laundry to dry quickly.

The very first thing I washed in it was a king-size comforter that we had used over the winter as a bed for puppies; I was amazed at how clean it came!

Yes, water usage is low just as with a front-loader -- one of the main reasons I bought the washer.

I don't think my HE TL has an internal water heater; there may be some that do. I wash most loads in warm water (a few, like dress clothes and delicates, in cold water), and only wash towels and clothes like socks, underwear, and T-shirts in hot water. I know you need hot water for diapers.

In my case, when I was washing diapers (my youngest is now 13), I usually loaded the washer with them either first thing in the morning or last thing in the evening - I often let them soak all night, then washed them the next morning. I always made sure I had a good supply of hot water when I washed diapers.

Though I don't wash diapers anymore, I do wash for guys who work outdoors and get their clothes really, really dirty. I have often soaked their clothes and wanted to be able to keep doing so. I can do that with my Maytag HE TL, but not in a front-loader. That was another consideration for me.

I used the soak feature on my washer for the first time yesterday; I soaked the clothes for 99 minutes (and could have soaked them longer). I was totally impressed with their cleanliness and whiteness.

I'm posting a link here so that you can see a demo of how the Maytag Bravo washer works. Let me know if you have any more questions. HTH

Here is a link that might be useful: Maytag Bravos washer

This link shows what the washer actually looks like, plus the demo is more informative.

I forgot to say, the washer is just as energy-efficient as a front-loader.

Here is a link that might be useful: Better link - Maytag Bravos washer

The Sears Kenmore Oasis HE TL washer does have an internal water heater. It's made by Whirlpool, just as my washer is, and, from what I understand, is very similar to the Cabrio and the Bravo which are so highly rated by Consumer Reports.

My dil bought this washer a few months ago; she found one at a Sears Outlet/scratch-n-dent store and saved $$$ because there was a little dent near the bottom. Like you, she has a large family, including twin toddlers; her husband (my son) works outdoors and his work clothes get very dirty. She has raved about it so much, that was one of the big reasons I began looking at these washers.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sears Kenmore Oasis HE top-loading washer

Unless you just want a dryer to match the washer (mine are in a laundry room off the garage, not on display, so that's not an issue for me), here's the dryer I mentioned earlier. It has all the features I would want, primarily sensors to gauge dryness of laundry, and is by far the largest capacity I've seen anywhere. On top of everything, it's on sale at a great price.

Here is a link that might be useful: 7.5 cu. ft. dryer

I have to contradict mara_2008,
an HE TL uses less water and energy than a traditional TL (about 50% less), but still about twice as much as a FL. It always makes sense to verify the statements made on forums like this. I'll attach a link to the energy star website where you can look up the average water and energy consumption of all currently available, energy star rated washers.

Also, it is possible to soak clothes in quite a few FLs. My Bosch Nexxt washer, for example, has a two-hour soak cycle that has given me great results on several occasions. It doesn't use a lot of weater, but it keeps rotating the wet clothes through the water about every 30 seconds. Everything stays dripping wet throughout that cycle. After the soak cycle the water drains followed by a slow spin and then you can choose a wash cycle. I have used the soak cycle with oxiclean and washed it down the detergent dispenser with some hot water to fully activate it. It works very well.

You can of course consider HE TLs, but I'd be concerned about the lack of an internal heater when washing diapers. I think somebody stated that the GE Harmony (another HE TL) actually has an internal heater. I haven't verified that though. I knew I wanted a FL and I am very happy with it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Energy Star website

I thought I posted again after we went back to Sears, but I don't see it.

I didn't understand the new house/Sears comment. There is not new house thing at Sears -- that is Home Depot or Lowe's, adn I've know of folks to use it without having just moved. Just plan on using it only once per address.

We went back to Sears and did get the additional 10% on the LG. Now they are running a 15% off sale that works out about the same on the things I checked. One of the sales people said they would be running a big sale, mostly Kenmore, for the 4th. With 15% off, you should have a lot of options.

looser, I checked out the Energy Star chart you linked; that's a great tool for comparison. I feel even better about my washer than I did before!

I found that my Maytag Bravos MTW6700 uses a good bit less water than other HE toploaders, and that it does not use twice as much as frontloaders. At the same time, I think we should take into consideration the fact that it is a larger capacity, holds more clothes, so a higher water usage should be expected. I know that I'll be washing less than half the number of loads per week than I used to.

My Bravo's energy savings rating is very high. As you said, we need to check out any statements made here, and I'm glad I did. I didn't realize the Whirlpool Cabrio and Kenmore Elite Oasis use more water than my washer; I thought the water usage would be much more similar.

After reading more extensively of problems people have had with the Cabrio and Oasis, I think I can only recommend the Maytag Bravos MTW6700 top loader. I don't know enough about the GE Harmony to know whether I could recommend it, or not, but its water usage is higher than my Bravo's.

FWIW, according to this site the GE Profile Harmony Washer Model: WPGT9360E has "HydroHeater  Increases wash temperature to reduce bacteria and provide better cleaning for the really tough stains". It doesn't give a lot of info on specifics though.

My only comments on the heater debate are 1) how often does one actually use the heater; and 2) On what cycles does the heater activate? I often see on "heated" machines that it only works on certain cycles and at certain times. (Excepting of course machines like the Miele that only have cold inlet and heat everything according to the cycle.) I've seen a lot of frontload owners express concerns that they can't heat the water when they want to.

Before spending a lot more on a machine with a heater for the sake of having a heater, I'd want to know if that heater is going to serve my needs and wants. If it doesn't give me what I want, it's not worth much more, is it? If you could get a true profile wash, then a heater could be useful at least occasionally. If you can't, then I'm not sure how much actual value it would be unless you want to go to the trouble of simulate a profile wash. I can do that now.

One other thought I've expressed before is the temperature of the heated water. Many seem to only do about 150°, I can't help but wonder what I get that I don't already have with the possible benefit of maintaining the temperature through the cycle. But then... 20-30 minutes per cycle on my machine verses 1-2 hours on a heated machine... Does mine need a heater to maintain the heat?

I guess I would like people to be able to consider as much info as possible when making this decision. I know my head is spinning these days!! Maybe the old washboard is better for us feeble-minded people!

cynic, you made some good points. A few years ago when I was considering a nursing degree, I took some classes to that end. I remember the instructors telling us that just a little bit of chlorine bleach will kill bacteria in wash water, and that hot water does help, as well. If my memory is correct, they said that just 1/4 c. of bleach in the huge hospital washers is effective in killing bacteria. To me, 150 degree water seems like it's plenty hot, but that's jmo. (Our home hot water heater is set at 140 degrees and our water is good and hot.) I know my d/w has an internal heater, but I have no idea what temp it heats up to.

We just purchased the Frigidaire Affinity pair (gas dryer) at Pacific Sales for $997 plus tax and free local delivery. I don't know if you have a Pacific Sales in your area, but they also have a similar offer at Howard's, $999 for the pair after utility rebates. I'm not sure on their delivery charges. So far I've only used the dryer. I need to buy some All Free & Clear He detergent first!

lascatx, thanks for checking back in. The timing thing is actually because I don't want to buy the washer before we move (we're moving out of state in less than two weeks) and deal with delivery schedules, etc. while still here packing. Unless Sears can delay my delivery until I move? But nevermind. I won't have time to appliance shop until after we move in 7/19 - we're doing all the packing ourselves.

mommabella, thanks for the heads up. I'm in the midwest, so we don't have either of those retailers here. =)

Bosch users: what's the reliability like? I'm considering the 500 plus.

I just want something roomy and durable. I don't want to plunk down a ton of money for something that's going to break.

I understand the too busy to shop now part, but I'm sure they would have given you a later delivery date. Looks likethe sales this weekend are better than last week on most models -- in case you find you need a break from packing or something.

If you do, I also need to tell you that we cancelled the order with Sears after they didn't make the delivery date and failed to call us. I had remembered the night before that we bought our last machine at another store because Sears charged a lot more for the service plan. It turned out to be more than 3 times as much, and the terms were not really any better -- maybe worse. Sears allows you to have an annual checkup for preventative maintainence, but they also require 4 repairs within 12 months to replace. Best buy doesn't dot he annual checks, but they cover everything else from what I can see and 4 repairs will replace the machine without a time limit. The other factor was that Sears uses A&E, and thosse are the folks who just spent what the receipt says is valued at $658 miissing the problem and not repairing my machine. Not sure I want to be stuck with them for 5 years.

Another by the way -- Whirlpool's extended service plan requires a 4th repair for the same part to replace the machine. And they don't replace -- they say they will give you a credit towards a replacement -- as long as it is a Whirlpool product. Apparently it is done as a rebate, so you have to send in the registration information and go out of pocket first. Theirs is the worst I have seen. It gets better than that -- but the fun I am having seems to be a special case.