One more thing I forgot to add. I'm concerned about the cycle time on a new washer being a lot longer. The current machine takes about 40 minutes to wash a load. According to CR, the Epic takes 70 minutes. The reason I chose the Epic is because that was one of the lower cycle times--the top machines CR recommends take 100 minutes or more! On laundry day I usually do about 8 loads and this would definitely increase the time.

Well, it is hard to say. Do the old ones really need fixing or is that just how they work as they are 10 years old? How much would it cost to fix them if you can even find replacement parts for them? Is the Maytag Epic reliable? Have you looked for reviews on Maytag Epics? You said you have to leave them behind if you sell the house. Is that required by law where you are? Everyone I know who has moved has always taken their appliances with them unless they were moving into a house with a better appliance than what they already have. If the sale of their house was contingent on it having appliances they just went out an bought used ones or ones from rehab outlets and left those behind. I got my FL as an anniversary gift so if anyone thinks its going to be left behind if I move, they are totally delusional. I'll replace it with something else if I have to, but my machine goes with me. Are you planning on being there long? If not, you might as well keep the old ones and only worry about replacing if it is really needed. Or you can put the new ones in, put the old ones in storage and when you move take the new ones and just put the old ones back.

If I remember correctly, the average life span of a FL is about 10 years, but sometimes you get that diamond in the rough that just keeps going. I'm fairly certain that a newer machine, depending on the one you get, would probably clean better than what is there now. It could depend on what detergent you are using too and what stains aren't coming out.

The scorching in the drier is definitely a prob as I still have my old TL drier and it isn't scortching any of my clothes, so that definitely needs to be fixed or replaced. Lord knows how much that may cost to fix too, if it can be fixed.

I'm hoping some of the questions I posed helped. Unfortunately it is the best I can do to assist you. I use something until it wears out. Depending on my finacial situation at the time, I'll fix said item if that is all I can afford. If it keeps breaking down then I save up to replace it, but your situation is unique as you have to leave them if you move.

Yes, we had a similar model dryer (a couple of years newer) until a power surge wiped out it's electronics. I never ran it on "high" once I found that my clothes felt and smelled like they were about to burst into flame when they came out of the dryer. "Medium" did the job just fine.

Personally, I'm a "use what I've got until it dies" kind of person, unless there is a very strong reason to change. I don't see a strong reason to trash what you've got in your posting.

You have more time on these machines, I'd spend the time doing research and figuring out what you'll replace them with when they do die.

-Roger

First of all, I don't think your machines are working OK -- stains not coming out as well you can work on with a little more effort on your part, but that could be a sign that it is not operating as it is supposed to -- things are slowing down or not doing as much as they should -- could be an indication that a prt failure and breakdonw are not too far off. Second, a dryer is NOT supposed to scortch clothing! Are you waiting for an outright fire? That is not only not working OK, that is a potential danger to you and your home.

The countertop height does vary with different models, and I would caution you against building that in too restrictively -- you may not love your first pick and may want to change them. I would want to place the countertop at a height that will allow you to use most of the most popular models, keeping in mind that the trend is towards larger machines of a standard width and a replacement might be taller. An alternate would be to use shelving brackets that could be adjusted like bookshelves or to otherwise plan a system for making it a variable height.

The closer to spec you want to build the counter to spec for a particular machine, the stronger the case for getting the machine now and working with it to make sure you are completely happy with it.

I didn't understand why you would have to leave the W&D with the house when you move. Might be advantageous to do so if only a few models would fit there, but that's all the more reason to make sure most models would.