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hadley_gw

Value FL choices--Help!

hadley
15 years ago

Hi, I've been reading and reading, now need a little more targeted and current feedback if anybody would be so kind as to provide it.

(Actually, I accidentally posted sonme of this on the appliances forum earlier today, but things have already changed.)

After 22 years, we need to replace our Hotpoints. We would really like to go green, especially since the new W&D may well move with us in the next year or so to an energy-efficient home. We have three kids--16, 10, and 9, all girls.

I narrowed choices down to the following for a raid on Sears this weekend--hoping to hit the perfect storm of sale price, +10% off/no int&pay 12 month/free delivery & haul, $50 Frigidaire rebates (not on the Bosch choice of course), and $50 Energy Star/public service rebates:

Have narrowed it down to the following:

+Frig Gallery GLTF2040 washr & match GLEQ2152ES dryr = $994 pair

~Frig Affinity ATF6700 washr & match AEQ6700 dryr = $1064 pair

+Frig Affinity ATF8000 washr & AEQ6700 dryr* = $1105 pair

+Bosch 300 Series WFMC220 washr & match WTMC3321 dryr = $1246 pair

$252 between least and most expensive option.

I like that the Gallery has silk, wool, and large & bulky loads settings and has a standard wash time 55 minutes as well as express wash setting. But it lacks the internal heater which might be handy for kids' stains.

I'm leaning against the 6700 washr in favor of the 8000 since the price difference is not that great and the 8000 has the heater. Wash drum light should amuse perpetually bored 9 y.o. Poor customer reviews (on sears.com) on the 8000 dryr say "get the well-reviewed 6700 dryr!" to me.

And while I'm wanting the extra capacity of the Bosches--4.2 vs. 3.5 washr and 6.7 vs. 5.8 dryr--I'm mourning the lack of large & bulky washing (why not, when they are bigger?). GH seal and Bosch name leads me to wonder if they will live far longer than the Friggies?

Finally, do all FLs have to go in the cellar? In this house, the laundry room floor is tile on wood over an airspace above dirt with fieldstone and hemlock sills. Will a FL shake this old house down? In the new house, the laundry room is on first floor over basement. Will any of these washers be OK in both of these places?

Given the impending (about 8 miles away) move (12 to 18 mos from now), though, would it make better sense to get a cheap TL set to leave here? Do these machines even survive moves?

Now add to that mix the LG Tromm WM2016/DLE2516W at $1164 the pair I saw when I went to kick the gaskets today....

What to do?

TIA!

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