What capacity washer to buy

16 years ago

I am new to this forum and also a new home owner.

I need your help in selecting the capacity of the washer to buy.I am inclined towards Whirlpool Duet Sport Series WFW8300SW 27" Front-Load Washer with 3.4 Cu. Ft. Capacity

and the corresponding dryer.

How much can 3.4 cu ft hold?We are two people most of the time with guests visiting occasionally.

So will 3.4 cu ft be sufficient for 2 of us in one load or should I move to a higher capacity?

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Cheers

PR

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Comments (8)

oregpsnow
16 years ago
I have the Duet Sport 8500 which is 3.6 cu ft. It is plenty large enough for a family of 4, so I think you are fine with the 8300. It holds a lot more than it looks.

Some advice you didn't ask for. The 8300 does not - as far as I know - have the new suspension system that has always been in the 8500 and now the 8400. If your floor is something other than concrete you may want to look into this. It also doesn't have a heater. The heater issue is very personal - I use mine only rarely - but I do like it for germy sheets and towels. The 8500 is being replaced with the 8400 and you may be able to get the 8500 for the same price as the 8300 if you look around. I have had my set for almost a year and have been very happy.

Happy shopping!
hiphopsalsa
Original Author
16 years ago
oregpsnow,

Thanks for the feedback.I am not too particular about the heater.But I am worried about the vibration that you mentioned.My laundry room is in the 2nd level and my guess is the flooring is not concrete.So I am in a fix now as to what to choose.Also I am not inclined to spend more than 1200 for the washer/dryer pair.

Any pointers on this?

PR
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Maytag's Neptune washer gave the company a bad reputation a few years back. A class-action lawsuit was filed. Since then, Whirlpool has bought Maytag (2006), and their Maytag Bravos is top-rated at Consumer Reports. I bought a Maytag Bravos MTW6700 in May. It's an Energy Star top loader with the HE advantage - no agitator, huge capacity (4.6 cu ft), very efficient when it comes to water and electricity. I've not had any problem at all with mold, mildew, or vibration. I do leave the top open after I've put wet laundry into the dryer (which I've also done with every washer I've ever owned); it's only shut when clothes are washing. Because my washer is a top loader, it can go on either side of the dryer with no problem. ALL my experiences thus far with this washer have been excellent - far beyond good. There haven't been any cons to this point. The settings are very easy to use. I like it that I can choose water temp, spin speed, everything. It's unbelievably quiet, even when spinning. I like the detergent, bleach, and fabric softener dispensers. When I wash towels, I use vinegar in the f/s dispenser, which helps to keep the towels soft and fluffy (there's no residual odor), as well as cleaning out the dispenser, too. I can wash many more clothes or laundry items per load in this washer than in the traditional top loader I had, which had the largest capacity on the market at the time I bought it. I have washed king-size comforters in my washer with no problem. Whereas I used to wash at least one, often two, loads a day, now I'm washing less than half that many loads each week because I can wash so many things at once. This washer gets my laundry much cleaner than any other washer I've ever owned, and it is gentle, even with the fast spin. When I wash a load of sheets, they do not tangle at all as they used to do in my old washer w/agitator, and they dry much smoother, too. I haven't had any problem with my clothes wrinkling. I do get them out of the dryer when the chime sounds (it has a LO or HI or OFF setting) and immediately fold or hang them. There is a Wrinkle Guard feature if I can't get there quickly. I don't use regular laundry detergent, for I've read the sudsing can cause damage to HE machines, as well as invalidate a warranty. I read an article which compared using regular laundry detergent in an HE washer to using regular dish detergent in a dishwasher. I use liquid Tide HE w/ bleach for whites and towels and Sears HE Ultra Stain-Fighter powdered detergent (very inexpensive) for everything else except dress clothes and delicates. I use liquid Cheer HE ColorGuard for nice dark clothes, and Woolite HE for delicates and light dress clothes. ALL of these detergents clean very well in my washer. If your washer can't be fixed or repair would not be cost-effective, I highly recommend the Maytag Bravos MTW6700 washer, particularly if you need a big washer and want to use...
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oregpsnow
16 years ago
If you are putting any washer on a second floor be sure you can return them if they don't work out without paying a restocking fee. This forum is full of people who had problems with vibrations with all types of washers. Many new houses have beams that transfer any vibration to the rest of the house. Some older homes were not built to have appliances on the second floor and will shake badly, too. It is impossible to say if you will have trouble without trying it. The new Duets, the 8500 Sport and some Samsungs and other newer machines have improved shock absorption that I am sure will become standard soon. Someone here said Best Buy was having a sale on Friday and the 8500 was at a good price. You may want to check it out.
plumbly22
16 years ago
I'd look for the features you want first, and then get the largest capacity with those features you can afford...

You don't have to "fill" the capacity to wash, and IF you ever need the capacity... you have it... for example... a king sized comforter? More people to wash for at some point in life? Extra wash due to pets? You get the idea... but first and foremost, decide what features you want the machine to have and then choose from what is available with those features...

My set is on the second floor, not on concrete... and I have no vibration problems... but I know others here have had issues withthe same machine on the second floor... so it really is an individual situation so the suggestion to make sure you can return is very appropriate....

Personally, I'd rethink the heater issue... it comes in handy for white whites and samitary cycles....
steve123_2007
16 years ago
Cubic feet is a space measurement and doesn't measure weight. So how much a machine could hold depends on the weight of the clothes. You need a reference of mass per cubic feet to work it out.

I found a site which tells you what washer size of washer you would need depending on the weight of clothes in pounds that you use: - http://www.washing-machine-wizard.com/best-washing-machine.html

Remember that it's dry clothes that the weight is measured in

Hope this help a little

steve

Here is a link that might be useful: washing machine wizard
Tracey_OH
16 years ago
I have a 3.5 cu. ft machine and it is plenty big enough for us. We are a family of 4 with 2 young boys who are forever getting their clothes filthy dirty and are also in sports pretty much year round. I do about 15 loads per week.

Tracey
isaac-1
16 years ago
We bought a set of 8300 Duet Sports about 18 months ago, most of the time it is just two of us here, plus the occasional guest and capacity has never been a problem (our king size comforter is relatively light weight, and is about the limit of this washer, I certainly would not try to wash anything else with it). This is our first front loader, we have an older (built in 1902) house and our laundry room is an enclosed porch next to the master bedroom, vibrartion has not been a big issue, although levelings is important. The thing that surprised me most about the Duet Sport is how quiet they are, by far the quietest washing machine I have ever used, an important feature when located next to a bedroom.
sgooter
16 years ago
I agree with the earlier post by oregpsnow regarding the 8500 Duet Sports. Since you have a 2nd floor laundry room, a good drum suspension system is important for the hi-spin washer. 3 weeks ago, I was offered the 8500 w & d for $1250, so you should be able to get them at close to your budgeted amount, if you can still find them.

What capacity washer to buy

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oregpsnow

hiphopsalsa
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What capacity washer to buy

Comments (8)

oregpsnow

hiphopsalsaOriginal Author

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oregpsnow

plumbly22

steve123_2007

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hiphopsalsa
Original Author