skip to main content

Is a Duet Sport too small for family of 4?

16 years ago

If you read my previous post I am looking for a new washer and dryer. I saw a Duet Sport at Costco and wondered if this would be big enough for a family of 4? I just am having a hard time bringing myself to spend $1800+ of a set and the duet sport is much more reasonable.

Thanks!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

patches123
16 years ago
Personally, I think so and I don't think they are as well made. But, we do large loads of laundry and a lot of laundry. Maybe your situation is different? Check around at clearance centers or the clearance section of larger stores. I was able to find the 4.0 size Maytag Epics for $600 each, with warranty.
patches123
16 years ago
I should clarify what I meant by not made as well. What I meant is that I dont think the Duet Sports at costco are the same as the duet sports at best buy or sears etc. I know they used to not have a water heater and had shorter pedastals and the price wasn't that great in comparison to the better duet sports at other places. That may have changed...hopefully someone here can confirm.
Related Discussions
Whirlpool Duet Sport 8300 pair arrives (beware very long post)
Q
Comments (6)
Clueless - You didn't listen to me when I told you to get the 8500 because of the better suspension but I am over that now. Hopefully you will be OK with the suspension you have. Despite what some ads will tell you it is not a good idea to stuff the washer full. Depending on the contents, about half to 3/4 full will allow room for the water to slosh and the clothes to snuggle with each other in a happy soup. The clothes also need room to move so the load can get fairly well balanced so the machine is stable when it ramps up to warp speed. Good luck with your new toy. I love my 8500. I think I love the dryer even more than the washer. I can dry all my clothes on Low heat and they are dry in about 10 minutes. Very cool.
...See More
Duet Sport Whirlpool 2nd floor *Continued* V3
Q
Comments (108)
I'm glad I found this thread! I have wanted a Duet washer and dryer for three years now. We'll be buying a house / condo after the beginning of the year and was basing my desire for the Duet on my father-in-law's set that I've used. Sounds like the Duets were "de-contended" over the years to reduce their "cost" to produce. What a shame. I certainly have noticed FL washers becoming more popular over the last two years or so. After seeing people mention Bosch in this thread, I've decided to jump ship before I even board it. I've been looking through the Bosch and Lowe's web sites, although there are a number of Bosch dealers here in Anchorage. My two requirements in an appliance are A) Energy Rating and B) Noise. Our Kenmore (really Whirlpool) fridge was actually below the U.S. Energy Guide rating a few years ago. It was almost to the bottom of the energy usage on the Canadian guide, even. I don't mind mixing brands. Just as with employers, there's NO reward in brand loyalty. They can change design or build quality practically overnight to satisfy the holly stockholders. Now to go try to dig up some 'dirt' on the Bosch white goods. We use a Bosch dishwasher at work (residential level machine) and it's shockingly quiet. The prices are in line with Duet-class Whirlpool goods and the energy use seems quite low (not to mention attractive styling).
...See More
Any new Duet Sport 8500's ??
Q
Comments (26)
My washer will do 2 rinses as default, or 3 if you select Water Plus. I've noticed that with some detergents you can get away with using just the 2 rinses and not have any soapy residue, but with the majority of other detergents you have to use 3 rinses otherwise laundry feels soapy and scratchy afterwards. BTW, I've found that using just the water plus function without the extra rinse - i.e. 2 high level rinses (the button can be programmed to add an extra rinse, do high level rinses, or both), that rinsing is improved on towel loads over 2 rinses at the standard level - however 3 is still the optimum. As the saying goes, three is the magic number :-). I have used 4 and 5 rinses before mainly in my older machines (my AEG could allow you to select up to 5, but it wouldn't spin until after the 2nd rinse), but have noticed no marked difference between 4 and 3 rinses no matter the load or detergent, whereas with some loads/detergents you can always notice the difference between 2 and 3 rinses. Some here argue that the standard rinse cycles on their machines rinse perfectly well, which I don't doubt. However in my opinion and through my experience rinse cycles do actually need water, and I've always noticed a considerable difference in performance between low and medium/high level rinses in terms of dog hair & lint removal. As well as the correct water level, another major factor in rinse cycles is how fast and how long the laundry is spun for. My particular machine spins laundry for 4 minutes at 1000rpm after the wash, and 2 minutes at 1000rpm after the rinses and the spins help no end too with the performance of rinsing. These high speed interim spins are important in today's front loaders, which only do a double rinse as standard versus triple or quadruple of yesteryear, and at a lower level. Jon
...See More
Duet Sport 8500 Washer Differences- OWNERS!
Q
Comments (22)
I think that most whirlpool/Kenmore made washers heat the water the same way. My 3 year old HE3t, predecessor to the HE4t/HE5t, with the stain treat option on (the default for the Heavy Duty cycle), fills with warm water. Then the heater comes on, and heats the water to 127F. Once that temp is reached, the heater turns off, and does not come on for the rest of the wash cycle. Depending on the size of the load and the soil level setting, there could be 5 or more minutes left in the wash. By the time the washer drains, the water could have cooled off considerably. The best way to measure water temp is to use an instant read thermometer. Just open the door after the fill completes and measure the water temp. Do it again about 10 minutes later, and see if the temp has risen or fallen. Once the water temp passes 120F, the door no longer unlocks when the cycle is paused. The heater can raise the water temp about 1 degree F per minute, depending on load size and room temperature. Sometimes faster, sometimes a bit slower. Here is the routine on my washer for the HD and WW cycles, hot temp, stain treat option off, heavy soil option. 1. Washer fills 2. One minute after the end of the fill, the heater turns on. I hear a click and see the drum rotation pause for a moment. 3. Heater stays on for up to 16 minutes. 4. Heater is off for last 5 minutes of wash cycle, even if target temp is not reached. 5. If wash water temp is over 122F at end of wash cycle, cold water is added before draining. Total wash time is 22 minutes, plus fill time. Can you hear a click when the heater engages/disengages on the newer machines? If I press pause when the heater is on, I hear it click off. Joe
...See More
isaac-1
16 years ago
Just a couple of comments, regarding the previous message, their are two different models of Duet Sports, the 8300 and the 8500's the 8300 is the original like I have, the 8500 added a heater with sanitizing cycle. I think the 8300 and 8500 series dryers are identical, except for the trim color, and the 8500 run about $50 more. Overall I am very happy with my 8300 series, we have had them for about a year and a half. As to the question of being big enough for a family of 4, that all depends on your laundry habits, if you don't expect it to wash all the bed sheets at once, etc. if it probably fine, I find washing the sheets from our king size bed, plus 2 bath towels is about the limit of one load. Wash times are reasonably short, Quick Wash 28 min, Standard Wash 54, if you opt for the additional rinse add 10 minutes, drying times are a bit shorter averaging 35-40 min.
kokomo61
16 years ago
Check out the Black Friday ad for Best Buy - Duet Sport 8300 WD pair for $999.....

Here is a link that might be useful: Best Buy ad
Cyberspacer
16 years ago
I have a Miele 13 pound machine with a smaller drum capacity than the Sport. We do lots of laundry and the size is more than adequate, so I would say that if this is machine you are considering then yes, it is big enough.
sgooter
16 years ago
In the Duet Sport series, the 8500 w/d were discontinued several months ago. The new washer entry is the 8400, which has a heater and it matches the 8300 dryer in terms of front design and trim color. The 8300 washer has 3.4 cu ft capacity, no heater, and does not have the 6-pt drum suspension system. The 8400 and 8500 washers are nearly identical with an internal heater, 3.7 cu ft capacity and the 6-pt suspension sysem. The only difference between the 8500 and 8400 washer is the trim color. However, any 8500 washer being sold now should be at a clearance price, such as $649 or less.

I believe the newest duet sports should be fine for any size family because the full size (non-steam type) duet washer and dryer are only .3 cu ft larger, which is approx equivalent to half the interior space of a small microwave oven.

Related Stories

FUN HOUZZ A Sports Bar in the Family Room

By Mitchell Parker

Stadium seating, 4 TVs, a corner booth steps from the beer ... these Cincinnati fans went long on building their dream game-watching room

SMALL SPACES Small Space, Small Budget: Learning from The Upward Bound House

By Becky Harris

HOUZZ TOURS My Houzz: A Modern-Day Homestead Brings a Family Together

By Kimberley Bryan

Their 5-acre Washington property, with sports court, swings, pizza oven and gardens, is a labor of love and communal playspace

HOUZZ TOURS My Houzz: Coastal Elegance for a 1917 Bungalow

By Mina Brinkey

Sea glass and beachy colors join the family silver and traditional seating in a 4-bedroom Florida home

ARCHITECTURE 4 Zurich Projects Build on High-Rise Livability

Generous landscaping, underground parking and terraces make these apartment complexes models of thoughtful housing

SMALL SPACES Downsizing Help: Think ‘Double Duty’ for Small Spaces

By Becky Dietrich, Interior Designer

Put your rooms and furnishings to work in multiple ways to get the most out of your downsized spaces

MUDROOMS 4 High-Performing Mudroom Ideas

By Mitchell Parker

Looking for entryway ideas with plenty of storage? Here’s how to make hooks, cubbies and drawers look great

ENTRYWAYS New This Week: 4 Smart-Storage Entryways

By Mitchell Parker

Architects and designers share details on their solutions for organized entryways and mudrooms uploaded recently to Houzz

SMALL SPACES How to Make Any Small Room Seem Bigger

Get more from a small space by fooling the eye, maximizing its use and taking advantage of space-saving furniture

LIVING ROOMS New This Week: 4 Casual Living Rooms Moonlighting as Formal Spaces

By Mitchell Parker

Designers share their secrets to creating comfortable double-duty spaces with projects uploaded this week to Houzz

Sponsored

More Discussions

PreOrder new Bosch 500 series or something else

6

laundry room redesign and suggestions

1

Need help, washing machine problem

3

Laundry room ideas

2

finished edge for LVT around a floor drain

0