In my opinion, you are going from bad to bad. I had the GE Harmony set and the washer did not use enough water to rollover the clothes and clean them. If you do a search on this site and epinions.com, you will see the many complaints others have had with theirs.

Don't, you'll end up at the laundry mat while you're waiting on the GE repair man

I have a new GE Adora and it seems to shake less during the spin cycle then my old Kenmore 80 series TL. My laundry room is in the basement so it really doesn't matter to me but if vibration or shaking is a consideration for you I would look into the FL machines. Whatever you get it will shake. Spinning 50 or 60 pounds of water and clothing will cause shaking or vibrations unless the load is perfectly balanced which it never is.

I've had the Harmony 9360 - the one with the internal heater and clear lid - for about a month. We are very happy with the results. Ours is on the second floor, above the built-in china cabinet. No shakes, vibrations, and only minor noise noticable only if there's no other noise down there. It cleans well, and with the clear lid, I can see clearly that the clothes roll over and are getting thoroughly cleaned. There is no vibration on the spin cycles. The heater option is very useful for whites - DW ran a load of teenager socks and other whites twice, trying different cycles (non-heated) with unspectacular results. We ran it again last night on the heated cycle, and the difference was amazing. I would definitely recommend this machine, especially for a second floor (or anywhere other than concrete).

An area Whirlpool rep said the new Kenmore Oasis will clean better than the Harmony and will roll over more because the tub will move back and forth and the plate on the bottom will move the opposit way to create a roll over while it's washing so it's better than the Harmony and will clean better and you won't have the problems on the second floor.

The Harmony has the same wash motion - sometimes only the washplate is working, sometimes only the tub is spinning, and sometimes the washplate is working while the tub is rotating. Between these three actions, the clothes have no problem rolling over during the wash. Sounds like a self-serving WP rep to me.

LOL
I heard the tub does not move back and forth on the Harmoney and just the plate on the bottom, the Oasis does it simultaneously during the entire wash cycle

I can verify that both the wash plate and the tub move independently on the Harmony. From what I've seen, the Oasis is a carbon copy, except with a plastic wash plate (Harmony has a stainless one) and no internal heater (Harmony 9360 has the heater).

but does it do it simultaneously during the entire wash cycle or just for a couple of minutes and stops?

does the tub goes back and forth like it's agitating while the plates is going the other way insted of just one way??
just curious cuz I don't hve either machine but saw a video of the Oasis did that back and forth motion

The Harmony does all three. The cycle starts with the tub slowly rotating as the water fills (to evenly wet the clothes). The first wash action usually is just the wash plate swishing the clothes around (tub stationary). The second action is the wash plate stationary, and the tub spins (which pushes the soapy water through the clothes, from the center out). It does this several times, in different directions. The third action is where the wash plate moves the clothes in one direction, and the tub rotates in the other direction. The different wash cycles use different combinations of these actions (for example, I have noticed that the 'Whites' cycle uses the dual wash plate/tub spin action almost exclusively, the dual action is also used more on the 'vigourous' and 'heavy soil' wash settings, and I haven't noticed it using the dual action at all on the 'Delicates' cycle, although I can't claim to have the time to stare at all the cycles). So the answer is that the machine seems to be programmed to use whatever combination of the wash actions appropriate for the load.
The wash plate also has some slots in the center, which I have suspected is used to shoot water out at some point in the cycle, but I haven't actually witnessed it because the clothes would be hiding it. Maybe I'll run an empty cycle, or one with just a few things in it, and see if it's true.

varenovator,
I forgot to ask YOU about how you like your Harmony dryer now that you've had time to use it for awhile. I've been eyeballing a floor model that is marked down for clearance. Does it have the twin motor technology? Think because of the panel one should buy an extended warranty? What kind of dryer did you replace?
Thanks much!!

We are still very pleased with the Harmony, both the washer and the dryer. The dryer does have the dual motors, and can handle anything you put into it. We are still experimenting with the various washer cycles, and have discovered the benefit of the internal heater - major improvement on whites (imagine teenage boy socks...). It is still doing a fantastic job in washing without noise or vibration.
We did buy an extended warranty from GE - it wasn't that expensive considering the potential expense, and it was less than half what the retailer was quoting (I won't even go into the rip-off that Sears quoted).
We didn't replace another dryer per se - we have a 1991 vintage Kenmore set in the basement that we had hoped to move up to the 2nd floor laundry room, but in the end discovered that they were too big. The Kenmores are 29" wide vs. current models that are 27" wide; the new laundry space is right at 58" wide, and didn't think that cramming them together like that would be a good idea. It was probably a blessing, because we never really noticed how loud the Kenmores were until we had the Harmony. So we now have two sets, at least for now.

I went to see the Oasis today and it was cavernous inside, but I wasn't that impressed. I have back problems and all I could think about was bending over into that huge tub and my back aching as a result.

The couple that I got this older Maytag performa from bought a Harmony because of the capacity and it broke down once. They had to use someone else's machines while they were waiting for parts.

varenovator,
Oh good to hear all is well!
How do I purchase the extended warranty thru GE? Lowe's has one for $99, should I get that one instead?
Have a sweaty and all-boy teenager as well, so I know all about dirty socks. We've gone to black socks so the stains don't show! Best thing since chicken soup! LOL Now maybe that's not cool where you live, but here in CA. it's good.
I think my KM 90 series dryer is about 8-10 yrs. old. I wanted to get something with better technology to cut my propane costs a bit. Plus CR rated the Harmony dryer as #1 so that helped in my decision along with your help.
Thanks and happy laundering!

varenovator,
Bought the Lowe's extended warranty for $79. Not bad IMO. Peace of mind is priceless!

Can someone tell me how high/tall the washer is when the washer lid is open? I have cabinets above the washer/dryer that are 55 inches from the floor.

GE HarmonyÂs dimensions are:

27 inches wide, 28 1/4" deep, 43 1/8" high (with lid closed) and 52 3/4" high ( with lid open).

Thanks so much for getting back to me on those dimensions.

Are you aware of any issues with the electronic board or is it too soon to tell?

bml1414,
I, myself, am not aware of any issues. Think one poster said they replaced their board, but haven't read of any others thus far.
My dryer works like a charm. Cool t.v. screen look to it while it's on.
Anything with electronic boards vs. manual push buttons, has a much higher chance of failure IMO.

I am so nervous about purchasing the GE Harmony since I normally don't associate the GE brand with washing machines. I would have liked to have purchased the Oasis as my experience with Kenmore machines has been a positive one but unless I move all my cabinets up 3 1/2" (not an easy job), I don't think I will be able to fully open the washer lid.

Do you need to use HE detergent with the GE Harmony?

bml1414 - We've had the Harmony for 6 weeks so far, and are completely happy. It does a very good job in cleaning clothes, and is extremely flexible on what you can put in there - blankets, comforters, jackets, handwash sweaters (not all at the same time, of course!). The capacity is plenty huge for anything you want to throw in it. And the dryer is excellent - 2 motors, huge capacity, lots of flexibility as well. We looked at the Oasis, but it was just hitting the market, and didn't want to take a crap-shoot with a new product given the Calypso calamity described by others elsewhere. At least the Harmony had a track record, and was confident that most complaints were from user-error.

bml1414,
Yes, the Harmony is a HE TL machine, therefore it uses the HE detergents. You will use much less than you think you need. Read up on the HE detergents posts. Depending on where you live, there are plenty of choices available.

Hi..new member here..I'm interested in the GE Profile Harmony with the clear glass lid, and the matching dryer.

I have appreciated the review inputs from varoneator (sp), and hope they will contine as he gets more time with the machine. I would also appreciate anyone else that owns this machine, and their appraisal.

Installation will be on second floor....I'm a little concerned about vibration. It is plywood with linoleum at present, but I plan to put down ceramic tile with the underlayment that is used over wood floors.

I have a 15 year old TL Kenmore there now, and the grandfather clock on the other side of the wall dings from the shaking of the present washer during the spin cycle..especially if the load is not balanced.

Reinforcing the floor is almost totally out of the question because this is a finished house, about 30 years old, and I don't want to tear into existing ceilings and walls in the basement.

Does anyone think the GE Profie TL would be stable with the underlayment and tile flooring and not cause excessive shaking during the higher spin rpm's?

My only other option may be a slower-spin GE washer.

The reason I'm only looking at GE is because I have a family member that can obtain a substantial discount (around 30% if ordered and delivered directly from GE)...so that is the only make I want to consider at the present time.

Thanks for any counsel.

husk -
Our Harmony is on an unreinforced second floor, with a ceramic tile floor. With the laundry room door closed, you really can't tell anything's going on in there, so I would encourage you to try it in your location.
As with any second floor laundry, I'd strongly suggest a floor drain to avoid any water issues - this would apply to any laundry, FL or TL.

husk,
Worst case senario, you can adjust the spin speed down to medium. It will still spin out more than a traditional TL. Plus, you can also do an additional spin cycle at the end if needed.
Sounds like using the discount would be worth getting the Harmony, since it has the internal heater!
Good luck with your choice.

Thanks for both responses....I didn't realize the spin speed was user variable. Varenovator's response that his similar installation is quiet has convinced me that the washer will be OK in there. Now I am concerned about the matching Harmony dryer in terms of having enough room to have the dryer to accomadate a flexible duct hose behind the dryer within a 33 1/2" to 34" space. I posted a question on another thread, and haven't checked for responses there yet. Best Regards, and Thanks.

I presently have a TL Maytag washer and dryer. The washer has a musty smell and has mould/gunk buildup behind the basket that gets on the clothes on the gentle cycle or during the spin cycle when it becomes unbalanced. The dryer had the thermostat replaced once but is starting to overheat again I believe because of the long dryer vent run (approximately 40 feet). I decided it was time to get a new washer & dryer and have been researching them for 2 weeks. This site has been extremely useful and it helped me narrow my search to the GE FL or Bosch/Siemens FL.

My plan was to buy the GE FL washer and matching dryer but the laundry room depth would not support the capacity of machine that my DW required. The salesperson was also concerned about the dryer vent length and recommended the the GE Harmony dryer because it could support that length. I liked the size, it was similar to a FL and that it had an internal heater I came back and did some research on this site, eopinions, CR etc. and decided to purchase the washer and dryer.

I have appreciated the reviews from all of the GE Harmony owners and hope you can answer these questions.

1. What type of HE laundry detergent works best in the GE Harmony?

2. How much HE detergent should I use for a large load?

3. Should I purchase STPP and add it to each load and if so, how much?

The GE manual recommends Tide HE detergent. The HE posts are all over the map from Persil to Aeril to Tide to Sears HE to regular detergent. At this point, I will probably go with the Sears HE and not purchase the STPP but I am looking for your suggestions.

4. Does the GE Harmony internal heater only run on the very hot cycle or cold - very hot cycles?

The on-line GE manual indicates an approximate water temperature for cold - very hot using Automatic Temperature Control (ATC). I am hoping that means the internal heater will warm the water and not that the Harmony will just mix the hot and cold water to achieve the desired temperature range.

5. Do you find the serial cable communication between the washer and dryer to be of value?

My washer and dryer will be on opposite sides of the room and I will have to purchase a 10 - 20ft serial cable to make the connection. I didn't want to go to the expense if this was not a valuable option.

Sorry for the long post, I appreciate any information provided.

New to this thread... I, too, am seeking a new w/d set and yesterday went to an appliance store to discuss the SQ frontload set. The saleman, though positive about SQ, really wanted to rave about the Harmnony. He said they are one of his biggest sellers and that since they've been out he's only had one that needed repair for a bad control panel. They do seem to have all the features I'm looking for, although the control panel doesn't look very simple to operate. A huge concern I have is whether the dryer will fit into my space. Dryer is 29" deep and my space is 32 1/4". Specs say it needs minimum 3", and I will be venting out the back, so it looks like it could work. Harmony owners, keep the input coming...I need to make this decision soon!

madhatter:
On detergents, we've used persil (colorgel for colors/mixed)and megapearls powder (for whites)) and Tide HE. My experience is that I have to use only a fraction of the amount of Persil than Tide, and we much prefer the fragrance of Persil (at least the colorgel - the megapearls I bought is 'sensitive', so it has no fragrance). Changing the dispenser from liquid to powder is a snap. On amounts, I use about a teaspoon or two for small to medium loads, maybe a tablespoon + for a really large load with Persil colorgel; triple that for Tide. I've never used STPP.

On the heater, it only kicks in on the 'very hot' cycle; I guess that the ATC manages all of the other settings, and that my hot water supply is high enough so that it doesn't need to boost the regular hot water temp. Mixing the incoming water rather than always using the internal heater is much preferable as far as I'm concerned - the heater takes time to work, which you will see with any 120v machine (FL or TL), so if the incoming water is hot enough, it really saves time. If you've read any of the threads complaining about FL wash times, you'll see how much time a heat boost adds to the cycle.

On the cable, I can take it or leave it. Sometimes it's nice not to have to think about setting the dryer. One complaint I have is, if I've run another load in the washer while the dryer is going, and I come back and want to run a dewrinkle cycle for the first load, as soon as I turn on the dryer screen, it starts talking to the washer about the completed wash load in it, so I have to wait 10 sec or so, then cancel out the instructions that the washer just sent. If you're a lazy launderer like me, this can get annoying.

wahoomom - the control panel is really pretty easy to operate. I hope that the shop you're working with has a Harmony plugged in, so you can look at the options. I've taken a couple of minutes and saved 4 cycles as 'my cycles' that takes care of 99% of what I run.

I don't recommend the 9350. No heater and less efficient....I'd go with the 9360 only...the one with the glass top.

Wahoomom5: Take a look at the back of the Dryer and you might be less concerned about the depth. The area the vent is in is recessed from the rest of the cabinet at least a couple inches. Since I haven't installed mine yet I can't swear the three inches needed are from the recessed area or from the back panel but if it's from the recessed area the dryer should be able to fit with no problem. Might want to make sure however that the dryer door handle is inclded in the dimension.

I'd add that the panels are somewhat programmable so you could specialize your setting to just call up the programmed setting(s) simplifying the washer for those that aren't into multiple settings and buttons. Remember once the washer is set it translates to the dryer the right settings which also can simplify the wash.

With the Washer Lid open I beleive the height is something like 52-53 inches as well for those with low cabinets.

My sweetheart and I are new owners of the GE Harmony washer and dryer......so far, I don't see anything not to love. Machines are quiet, clothes have never been so clean. Controls are easy to understand. Absolutely nothing to complain about so far.

By the way, I am SO glad that I could not install a front-loader in this house, or I would have had one, for sure. After I was forced to look for alternatives, the old tried and true TL was a welcome friend.

We had budgeted for a FL, so the Harmony price was no problem...and I love the clear glass door of the Harmony.

If we were on a more limited budget, I would go for one of the middle-better top-loaders.

I know I am going to make myself an anathema to FL lovers...but after investigation, I would run, not walk from a front-loader.........take it for what it's worth..

regards.

varenovator,

Thanks you very much for the reply. I was pretty sure that the internal heater only works on the very hot setting, which does make sense since most hot water heaters are set to 120F. CR was not excited about the communication feature but I wanted to know what someone using the GE Harmony thought about it. Since I would have to purchase a long serial cable, I will wait to see how it works before I decide.

I have been on the HE detergent threads and did investigate Persil and Sears HE. Persil seemed a bit expensive but if it works better and lasts longer than other brands (Tide, Sears HE) then I will give it a try.

BTW, any feedback you can share on the Harmony dryer? Is it as good as the reviews? I believe CR had it as the #1 dryer but not a best buy because of the cost.

Thanks again for replying. I will report back how I like the Harmony pair after a couple weeks of use and probably will have additional questions.

GE has a $100 rebate (for purchase of 2 appliances) that ends tomorrow (4/2/06). Anybody here know if GE plans to offer another rebate promotion of sort after this? We're closing on our new home (new construction) that has a 2nd floor laundry room at the end of the month and trying to decide between:

- GE Harmony
- Duet Sport w/heater (sometime in May)
- Kenmore Oasis
- GE Adora (how does it work on 2nd floor laundry rooms?)

What a conundrum!! :)

Regards,
David

Well David three out of the four were the same as mine before I bought. Replace the GE Adora with the Fisher Paykel GLW12 and the Top Loading Dryer and your final choices and mine would be the same.

I was concerned with the Adora being an FL with vibration so the only FL I was considering in the price range I set was the Duet Sport HT due out in May with the six point suspension.

I decided not to wait cause I got a good deal on the Harmony and used the rebate and was not thrilled with the Sports white drum in the dryer ( rather than stainless) and all this stuff about having to clean the washer every 30 days (at least that's what I gort from the manual on the Sport). It's one thing about wiping them down another when you actually have to go inside the drum and clean it regularly with cleansers....I've never had to do that with a TL.

Oasis is really nice except for the rip off service agreements by Sears drives the price way up...

As far as another GE Rebate..I have no idea but I do know that if you buy one now (at least get a dated invoice) you have until April 23 to send one off and they allow you to send it off without taking possession of the set. Seems like in cases where delivery can't be made before April 23...just send off the rebate with a copy of your receipt and they will hold the rebate until you receive the set and can provide the serial numbers....if that buys you anything....it did me since I ordered on-line and wanted to wait for my delivery until my house was ready...I just asked that they provide an invoice dated the date I bought the set.

oldhickory - A trip to Lowe's earlier on Saturday afternoon (to check out the Duet Sport) and then to Sears resulted in my wife and I buying the Oasis.

I've posted our purchasing experience at the link below that's on the other thread titled "How about updates from Kenmore Oasis owners?"

Let's hope the Oasis turns out to be a good investment and that I don't regret not buying the Harmony.

Regards,
David

Here is a link that might be useful: How about updates from Kenmore Oasis owners?

Curious to know the concensus about GE customer service - on the Harmony machines and overall. I was at a local independent appliance dealer recently to compare various machines. They carry several different brands - Whirlpool, Maytag, GE, Bosch, Frigidaire, etc. Mentioned to the manager that I had been considering the GE Harmony HE TL machine until I had read some negative things about GE customer service. Asked him what his experience has been, and he called GE customer service a 'nightmare'. Said that they had begged and begged GE to let them handle the warranty service on the GE appliances, but GE had refused. I think he said that it was union-related. Anyway, he sells a variety of GE appliances but was honest enough to say that if problems arise, customers might be in for a rough ride. I was disappointed, as I really liked the idea of a HE TL machine with heater, but I can't stand the thought of waiting days/weeks for service, parts, etc. Thoughts?

I, too, am concerned about the Harmony pair that I ordered last week. I was killing time last night and actually saw the pair last night on display at ABC Warehouse. They were clearancing them because they were floor models. The tops were PLASTIC!!! I wouldn't even have noticed but they were scratched badly! Has anyone ever heard or seen anything about this issue?

chows2175 - I haven't seen any issues of scratches on my Harmony washer or dryer even though my wife has been running laundry (baby's clothes) every other day. So far, all the clothes have been coming out clean.

gilmoregal - I haven't had the opportunity to call GE customer service as I haven't experienced any problems with our washer/dryer yet.

Regards,
David

I have the older GE Harmony (no glass in the lid). Has anyone had a problem with not enough water in the tub. I've pulled T-shirts out of the washer where there will be dry spots on them. No water whatsoever. Also, I've had problems with my towels and washrags getting chewed up. I wash everything on gentle cycle, but it seems the heavy items likes towels get mangled around each other. Anyone else have problems?

Had an old Kemore (13 years) washer and gas dryer. Transmission went out and wife wanted a whole new set. Thought we might buy the LG front loaders as they are really cool and everyone likes them. My wife didn't like the way you put detergent, softener, bleach in a samll pull-out tray on the LG's. Thought it was too easy to get bleach in the detergent and etc. She also thought they looked too "industrial" and did not like the laundromat look. We looked at Oasis and they were big, but many buttons on the control panel to clean around. Another salesman at Best Buy showed us how the Oasis spends considerable time spining around to balance the load. Not sure if that is really a problem but he pointed it out.

So enter the Harmony. She liked the size for big comforters, the clean lines, the smooth control panel, and the convient drawer for detergent and sofener with a separate one for bleach! We found a clearance set with a gas dryer and a $100 rebate.

So far (little over a month) we both like it. The washer is extremely quiet and extremely smooth in spin cycle. It is just off our kitchen over a crawl space on vinyl floors and it is quiet! Washer makes intermittant swishing and filling sounds along with a quiet "jet" sound as it spins up. Actually very entertaining to listen to. The dryer actualy makes more noise than the washer! We use Tide HE and clothes are clean. Washer cycle can take longer than the dryer cycle when you add additional rinses and presoak cycles. Dryer is usally done in 30-35 minutes. Washer usually 45 or more minutes. Countdown time on displays are nice. Communications between are trick if you don't want to pick the dryer cycle. I was concerned with reliability and GE prices for parts. The Harmony comes with 1 year total warrenty, 2 year parts, and 5 years parts on the electronic panel. That might help if you don't buy an extended warrenty. So far so good!

well here is the problem with the gas harmony profile. We got our set in 2004 and it worked great up until June, where it started taking longer to dry. In October it stopped drying altogether. Had the extended warranty from Best Buy. They contacted the local repair center who came out and looked at it. That is where the problem starts. The tech had never seen this model Good that they haven't broke down here much, but he had to call someone else to help, and came to say they needed to order four parts. Well three came in, another tech came to install them. Guess what he never saw this model either. Installed the parts, worked for six loads and then stopped again. The ordered another part and came to install it. Well this tech had never seen it either. Installed the piece, heated up, he left and guess what... Doesn't work again. The code is that the blower is not getting up to speed. I guess what has been replaced is the ignitor, computer module, gas controller, and I don't know what else. so for the last two months have been without a dryer. Was a good dryer and if it gets fixed will be a good dryer again. Don't really see them around town anymore though and that kind of scares me

I am considering the GE Harmony and I'm more confused after reviewing all the comments, but I guess there are good and bad with every option. I am replacing a 7 year old machine and was told 7 years is about what you can expect from a washing machine. The dryer is older so that's easier to understand. I was also looking at the Bosch FL but I'm concerned about the ease of loading. My husband has bad knees and does most of the laundry (lucky me!). We have tons of storage so the pedestals seem like a waste of money. The sales person suggested I build a platform - now that's another project I am not interested in taking on! So, any thoughts on Bosch FL compared to the GE Harmony. I also have an on-demand hot water heater, which I was told may create in issue with HE washers. Any thoughts?