Dont you think that if they had left the machine alone it would still be fine today, other than the plastic squeak? I know as I said before that the old Calypsos had this type hanging system(and possibly GE) and I have heard the Calypso make the squeak and creak noise. As I told you before I hate to have something new with a "flaw" but I have also felt that sometimes I was too picky and would convince myself I needed to get it checked out only to be sicker(& madder)after service. A car for example, have a small rattle, carry in for service, they take half the car apart to fix it, then when you start home you no longer have that rattle, you have three more to go with it where they took things apart--now that is my luck--and I am thinking"Why on earth didnt I live with one small rattle but it is too late to back up then". Just go forward from here and I think I would try another one like you have. It seems like a great washer and you know that the LG made F/L didnt last you very long so maybe this next one will?. OH and about Sears using Electolux now instead of LG for front-loaders, I have always been told it depends on who bid the cheapest to build them. Not sure if that is true but I have heard that. Maybe you need to start looking for the 57 Lady Kenmore!

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).

I have a Miele front load washer that had a terrible sewage/rot odor for years. I live in AZ so it's very dry here, but we always leave the washer door open, thinking maybe that would help. I tried running baking soda, vinegar, Smelly Washer, etc. through the machine and they all helped for a short time before the smell came back. All of our clothes gained that gross smell to some degree and God forbid you leave the clothes in the washer for more than 5 minutes after the wash cycle was finished. After cleaning the door gasket even though there was no mold there whatsoever, we finally switched to POWDER DETERGENT and the problem went away after 4 or 5 loads and has not returned over the last few months. We make sure to run a hot water load once a week, but I think the rotten odor was 100% caused by liquid detergent (we never use fabric softener). Even using small amounts of the HE liquid detergent perpetuated the problem. It's hard to find dry detergent these days, but it's worth it to hunt some down! It SOLVED OUR STINKY WASHER PROBLEM.

Paul, I used to live in Secane! :-) Yes, you are correct about the longer wash time. My washer is the first generation (named HE3t), and has shorter wash cycles than the newer versions. The HE3t became the HE4t, then HE5t. The current HE3t based on the same design as the HE5t, and is made in the same German factory, but has fewer cycles, options, and a slower final spin speed...and a lower price too. Did I confuse you? The HE2t is a little bit smaller, made in Mexico, but cycle/option wise is more similar to the HE5t than the HE3t. The HE2t (or Duet Sport HT - Whirlpool's sister model) may be a good option. If you don't want to purchase at Sears that rules out the Kenmore models as they are only sold at Sears. My preference would be for the Whirlpool over LG, but that is based on my good experience with Whirlpool made Kenmore models. I don't think you would regret an LG either. With the preface that my washing machine is conveniently located in my kitchen in direct view of the kitchen table, that I have studied its operation intently, and add in my abnormal fascination with washers, the following is my reasoning for preferring the Whirlpool. Though careful comparison of my good friend's LG and my HE3t, my conclusion is that the Kenmore just operates more gracefully. The spin ramp up and down is smoother and more controlled, and it never even tries to spin with an unbalanced load. The motor controller can sense when a load distribution is unbalanced while still spinning at the slow distribution speed. It is not based on the swaying of the drum, but rather the uneven resistance of slowly spinning an unbalanced load. In comparison, the LG spin ramps up and down over and over on some loads until it gets a balanced distribution. Of course I doubt this would bother most normal people. Some LGs have a recirculating pump which sprays the load with water as it washes and rinses. I do not like that when the pump starts up in the rinse cycle it sprays the left over soapy wash water stored in the hose into the rinse water. I suspect that my reduce rinsing effectiveness. Also, the Whirlpools fill directly into the tub while spinning the clothes, pulling the fresh rinse water though the load as it fills for the rinse. I find this method better than the LG's of filling into the outer tub. The direct fill method also saturates a large dry load during the wash fill faster than the LG method. The holes in the LG drum are larger than in the Whirlpools. Smaller diameter holes are more desirable at high spin speeds. Miele had a honeycomb drum that has extremely tiny holes which is supposed to be the gentlest. I don't think this matters much, but I thought I would mention it. In conclusion, I think you will probably be happy with whatever washer you choose! Joe