I have had my HE set for over 9 years. I never have a problem finding HE detergents. My grocer sells it and so does Target and WalMart. I prefer Tide HE. My clothes get sparkling clean. I wash everything in cold water.

I had one and traded it off ASAP. Hated it. You can not wash clothes in one gallon of water and rinse in a quart.

I doubt you will find one. I was told mine was not a HE, but the dryer had that option. To sum it up I have an option for either one on both machines. I use the non HE options. I think that maybe the best you will find. I was talking to a clerk about them not lasting very long and she agreed. Being high end or cheap does not make a difference. I bought a GE set at Sears, $499. and $599. Since they were so cheap I bought the extended warranty. Any repairs will be free for 5 years, I can call them out once a year for an inspection if I want. If I need 3 repairs on the same machine I will get a replacement. I was still money ahead and I love the set. Quiet 95% of the time, clothes come out clean, they do not take 2 hours to wash or dry. The washer does not walk across the floor LOL and I love the wrinkle care options. I can't fault them at all. They are top loaders.

I wanted to get rid of mine a week after buying it but DH wouldn't go for the $250 restocking fee - but guess who does the laundry. It shouldn't have to take 131 minutes plus to do a load of laundry and get it clean. If there is the least extra noise or issue at any time with it I'm not even going to bother with a service call - out it goes. I use Tide HE as well but can't always get it so I stock up when it's on sale.

I've had my HE set 2 1/2 years now. I'm not crazy about them.

My clothes are clean, I have no complaints there. I do use the bulky cycle somewhat often for a deeper level of water, same with the 'hand wash' - deeper water. With my Maytag, its just the 'normal' setting that uses just a very little water. I use Tide HE that I buy at Costco, I've purchased laundry detergent only at Costco many years.

The 'whites' setting does an amazing job - all my sheets and all the towels for DH's bathroom are white. Here's my problem, the whites setting takes 79 minutes from start to finish. Laundry takes 2-3 times as long to do as it did with my previous Maytags. My clothes were clean in those machines too, so how is spending three times the minutes doing laundry so energy efficient.

I'm offended that the lid locks me out every time I start the machine. I'm not so dumb as to plunge my arm into an agitating machine, but I'd like the choice of adding a sock or something after I've begun a load. And I've always been a laundry peeker (did I add enough soap or too much where I'd want an additional rinse) so I did get a glass top, but I have to let the machine to decide when it's safe for me to open the lid :(

Carabubble, I have a deep laundry sink right next to my washer where I can soak, but I use the rinse and spin cycle often too and do a soapless cold rinse instead of soaking. There are 4 settings for levels of soil in mine, plus a power wash and deep clean choices. Clean isn't my issue, my time is my issue.

Love my basic Speed Queen washing machine. I can open the lid and throw something in whenever I want. No more front loader, top of the line Whirlpool that lasted 6 years!

I love my front load HE machines. Yes it takes much longer but I do other things while the clothes are washing. I don't sit there and wait for them. I always hated the way the old standard top loaders would simply have the suds float on top of that deep water and redeposit it (and the soil it was supposed to carry away) on your clothes over and over. You don't need a lot of water to get clothes clean. You need to have the cleaning solution penetrate the clothes. With the little bit of water and the HE detergents you have that nice concentration of cleaning going on instead of clothes just sloshing through water with suds floating on top.

If deep water were the catalyst for getting things clean then dry cleaners wouldn't exist.

I like Sears HE detergent. It works well and even the scented ones are very mild. It also rinses clean. I have a pause cycle that allows me to open the door and add an item etc.

I agree. I was so glad that the washing machine finally broke! I too now have a Speed Queen washer and drier, and love being able to open the lid to see the suds and have the ability to add extra.

I never knew how much detergent to add. Sometime some articles of clothing would come out of the washer completely dry. The list goes on and on.

So much for energy efficiency.

My washer quit on me two weeks ago, so I started doing serious research online on new machines. I am thoroughly unimpressed by the HE machines and do not want a front loader. All I want is a basic washer--no electronics; I want to be able to lift the lid to add something; I want to use regular detergent; and I don't want to spend 1-1/2 hours washing a load of clothes. Based on previous discussions at the KT, I decided my next washer will be a basic Speed Queen!

The good news: my wonderful repairman fixed the washer ($40). He also fixed it 2 years ago ($115). So I have now spent $155 repairing the Kenmore/Whirlpool washer that I got new in October 1983 (for 31.4 years, that averages out to less than $5 per year in maintenance costs)!! The matching dryer is still doing great, and has never need a repair! I know they are living on borrowed time, but I will keep them as long as they are working. They still look brand new!

When we built our new house, we put in a Sears/Inglas HE stacking washer and dryer. I HATED IT. Literally everything I put in it came out wrinkled. It didn't matter what cycle it was on, if I caught it immediately that it quit to remove my cloths or if I left them sit in the machines after the thing ended. Everything had to be ironed after I washed them.

I bought a new pair of Maytag Maxima side by side washer and dryer HE last fall and I love them. Clothes come out clean, there are lots of washing options, the dryer has a moisture sensor that turns it off if the cloths are dry before the cycle is up and NO WRINKLES, even if I don't get them out for an hour or two.

We went HE because we are on a cistern, and it really does make a difference in our water consumption. We went from having to order a load of water once a month to every five weeks. At a $100 per load of water that is a $200 a year savings in water, not to mention what doesn't go out in the septic field.

The water level in an HE washing machine can be raised. There are YouTube videos on how to open up the machine and turn a knob and raise the water level. Go to You Tube and type in 'washing machine raise water level." Let's see if I can link to it:

link

I have had a Maytag (not top of the line) for several years and I can open the top of the washer after it has locked. I just press 'pause' - you do have to wait a few beats before the red light goes out and lets you open it. thanks for the info on raising the water level, graywings.

I got a beautiful set of Samsung HE front loaders and love them. They clean great, so wrung out the dryer runs much less. I have tons of settings options on both and the steam on both. I like having the sanitize option on the washer. I can just push pause on mine to stop and open the door. I only use Sears HE powder detergent it's great stuff and it lasts literally for ages. I wait for a sale on it, you can't beat it. I would not put any type of liquid detergent or softener in it. I have never had any odor in mine. I have used bleach and vinegar from time to time. I would definitely do it again, they are so quiet I have to go look to see if they are still running. It takes longer to wash but much less time to dry so it balances out. The ease of access is the number one priority for me on these. I have them set up so I can sit in my chair between the 2 open doors, pull the clothes from the washer directly into the dryer in one easy movement, that's awesome! No more reaching way down inside the deep washer lift the wet heavy clothes then bend way over and wrangle them into the dryer, killing my back in the process. This is just perfect. I did have to get them to change the door open direction on one to get that configuration but most sets have one of them that has a changeable door.

My old set was a commercial line heavy duty Speed Queen and they were awesome machines. They were both still working and probably still are I passed them on. The washer had started squealing like a cat caught in a wringer, not pleasant. But it was probably a belt. I just really needed the lower easier configuration for sitting, glad we did it. My husband actually does more laundry now because he enjoys using them.

I've had my Whirlpool Duet 9400 (front loader) pair for 12 years now and have had only one service call. It was for a known motherboard issue and that service call was about 4 years ago. Whirlpool paid for the part and I think the service call cost me $75. This set replaced an Amana traditional paid that was purchased in 1992. The bearings were starting to go in the old Amana so it was replaced.

I have no comparison on water consumption because we moved 8 years ago from a well to city water. My water bill here is not terribly high; there are just the two of us and I'm running a load or two daily. I work from home so I just toss stuff in the wash and let it go. I don't run clothes through the dryer; I have an indoor rack where I dry the clothes. I don't have to iron anything other than dress shirts but they are worn very infrequently.

I like the washer because I can use different settings for different clothes and can run just a few things through at a time (running clothes etc) and I don't have to worry about the amount of water (did I set it to extra small or is it still on large). I use All Free and Clear HE as I have an intolerance for scents. The stuff is great and I only use a little bit of detergent. I use Wisk Deep Clean HE for my husband's work clothes (wish I could find unscented).

If I had to replace these, I have no idea what I would get. I would have to research all over again! I have heard great things about the Speed Queen and know they are a quality set.

I too have a maytag. Can't wait to move and leave it behind. Did you know lowes has a no return policy?

I have had to:

Remove the clothes after they are "washed" dry them then wash them again.

Washer went through the wash cycle, the clothes were still dry.

After the wash cycle the clothes were dripping wet, had to spin the clothes

To get the water out, dry, then wash the clothes again.

Try to wash sheets only to find a sheet had ballooned in the washer. Sheet was still dry.

I like to put a load in then come back later to clean clothes.

This washer takes too much pampering for me.

I gave up on trying to contact maytag. Their website only tells says I am not loading it right. I load it the same every time.

One would think the mfgs would test the washers before putting it on the assembly line.

I just replaced a basic GE set with a basic Whirlpool set. I like it, but, I have to say, that I cant soak clothes with it either. It does have a lid lock, which I really dislike. You do push pause, and the lid will open, but, this machine is set up so that if it sits on pause for so many minutes, all the water automatically drains out. I could well do without that feature, so even though, I do like my new machine with its agitator etc, and it is not HE, there are still new features that machines come with these days. Do your research and find the machine that suits your needs.

Not ever having to fix countless "unbalanced load" problems, like I had to do with my top loader, makes the front load HE well worth it to me.

I have one. I like it. The washing takes forever but the dryer only takes a few minutes so I like that. I like to use natural detergents but I see HE detergent everywhere.

Josephene, those are some really wild problems you are having. I've never seen anything like that with mine. Are you sure the "dry" clothes weren't clean? Mine spin so well that they are pretty dry when I put them in the dryer. And you can re-wash when they are wet - I do it all the time if I accidentally forget a load is in there and need to redo it. Maybe it would be beneficial to have a technician come out?

We got a European front loader about a dozen years ago and would never go back to a top loader. Some of the Asian ones are good too, as others have commented. Not only does the detergent box last forever, so too do clothes, because they're not being bashed by an agitator to get clean.

There's no need to soak clothes when a machine washes capably. Also, there's no cleaner sensation than touching sheets and towels washed at a moderate temp (say 120 degrees). Cottons needing an extra umph can be washed at 140 or 165 and come out sparklingly clean.

Personally, I think the American brands got left in the dust decades ago by more advanced and progressive foreign designs, but everyone finds what they like best.

PS - I echo the "dry quickly" comment. My machine spins at up to 1200 rpm, clothes need to spend much less time in the dryer. That saves energy too.

I wash all my clothes on the cool water cycle except my whites. My sheets are white.

These machines sound like the current dishwashers. My dishwasher has "Smart Wash," which is supposed customize the wash cycle depending on what I've loaded into it, but no matter what's in there it always takes 80+ minutes to run the thing.

Count me as another one who's happy with her basic Speed Queen with manual controls. I have free electricity from 7 to 11 p.m., so I do my laundry between those hours and I'm glad the cycle doesn't take forever. I'm more than happy with the results.

I'm curious about those of you who have sparkling clothes. My clothes never sparkle, no matter how clean they get. But then I tend to avoid sequins and rhinestones. :-)

I've had an LG HE washer (top loader) and dryer for 3 years now...no problems. Yes, the wash times on a lot of cycles can be long, but since I'm retired and DH works in an office, I generally use the Speedwash cycle....our clothes aren't that dirty to begin with. I can pause to add something.

Gosh, it seems that the only detergent available now is HE.....I would have to look really hard to find a regular detergent in the store nowadays, so I'm surprised at those having a hard time finding HE.

I have learned that I really don't use the bells and whistles, so my next set will probably be very basic. I really haven't noticed a big difference between HE and non HE....clothes seem to clean just fine with either.. ...I don't see any particular advantages or disadvantages of one over the other.

When we built in 2001 I compared front load washers. I could buy a heavily advertised one with features I would never use for $1200. I could buy *three* basic ones for the same price. I bought one cheap Frigidaire; it failed after a house-sitter overloaded it. I'm on Washer #2 and still ahead of the $1200 cost. My pair are on a raised platform a carpenter built for me. (Those 'pedestals' are overpriced. Who wants a drawer on the floor?)

I use regular, unscented, granular Tide -- just much less of it. Liquid detergents create a build-up in the washer. Laundry really gets smacked around in a front loader. I use two rinses and put white vinegar in the "softener" compartment for the last rinse. Softeners also create build-up in washers, and on clothes. I just want "clean" and "soap out"; nothing "added in". The spin cycle leaves the wash partially dry and lighter to move into the dryer. (The dryer softens towels, etc. enough for me.) I leave the door ajar to prevent mold from forming inside a sealed, wet environment.

I have a Maytag washer/dryer stack set with agitator washer at our condo. It cleans well, but uses a LOT of water, and the wash is still very wet after the rinse and spin. The agitator turns my king sheets into ropes that I have to un-twist before loading into the dryer.

I've had mine almost 12 years, it's a Kemore...I find HE detergents at Walmart, just look for the HE somewhere on the bottle.

Does the "HE" carry a hint that just possibly, in these days of dually employed partners/householders ...

... that the male of the species just might be convinced that he might relate to the washer's statement and, taking ownership of it ...

... be corralled into doing the laundry?

ole joyful

o j

Water is expensive here, but luckily, I'm quite happy with my washing machine. We have had a Kenmore HE washer for 12 years and gets clothes cleaner than any top loader I have had in the past. I have not found that I needed to soak anything.

I just purchased a new front load Samsung set(5.6 washer, 9.5 gas dryer). LOVE them! I'm using cheap store brand detergent & getting construction worker clothes clean! No more twisted up or shredded high thread count sheets like my old top loaders.

I didn't give up my GE, no agitator steel drum machine by choice, I put it into my rental. It was noisy. I had to load the clothes in a circle, could only wash a small load, even tho there was a HUGE drum and my clothes smelled strongly of detergent. The Sears top load before that could handle 5 pairs of jeans, but left little dots, a drum imprint, all over the clothes(especially bad on dark colors). It's going on 25 years, being used in my rental, with no history of repairs.

I can now wash a king sized down alternative comforter.....and it's really clean with no soap residue. YAY! I can also wash twice the laundry in one load! It's an easy machine to use!

My washer does not know what to do with wet clothes. Have put in wet towels ran the washer, dried the towels only to find the dog mud still on the towels.

Washed white things dried put away in drawers only to find they did not come clean.

The nearest maytag man is 80 miles and $500 away.

And maytag says they make fewer house calls.

Tried to ask maytag questions but all they say is that I'm loading the washer wrong. I load by the book says.

I have two top loader HE Maytag washers. I like them both. I use my home made laundry detergent in them, the liquid and I use the bulky cycle most of the time. No problem if I forget to put something, just hold down the start button a bit and it unlock, toss in what you need and then hit the start button again and it starts up where it left off. I have a set upstairs and a set downstairs.

Sue

Josephine, my Maytag (Bravo X, 700XL2) knows what to do with wet clothes. I use the rinse and spin cycle on DH's jeans most weeks, he can really get muddy. When that cycle is over (20 min) and the rinse water has spun out, I wash them using the 'bulky' setting with deeper water or it may not get residual mud from the inside of the pants legs bottoms. I would not put partially washed clothes dirty into my dryer to only have to clean the dryer.

I freely admit he can get much dirtier than average laundry. (I've insisted he stand in the garage and strip more than once. No sympathy from me when he tells me he's worked all day and he's tired, he is not coming inside like that ;)) He's hiking off trail 4 days a week for his work in all kinds of weather through all kinds of terrain. Going through beaver ponds and falling off logs. My issue isn't dirty clothes not coming clean like I said above, it's only the amount of time laundry takes.

We were at his sisters weekend house a while back and I put a load of towels in the older Maytag there, got to listen to the familiar sounds of laundry, big grin on my face. And 25 minutes later I was putting the washed things into the dryer, it was the first time laundry has been fun in a few years.

My HE washer had to be a top-loading model because you're supposed to leave the door on an HE open and my washer/dryer is in a laundry closet.

Alisande, love your sparkly comment!

Sounds like several of you use Tide, which is the only HE that my regular grocery store is stocking. Maybe sometime when I'm out of Gain and feeling too lazy to go elsewhere, I'll try Tide.

Correction....above I posted I have a "Kemore", guess everyone knew I meant "Kenmore", as from Sears.....as has been mentioned leave the door slightly ajar when not in use....I've done that from the beginning.