Need help on deciding on capacity size for front load washer.
Aprile
7 years ago
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Comments (11)
doreycrouse
7 years agoRelated Discussions
top load washer vs front load washer
Comments (12)By "fill" I was referring to filling with clothes - a traditional agitator-type top loader is rougher on clothes when the water level is set for a partial fill. The vanes usually are usually largest at the bottom and will just violently shred your clothes, especially at the faster agitation speed. The worst in my experience were late-'80s and '90s Whirlpool (and related brands) that had an agitator that couldn't twist very far in either direction, and tried to make up for it by agitating very fast (most of them would automatically slow down to the "gentle" speed partway through the cycle, even if the regular or heavy-duty cycle was selected, but by then the damage was done). It was particularly bad in their apartment-size 24" wide washers, which had a small tub that didn't leave much room for the clothes to tumble; large items like pants or bed linens were particularly at risk. Other manufacturers of that era, like Maytag and Speed Queen, had a 180 to 210 degree arc to the agitation that allowed it to twist back and forth more slowly and still move water through the clothes. Actually, the only top-load washer with an impeller plate (not sure if that's the right term) I've used, an 8 year old Haier, is substantially rougher on clothes when washed or rinsed with anything but a full water fill; but the plate spins faster than most recent HE top loaders and it doesn't have a recycling waterfall or a spinning drum to help with washing so the rotating plate is the only mechanism for moving water. I'm guessing the new large-tub top loaders are more gentle....See MoreLG Front Load Mega or Ultra Large Capacity - Big famiy - help?
Comments (9)I am the youngest of a family of six and was in charge of the laundry growing up. My sisters tossed stuff in the laundry instead of hanging them up.It was easier to cleanup their mess by tossing it into the laundry basket. You have young children but I bet they will do this too. I just installed a LG 4.7 yesterday . There is no center agitator . I will wonder about balance issues whenI toss in the comforter. The load of towels did come out well wrung out/spun out. I don't think bigger is better. The key to washing clothes is enough water to agitate the clothes and enough soap to wash them. I have never used a full cup of detergent in the washer. I add about a half of what they recommend. The difference in drum sizes was a three hundred dollar difference. The difference in drum capacity was the not deal breaker but cost to run the unit and washing options. I did not buy the steam option. I never used it on my three other washers( we move frequently) I don't know the difference in drum size capacity . HOw many more things can you add in a 4.5 vs a 5.0 should be answered by the salesman. We tend to overstuff the washers anyhow so bigger does not mean it will be better. I removed a perfectly working LG steam washer because the unit was a front loader. The entire second floor of our new home shook . Making smaller wash loads did not cut down on the shaking. Sorry that I didn't really answer your question . I look at it as what will work . A bigger unit that has the same mechanics may break due to our tendency to over load washers....See MoreFront load vs top load washer
Comments (26)I am so very happy to have an old-school top loader again. My front loader finally bit the dust and we didn't even bother to try to have it fixed. It was here in the house when we moved in - we're kicking ourselves for paying extra to keep the set, we should have installed our old ones - and these were awful from day one. The first pain was the kamikaze clothing that leapt out from both washer and dryer when the door opened or you pulled something big out. It sucks that something you've just washed has to wait to get cleaned again. Plus, with a bad back, I didn't like bending down so far. It is infuriating that you need to spend extra money on those pedestals to raise them up, and laundry baskets won't fit under either door without them, so, again, when the door opens, things can hit the floor, which is horrible. The machines come out of the box with this huge flaw and you need to spend $150.00 minimum to make them work as they should. They should just be taller from the outset. Also, I like pulling things up out of the washer and then putting them straight into the dryer without having clean wet clothes go into a basket that has previously had dirty clothes in it. Then came the smell. Now it's possible that the previous owner pre-fouled the thing, but that gasket? Where water ALWAYS was? Yak. Mold city. No amount of bleach and cleaning would keep this thing clean. My clothing is now much cleaner after just a week of having a top loader again. I'm very sensitive to detergent left in fabrics, and mine are once again clean and my towels are far more absorbent. It's possible that a new machine, for way more money than I just paid for my new GE top loader, might be better, but we didn't want to spend that much and are happy to have the old style machine back....See MoreSpeed Queen Front Load AFN50 Washer Review - Long Post
Comments (236)You don't say whether your FP washer is a TL or FL. In my opinion and experience, having to buy ANY washer & dryer these days is a dilemma in itself. If you buy some Top Loaders you can have some control over the water level; otherwise, forget that with any and all Front Loaders. My Speed Queen FL (cost $1800) is built like a tank and works like a charm except for the water level (13.4 gal split between washing and rinsing!???). San Diego Steve will tell you that is plenty and he has even posted that he sold that model and bought the newer one which uses even less total water per wash cycle (11.xx gal I think). He and I are in complete disagreement on how 4 gal of water can rinse a set of King size sheets that remain in a wad. So FL vs TL is the first hurdle. I'm not sure how much water a SQ TL uses, but that would be my first question. My FL spins like crazy. I would have bought an FP but they are not sold anywhere in the Dallas, TX area. Maytag used to make a Centennial model which my daughter in law has and it has a deep rinse which fills the tub, but might no longer be made. Sorry not to have any more helpful information. The Chinese factor would scare me off as well with the FP. Good luck and please post your final decision with the outcome. It will be up to date and may help others....See Moremamapinky0
7 years agoJeannie Cochell
7 years agomamapinky0
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoJeannie Cochell
7 years agopractigal
7 years agopractigal
7 years agoAprile
7 years agosuburbanmd
7 years agopoppy214
7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago
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