Oh, and current washer and dryer are both newer Maytags. Have had no problems with dryer. Problem with washer mentioned above, but no mechanical failures.

The socks were washed on the steam cycle with Persil, so it wasn't temp. The dirt came out in cold water in the sink. It was an issue with agitation, not temp or detergent.

I can't find any Electrolux that are in stock nearby. We need to pick up today. We only have hometown Sears stores and they do not stock any appliances ready for pickup here, so they are not an option. Home Depot was not showing to have any in stock, but it's close to Lowes, so no reason we couldn't stop in to verify.

Current machine is a 4.8. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Maytag-4-8-cu-ft-High-Efficiency-Top-Load-Washer-White-ENERGY-STAR/50371126 I wonder just how much smaller the 4.3 would really be. I would not go to a laundromat.

I'm not sure on service. We've never had an appliance serviced and not sure we ever would. We're handy/lucky and have not run into any repairs we could not do ourselves over the last 16 years.

Steam cycles vary with the machine for function and effectiveness. My steam cycle heats the water. If you're into DIY, check out those whirlpools. The parts are likely easier to get than LGs.

Our first set of washer and dryer were Estate which is part of Whirlpool. Those parts were easy to get, so you are probably right about that.

They do show to have a Whirlpool for about $80 more than the Maytag. I *think* I like the option of a presoak on it, but not sure if I'd use it or not. We have an old agitator machine and a vintage washing machine out on the back porch. My husband uses one of those to do a prewash on his work clothes.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Whirlpool-4-5-cu-ft-High-Efficiency-Stackable-Front-Load-Washer-White-ENERGY-STAR/1000079549

Just saw your comment on the 4.3 cu ft.. There isn't much difference between the 4.3 and a 4.5 cu ft FL. Fine for home laundry. Where the problem comes in is with large bulky items like sheets, blankets, sleeping bags, full size draperies. You get the idea. The residential machines have trouble balancing loads that large for spinning. Difficulty increases if the bulky load is heavy especially when wet.

I am a quilter and frequently wash large pieces of fabric. I tried a 4.3 cu ft and sent it back to exchange for the 5.2 cu ft. The larger machine rinses and spins the loads much better than the smaller machine. YMMV.

Another brand I would avoid is GE. Appliances sold to a Chinese firm last year. Customer service was awful. I had to walk away from one of their front loaders.

I don't use the 30 minute soak option on my machine; it's not long enough. a bucket or bathtub works just as well for me. I do use the PREWASH cycle frequently for stain treatment and ground in dirt removal. If you're looking for a warm rinse cycle, I don't believe that exists on the current machines. All rinses are cold water. I use express wash (15 minutes) if I want a warm rinse.

If sanitizing with heat is important to you, be sure you have an allergy or heated sanitizing cycle on the machine. Many of the current models "sanitize" by adding oxygen or chlorine bleach.

No sleeping bags or big draperies, so that won't be an issue. I do have a few comforters, but they aren't filled that full (if that makes sense), so not really that large. Most of my larger sized bedding would be more like a blanket, so not fluffy. I have lots of quilts, but they barely cover my queen sized bed, so probably are more like a full/queen size. If one particular item seems to cause problems, then it would probably be easiest just not to use it anymore.

Part of my avoidance of front-loaders has been the balancing issue. I really hope it's not that big of an issue.

Okay, so add GE to the 'out list' along with Samsung...

That 4.5 whirlpool you cited above looks like a nice machine. I would get the stainless steel hoses and the extended warranty to be sure you're covered for any computer board failures.

Another thing you may not know. The energy efficiency cycle is calibrated on the "normal"/eco cycle. That cycles uses the least amount of water for cleaning. I almost never use "normal" because of the low water levels.

I should mention that my house is on a well with a septic system. No trouble with the front loaders, the well or the septic field in over 15 years. The only thing I have to watch is too sudsy detergent.

I don't think either machine (Maytag or Whirlpool) has a prewash cycle. Whirlpool presoak options are 30 minute, 1 hour, or 8 hours. The LG did have a true PreWash cycle.

I have no health need for a sanitize/allergen cycle. Our current machine is 'sanitize with steam and oxy'.

We are on a well, too. Drain just goes to grey water, though, so nothing enters the septic.

I don't know that I ever used the Normal cycle on our current machine. Either the PowerWash, the one for bedding, or the cold water one for my blacks is about all I ever used.

Powdered detergent has been a bust in every washing machine we've ever had, but I still have some Cheer powder, so I guess I'll have to give it a try in the new machine to see if we get better results. (Although we are currently really happy with the Persil liquid.)

Balance is a learning curve too. The loads can't be too big or too
small. I usually spin pillows, mattress pads and heavy towels on low
and monitor to prevent the unbalanced load. Even if I have to spin them
twice. Make sure the machine is correctly leveled: side to
side and back to front. This made a huge difference in my whirlpool.
If your floor isn't concrete, be prepared for some noise on the spin.
There are vibration pads that can be installed under the machine feet to
lower the decibels a bit. If the noise is a concern, certainly look at
the Electrolux. They have a 2nd floor vibration guarantee that may be
of interest to you.

Our house is split level and washer is on the lower level on a concrete foundation, so that should help. Noise also isn't a concern for that reason.

Just texted with my husband and he agrees the FanFresh and PreSoak on the Whirlpool are worth the extra $90 over the Maytag. So, we'll check the scratch and dents at both Home Depot and Lowes for any deals too hard to pass up, but if not, I think we will go for the Whirlpool.

Thank you for talking this out with me, poppy214.

If a hot wash is important make sure the one you choose not only has a heater but has a certified allergen cycle and sanitize...I doubt a Duet will

Success with the front loader is largely a matter of maintenance and laundry style. You will need to leave the door open on the FL to be sure the drum dries thoroughly. I also remove the detergent drawer when the machine is not in use to make sure everything dries. If you use liquid fabric softener, you need to be sure all the residue gets washed out of the detergent drawer so you won't have build up or mold.

I haven't had any problem with mold. I run the "clean machine" cycle every 4 to 6 weeks and more often if someone in the household is sick. If you regularly do hot washes you shouldn't have any problems with moldy or stinky machines.

It's not brain surgery, but the FL wash style is different from the old TL agitators.

Come join the FL club.

We never left the doors open in our old house because the laundry area was a walk-through to get to the door, but since we moved to this house a few years ago, we always leave the door open since it is in an out of the way area. Dryer, too, but can only leave it open an inch or the light comes on inside. We do use the clean cycle with Affresh monthly or as prompted.

Hopefully we can get long enough hoses to swap positions of the washer and dryer - we are setup for dryer on the left, washer on the right. All I've looked at are setup for the opposite.

Our current washer doesn't have an agitator, so we already had to make adjustments. Pretty sure we can do it again.

Does your dryer have a reversible door? Some do. Another idea if you don't use pedestals, is to keep a laundry basket under the washer, dump the load in basket and walk around to dryer. Sell old dryer on Craig's list and get one with correct facing door. I hope you're selling the Maytag. Somebody can use it.

Good luck.

Our dryer does have the reversible door, so it hasn't been a problem. It's only a year old. Before it, we always had the hamper style dryer door, so it never mattered what side it was on. (Referring to dryers in this house - it was the house I grew up in, so even though I've only lived here 3 years as the homeowner, I have almost 40 years of history with it.) Hamper door on dryer plus top load washer - location didn't matter. This front load will be the first one that will either be a pain or we'll need to see if we can swap them and still have everything reach.

We're checking with family first to see if anyone needs a washer. We'll give away to them if we can first. If not, maybe put it on local classifieds.

Enjoy your new washer.

*Fingers crossed.*

"aa62579: ... we always leave the door open since it is in an out of the way area. Dryer, too, but can only leave it open an inch or the light comes on inside."

There's no need to leave a dryer door ajar.

I feel better doing it. I often just get clothes started in the dryer then hang to finish drying. Drum is damp still.

First impression - I now understand why people have them installed. 235 lbs. Thank goodness my husband is stout and strong. Not everyone could manage that.

I just got the Whirlpool 8540 from Lowes. I believe it is a Lowe's exclusive . In any case, I have it a few weeks and it seems good. This is also my first Front Loader (had a HE TL before that had been awesome for the first 10-12 years and then it just wasnt cutting it). So it is a bit of a learning curve for me but so far so good. BTW with Lowe's if you get their credit card, it's always 5% off and they do occasionally have special promos which I was able to take advantage of when I bought mine.

That's good to hear, sheilaaus122.

Yes, I do have the credit card and got my 5% off. It was on sale for 10% off already, but not sure how often that changes.

It's installed and cleaned as per directions (quick wash with 1/2 detergent). And I grudgingly went back afterwards and dried everything off inside and left the door open.

I'll be testing it out with clothes tomorrow night or Saturday.

Congrats! Please post pics of your new machine. And I wouldn't be able to wait until tomorrow or Saturday, I would be washing all night long!

I have the 85 series whirlpool fl also, and have been very pleased with it. My husband's work clothes get VERY filthy, and this machine plus persil get them clean.

Well, it does look a bit funny next to the dryer. Just the size difference.

And, it's pulled way out from the wall because we swapped the dryer to the other side to make the doors work. It will function better, but since the hoses and vent for each now cross behind them, they are pulled out from the wall.

It was a bit bittersweet pulling out the washer that was only 2 years old...

If it hadn't of been 9pm when we got it installed and I didn't have to be at work this morning by 7am, I would have played around with it more. My husband leaves from work today to go out of town (which is one reason we needed to purchase last night), so I'll be free to play to my heart's content tonight. I have bedding, my work clothes (nicer), my livestock working clothes, sleep clothes, underwear, etc. all waiting to be washed, so I'll have a nice arrangement of stuff to try out.

Glad to hear it, amynrichie. Persil is what we use, too. I was reading to use a powder with it when you used the delay start, and I guess if you used a long presoak, so I'll have to look into that as well. I do have some Cheer powder still here that I can try first. We've always had horrible results with powder, but maybe this will work better. (We have very hard water.)

When I used the delay start I set my cup of persil nestled into the work jeans. With any other load, I probably would have used a powder. I've only ever used the delay that one time though. I like the presoak more than I thought I would, and use once a week or so.

Thanks! I didn't think about being able to put the cup in with the load.

Two loads done so far and I am pleased!

Only question we've had is how to handle oxiclean. Our previous machine had its own oxiclean dispenser.

Reading up, since we traditionally use liquid detergent, looks like we either dissolve it in water and add to detergent, put in drum before clothes, or put in drum before clothes and add the 30 minute or 1 hour presoak.

The presoak INCLUDES the detergent from the main compartment. I did oxy a couple different ways. I either pour it in the drum before clothes, or stand by the machine a few minutes. The water will run though the dispenser, tumble clothes, and then run again a few minutes later. I've been known to put oxy in, then after the first water fill, quickly open the dispenser to pour in my detergent before the second water fill. Or, if I'm using powder, I just put powder and oxy in the detergent compartment together.

This is where I think we all need a primer (and I dont think the manual is too good in that respect). Coming from a HE TL, I need a re-edumacation so to speak.

I am not used to doing hot washes except for whites. With my previous machine (HE TL) I used liquid detergent and mostly did express wash with cold water.

What cycles are you using aa662579 and amy? I have used the whites one which was fine but for regular clothing and stuff I am still fearful about hot because in the back of my mind is the chance that colors will run. Tell me this is not well founded.

Maybe we should start a new topic just about the Whirlpool 8540 since there are now at least three of us using this model. We could put our experiences and questions and tips there so they aren't buried in other threads.

Starting a new thread is a great idea, aa.

Sheila, I find that I do use normal cycle set to warm for my lightly soiled items. I use the heavy duty cycle for the sweaty, dirty stuff. I've used towel cycle a lot, set to hot. What I've had trouble with, is figuring out which cycle is best for my comforters and blankets. The DRYER has a "bulky" setting, but no such cycle exists for the washer. I intend to play around a bit with color last- but I not sure if that cycle is really useful, or just a gimmick. I haven't used steam clean either, but am interested in learning some applications for that. I use extra rinse a lot, especially for the bulky items, and really full loads.

Here is my suggestion and I will explain why based upon your husband's socks. Get this Maytag at Lowes Maytag Maxima 5500 You are "negative" about Allergen and Sanitary because you don't have health concerns. Hot water is what cleans clothes. The Allergen cycle is P351 NSF and it is required to reach a temperature around 130 degrees. HE top loaders still have dumbed down temperatures (even with steam) because of the volume of water., My Duet has a prewash cycle and I've never used it, even for my heavily soiled kitchen towels. If I were doing your husband's socks with the suggested machine, I would use Tide HE with bleach powder; Power Wash cycle with extra hot temperature selected and steam for stains. If you feel you must do a prewash, just select rinse & spin and let the "rinse" be a prewash with detergent. Other selection might be Allergen with steam for stains and in both instances heavy soil level. Dumbed down temperatures don't get things adequately clean (Hello MamaP), especially heavy soil. Dirty heavy soils, select extra hot and steam for stains. My duet has cycles machines don't have now days because it's a 2011 model. I don't use a cycle based upon what it's intended garment description says. I select the cycle because it give me the tumble speed I want, ste4am for stains and hotter temeratures. I don't use the "Normal" cycle because that the energy star certified cycle--translates to even lower water temps than in the other cycles as well as reduced water amounts per fill.

amynrichie, you can add the 30 minutes of pre- soak to the Heavy Duty or Whites to create the Bulky/Bedding cycle you desire

Thanks Dixie!

I started a new thread to discuss the Whirlpool. http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/4780028/m=23/whirlpool-8540-or-85-discussion