I love love love my Bosch Axxis+ front loader and condenser dryer. Would prefer a regular vented dryer, but, long story involving a "fix" by DH 20 years ago has left me with no venting options unless we pay big bucks to tear apart a wall. Sheesh. Anyway, I have had this set since 2007 and they are still going strong. No oder in the front loader, but I do leave the door ajar all the time, which doesn't bother me a bit. Some people don't like to do that, but I rarely see it unless I am doing laundry and even if I do, I don't mind it at all.

My son has some he loves. I will check with him when they pick up their dog today-they have been in Europe for a week...after three weeks there in September. Me? I get the dog. :-) Ha.

Had an LG washer (HE front loader) and matching dryer which was included in the sale of the house 2 months ago. Loved them and plan on getting another set when our townhouse is completed. Will buy the pedestals this time as it was a bit of a chore to bend down to empty them and I ordered the cabinetry in the laundry room with enough clearance to make sure there wouldn’t be a problem

Go take a look in the Laundry forum here. You might find some good recommendations there. If I recall, some people there swear by a Speed Queen non computerized washer (I could have that wrong). I truly think the rest of the brands are a crap shoot - few, if any, are built to last or be durable - because the manufacturers know we'll replace the broken - more $$ for them. Planned obsolescence.

Speed Queen here. Top loader. No electronics on our model and I am pleased. (ETA: 2 yrs old, no problems.) SQ has always been our W/D of choice. I love all that eld6161 loves and I also love being able to soak stained clothes or linens for a few hours in hot water. Yum!

I got an LG washer based on the research here: http://thesweethome.com/reviews/the-best-washer-and-dryer/. I'm happy with it!

Speed Queen.

I'm another satisfied Speed Queen owner.

After consulting the laundry forum here, I bought LG about 11 months ago. (I really wanted a true hot wash so an onboard heater was a high priority for me). They get a lot of use and I am happy with them. I have had Bosch in previous houses. I was happy with the Axxis, but not with the Nexxt machines.

I bought Speed Queen four years ago. My research here convinced me.

Recently purchased Speed Queen, but can't open without the water stopping. Is there something I can do to change that? I have another set at our cabin and you can open washer with water still running. I think you will be pleased.

Love my Speed Queen top loader with mechanical controls.

https://www.speedqueen.com/products/top-load-washers.aspx#build-your-own

I have a Speed Queen stack unit ATE50, a discontinued front loader with washer and dryer controls together in between both units. I've never used the dryer yet, but the washer over the past 1.5 years has done an awesome job. I spent a lot of time researching before plunking down the $$.

My son and DIL have a Whirlpool set that they love. They are large, can steam clean, are quiet, and theirs are stacked, which I wish I had done with mine.

I had a Bosch Axxis that drove a grown man (repairman) literally to tears he was here so much trying to fix it. It died at 14 months. Bosch didn't care one bit, it was out of warranty at that advanced age. Hate those people. They should be ashamed.

I was so tired of the BS with them, I went for the Miele. Overpriced. Love it.

My matching speed queen dryer also works/performs beautifully.

I’ve had an LG top loader for nearly six years....no problems. I don't use most of the bells and whistles so might go more basic next time. The only thing it can’t do is soak overnight....the soak cycle in only an hour or so.

joanie, can't you just open the door and allow it to soak overnight?

We bought a new LG pair about 4 months ago and I love them. Got the large tub HE top loader. It has a soak cycle but I haven’t used it yet. The tub is huge. I was really unhappy with the Whirlpool front loader we bought in 2007 or so. It did a fair job of cleaning and I liked the size for washing comforters but hated having to keep up with cleaning the gasket to keep the odors down.

Love my Speed Queen (top loader, mechanical controls).

I’m not sure this is much help, but we had a Whirlpool Cabrio washer that died after just over 4 years. It was crazy loud (like a jet engine) and started spitting out oil from underneath. The repair technician said the repair cost would be about $600. Don’t think so! The dryer was fine but I wanted a matching pair. We had the washer hauled off and donated the dryer to Habitat for Humanity. I was at a complete loss as to what to get for a new set. The research will make you crazy. What one person loves, another will trash. You’ll see bad reviews for everything single brand out there. This is the best advice I can offer…shop for features you like and not any particular brand. Nothing is made the way it used to be. There’s no such thing as a Maytag (now owned by Whirlpool) lasting 30+ years anymore.

FWIW, lots of people on Houzz seem to like Speed Queen. I looked at some but didn’t find anything that seemed right for me in both features and appearance. It took me forever to decide on something. I finally found a set I liked from LG. So far, so good but it’s only been a year.

Whatever you get, be sure to purchase the extended warranty…a must these days. Also, I discovered some credit card companies will extend the warranty at no charge for 1-2 years if you use the card to make the purchase. We received another 2 years with our Citi card giving us a total of 7 years for the warranty.

Fisher Paykel. I would seriously do a commercial for them. I have both a washer and dryer, several years old.

The laundry forum always has a lot of recs for Speed Queen and Miele. I didn't see SQ when I last looked but did look at Miele. I couldn't see the cost of the Miele and there was something I just didn't like as well (can't remember what now). I bought an LG pair about 9-1/2 yrs ago. Still very happy with them and would probably replace with something similar. They replaced Whirlpool Calypso and I would not buy Whirlpool again after dealing with their customer service and "extended warranty" on that pair. Bosch wasn't large enough for us.

When we bought the pair, we were washing camping gear (sleeping bags, etc.) as well as bedding for twin, queen and king beds (including quilts and comforters). With the boys' activities and the bedding, size was an important factor. When the boys got older, we washed band uniforms (usually 10-20 every other week, but sometimes more) and one summer laundered something like 200 choir dresses and maybe 100 tux shirts. The large washer made it easy. The prewash cycle has been adequate for most things and I can't say I really miss the top loader soak. I don't use the steam feature a lot, but would probably still get it for the times I do. Might not on the dryer.

“joanie, can't you just open the door and allow it to soak overnight?”

Nope. I even called LG to ask if you can override the machine somehow to soak overninght. If you fill the tub and then stop the cycle and open the door you'll get an alarm in a few minutes.

That's crazy joanie! Why in the world would they make a feature like that? I mean, does a person need an alarm if the washer is soaking clothes? Do they think someone is going to fall in and drown? How stupid!

I went through this last April and spent a lot of time researching and scouring posts in the laundry forum. Samsung and LG’s have had lots of issues and I read over and over again about how their customer service was horrible as well. Maytag was never a consideration, Miele’s were out of our price range and Speed Queen didn’t interest me, but I looked into the Electrolux’s that several people had been really happy with and was very surprised. They are highly rated and those who have had issues have been very happy with the customer support they received. We got ours from a small local seller at an affordable price and got an extended warranty as back up, but so far so good. They replaced the Kenmore version of the Whirlpool front loaders we got 12 years ago, I was very happy with the washer but the dryer never worked right and servicing it didn’t help.

I know a lot of people who have LG's, no service issues and are very happy with them. I read things online that had me a bit concerned -- and then talked to people who actually owned them and found more happy people than I had seen negatives online. At the time I bought the LGs, LG had dedicated service people with trucks or vans with the most common parts needed to service the machines so fewer calls needed a return to install parts. I don't know if they still do that, but I'm happy not to have needed to find out.

Joanie, most of the times I want to soak something, it is a single small item with a difficult stain. I usually soak them in a dish pan so I can monitor the stain and not have to treat an entire load. I have started a load with a pre-soak cycle and then turned it off during the presoaking portion -- turned it on later and restarted it. (don't open the door -- just turn it off). I've only done that once or twice in nearly 10 years. Even with two boys, two large dogs and my DH/messy sous chef, I've found that normal pre-treating spots and sometimes using the pre-soak cycle takes care of most laundry issues.

Lascatx, The reason I said that about the service for LG’s and Samsung is because when I was researching in the laundry forum, I found several posts that said that there weren’t any repair persons familiar with the machines in their areas and service was basically non existent. It’s so hard to sift through reviews and figure out what’s reasonable and what isn’t. Maybe it’s a demographics thing but I’m glad you’re machines are working well!

We had a set of LG HE front-load washer-dryer that lasted 14 years with only one minor repair to the dryer. The bearings on the washer went out recently, so we decided to buy a new set. We were going to get the Kenmore (made by LG) but got the Elextrolux set instead because you can change which side the door opens on both the washer and dryer. The LG set opened up opposite the most ergonomically best way, and after back surgery, anything that helps is a good thing. It beat re-plumbing the laundry room.

So far, so good with the Elextrolux set. We've had them about 4 months. DH rebuilt the motor in the LG washing machine, so we used the old LG set to replace an aging cheap Whirlpool set that was in our rental. So far, they are both still working fine.

Lukkiirish, I read that too -- 10 years ago and I think it was a situation that was changing at that time. LG was fairly new and I think people in smaller towns and rural areas were more likely to have service issues, but I don't personally know anyone who has run into a problem. I was still hesitating when I was talking to others at the dog park one morning -- several had LG and loved them, bought them because they knew others.

Even back then, you would see/hear nothing if people were happy, but one or two unhappy people could launch an internet attack to color people's perceptions of a brand. I read that mattress review article linked in another thread. Between the commissions paid the product giveaways for "unbiased reviews," it's sad and a bit scary that online reviews have become a big business and the credibility is questionable at best. Truth is that most major brands will mostly be good if not very good and all will have some lemons. I wish manufacturers would put more time and energy into avoiding lemons.

I think you’re very right Lascatx, it’s pretty much the luck of the draw.

Timely thread for me. We've had LG front loader and dryer for 14 years. This time last year, the washer would not drain. After a repairman came out and diagnosed the problem for $80, it was going to cost close to $400 to replace the part. I bought the part online for $30 and dh, with much aggravation, replaced the part using YouTube video as a guide. About six months ago, I noticed a puddle under the washer occasionally after doing a load. It came and went but about two weeks ago, it got worse. Dh diagnosed the problem himself, took apart the washer, replaced the part, still huge puddles. at one point, he took the rubber seal for the door out. I almost threw up when I saw the layer of grunge/goop on it, despite the fact that I've always left the door open between loads and occasionally cleaned what I could w/o removing the seal. After seeing that, I'm done with front loaders. We decided since it's 14 y/o, we are going to replace it with a top loader but as of yet, I haven't determined which brand/model. I will say though, I was very happy with our LG. Until. Last year, we never ever had a problem with it. If dh had time to continue tinkering, he'd probably try a little longer to fix it but he's leaving town and I can't be w/o a washer any longer. And I'm not going to waste money with a repairman like I did last time, wanting to fix something for half the cost of a new machine.

Yesterday I decided to buy a new washer and dryer. I just haven't decided if I want a front or top loader.

i loved my Kenmore (Whirlpool) front loaders but left them for the young couple who bought our house yesterday. Only 2 minor repairs in 15 years of heavy use.

Our néw house came with 10 year old Whirlpool front loaders and they seem to work well. However they are on very tall pedestals - much taller than my old set and this laundry room is much smaller and I need to add storage. I'm thinking about getting new front loaders without pedestals and putting cabinets over them or even stacking them.

Time to research models

Maire-cate, you may want to rethink the front loaders without the pedistals. I also had an older Kenmore front loading set and didn’t need the pedistals to use them comfortably. However, when looking for our new set, I discovered that the manufacturers have pretty much forced people to buy them because they’ve lowered the doors too low to use the machines comfortably otherwise. I’m under 5 ft and would still have to get on my knees.

I have a recently bought Whirlpool front loader NOT on a pedestal and I am 5'5 and don't find it difficult. (and I am very pleased with the machine which replaced an approx 15 yr old Kenmore HE top loader)

I cannot recommend my Mieles highly enough. They are very compact and yet large enough to handle laundry for a family of six easily. My machines are not mounted on a pedestal.

If you don’t have a problem with a door that’s less than 18 inches from the floor, more power to you Sheilaaus, but I seriously doubt most people would be willing to go that route. I’m 4’11 and had to choose between getting on my knees to reach inside (which I tested at the store) or use a foot stool to see inside the soap dispenser, I chose the later. One plus of the Electrolux is they guarantee that their machines won’t vibrate and are suited for 2nd floors. So far so good. I’m not surprised you like your Whirlpool washer though, I really liked ours and as long as I kept the door open after each wash, I never had a problem with mold or oders.

The door of our older Kenmore (like the duet) was much higher than the new models we looked at. It was perfect for someone my height. At least we were fortunate in that the store we bought our Electrolux machines from threw the pedistals in for a fraction of what they usually cost. The machines are pretty on the pedistals, but I hate using a foot stool. :c)

Thanks so much all of you for your helpful replies!! I decided to go with LG...it had the features I needed, looked decent, and the price point was good. I am crossing my fingers we get more than 6 years with these guys!! Thanks again!

Lukki- good point about door height. I'm 5'3 and have advanced degenerative spinal issues. So far it doesn't hinder me much but I am 67 and it's not going to go away..

I definitely need to visit the appliance store and try them out.

thanks

Lurkish, which Electrolux model do you have and could you tell me how much space they need depth wise? (Taking connections on the back into consideration)

Karen, we have this one. Electrolux washer dryer set and the link will have all the specifications. We added 6 inches to the depth but our set up is a little different.

Maire-Cate, After posting, I looked at ours more closely and from the floor to the bottom of the door, our machines are actually about 12 inches!

Thanks Kurkish. They look great.

I'm very interested in this thread, too. I brought my old front-loading Bosch pair from my previous home. They're going on 12 years of age, but were in storage in the basement here when it flooded due to a clogged drain during renovation. They also sat for a year without being used. I was surprised they worked at all, but I need to be ready to replace -- I'll do both at once, if either one goes.

Thanks!

Nini, I hope you have as many years as trouble free as I have.

Maire_cate, I have disc issues with my neck. I would really love to have the space use of a stacked pair, but I don't think I can give up the pedestals.

Lukki - thanks for the measurements. I can easily see how manufacturers would lower the doors in order to increase sales of the pedestals. However there's no way I could handle 12" off the floor.

Lascatx- I think you're right about the pedestals. I have disc issues in my neck too and get cortisone injections.

I just measured my Whirlpools - the door is 12" off the floor too - with the pedestals they're about 27".

That solves that question - I'll keep these and have cabinets added above.

Thanks for the info.

Maire