So did mine. It was garbage :)

Pity. My folks have had a number of Cadillacs that have been wonderful automobiles. And my Lincoln has been a heck of a lot more reliable and durable than our Audi A6.

I love front loading machines because I love being able to stack the machines. I’ve had them that way for almost 20 years now, and with a large family where we always did at least 14 loads per week. Now that I’m an empty nester and we are in process of designing our next home, I’m going with the same set up again. I never had an issue with smelly front loaders... I often wash with hot water, I leave the washer door ajar if not in use, and I wipe the door and seals down periodically.

Love my 30 year old Maytag top loader- still working great, only 1 easy hose replacement diy in all that time. I fear for the time it finally breaks down, wouldn't find that quality again. And preferring to buy American doesn't indicate your politics- not everyone who chooses to buy/support US businesses/products/companies voted for the former President.

"And preferring to buy American doesn't indicate your politics"

Absolutely, and I did not intend my original comment to be taken by anyone politically -- just a reminder that not everyone on these forums is American, and that everyone has different preferences for different things.

I have my moms used toploader she got rid of for a front loader, mines still going, hers is long gone.

"I fear for the time it finally breaks down, wouldn't find that quality again."

Exactly. That ship has long sailed. A new Maytag today is as iffy as anything else. Our previous washer was a Whirlpool (who owns Maytag), and it lasted a whopping 4 years.

It's a global economy. The various manufacturers have factories everywhere, and they source components from suppliers everywhere. LG has appliance production facilities in Clarksville TN. Samsung has an electronics components factory in Austin (my nephew's FIL works there), and appliances in South Carolina. Bosch (German) produces dishwashers in North Carolina. Whirlpool has some ranges and refrigerators made in Mexico. Haier (Chinese) has owned General Electric major appliances division since 2012 and continues to manufacture products in Louisville KY. Some of this may have changed from last I heard, facilities are under continual review and factories may close and/or new locations open with production relocated accordingly. Component suppliers may shut down and cause a part to go NLA. Tsunamis in India and Japan may disrupt supply of electronic components. COVID had a huge impact on appliance availability, and now there's that huge container ship stuck in the Suez Canal.

Flopsy, the answer is "neither" and it turns out your photo was correct.

Only One Factory in North America Still Makes Washboards, and They Are Flying Off of Shelves

Sales of the antique tools have boosted since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, with people wanting to avoid a trip to the laundromat

... "We’re keeping a piece of American history alive and showing that it’s still relevant today,” says Martin. “These products were invented in the 1800s, but we’re still here. This year of all years has shown the relevance of [washboards] and that they can suddenly come back again.”

Ervin agrees. “People are craving a feeling of self-sufficiency and satisfaction and getting something accomplished, even something as simple as doing their laundry,” she says.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/only-one-factory-north-america-still-makes-washboards-they-are-flying-off-shelves-180976194/

[Skimmed article so I don't know if author researched possible Canadian washboard factories. It's the Smithsonian magazine so they have a bias.]

Regards to "old" washers, they can be found at resale shops, CraigsList, Facebook Marketplace, and other such. You want one, 30 or 40 years old Maytag? Go get one, invest the time and cost, learn how to repair it, search for needed parts, etc. How many folks here are willing to do that?

On that note - anyone want my 30something year old Maytag washer/dryer? All yours. Pick up in Detroit before Tuesday :)

I have a 52yo Maytag pair -- CA906 (S/N Jan 1969) & CDE906 (S/N Sep 1968).

And a 50yo Maytag washer -- A206 (S/N Aug 1970).

And a 44yo washer - A608 (S/N Oct 1976).

And a 41yo dryer -- DE308 (S/N Jun 1979).

Also a 37+yo pair -- LA512 (S/N Apr 1984) & LDE482 (S/N May 1984).

:-D

On that note - anyone want my 30something year old Maytag washer/dryer? All yours. Pick up in Detroit before Tuesday :)

No thanks. I don't want anything that comes out of Detroit

FL washer, any day, over TL washer. Our FL is ten years old, no mold, pristine gasket and soap tray, no special gymnastics to keep it smelling clean...just a weekly HOT wash of 140°F + oxy bleach for whites along with other various temps used for different types of clothing. Powders and liquid detergents all used equally. Mostly perfume-free Free/Clear type detergents used, so no masking of smells.

17 years ago I bought 6 front load washers for my apartments. One was a “nicer” Kenmore Elite. It needed a control board at 5 years and bearings at 8. However, the other 5 were basic Frigidaire models. 2 are still working, 1 we replaced at about 10 years, 1 at 15 years, and 1 at 16 years. The first one to go we replaced at ten years with an inexpensive top load. We replaced that top load already. Currently installing basic LG front load models and they seem to be doing well. (Held my breath last summer when that top load went - was afraid my tenant was going to be going to the laundromat. But the mom and pop had them in stock! Woohoo, we were all happy!)

dadoes, I want dibs on your 1968 and 1970 models. Plus I am closer. Wow.

My folks have a Maytag Neptune dryer that is at least 18 years old that I have posted of on various threads-hands down the favorite of any dryer I have ever used. It has never had a repair. The home I have now has all KA appliances in the kitchen-made by Whirlpool which of course also makes Maytag now. What a disappointment. These were trusted and beloved brands-SEA SEA and I can tell stories about these things. No matter where things are manufactured-pride in workmanship and quality should always be at the forefront.

When I was shopping for a new w/d a few years ago I had 3 places tell me to expect 5-10 years from the washer. One person added "...and cross your fingers and toes if you get to 5 years."

I have a Neptune MAH/MDE 4000 pair. Both S/N June 2000.

^^ I was told that, too. And my LG front loader only lasted 7 years. The matching dryer is still going, 11 yrs so far.

My Whirlpool Duet 10 years old and still going strong.

boba, that def beats the 4 years we got from our Whirlpool washer.

Jinx, our Whirlpool dryer was still fine when the washer gave out. We donated it to Habitat for Humanity and bought the new set. Dryers do tend to outlive washers. That happened with our old Kenmore w/d years ago. Washer died and dryer was fine.

"Dryers do tend to outlive washers. That happened with our old Kenmore w/d years ago. Washer died and dryer was fine."

Likewise for my LG front loader, after just over 11 years -- washer was failing, dryer was doing great.

Just purchased the LG 5.5 cu.ft. wi-fi enabled top loader (WT7900) and the LG 7.3 cu.ft wifi enabled gas dryer this morning. These are replacing a 5 year old front loading Samsung set that work perfectly but I have been really unhappy with them over the years. The Samsung front loader gets mold in the gasket despite cleaning and leaving the door open. I am also not happy with the way it cleans clothes.

I also purchased the Samsung Airdresser..hoping it saves me on some dry cleaning bills. I haven't seen any reviews here on this appliance?

Caroline, that sounds similar to our LG top loader (5.5 cf) and dryer (7.3 cf), although we bought ours a few years ago. Really happy with them.

Our daughter's 9-yr-old Samsung front loader is still okay, but she really dislikes the mold problem. Top loader for her next time.

Speed Queen top loader. Wouldn't consider anything else.

The front load machines use less water, wash harder and cleaner but fabric fade and worn faster. If you forgot some cloths, you are not able to unlock a door, unless you pour all water out and add some things. And I do not like bend over.

Dang I never even thought about the adding clothes thing. I just did that 2 minutes ago. Do it all the time. Another reason I wouldn't have a front loader.

"... you are not able to unlock a door, unless you pour all water out and add some things."

Not true. Frontloaders nowadays don't fill high enough to spill if the door is opened except in some cases on specialty cycles such as Delicate (fills higher to float the clothes for gentler action) or Bulky cycles. They all have a Pause/Start button to interrupt the cycle, unlock and open the door for adding an item or checking the load. Models with an onboard water heater may not unlock if the water is hot enough to cause a burn.

I think most HE top loaders also have a lock now so that you can’t add something after loads starts. It weighs the laundry to know how much water to use.

My top loader allows you to stop it and add clothes.

"I think most HE top loaders also have a lock now so that you can’t add
something after loads starts. It weighs the laundry to know how much
water to use."

Not true. Toploaders with lid locks also have a Pause/Start button to interrupt the cycle. Those that weigh or sense the load may add some water or resense the load after a pause on the expectation that an item was added.

Have a ken more Laundry Center circa 1998!!! I know it's not everyone cup of tea, but it works just fine. Had service on the dryer, was told to keep it as long as possible.

"I think most HE top loaders also have a lock now so that you can’t add something after loads starts. It weighs the laundry to know how much water to use."

Not so. I just added to my load that had already started. I have an LG brand machine - Smart Drum Direct Drive. I just hit pause, and it unlocks.

Yep I have a maytag top loader and there is a pause button. I use Molly's suds and you have to add the soap, let it agitate for a minute then add the clothes. As a side note, I am really please with using Molly's Suds. I have been a liquid tide girl all my life!

I thought most people here liked their LG front loaders..... I sure do love mine. If you are using one and don’t like the water level, use a different cycle such as perm press, it uses lots of water as does the towels cycle

Poppycock to them not cleaning well.... my clothes come out spotlessly clean and smelling wonderful.

I wipe the gasket out after the last load of the day, take out the dispenser tray and wipe inside that compartment. It’s easy to leave the door cracked open for ventilation since it has a magnet that catches at the right place for that. Never had and issue with mold or foul odors in the machine

I do run a cleaning cycle on a regular basis, using citric acid. I also use stpp addictive with every load. My main detergent use is powder and liquid Gain. I do use fabric softener also. I have many other detergents in my stash that I use.

For those of you new here there are or use to be lots of us that had big stashes of laundry products and pictures of them posted.

Where’s the rest of you LG lovers????

I loved my LG washer, and after my move (when I have a bigger laundry closet), I'll be switching from the builder's grade W/D top load unit to an LG stacked pair.

So the locking is no different between top and front load. Hit pause. Wait for unlock.

The bearings in our 11 year old Whirlpool Duet finally started howling. It was a great machine despite some shortcomings. Odor was never an issue. Cleaning was never an issue. Rinsing and residue was never an issue unless too much detergent was used.

I just purchased an LG built Kenmore Elite FL. So far it has treated us very well. These newer FL machines have a majority of the design flaws and minor issues worked out. I do not care for the new top load machines at all. Poor rinsing and not enough control of what the machine does during a cycle.

Side note: if you have odor in ANY machine, check during the cycle to see truly how ‘warm’ or ‘hot’ your water is.

Some history on load sensing on toploaders --

Kenmore (Whirlpool) had automatic water level sensing for a very short time on the top-of-line Lady Kenmore in 1961 per the Spring/Summer catalog description and photo of the machine. It's a mystery how the process functioned being that there's no way for the machine to directly weigh the load but the description does say that it will add more water if the user adds more clothes. The same model in the 1961 Fall/Winter catalog was revised to remove that feature.

Fisher & Paykel developed automatic water level sensing in the mid 1990s. Weighing the load via a floating drum is part of the process, which also involves sensing via motor feedback how the load "feels" against the flexible agitator fins.

Majority of current HE toploaders seem to sense the load by spinning it dry at the start to determine the weight via rotational inertia, then monitor how much water is needed to reach a specific low level and calculate how much more water to add. The user should load the clothes before starting the machine so the sensing process can function properly.

ETA: The aforementioned Lady Kenmore filled to the lowest level and started agitation. Oscillation movement of the tub bumped a switch that progressively filled more water until the excess tub movement was reduced enough to no longer bump the switch.

"No matter where things are manufactured-pride in workmanship and quality should always be at the forefront"

AMEN armjim!!! Well said. I COMPLETELY agree with that statement!!!

Yes, I also touch Start/Pause to add anything to my LG top loader. As I recall, that was a common feature when I was shopping for a new washer.

"Where’s the rest of you LG lovers????"

I am happy with my LG - and it is a top-loader. I just am not interested in a front loading machine. I don't want to have to wipe out/clean a gasket or leave the door open. That's just my preference.

I do NOT love having to clean the soap dispenser however. My old machine cleaned fine with me just pouring in the liquid. This machine came to me after my parents passed away this summer - my washer got fried in an electrical surge in December so I just took their old (only a couple of years old really) machines. I don't like bells and whistles on my washer and dryer, but since these were free that is what I wound up with.

Toploader lids should be left open between uses.

I never leave my TL lid open after a day of laundry is completed. I leave it open to dry out, and then close it in the evening, and it remains closed until the next time the machine is used.

"Toploader lids should be left open between uses".

Poppycock. I am 65 years old and have been using toploader machines since I was a child. I have never ever left the lid up. Never had one single issue with mildew or odors either.

I have Maytag top loader. It even comes with a clean cycle

I've always let my TL lid stay open for a few hours once laundry's done. IDK...maybe not at all necessary but just seemed like a good idea, even though I don't think the lids are airtight.

I agree with Chessie and armjim. Never had an issue with mildew when it comes to top loaders.

Handle your machines as you wish, of course. Very few washers nowadays have porcelain tops and lids. Leaving toploader lids open goes a long way toward warding-off rust.

"Kathy Furt: I have Maytag top loader. It even comes with a clean cycle"

Run the cleaning cycle on a regular basis, ideally a bit more often than you believe necessary. It's too late for the cleaning cycle to fix the problem when a machine gets into a condition like those I pictured above.

I’m currently using my mother-in-law’s old top loading compact stacking washer/dryer unit while we are in a temporary living situation while we wait for our house to be built. I leave the washing machine lid open when not in use, as she always did as well. I still prefer front loading stacking machines even though I have to periodically wipe gaskets down... but even with the current top loading machine I still feel the need to periodically wipe out the inside of the machine even though there isn’t a big gasket. All machines need periodic cleaning on the inside... washing machines... dryers... dishwashers... microwaves... all machines need regular cleaning. ;)