front loader washer/choices


  #1  
Old 03-18-04, 09:45 AM
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front loader washer/choices

We are considering replacing our 22 year old kenmore washer dryer set and would like a front loader to help conserve water. I keep reading and hearing lots of problems with the Neptunes (and I think they're grossly overpriced). Does anyone have any info on any other brands of front loading washers?

A friend recently bought a Sears set but once we were in the Sears appliance resale store and over half of the washers they had were their front loaders and I doubt that half of what they sell are front loaders. That made me think that maybe they're not very reliable.

The Kenmore has had one new water pump and one heat element in 21 years so we've gotten our money's worth.

Thanks
Frank
 
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Old 03-18-04, 04:29 PM
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Hi: Frank

Not personally involved with or know of all the front load machines. This thread may help but I am sure you read it already.

http://forum.doityourself.com/showthread.php?threadid=162057
Codes off: copy and paste.

Searching may provide others.

Front load machines are making a come back for the reasons noted. But as you are aware, there are still too many problems with them.

How come those problems are not discovered and correctly before the final product is ready for customers to purchase is beyond me. We can build so many other products so well but a new one seems to always have "BUGGS."...

Regards
Sharp Advice
 
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Old 03-22-04, 01:06 PM
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Frank,

After reading all the Neptune horror stories, we bought a Kenmore HE3 washer (not HE3T...) and dryer last year. They were quite expensive, but they work very well and we have had no problems. I don't think the dryer is worth the money, but we wanted them to match and wanted the option to stack them later if needed. I have yet to read about any major issues with the Kenmores. They are well built and, IMHO, in keeping with the Kenmore reputation.

Doug M.
 
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Old 03-27-04, 03:48 PM
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Three years ago we "invested" in a $750 Frigidaire Gallery front loader. Yesterday I learned the leaking is due to a broken main seal. This will cost about 500 to fix. I paid the repairman the $65 for the service call and went to Sears to shop for the most basic washer I could find.... Be careful of falling into the "you get what you pay for".... As for cost savings... We certainly didnt realize any cost savings in terms of water or electricity with a life of only three years. Also, we have the washer and dryer installed on our second floor. During the spin cycle, we thought the house would shake off the foundation.... Never again for us.....
 
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Old 03-28-04, 08:15 AM
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THe Neptune has thier problem fixed.

To me I'd rather have a front loader.. Why? Less water! Mostly if you are up on the main floor or 2nd floor. A regular top loader use about 40 gals of water vs 15 gals of water on a front loader. if something happens with the tub or seal on a top loader, you got LOTS of water rushing out.

Front loader is MUCH easier on your clothes.. If you pull a ton of lint off your lint filter, that a sign your washer is beating up your clothes.

Front loader has a faster spin, so clothes come out dryer, and less time in the dryer.
 
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Old 03-28-04, 09:56 AM
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I'm seriously considering purchasing one of the new L3 combo front loaders. For those not familiar, this is a front loading washer AND dryer. You just set it and leave and come back to clean, dry clothes. The dryer knows from the wash cycle how much water is in it the clothes, and so only runs long enough to dry them, no more 'guessing' on how much time you need to dry.

The machine does cost $1900 though. But that's really not that bad, when you look at a high end pair that are in the $800 each range.
 
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Old 03-28-04, 03:39 PM
JonBurrows
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Simple math....$1900/8 year life expectancy/365 days of laundry use, equates to .65 cents a day. vs .19 cents a day for a pair of basic Whirlpool washer/dryer (in todays paper: $540 for a pair of super capacity) .... You could buy a new set every 3.5 years and still have a lower cost per day. Are you going to realize a savings of .46 cents a day in water and heating costs? I dont think so. Hey, some people like granite counter tops at $60 dollars a square foot... Other like to spend $2000 dollars on a washer dryer every 5-8 years...... In terms of economics... it's a bad investment... I would even predict a one time repair on the $2,000 pair would offset any water or heating savings realized. It's an easy decision if the repair guy said the 5 year old $220 Kenmore dryer just blew the heating element.. not so in the 2,000 combo.....
 
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Old 03-28-04, 06:50 PM
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Where's does the 8 year life come from? And who does laundry every day?

My current washer/dryer pair is over 15 years old, and the only repair I've had to do is replaced the dogs in the agitator.
 
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Old 03-28-04, 09:18 PM
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One thing about the washer/dryer combo, The dryer takes forever to dry. I'v heard it takes hour and a half to dry a load, and also, don't hold much.
 
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Old 03-29-04, 09:46 AM
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My current dryer takes 90 minutes to dry an average load, only I have to keep checking it to make sure it's dry. And I can't count the number of times someone in the house has set it for too little time and left a load in there.. then they have to re-wash because the load soured.

I believe this is the machine I am looking at, though it is priced well below what I was quoted at Best Buy, so it may or may not be the same machine, but it's the general idea..

http://www.lgwasherdryer.com/lg-productinfo.htm
 
 

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