| Author |
Message |
Jeep
Member
10-17-2001
| Tuesday, June 12, 2018 - 5:45 am 
My washer bit the dust this week. Since it's been about 20 years since I had to buy one, my head is spinning with all the different models.
I am not a tall person, so I can barely get the bottom items out of the big top loading washers with no agitator. Can't believe they don't have that anymore! I tried on my brother's washer.
So, looking for opinions on the washers you love. Anyone like the front loading ones?
Thanks in advance!
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Lakecat
Member
10-01-2006
| Tuesday, June 12, 2018 - 6:00 am
I hate my front load washer. Smells of mildew all the time, as do my clothes. All the pet hair collects in the rubber seal around door and hard to clean.
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Dogdoc
Member
09-29-2001
| Tuesday, June 12, 2018 - 6:03 am
The front loading machines use less water. That is why I got one. There is no problem loading them either if you are short.
The agitator machine wore clothes out while cleaning them.
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Scooterrific
Member
07-08-2005
| Tuesday, June 12, 2018 - 7:00 am
I have heard nothing but bad things from people that have front loading washer. We just replaced our washer and dryer a month ago, and I love them!
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Grooch
Member
06-16-2006
| Tuesday, June 12, 2018 - 7:04 am
My aunt had a front loader and she hated it, too. When it died she went back to the top loaders. They use hardly any water now, too. I can't understand how they get clothes clean. A friend has a front loader and I make him leave the door ajar so it will dry out and not get that mildewy smell. But it's in the basement so it's not an inconvenience.
And another complaint. Our new top loader, since it uses so little water, it takes like an hour to wash a load. So I'm conserving water but wasting electricity. I want a machine like my old one but they don't make them anymore.
Sorry that I'm no help.
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Jeep
Member
10-17-2001
| Tuesday, June 12, 2018 - 8:16 am
Yeah, I hear everybody. The repairman told me they don't make them like they used to and that was not a compliment.
Scooterrific, what did you buy?
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Dogdoc
Member
09-29-2001
| Tuesday, June 12, 2018 - 8:34 am
Jeep, my front loader takes over an hour/per load
I leave the door and soap compartments open all the time or I get the mildew smell.
I like the fact that the dog hair gets caught in the rubber ring. It is easy to pull out.
My repairman said that the new plastic agitators in the top loads don't last very long. I had the old ceramic type and it never wore out. Other parts did though.
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Dogdoc
Member
09-29-2001
| Tuesday, June 12, 2018 - 8:35 am
Scooter, I wasn't sure what kind you have that you love.
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Mack
Member
07-22-2002
| Tuesday, June 12, 2018 - 9:57 am
We have a matched pair of Samsung washer and dryer. The washer is a front load and I admit once we’re done with our typical Sunday laundry routine we leave the washer door open usually overnight, We have a separate dedicated laundry room that’s not a pathway to say a garage or other room so leaving the door open is not an issue. We’ve had this pair for almost ten years so they’ve held up well. Of course with just the two of us we typically only do four or five loads a week and rarely six loads. The washer really has made a difference in our in-house water consumption. Based on the computer on our water softner I’d say we’re saving 20-25% from our top load washer days.
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Roxip
Member
01-29-2004
| Tuesday, June 12, 2018 - 10:37 am
Ugg. I had a front loader and I fought mold and mildew all the time - but my washer and dryer are out in the garage so I should have known better. I now have a top loader with no agitator and I love it (but I agree - I have to really stretch to reach down to the bottom to get clothes out). Perhaps a stool would help...I'm going to find the one I have and use it.
You might check and see if the water it turned up as high as it can go. My front loader took forever to load until finally somebody turned the spigots attached to the hoses and amazingly it started filling faster. I felt so stupid. Apparently when it was installed the water was turned down pretty low. It never occurred to me to check and see if I could turn it up higher.
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Kookliebird
Member
08-04-2005
| Tuesday, June 12, 2018 - 11:02 am
I wipe all the moisture out my front loader after every wash (keep a small wash cloth hanging on the door). Periodically, I run an empty wash with some white vinegar through it to kill the smells if they start coming on. But, that does not happen too much if I wipe it down. I also leave it slightly open when finished using.
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Dogdoc
Member
09-29-2001
| Tuesday, June 12, 2018 - 11:14 am
I leave the door way open, but mine is down in the basement, out of the way.
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Tuesday, June 12, 2018 - 5:05 pm
I have had a front loader for 14 years, and I love it. I'm short, so we don't have them on a pedastal.  We leave the door open and I rinse every load with vinegar, so we rarely have any mildew smell.
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Pamy
Member
01-01-2002
| Tuesday, June 12, 2018 - 6:33 pm
Roxip, they have a little grabber thing that they were selling at Lowes by the washers. it is a long stick with grabber at the end
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Snoopsmom
Member
02-19-2003
| Tuesday, June 12, 2018 - 7:17 pm
After my second front loader broke down and was going to cost more to fix than it cost to buy new I went back to a top loader. The repairman we had at the time was great and gave us lots of helpful information.
Told us about 90% of people he saw did not stay with front loaders and went back to top loaders. Suggested we stay away from the top loaders without agitators as they were just front loaders flipped vertically and that the bearings wore out faster due to working harder to balance loads. Said they didn't clean as well either.
We opted for a less expensive top loader with an agitator and I am very happy with it. I would never go back to a front loader again.
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Zeyna
Member
07-15-2001
| Tuesday, June 12, 2018 - 7:21 pm
I have a front loader and really like it. I do keep the washer door open when not in use to avoid the mildew. The only thing I wish it had was a time delay to start a wash/dry during off peak hours
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Mack
Member
07-22-2002
| Tuesday, June 12, 2018 - 7:51 pm
The new Samsung washers, and probably other major brands, now have wi-fi and an app that allows you to control the washer. That includes scheduling time.
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Jeep
Member
10-17-2001
| Wednesday, June 13, 2018 - 5:55 am
I'll be shopping this weekend and will keep all this in mind. Top loaders don't get many good reviews and that disappoints me. There is only one family owned store here that still does repairs on their products. They sell Maytag products. Then I'll go to Lowe's etc. Wish me luck!!
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Mack
Member
07-22-2002
| Wednesday, June 13, 2018 - 6:49 am
Good luck Jeep. It does appear that the days of a really good top loader are fast disappearing. It’s like the pressure, either real or manufactured, is leaning toward supposedly more efficient, both energy and water wise, machines and more and more of those are front loaders.
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Grooch
Member
06-16-2006
| Wednesday, June 13, 2018 - 7:45 am
Jeep, just be careful with the salesmen. I've come to believe that they will lie and push on you the machines they can't get rid of.
Good luck!
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Roxip
Member
01-29-2004
| Wednesday, June 13, 2018 - 7:57 am
I would wipe out the seal every time I used my front loader...but I had a teenager that wasn't as good at it (she sucked quite honestly), which didn't help...LOL!
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Grooch
Member
06-16-2006
| Wednesday, June 13, 2018 - 8:08 am
Personally, I think it's ridiculous that anybody has to do extra work and have to wipe out the seal on a washing machine. You would think the companies would come up with a solution for it. I bet if it was mostly men that did laundry, the companies would find a way pretty darn quick.
Also, most laundry mats have the front loaders and their machines don't stink. Why is that?
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Dogdoc
Member
09-29-2001
| Wednesday, June 13, 2018 - 8:21 am
Roxip, I don't mind cleaning out the dog hair from the rubber rim.
At least I know where the hair landed.
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Kookliebird
Member
08-04-2005
| Wednesday, June 13, 2018 - 8:52 am
Grooch, if machines are used continuously like at a Laundromat, then the water isn't standing for periods of time to grow the smelly bacteria. My machine's issue was when I first bought the condo. It had not had anyone living there for 8 months and the washer was shut tight. Boy, did it smell.... google and vinegar was my savior.
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Dogdoc
Member
09-29-2001
| Wednesday, June 13, 2018 - 10:17 am
I know that I am the only person that this happened to or will happen to, but I will mention it anyhow.
I washed my first "My Pillow" in my top loading machine and it came out fine.
The next time I did it in the new front loader. I washed it by itself. Big mistake. It soaked up a lot of water and then just lay in the machine.
I didn't notice the warning on the pillow instructions that says not to put the pillow in alone in a front loader. You must add other items.
I am not into homemaking!
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