OT: Any updated thoughts on frontloading washer/dryer? Favorites?

[mattysmom]

Our current machines are too small and just don't seem to get the boys' clothes clean.

Yesterday I looked at a local place at the Bosch and the Whirlpool, but can't really decide why one is better that the other (or not). And I still need to go to Sears to look at the Kenmore, right?

My boys are 3 and 1 and it already feels like I do a ton of laundry - I can only imagine what it's going to be like in a few years!
Thanks for any suggestions!

[DebbieJ]

Whirlpool makes the Kenmore, so you don't necessarily have to go look at it, unless they're running a better deal (free delivery, 10% off, etc...)

~ deb
DS born at home 12/03
2 year check up: 25 lbs with clothes on and 35 inches!
BFARed for 20 months and 6 days
(Breastfeeding After Reduction is possible! www.bfar.org)

http://www.bfar.org/members/fora/style_avatars/Ribbons/18months-bfar.jpg

[bostonsmama]

If have to be price-concious, I just saw that GE is now making a front-loading pair that looks pretty cute. Its introductory price for the washer is only $899 and 6 or 799 for the dryer. I can't attest to its quality (as it's brand new technology for GE), but I can say I have the first generation of Kenmore HE3t's and mine is fine....going strong like a champ!

I have also used my aunt's Maytag front loader and tall dryer pair (so cool with the tall drying/steaming wrack). Her washer is slightly more intuitive and easy to build a precise cycle. My Kenmore mostly has presets that you can manipulate to some extent. But note that earlier models (such as the Neptune with the solid door) were highly repair prone.

The last thing you want when you spend a couple thousand on a washer and dryer is to have expensive repairs in your future. With that said, please do a search for "front load" "washer" "HE3" and such and you'll get lots of threads where we've discussed the pros and cons.
Larissa

We're doing it! IVF orientation & consult scheduled for May 2nd!
Saline Sonogram--May 5th

Proud Aunt to Jack Dorian, born to my brother and SIL on 3/06
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/32719.jpg

[luvmypeanut]

We had a GE pair when I lived overseas and it was great. We've got a Bosch in a rental property and I absolutely hate it. The spin cycle sounds like a jet engine and I've found holes in my clothing every once in a while. Now I'm not an expert at laundry, but I've never had holes in my clothes until I started using the Bosch. But I'm a toploading type of gal as well.

[eb1]

We just bought a FL matching washer/dryer set last week after doing a lot of leg work. We looked in a bunch of stores, did consumer reports and online research, etc.

The Whirlpool and the Kenmore machines are the same (both made by Whirlpool), but the Kenmore versions tend to have one or two additional features over their Whirlpool counterparts (features you may or may not feel are important). These are some of the more expensive machines on the market, but they're good and in my opinion, pretty sleek; they come in a few price ranges, depending on their capacity and features. One of the main features to consider is an internal water heater (if the machine has a "sanitize" or "anti-bacterial" feature, it has an internal water heater...but beyond sanitizing, the heater has some other benefits; check out the laundry forums at www.thathomesite.com for entirely too much information and discussion).

There are less expensive FL options out there though, including GE (I think the new model is the Adora, and even Sam's Club carries a GE FL set), Frigidaire, etc.

Our top choice, ultimately, would have been the Kenmore, but except for the smallest model, these were simply too deep for the space in our laundry room. We went with LG (Life's Good, available at Home Depot and Best Buy) because it had most of the features I wanted including a large capacity, yet it was shallower depth-wise than almost everything else. I think the LG is a copycat of the Bosch.

Also, what kind of floor will be under your washer? We have tile, so don't hear much noise at all during the spin cycle and the whole washing cycle overall is very quiet, but if you have a less solid floor or installing on a second floor, the noise of a super fast spinning front loader can be a big deal.

Besides deciding the capacity you need, whether or not to get an internal heater model, how much space you have to fit the washer and dryer, consider the cycles the machine offers. For instance, we do not have a "soak" cycle on ours (we have a pre-wash only), which I really miss from our top loader. There were some items I liked to soak overnight in the machine; can't do that in the front loader. Some front loaders DO have a soak cycle.

There are also some machines, such as the Kenmore Oasis, that are top loaders that work like front loaders. They cost the same as some of the front loaders yet use more water per cycle.

Good luck!

[kellyotn]

I have an "older" Kenmore set (2001-ish). They are pretty basic (no electronic control panel, etc). $1300 or so for the pair, if I recall. The saleswoman said that for the Kenmore label they do add a few more perks so you buy it over the Whirlpool-branded one if you are in Sears.

I REALLY like them. I love how dry the clothes spin out. I really think it helps with shrinkage as they are less wet when going into the dryer. Our dryer has 4 levels (high, med, low, air) and I always can just use the second to the low heat setting and they are still dry really quickly. I never use high or med. Its great for huge things like comforters, and really gentle on sweaters since there's no agitator.

We did require a repair post-warranty. But, when I called Sears to set up the appointment, they sold me a new warranty for very little money and said if the repair was less I could cancel the new warranty. And, given that a service call w/ no repair would still cost something, I bought it. If the machine would have been more than $500 to fix, I'd have gotten a new one. It wasn't that much and I had to pay a deductible. In the end, very worth it! ;) I asked the repair guy if it was a common problem and he said no it wasn't, and if it were, I'd think it'd be fixed by now since mine's 5 years old.

HTH

[Oregonmother]

for those who already have the FL, do you have them on pedestals? Do you think it's worth the extra $400 or so. Do you not have them and wish you did? We are getting the Kenmore's and I can't decide if I want/need the pedestals or not. I guess I can always get them later, but ws curious what you all thought.

[kellyotn]

I don't have them. What are they for? I don't even know, other than they look kinda cool. $400? No, I wouldn't spend that to have them, unless they serve some big function? It is kinda low to get the wet laundry out, I guess, but really no less annoying than picking wet laundry out of a top-loader. (I use both kinds on a weekly basis, I find them equally annoying.) ;)

[BaileyBea]

I love my FL washing maching.

At Sears some models are made by Whirlpool and some by Maytag. You need to ask before you buy. The Sears repair man was visiting a couple of weeks ago and told me that they have some models that cost $800 per repair and that people wouldn't buy them if they knew that. Just an FYI!

Ask Questions:
1) Who makes this model?
2) What is the repair cost average for this model?
3) What is the warranty? (get the longest one it's worth the extra cost)
4) Under the warranty how often are tune-ups done

Then if you buy at Sears and get the warranty. Put all the dates and reminders for the tune up in your calendar. (Learn from my mistakes - Trust me)

Now about the Bosch. Look at the Bosch and the Miele they have been making front loading washers for many years longer in European Countries than the US. Bosch is the best of the best. My neighbor loves her Miele front loader. It would blow your mind if you saw the sizes these washers come in. From mini-mini to extra large.

I also think the raised washers are so nice and good for your back. Especially when pregnant. I wish mine had a pedestal. Good luck.

[MarisaSF]

Just FYI, Costco was/is selling Whirlpool Duets. If you buy both, there's a rebate for one free pedestal. You have to buy the other.
My in-laws have FLers. They opted not to get the pedestals. For one, they like to put things/fold laundry on top of the machines. Two, they didn't want to bend all the way down to get the soap and such.
I think if I wanted the machines a bit higher, I'd build a stand of some sort. No need for the drawers.
Happy shopping!

[lisams]

I am so glad we don't have them. It takes like 1 minute to transfer the load from the washer to the drier and it doesn't bother me. I like having the tops of the machines as surface to fold the laundry - they would be too high for me if we had the pedestals. I've also heard that they are more likely to jiggle around and move during the spin cycle if they are on pedestals.

[TwinsItIs]

I have the Kenmore H3's (or something like that) and absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE them. I have them for 3 years and got an absolute great deal in Sears. You can get great deals on their sale prices. I really love it and would recommend it to anyone. Haven't had even one problem. My sister bought the kitchenaid and she doesn't like them.

[mattysmom]

Thanks so much for everyone's responses. I still like the idea of the Bosch, but found the stats and it only has a 2.1 cubic feet capacity compared to the whirlpool or kenmore's 3.8. So it seems sort of silly to spend so much on a smaller product (when i'm looking to cut down on the number of loads i do weekly).

So, I guess that leaves me considering the whirlpool or the kenmore. i'm just having a hard time figuring out the differences between them, etc. And, I definitely don't want a $800 repair bill in a couple of years!!

thank you for any more advice deciding between these two. And I also liked hearing from people about whether or not to get the stands...

[eb1]

Were you looking at the Bosch Axxis? I think the Bosch Nexxt has a 3.7 capacity drum. Also, someone suggested the Miele -- those are supposed to be awesome, but extremely expensive.

Just to reassure you, there are no mechanical differences between the Whirlpool and the Kenmore, as they are the same machines with only a slight difference in features (I believe related to the cycles). Pull up the Whirlpool website and Sears website in another window and do a side-by-side comparison looking at the features/cycles specifically. Then go to Sears and look at them in person and see if you have a preference. (Sears carries both.) The Sears salespeople should be able to talk to you about the differences without giving you a pressured salespitch. I don't remember the exact differences, but it may be something like one has a warm/warm cycle and the other only has cold rinses, or one has a soak feature and the other doesn't. These are NOT quality differences.

If price is a factor and you feel you can't afford the top-of-the-line Kenmore or Whirlpool but you want those features, I'd suggest you consider the GE or LG machines.

We skipped the pedestals because I didn't want to spend the extra money, I'm short and didn't mind the height for loading and unloading the machines (just try it in the store and see if that feels uncomfortable to you--it's really the same position you're probably used to from your current dryer), and I wanted to be able to have the top of the machines clear for folding or putting laundry baskets on. We may build a counter above the machines too.

If you don't need/want to access the top of the machines and you want a really comfortable height to work, and don't mind the extra expense, get the pedestals.

To me, they didn't seem like a great storage option (I didn't have anything I would want to store there). Two other considerations are that the pedestals sometimes cause the machines to vibrate more, and also you might be blocking the water valve for your washer if you put it on the pedestal (to me this was an issue because we did have a washer hose burst once and needed to have immediate access to turning off the water). We now have the braided steel hoses but still I like having access to the shut-off valve just in case.

[jd11365]

We have the new GE front loaders and they are a great bang for the buck! A shaweet deal, and gives you all the goodies like the sanitize feature. :)

[bostonsmama]

I don't have the pedestals either. We just couldn't rationalize the cost (an extra $120-150ea at the time). The pedestals for the HE4's are taller now so that 200oz detergent bottles will fit upright. Unfortunately, I think the footprint of the HE4's are larger than the HE3's, so the new P's won't fit my older model now. So, you can't always "buy later." I've had my HE3t pair for at least 4 years, and sometimes I REALLY wish I had the pedestals. I abhor bending over to transfer all the loads. And I don't fold laundry on top of the washer anyways....that's what dining room tables are for! ;)

Anyways, like Marisa, we entertained building a platform, but it never happened.

Larissa

We're doing it! IVF orientation & consult scheduled for May 2nd!
Saline Sonogram--May 5th

Proud Aunt to Jack Dorian, born to my brother and SIL on 3/06
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/32719.jpg

[ShayleighCarsensMom]

You dont need them if they are going in the house, but if they are going in the garage, most city codes require that they are 18 inches off the ground due to gasses (that is why water heaters sit on a shelf in the garage!)
HTH

[slknight]

We got the pedastals for our Bosch w/d, but that's because our basement tends to flood in that area during the spring. I'd rather have a drawer flood than the electrical equipment of an expensive w/d, kwim? If we didn't have the water issue, I probably would have skipped them. I can't fit my laundry detergent in there anyway so they are usually empty. I have found that it's a good place to hid presents from DS. ;)