Thoughts on HE, low water use washers

[kijip]

We are trying to decide between these two models. Anyone have any opinions on either?

LG:

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Washers+%26+Dryers&pid=02627669000&vertical=APPL&subcat=Front-Load+Washers&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

Kenmore:

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Washers+%26+Dryers&pid=02647091000&vertical=APPL&subcat=High+Efficiency+Washers&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

Consumer Reports has them about even, and the information from my public utility company has them about even for water usage as well. We plan on having these for as long as they last, 10+ years so any personal experiences with either are appreciated. Each is eligible for a $100 rebate from my city for efficent washer purchases, kind of cool. Never bought a house before so we have never bought any appliances larger than a tiny freezer, so we are new to all this.

Frankly, the cherry red color is seducing me :P. I'm easy. Our laundry room will be in a large closet off of the upstairs bathroom (both *will* fit- I measured) but that means they won't be hiding in the basement...looking somewhat nice is a plus since they will just be in the middle of the main living space.

Also- are the pedestals really great to have to lift front loaders up or should we skip them?

[kijip]

We are trying to decide between these two models. Anyone have any opinions on either?

LG:

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Washers+%26+Dryers&pid=02627669000&vertical=APPL&subcat=Front-Load+Washers&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

Kenmore:

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Washers+%26+Dryers&pid=02647091000&vertical=APPL&subcat=High+Efficiency+Washers&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

Consumer Reports has them about even, and the information from my public utility company has them about even for water usage as well. We plan on having these for as long as they last, 10+ years so any personal experiences with either are appreciated. Each is eligible for a $100 rebate from my city for efficent washer purchases, kind of cool. Never bought a house before so we have never bought any appliances larger than a tiny freezer, so we are new to all this.

Frankly, the cherry red color is seducing me :P. I'm easy. Our laundry room will be in a large closet off of the upstairs bathroom (both *will* fit- I measured) but that means they won't be hiding in the basement...looking somewhat nice is a plus since they will just be in the middle of the main living space.

Also- are the pedestals really great to have to lift front loaders up or should we skip them?

[megs4413]

we have the kenmore....i would get the pedestals....

[megs4413]

we have the kenmore....i would get the pedestals....

[o_mom]

I believe that the second one is a clone of the Whirlpool Duet (I know it is made by Whirpool, just not sure which model). There have been many people on GardenWeb that have complained that it eats holes in their clothes. I know someone who has been round and round with Whirlpool over the issue and they come back and tell them it is their countertops that are putting holes in brand new, never worn clothes (???).

The pedestals would be nice, but we have used our front loader for 8 years without one. Other than when I'm pregnant (which was about 2 years out of that ;-) ) I don't mind them being down. ETA: Since they will be in the closet, I would get them for the extra storage space (if they are the kind with drawers).

[o_mom]

I believe that the second one is a clone of the Whirlpool Duet (I know it is made by Whirpool, just not sure which model). There have been many people on GardenWeb that have complained that it eats holes in their clothes. I know someone who has been round and round with Whirlpool over the issue and they come back and tell them it is their countertops that are putting holes in brand new, never worn clothes (???).

The pedestals would be nice, but we have used our front loader for 8 years without one. Other than when I'm pregnant (which was about 2 years out of that ;-) ) I don't mind them being down. ETA: Since they will be in the closet, I would get them for the extra storage space (if they are the kind with drawers).

[spunkybaby]

I liked the cherry-red color too, but we decided to get the Bosch instead of the LG about 6 weeks ago. I've heard on garden web that LG has some reliability problems and customer service issues. We are very happy with our Bosch. I believe it's a CR best buy, and there were a bunch of rebates from water company, electric/gas company, Lowes, etc.

Mom to a spunky toddler (3/04) and a new spunky Christmas baby (12/06)

[spunkybaby]

I liked the cherry-red color too, but we decided to get the Bosch instead of the LG about 6 weeks ago. I've heard on garden web that LG has some reliability problems and customer service issues. We are very happy with our Bosch. I believe it's a CR best buy, and there were a bunch of rebates from water company, electric/gas company, Lowes, etc.

Mom to a spunky toddler (3/04) and a new spunky Christmas baby (12/06)

[sweetpea]

I think I am the only person who hates HE washers. I've tried 3:

We first had the Bosch Nexxt and it was just way, way to stingy with the water. I understand you are only supposed to use 1TBsp of HE soap for the wash but it wasn't enough to get the clothes clean with this washer. If I used any more the clothes would be sticky and not rinsed well enough. Plus dd's excema was worse than ever when we used this washer. I never use fabric softner and add vinegar to the final rinse and that still didn't help. Also, if I did a larger load, the clothes in the middle didn't even get wet! Back to Sears.

Then we got the Kenmore HE4T from Sears. I liked this one because it has a "Skincare Rinse" option, meaning it uses more water to rinse with that option. This washer punched holes into all of our cotton clothes. It's like the holes on the drum were sharp on the inside and when the clothes spun they they were sucked too far into the holes so they ripped. In order to prevent the holes I had to choose the gentlest spin cycle which left the clothes sopping wet, thus increasing the time it took to dry them. Plus, everything came out in one giant tangled mess. Back to Sears. (I should note, my sister has the Kenmore HE3T and loves it).

THEN, we got the LG Steam. No holes, rinsed well. Fun to watch because it has a light you can turn on. The steam cycle was neat to de-wrinkle pants. And my laundry room was awfully cute with that red washer and dryer in there ;). Things still tangled and I had to use way too much soap on dd's clothing in order to get them clean enough so I ended up putting her loads through 2 cycles to get it all out. 3.5 hours later... her clothes were washed. I did like this one the most of the three though. Still, I wanted to get rid of it but was afraid the Sears people would run when they saw me coming and happily sold it with our home a few months ago instead. (Again, I should note, my mom has this washer and likes it).

So now we have a good old-fashioned Sears top loader water hog and I'm happy with it. I like being able to soak things overnight in a big tub of water if I need to, I like being able to control the wash time. I like being able to add a sock halfway through the wash if I need to. I like that I don't have to be a laundry scientist trying to figure out the perfect ratio of soap to use. And I like that I can do a load with a double rinse in less than 30mins.

Most people on the gardenweb forum would disagree with me so you should research there too for a less negative opinion... Those people are laundry nuts and they love the front loaders!

[sweetpea]

I think I am the only person who hates HE washers. I've tried 3:

We first had the Bosch Nexxt and it was just way, way to stingy with the water. I understand you are only supposed to use 1TBsp of HE soap for the wash but it wasn't enough to get the clothes clean with this washer. If I used any more the clothes would be sticky and not rinsed well enough. Plus dd's excema was worse than ever when we used this washer. I never use fabric softner and add vinegar to the final rinse and that still didn't help. Also, if I did a larger load, the clothes in the middle didn't even get wet! Back to Sears.

Then we got the Kenmore HE4T from Sears. I liked this one because it has a "Skincare Rinse" option, meaning it uses more water to rinse with that option. This washer punched holes into all of our cotton clothes. It's like the holes on the drum were sharp on the inside and when the clothes spun they they were sucked too far into the holes so they ripped. In order to prevent the holes I had to choose the gentlest spin cycle which left the clothes sopping wet, thus increasing the time it took to dry them. Plus, everything came out in one giant tangled mess. Back to Sears. (I should note, my sister has the Kenmore HE3T and loves it).

THEN, we got the LG Steam. No holes, rinsed well. Fun to watch because it has a light you can turn on. The steam cycle was neat to de-wrinkle pants. And my laundry room was awfully cute with that red washer and dryer in there ;). Things still tangled and I had to use way too much soap on dd's clothing in order to get them clean enough so I ended up putting her loads through 2 cycles to get it all out. 3.5 hours later... her clothes were washed. I did like this one the most of the three though. Still, I wanted to get rid of it but was afraid the Sears people would run when they saw me coming and happily sold it with our home a few months ago instead. (Again, I should note, my mom has this washer and likes it).

So now we have a good old-fashioned Sears top loader water hog and I'm happy with it. I like being able to soak things overnight in a big tub of water if I need to, I like being able to control the wash time. I like being able to add a sock halfway through the wash if I need to. I like that I don't have to be a laundry scientist trying to figure out the perfect ratio of soap to use. And I like that I can do a load with a double rinse in less than 30mins.

Most people on the gardenweb forum would disagree with me so you should research there too for a less negative opinion... Those people are laundry nuts and they love the front loaders!

[Marisa6826]

We have the older version of the HE from Kenmore (ours is HE3t) - they didn't have the one you're looking at when we bought ours.

We LOVE it. The only problem I have had with it was directly my fault. I washed a king sized down comforter (have done it many, many times), but didn't make sure it was shoved in all the way. The comforter got caught in the rubber gasket and it got all twisted up. The Sears guy came and fixed it within a half hour.

Oddly enough, I mentioned to him that I was sorry I didn't get the pedestals. He said I was better off without them since they caused a lot of extra vibration (which apparently equals wear and tear), and he said to be glad I didn't have them. Dunno, but that's what he said.

BTW, we have the matching dryer and it's great.

I like that if needed, the HEs can be stacked or side by side. Good to know if you ever need to move, kwim?

Oh, and Sears is always having rebates, so keep an eye out.

-m

[Marisa6826]

We have the older version of the HE from Kenmore (ours is HE3t) - they didn't have the one you're looking at when we bought ours.

We LOVE it. The only problem I have had with it was directly my fault. I washed a king sized down comforter (have done it many, many times), but didn't make sure it was shoved in all the way. The comforter got caught in the rubber gasket and it got all twisted up. The Sears guy came and fixed it within a half hour.

Oddly enough, I mentioned to him that I was sorry I didn't get the pedestals. He said I was better off without them since they caused a lot of extra vibration (which apparently equals wear and tear), and he said to be glad I didn't have them. Dunno, but that's what he said.

BTW, we have the matching dryer and it's great.

I like that if needed, the HEs can be stacked or side by side. Good to know if you ever need to move, kwim?

Oh, and Sears is always having rebates, so keep an eye out.

-m

[lisams]

I've read about the pedestals causing vibration problems. We didn't get them because I like to use the tops of the washer and drier to fold clothes on. It would be too high for me if we had the pedestals. We have a tiny laundry room, so having a folding surface is nice.

[lisams]

I've read about the pedestals causing vibration problems. We didn't get them because I like to use the tops of the washer and drier to fold clothes on. It would be too high for me if we had the pedestals. We have a tiny laundry room, so having a folding surface is nice.

[pb&j]

I never minded not having the pedestals. I'm short, though, so YMMV. At our old house, they were actually up on a little platform thingy, maybe just a 3-4 inches. But either way, I still find it easier than having to lean down inside of a top-loader. I had to stand on my tippy-toes to do that.


-Ry,
mom to Max the one year old
and my girl in heaven

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/37124.gif

[pb&j]

I never minded not having the pedestals. I'm short, though, so YMMV. At our old house, they were actually up on a little platform thingy, maybe just a 3-4 inches. But either way, I still find it easier than having to lean down inside of a top-loader. I had to stand on my tippy-toes to do that.


-Ry,
mom to Max the one year old
and my girl in heaven

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/37124.gif

[bostonsmama]

We also have the Kenmore Elite HE3t, which is the first generation of the HE5t, and LOVE it. I've never heard of the shredding problem, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist, although it may have been corrected in this newer model. Ya know, you could always get the HE2. I don't know if the opening or capacity is smaller, though. We do plan on buying the HE2 washer and dryer for our beach house soon, though...I've only seen it online.

Personally, the repair history of LG would steer me away from it. Plus, the great colors of the Kenmore are so fun. We opted for the graphite grey version of the HE3t when it first came available, and I still get a kick out of its sleekness. We didn't opt for the pedestals b/c we just couldn't afford it at the time. It really doesn't bother me, though, b/c I use the top as a folding surface and for detergent storage. It's up to you.

Do a search for anything I've written on these wonderful machines. HE washers and dryers have provided us tangible savings in both our water and electric bills...and for a while we were saving on detergents b/c we used standard ones only less. Now we use only HE detergents, but I try to get stuff on sale. It's benefited us as far as cleaner clothes, more gentle washing (at least on our model), and a satisfaction that I'm doing something great for our earth! Good luck deciding.

Larissa

[bostonsmama]

We also have the Kenmore Elite HE3t, which is the first generation of the HE5t, and LOVE it. I've never heard of the shredding problem, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist, although it may have been corrected in this newer model. Ya know, you could always get the HE2. I don't know if the opening or capacity is smaller, though. We do plan on buying the HE2 washer and dryer for our beach house soon, though...I've only seen it online.

Personally, the repair history of LG would steer me away from it. Plus, the great colors of the Kenmore are so fun. We opted for the graphite grey version of the HE3t when it first came available, and I still get a kick out of its sleekness. We didn't opt for the pedestals b/c we just couldn't afford it at the time. It really doesn't bother me, though, b/c I use the top as a folding surface and for detergent storage. It's up to you.

Do a search for anything I've written on these wonderful machines. HE washers and dryers have provided us tangible savings in both our water and electric bills...and for a while we were saving on detergents b/c we used standard ones only less. Now we use only HE detergents, but I try to get stuff on sale. It's benefited us as far as cleaner clothes, more gentle washing (at least on our model), and a satisfaction that I'm doing something great for our earth! Good luck deciding.

Larissa

[tylersmama]

We have the Kenmore HE3t too and have been very happy with it. We've had it almost 4 years now with no problems at all. We don't have the pedestals. I would have liked them, but DH said no way! We CD and the diapers have been sparkling clean and smelling fresh every time.

[tylersmama]

We have the Kenmore HE3t too and have been very happy with it. We've had it almost 4 years now with no problems at all. We don't have the pedestals. I would have liked them, but DH said no way! We CD and the diapers have been sparkling clean and smelling fresh every time.

[caheinz]

Already told you about our HE 4t. (No problems with holes -- but there's a common and expensive electrical problem...)

I like the pedestals. Our set is upstairs, so I can use the bed for folding, and the washer and dryer are at a great height for me (at 5'7"). Might depend on your space, though -- are you sure you don't want them stacked?

[caheinz]

Already told you about our HE 4t. (No problems with holes -- but there's a common and expensive electrical problem...)

I like the pedestals. Our set is upstairs, so I can use the bed for folding, and the washer and dryer are at a great height for me (at 5'7"). Might depend on your space, though -- are you sure you don't want them stacked?

[kijip]

>I like the pedestals. Our set is upstairs, so I can use the
>bed for folding, and the washer and dryer are at a great
>height for me (at 5'7"). Might depend on your space, though --
>are you sure you don't want them stacked?

I am not entirely sure they will fit because there are built in shelves in the closet that the stacked machines might block. I am leaning towards the HE5t at this point...but I will have to talk J down from the cherry red. :P

[kijip]

>I like the pedestals. Our set is upstairs, so I can use the
>bed for folding, and the washer and dryer are at a great
>height for me (at 5'7"). Might depend on your space, though --
>are you sure you don't want them stacked?

I am not entirely sure they will fit because there are built in shelves in the closet that the stacked machines might block. I am leaning towards the HE5t at this point...but I will have to talk J down from the cherry red. :P

[kijip]

Why would I buy the HE2 over the 5t? I thought the 5t used less water. We are buying mainly for the water savings factor, while also making sure that the set can be used on the 3rd floor of a townhome. If we get the HE5t, we will get white or perhaps the beige...wish it had the cherry red, LOL.

[kijip]

Why would I buy the HE2 over the 5t? I thought the 5t used less water. We are buying mainly for the water savings factor, while also making sure that the set can be used on the 3rd floor of a townhome. If we get the HE5t, we will get white or perhaps the beige...wish it had the cherry red, LOL.

[kijip]

>We have the Kenmore HE3t too and have been very happy with
>it. We've had it almost 4 years now with no problems at all.
>We don't have the pedestals. I would have liked them, but DH
>said no way! We CD and the diapers have been sparkling clean
>and smelling fresh every time.

That is good to know, since we plan on using cloth again if we ever have a baby to diaper again. :) Thanks.

[kijip]

>We have the Kenmore HE3t too and have been very happy with
>it. We've had it almost 4 years now with no problems at all.
>We don't have the pedestals. I would have liked them, but DH
>said no way! We CD and the diapers have been sparkling clean
>and smelling fresh every time.

That is good to know, since we plan on using cloth again if we ever have a baby to diaper again. :) Thanks.

[MarisaSF]

>Frankly, the cherry red color is seducing me :P. I'm easy.

That's bee-yoo-tee-ful! We have the Kenmore HE4Ts. I admit I got them because I fell in love with the blue color. Actually, I saw them at a friend's house; she had done a lot of research and I trusted her so I got the same ones.

I agree with the PP who said they are great for cloth diapers. No complaints. If I had to come up with a "con" it would be that they are BIG.

[MarisaSF]

>Frankly, the cherry red color is seducing me :P. I'm easy.

That's bee-yoo-tee-ful! We have the Kenmore HE4Ts. I admit I got them because I fell in love with the blue color. Actually, I saw them at a friend's house; she had done a lot of research and I trusted her so I got the same ones.

I agree with the PP who said they are great for cloth diapers. No complaints. If I had to come up with a "con" it would be that they are BIG.

[bnme]

We have the Whirpool model that came out just before that one (Whirpool makes the Kenmore). I love it! We don't have the pedestals and its not a problem for me. It's easier to move from washer to dryer bending down then transfering from top-load washer to ground level dryer was. I like to be able to fold laundry or store things on top of the machines so the pedastals wouldn't have worked for me.

It takes some getting used to but I love the way my clothes come out and although the wash cycles are generally longer they dry sooo much quicker. I also love that I can wash my king size comforter at home.

You may want to check with your dealer about which is better for stability on a 2nd floor installation (pedestals or not). Ours are on a ground floor slab so no issues with extra vibration or noise. If you are having them professionally installed it should be OK.

[bnme]

We have the Whirpool model that came out just before that one (Whirpool makes the Kenmore). I love it! We don't have the pedestals and its not a problem for me. It's easier to move from washer to dryer bending down then transfering from top-load washer to ground level dryer was. I like to be able to fold laundry or store things on top of the machines so the pedastals wouldn't have worked for me.

It takes some getting used to but I love the way my clothes come out and although the wash cycles are generally longer they dry sooo much quicker. I also love that I can wash my king size comforter at home.

You may want to check with your dealer about which is better for stability on a 2nd floor installation (pedestals or not). Ours are on a ground floor slab so no issues with extra vibration or noise. If you are having them professionally installed it should be OK.

[ast96]

I recently had to have my HE washer fixed -- because it flooded into my house -- and the Sears repairman told me that they have found that the HE washers are just not up to snuff -- that the idea is good and they were pushed onto the market to help the environment, but that the technology just isn't where it needs to be yet and they need frequent repairs, replacements, etc.

He suggested to me that next time I buy a washer (which will not be long, since my 3 year old HE is already collapsing) I buy just a solid, middle of the road traditional.

He said that for HE washers, you MUST -- no exception -- use HE washing fluids. He said they are now refusing to honor the warranties on machines in which non-HE fluid has been used. And no fancy kinds of bleach, just straight bleach. Also, nothing can be washed in it that is at all fuzzy or too bulky. It's a lot of restrictions.

None of this is my opinion -- simply repeating what he told me -- so no flames, please.

[ast96]

I recently had to have my HE washer fixed -- because it flooded into my house -- and the Sears repairman told me that they have found that the HE washers are just not up to snuff -- that the idea is good and they were pushed onto the market to help the environment, but that the technology just isn't where it needs to be yet and they need frequent repairs, replacements, etc.

He suggested to me that next time I buy a washer (which will not be long, since my 3 year old HE is already collapsing) I buy just a solid, middle of the road traditional.

He said that for HE washers, you MUST -- no exception -- use HE washing fluids. He said they are now refusing to honor the warranties on machines in which non-HE fluid has been used. And no fancy kinds of bleach, just straight bleach. Also, nothing can be washed in it that is at all fuzzy or too bulky. It's a lot of restrictions.

None of this is my opinion -- simply repeating what he told me -- so no flames, please.

[jgriffin]

My FIL just bought an LG front-loader (a different model, though). He likes it a lot, but he did have a complaint about how long the wash cycle is compared to his old top loader. I forget how long he said it was, but a quick wash cycle for him was about as long as a regular wash cycle on our machine (I just checked, we have a Duet), and his regular wash cycle was very long (~50 minutes, I think). Just one more factor to consider.

We don't have pedestals because of the shelving in our laundry area. And while it's not the greatest to have to stoop down to get the laundry, I'd have to stoop anyway even with pedestals. And I feel the tops of the washer and dryer are at a more normal counter height this way.

[jgriffin]

My FIL just bought an LG front-loader (a different model, though). He likes it a lot, but he did have a complaint about how long the wash cycle is compared to his old top loader. I forget how long he said it was, but a quick wash cycle for him was about as long as a regular wash cycle on our machine (I just checked, we have a Duet), and his regular wash cycle was very long (~50 minutes, I think). Just one more factor to consider.

We don't have pedestals because of the shelving in our laundry area. And while it's not the greatest to have to stoop down to get the laundry, I'd have to stoop anyway even with pedestals. And I feel the tops of the washer and dryer are at a more normal counter height this way.

[bostonsmama]

You're right. The HE5t does use less water and energy--which is always a good thing, esp if you have the extra money, but at least to my understanding of their comparison brochure, it's reather nominal.

The HE2plus w/ a 3.5cuft capacity uses 66% less water and 70% less energy than a top-loading washer on normal cycle. HE2t has a 3.6cuft capactiy and uses 69% less water and 72% less energy. HE3t (3.8cuft) uses 68% less water and 70% less energy. And the HE5t's (colored & standard) also have a 3.8cuft capactity and use 71% less water and 71% less energy. For energy and water specs, my HE3t uses 10.5gal/load and 176kwhours/year. The HE5t uses 10gal/load and 173kilowatt hours/year. The only other things that would make me buy a 5 over a 3 would be the porcelain coated top (more scratch resistant than painted steel of 3t) and the extra quiet pack insulation. HTH if it counts...I think the beige is beautiful! The red would also be an awesome color, but as I've said about myself...laundry can still be tedious and boring after the excitement of a new appliance fades away. ;-)

http://www.sears.com/download/misc/LaundryPlus_b.pdf

[bostonsmama]

You're right. The HE5t does use less water and energy--which is always a good thing, esp if you have the extra money, but at least to my understanding of their comparison brochure, it's reather nominal.

The HE2plus w/ a 3.5cuft capacity uses 66% less water and 70% less energy than a top-loading washer on normal cycle. HE2t has a 3.6cuft capactiy and uses 69% less water and 72% less energy. HE3t (3.8cuft) uses 68% less water and 70% less energy. And the HE5t's (colored & standard) also have a 3.8cuft capactity and use 71% less water and 71% less energy. For energy and water specs, my HE3t uses 10.5gal/load and 176kwhours/year. The HE5t uses 10gal/load and 173kilowatt hours/year. The only other things that would make me buy a 5 over a 3 would be the porcelain coated top (more scratch resistant than painted steel of 3t) and the extra quiet pack insulation. HTH if it counts...I think the beige is beautiful! The red would also be an awesome color, but as I've said about myself...laundry can still be tedious and boring after the excitement of a new appliance fades away. ;-)

http://www.sears.com/download/misc/LaundryPlus_b.pdf

[jhrabosk]

We have the base model Kenmores (below the HEs) for almost 2 years now and love them. Ours are stacked, no pedestals. DD likes to help put clothes in the washer on the bottom. :)

I noticed that you said you're putting it on the 3rd floor. Ours is in a closet on our 2nd floor...be prepared for some banging during the washer spin cycle. I've never looked into what I could do to resolve it b/c it's not THAT bad (it's right outside DD's door and doesn't keep her awake), but you should be forewarned in case it happens to you.

[jhrabosk]

We have the base model Kenmores (below the HEs) for almost 2 years now and love them. Ours are stacked, no pedestals. DD likes to help put clothes in the washer on the bottom. :)

I noticed that you said you're putting it on the 3rd floor. Ours is in a closet on our 2nd floor...be prepared for some banging during the washer spin cycle. I've never looked into what I could do to resolve it b/c it's not THAT bad (it's right outside DD's door and doesn't keep her awake), but you should be forewarned in case it happens to you.

[ivparker]

I have the HE3T and have had many problems and Sears customer service is horrid! I purchased all of my appliances from Sears, as a matter of fact, and have had problems with many and their service has been really bad for me. Almost to the point that most people would think it was unbelievable of how many times they screwed me. I have done some research myself after I bought my washer and many others are having the same electrical problems as i pp mentioned. This is a $600 fix! You can get the warranty but it is very expensive and is only for 2 years. My appliances are all only 1 1/2 years old now and I will be surprised if they last me past 5 years. I know you mentioned keeping it for 10+ years, I have no proof so this is just my opinion but I think that these front loaders are still being perfected that Im not sure that they will last that long. Very unfortunate as many people spent lots of money on them. BTW, I also use cloth diapers.
Ivanna

[ivparker]

I have the HE3T and have had many problems and Sears customer service is horrid! I purchased all of my appliances from Sears, as a matter of fact, and have had problems with many and their service has been really bad for me. Almost to the point that most people would think it was unbelievable of how many times they screwed me. I have done some research myself after I bought my washer and many others are having the same electrical problems as i pp mentioned. This is a $600 fix! You can get the warranty but it is very expensive and is only for 2 years. My appliances are all only 1 1/2 years old now and I will be surprised if they last me past 5 years. I know you mentioned keeping it for 10+ years, I have no proof so this is just my opinion but I think that these front loaders are still being perfected that Im not sure that they will last that long. Very unfortunate as many people spent lots of money on them. BTW, I also use cloth diapers.
Ivanna

[Zansu]

We have the first generation LGs (W&D) and we've had absolutely no issues in the past five years. We have very hard water, and I've always used HE detergent.

The wash cycle origianlly thinks that it will take almost a hour to run, but it never does. I believe it recalibrates after it senses how dirty the load is. The dryer takes no time at all.

[Zansu]

We have the first generation LGs (W&D) and we've had absolutely no issues in the past five years. We have very hard water, and I've always used HE detergent.

The wash cycle origianlly thinks that it will take almost a hour to run, but it never does. I believe it recalibrates after it senses how dirty the load is. The dryer takes no time at all.

[craftysierra]

We bought a Whirlpool duet set and have it stacked. When I priced it the whirlpool was cheeper at lowes vs the one with sears name on it so we went that way. I love the space I gained by stacking them but there are times I hate having them stacked due to bending and stretching (Mostly while pregnant and we bought them while I was pg with my 2nd child). We cloth diaper and they come out great and so do my clothes. I am a huge fan of sanitary wash for diapers, towels, kitchen towels and stubborn stains!

Sierra

[craftysierra]

We bought a Whirlpool duet set and have it stacked. When I priced it the whirlpool was cheeper at lowes vs the one with sears name on it so we went that way. I love the space I gained by stacking them but there are times I hate having them stacked due to bending and stretching (Mostly while pregnant and we bought them while I was pg with my 2nd child). We cloth diaper and they come out great and so do my clothes. I am a huge fan of sanitary wash for diapers, towels, kitchen towels and stubborn stains!

Sierra

[kijip]

>laundry can still be tedious and boring after the excitement of a new appliance fades away. ;-)

My husband and I put the eek in geek...even going to a laundromat (like we did 5+ years ago) excites him and I love to iron so between the two of us we have the laundry covered fancy machine or no fancy machine, LOL. Getting the most energy efficient version is important to us for other reasons. Since it will be on the third floor, the quiet pack insulation may be extra useful as well. Thanks for the link.

[kijip]

So it is front loaders or no full size set. On further inspection of the width of the closet having two machines side by side is not practical...so front loaders stacked up are the only way to get a full size set. I recorded the width of the closet wrong and they will sit next to/below the shelving. Well that settles the question of the pedestals...not needed.

[dogmom]

I have the Whirlpool Duet, which is the same as the HE. Love it. Yes, the cycle is longer as a PP noted, but the way it washes is completely different than the top loader. (Less water, more spinning, clothes come out dryer) So the drying time is shorter. Also, you can do more. I used to do both my kids clothes together, which would always be 1 1/2 loads, now it is just one. It is SOOO much easier to keep up on laundry now. And yes, you need the HE detergent, but you use so much less, even less than recommended, that you wind up saving money and getting cleaner clothes. Also, I find that the washer can get more of my pet hair out and is more gentle on my clothes so my lint trap in the dryer is not always full.


Jeanne
Mom to Harvey
1/16/03
& Eve 6/18/06

[KBecks]

Wow, I'm shocked, I've only heard good things about the front loaders, and I'm jealous of those that have them. We needed a washer and dryer right when the new ones were coming out, but they were too new/expensive at the time and we got a regular top loader set.

I do find that a good soak can be very helpful for getting out dirt and stains. Never thought about that being unavailable in the newer models.

I'm still itching a little for a front loader though. My top loader is 7 years old and going strong so I'm going to have to wait a while....

[crayonblue]

We don't have them but my in-laws just bought the Kenmore set. I was shocked by how much cleaner the kids' clothes were after washing them at the in-laws! If we didn't have fairly new appliances, I would buy them!