Update - Washer/Dryer Rec - Elderly MIL & Cloth Diapers

[wimama]

Update in post 20

We need a new washer and dryer. Our washer & dryer are on their last legs. I need some help choosing a washer/dryer.

We cloth diaper, so I want a washer that cleans cloth diapers and heavily soiled laundry well. Ideally I want a function on the washer to be able to add extra water.

The second big need we have is accessibility. We moved in with my MIL who is 83 years old and has bad shoulders. I do the majority of the washing, but she still likes to go down to the laundry room and do her own laundry often.

Which style of machine is best for accessibility? A front loader with pedestals?

Which washer are best for heavily soiled laundry and cloth diapers?

[hellokitty]

You do not want the pedestals if your mil has shoulder problems. We have a pr of Electrolux FL and dryer (which btw, I CD and I highly recommend, you can't add extra water, but it blows away the old frigidaire FL we had when I CD'd my two older kids). I LOVE it, BUT the pedestals make the unit very tall. For reference, I am am just shy of 5'4" and with the pedestals, the top of the machines are a little past my shoulder. The detergent tray is at the TOP of the unit. I have to tiptoe to look into the detergent tray. So, if you get the electrolux, get it w/o the pedestals. It is an awesome unit. I cannot say the same about other electrolux appliances (hate my fridge and DW, but love the laundry machines and stove), but it has been awesome for CDing. I was hesitant to get another FL again after our old frigidaire, but this is such a huge improvement. Also, b/c the opening is so much bigger on the newer FL units compared to the old ones (ours old fridgidaire FL was bought in 2000, it was still working when we got our electrolux, we gave it away), it is easier to get things in and out of the units, so that will be more ergonomic for your mil if she has problems with her shoulders.

[star04]

We have a front load washer and dryer, and they are stacked instead of side-by-side, therefore the washer (on the bottom) isn't on a pedastal. I find it very low (I am 5'3 BTW), so I have to hunch down and squat to dig stuff out of the back....may not be good for MIL.

[tmahanes]

We have a whirlpool duet without a pedestal and it is horrible you have to practically kneel on the floor to make sure you get everything out.

Sent from my Ally using Tapatalk

[wimama]

You do not want the pedestals if your mil has shoulder problems. We have a pr of Electrolux FL and dryer (which btw, I CD and I highly recommend, you can't add extra water, but it blows away the old frigidaire FL we had when I CD'd my two older kids).

Awesome info! I didn't really think about the detergent dispenser. Maybe a top loader would be better? I have heard a lot of people on the CDing boards talking about LG front loaders and the Fisher Paykel AquaSmart Toploader. :confused:

[fortato]

Did anyone else think the post was about using cloth diapers on the elderly MIL??

Anyway-
I like my front loading Maytag Neptune set...Capacity -wise- it holds a ton, but- you can't open it to add something after the wash has started (which always happens- that ONE sock you find)

[cono0507]

I love our Duet set. Front loading and on pedestals. Having them on the floor and not on the pedestal is just not an option for me. I love having it all right there at arm level. My MIL isn't elderly but navigates them easily. I've been amazed how some very soiled clothes (my kids like to dig in the garden, get plenty muddy, etc) come out clean after one wash. Seriously love this set! :)

[firemama]

We have the LG front loader and LOVE it! We cloth diaper and it is great for everything. We have the option to add extra water. There is also an option for extra hot water, but I never felt the need to use it. My cloth diaper cycle goes like this: prewash, hot wash - heavily soiled, extra water, extra rinse. They come out great!

I agree wtih PP that the pedestals may not be good for your MIL with shoulder problems. We love our pedestals because like another PP said, it's easier to look in and see that you got everything out. BUT it would be hard for her to reach the detergent dispensers. And the last thing you need is her climbing on a stool to reach them. Maybe keep a stool/chair nearby to sit on and lean over to make sure everything is out.

It also has the option to 'pause' the cycle if you forget that last sock or diaper. I have used this many many times.

[Smillow]

Awesome info! I didn't really think about the detergent dispenser. Maybe a top loader would be better? I have heard a lot of people on the CDing boards talking about LG front loaders and the Fisher Paykel AquaSmart Toploader. :confused:

I have a Fisher Paykel from 2005 & I really like it.

And this is my 1,000th post!:cheerleader1:

[Pear]

We have a Samsung front-loading steam washer. It is absolutely awesome for cloth diapers. It has a Sanitize cycle and is programmable. So I set up a program that runs a cold rinse, adds the soap and runs the sanitize cycle, and then follows up with an extra rinse. That way I don't have to add water to the cycle and unlike my previous washer I don't have to intervene and manually start a 2nd cycle when washing diapers. It heats the water above what comes out of the tap so we don't have to worry about balancing hot water needs for washing with sink safety.

We don't have pedestals. I wanted the top of the machines to remain at counter height so they could be a work surface. I normally just sit to move things. I'm not sure if a traditional washer would be better or worse for shoulder problems since those can involve a lot of bending.

[daisymommy]

Well, we have an LG Frontloader, and I LOVE it for clothes.
Hate it for cloth diapers :( They are never as easy to clean, or as clean smelling as with my previous run of the mill, top loader. I really believe CD's need more water to slosh around in to get clean and all the soap out. And front loaders, even with extra water added, really don't seem to be able to provide that. I'm adding an extra whole cycle, with extra water, just to get them sufficiently clean. And that still doesn't smell as fresh as with my old top loader.

But for clothes, I love it. It's easy to run and figure out, gets everything clean (because clothes are thin and not uber absorbent like CD's).

[trales]

We have the LG and cloth diped for 2 years. I was very happy with, but only when I used the hottest, longest cycle with extra rinses. It ran 2 hours.

It is very easy to load, easy to get to the detergent loader on top and could be elevated (though the pedestools are too high) by a contractor with a new base in your closet.

[bcafe]

I have a Samsung steam set and I hate it for diapers. So much so that I bought a top loader just for diapers and put in the basement. I do like it for our clothes though.

[wimama]

Well we went out to look at washers and dryers this weekend and we figured out something important. Pretty much all the front loader machine open in the opposite direction we need them to open. In our laundry room the laundry sink and washer connections are to the right hand side. Once you open most front loader the door is on the left. In the way of where we would have to put the dryer. I don't want my MIL reaching around the washer or dryer doors or for her to have to walk around them. That would be difficult for her.

The one exception we found so far is the Electrolux Washer's door can be flipped around. It comes in the same orientation as all of the other front loader washers. But, you can flip it to be oriented the other way. My MIL is tall enough that she can reach the detergent dispenser even on the taller Elctrolux without difficulty. We are still looking at the Fisher Paykel top loader washer and top loader dryer. Since you can change the water level and it is priced pretty affordable. Or maybe another top loader I don't know.


Did anyone else think the post was about using cloth diapers on the elderly MIL??

Anyway-
I like my front loading Maytag Neptune set...Capacity -wise- it holds a ton, but- you can't open it to add something after the wash has started (which always happens- that ONE sock you find)

Didn't think about it sounding like that! But, MIL doesn't need diapers.:rotflmao:


We have the LG front loader and LOVE it! We cloth diaper and it is great for everything. We have the option to add extra water. There is also an option for extra hot water, but I never felt the need to use it. My cloth diaper cycle goes like this: prewash, hot wash - heavily soiled, extra water, extra rinse. They come out great!

I agree wtih PP that the pedestals may not be good for your MIL with shoulder problems. We love our pedestals because like another PP said, it's easier to look in and see that you got everything out. BUT it would be hard for her to reach the detergent dispensers. And the last thing you need is her climbing on a stool to reach them. Maybe keep a stool/chair nearby to sit on and lean over to make sure everything is out.

It also has the option to 'pause' the cycle if you forget that last sock or diaper. I have used this many many times.

Which model do you have? The sales person at Sears said none of the front loaders had an extra water option. I did see it on the Electrolux washer.


I have a Fisher Paykel from 2005 & I really like it.

And this is my 1,000th post!:cheerleader1:

Congrats on the 1,000th post!:thumbsup: I like the idea of the Fisher Paykel, because you can set the water level and I have read that the Sheet cycle uses extra water. So, that it should be good for cloth diapers. That and it is a lot cheaper than Electrolux we would up looking at


Well, we have an LG Frontloader, and I LOVE it for clothes.
Hate it for cloth diapers :( They are never as easy to clean, or as clean smelling as with my previous run of the mill, top loader. I really believe CD's need more water to slosh around in to get clean and all the soap out. And front loaders, even with extra water added, really don't seem to be able to provide that. I'm adding an extra whole cycle, with extra water, just to get them sufficiently clean. And that still doesn't smell as fresh as with my old top loader.

But for clothes, I love it. It's easy to run and figure out, gets everything clean (because clothes are thin and not uber absorbent like CD's).

I was really hoping to nurse our toploader along until we were done with cloth diapers. But, the washer is about dead.:( I am kind of scared to mess with a wash routine that works perfectly for our cloth diapers by switching to a new machine.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

Did anyone else think the post was about using cloth diapers on the elderly MIL??



LOL, this was my first thought too, glad i'm not the only one!! i saw the title and thought "wow, she's really brave!!" lol

[hellokitty]

Wimama, my DH flipped the doors on our electrolux w/o much issue and it hasn't had any problems (no leaking, etc.). So, our dryer is on the left and our washer is on the right. It's that way, b/c the dingbat builder set up the plumbing that way. It's interesting you mentioned that the electrolux allows you to add more water, I guess that I had never looked into that. It washes my dipes better than my frigidaire ever did, so I've never felt the need to add more water to it. And like a pp said about wanting to stop and add in more clothes, YES the electrolux allows you to do it! We have the model that doesn't come with the steam version, but I feel like it is pretty high end. We got the kelly green color and everyone who sees it in our mud room has to stop and stare at it, lol. It has a paint job that a car deserves. Too bad that room is always a mess though.

[daisymommy]

My LG does have an extra water setting.

[AnnieW625]

I have this Frigidaire (http://www.sharpusa.com/ForHome/HomeAppliances/MicrowaveOvens/R307NW.aspx) (although it was also sold as a Kenmore in 2005 when we bought it and we got the Kenmore) and I didn't like it for washing my Fuzzi Bunz cloth diapers (although it washes the prefolds we have used for DD2's burp cloths (and DD2 has reflux) quite well), but for everything else it's a great middle of the road washer. I would've much preferred a standard non HE top loader for cloth diapers though, but I bought my machine pre kids. If we do another front loader we'll most likely go with an Electrolux too, if we do a top loader I'll look at the Whirlpool Cabrio, a Maytag top loading set, or a Kenmore Elite Oasis.

[BayGirl2]

We have a Maytag steam FL washer and dryer - 9000 series I think. You can set the water level and there is an extra rinse cycle, so effectively you are adding more water. They have worked really well for CDs.

We have pedestals and I find them much easier that way, we didn't have them for the first few weeks and there was a difference. I guess it depends on height. I am 5 8 and found the bending over hard, especially when pregnant. DS is only 5 4 but doesn't have an issue reaching.

But it sounds like the door opening may be more of an issue for you.

[wimama]

Update- We bought the Electrolux washer and dryer after reading a bunch of review last night on them. We got the wave-touch washer and dryer with the pedestals. This is going to take some adjustment from the super basic old top loader we have. There are so many bells and whistles on these things. To wash our diapers I used to turn the dial to rinse, then turn the dial to the heavy wash cycle, then run a short 2nd wash cycle. So, three trips to the basement to wash the diapers. Just setting the cycle and walkng away will be like heaven.:D

The Electrolux really is the only current front loader washer that has a reversible door, so it was our only option for a front loader. But, the saleswoman at Sears told us that the new Kenmore top of the line front loader washer will have a reversible door as well.