Washer/Dryer Recommendations

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We are looking for stackable washer / dryer. We recently had a appliance repair guy and I can't remember
what he said about which brands are most dependable. 4 kids so goes pretty steady every night but don't
want too many bells and whistles. Just need a work horse. Last dryer I bought a dryer, I said the same thing, nothing
fancy just turn it on and go so went with a basic model but soon regretted it, just felt like...while the basic
model! Felt cheap, flimsy dials.

Price is a factor but main concern is durability/reliabity. I know everything seems disposable after about 5 years.

All our appliances are about 5 years and they just don't stand up. And to get a appliance guy in is $120. New are 500 so
play that game of well the washer is 4 years old...

Advice/recommendations/discussion...
 
Speed queen. Haven't used them personally but that is what my brother in law went to and they have five kids. If my 10 year old plane Jane roper ever dies that is what I will go to. I have five kids also so the washer and dry run most days.
 
I would read Consumer Reports. You want enough features that support energy efficiency. For example a sensor drying cycle. Stackable machines are a pain to service. I would avoid if possible.
 
There are a lot of videos on Youtube how to fix appliances. The good thing about the American appliance brands is that parts are usually cheap and obtainable.
I repaired my sisters dryer a few years ago and a Youtube video helped me. It needed a new thermal limit switch which was under $20 at Dayton Appliance Parts which is local to me.
 
OP needs a STACKABLE set, so Speed Queen is out of consideration. Plus their 2018 model is a joke and it's getting harder to buy the 2017 or older AWN series washers.

coop - with 4 kids, I'd almost think you would be better off finding a used but good condition commercial unit. The kind used in laundromats.
 
Avoid Samsung IMO.We bought a front loading washer/dryer set .The first heating element went out on the dryer under warranty,the next one I paid for the service call, the next 4 or 5 I did with the help of youtube.I was replacing dryer heat element about every eight months I believe.I also replaced 1 drum belt and 2 drive belts.The washer lasted 4 years before the control board started acting flaky,eventually all of the custom settings stopped working and all we could do was the basic wash setting.The washer also started rusting around the detergent/bleach dispenser in about 2 years.

We replaced them with a used Whirlpool washer -top loader which is adequate.A brand new Maytag Centennial commercial grade dryer which is a pretty poor item.It takes 75 minutes or so to dry what usually would take 45 minutes or so to dry.

I'm guessing my next will be Speed Queens since they have the best reviews.
 
Originally Posted By: urrlord
Avoid Samsung IMO.We bought a front loading washer/dryer set .The first heating element went out on the dryer under warranty,the next one I paid for the service call, the next 4 or 5 I did with the help of youtube.I was replacing dryer heat element about every eight months I believe.I also replaced 1 drum belt and 2 drive belts.The washer lasted 4 years before the control board started acting flaky,eventually all of the custom settings stopped working and all we could do was the basic wash setting.The washer also started rusting around the detergent/bleach dispenser in about 2 years.

We replaced them with a used Whirlpool washer -top loader which is adequate.A brand new Maytag Centennial commercial grade dryer which is a pretty poor item.It takes 75 minutes or so to dry what usually would take 45 minutes or so to dry.

I'm guessing my next will be Speed Queens since they have the best reviews.


We are letting SK companies fill our box stores after getting caught price dumping … wake up already …
KORUS was a bad idea …
 
Originally Posted By: 4WD
Originally Posted By: urrlord
Avoid Samsung IMO.We bought a front loading washer/dryer set .The first heating element went out on the dryer under warranty,the next one I paid for the service call, the next 4 or 5 I did with the help of youtube.I was replacing dryer heat element about every eight months I believe.I also replaced 1 drum belt and 2 drive belts.The washer lasted 4 years before the control board started acting flaky,eventually all of the custom settings stopped working and all we could do was the basic wash setting.The washer also started rusting around the detergent/bleach dispenser in about 2 years.

We replaced them with a used Whirlpool washer -top loader which is adequate.A brand new Maytag Centennial commercial grade dryer which is a pretty poor item.It takes 75 minutes or so to dry what usually would take 45 minutes or so to dry.

I'm guessing my next will be Speed Queens since they have the best reviews.


We are letting SK companies fill our box stores after getting caught price dumping … wake up already …
KORUS was a bad idea …





What about all the Mexican stuff with “American “ brand names? Most items come from everywhere and not assembled in the US.

I would suggest the OP look for scratch and dent deals. I know a big family that does that. They have two dryers.
 
Laundry every night!?

I swear I keep trying to get on-board the "having kids" train, but every day it gets harder and harder to convince myself it's the right choice.

That being said, I would buy the most BASIC and SIMPLE units you can. All these fancy new machines with the electronic panels and "steam dry" and "super turbo mode" are just unnecessary. My bare-bones washer and dryer have plenty of settings for what I would bet is 90% of the average users cleaning loads. If you want clothes washed carefully/delicately/etc, have them dry cleaned.

Same goes for "energy efficient". It's like LRR tires getting .005% of a MPG better for CAFE. Maybe a family like yours would notice a difference, but I bet many wouldn't. So, do you want a $3k Speed Queen stackable, or a $1k Whirlpool? I would rather spend the $1k on the Whirlpool, fix it myself when it breaks, and spend the additional $2k in savings somewhere else. OR! Put the $2k away, in an envelope, taped to the back of the washer. Then if/when it breaks, you're home free even if it means purchasing a whole new unit.
 
Originally Posted By: 14Accent
Laundry every night!?

I swear I keep trying to get on-board the "having kids" train, but every day it gets harder and harder to convince myself it's the right choice.



Isn't that what the wife is for?

28.gif


I think all our stuff is Kenmore--which is made by someone else, but all the stuff seems pretty simple and generic. The microwave died once, and I was able to replace the relay that went--it was kind enough to flash out error code. Simple is nice: we replaced a 25 year old fridge, and the new one decided to not automatically defrost. I looked it over, decided it wasn't worth taking time off from work, and shotgunned the bimetallic thermostat in the freezer. Been working fine since. As opposed to friends who have a fancy fridge, the one with a freezer drawer on the bottom, multiple zones or whatever--and a dead controller board that precludes it from actually defrosting. Out of warranty and the maker doesn't support it anymore.

Knock on wood: oven, microwave and dishwasher are pushing 19 now. Washer and dryer are 13. The microwave and oven needed repairs when I bought the house (so 6 years old, not very good!) but they have soldiered on since with few complaints. I do need to put new shocks in the washer though, 1-2 loads a day seem to have taken its toll.
 
Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: 14Accent
Laundry every night!?

I swear I keep trying to get on-board the "having kids" train, but every day it gets harder and harder to convince myself it's the right choice.



Isn't that what the wife is for?

28.gif


I think all our stuff is Kenmore--which is made by someone else, but all the stuff seems pretty simple and generic. The microwave died once, and I was able to replace the relay that went--it was kind enough to flash out error code. Simple is nice: we replaced a 25 year old fridge, and the new one decided to not automatically defrost. I looked it over, decided it wasn't worth taking time off from work, and shotgunned the bimetallic thermostat in the freezer. Been working fine since. As opposed to friends who have a fancy fridge, the one with a freezer drawer on the bottom, multiple zones or whatever--and a dead controller board that precludes it from actually defrosting. Out of warranty and the maker doesn't support it anymore.

Knock on wood: oven, microwave and dishwasher are pushing 19 now. Washer and dryer are 13. The microwave and oven needed repairs when I bought the house (so 6 years old, not very good!) but they have soldiered on since with few complaints. I do need to put new shocks in the washer though, 1-2 loads a day seem to have taken its toll.


Back when it was working (and my first reply to this thread indicates it was) … Sears was a “customer before the customer” ~ those accounts were important to the companies who built what was rebadged as Kenmore Elite …
I don’t think Home Depot works that way … they “sell with shine” …
So, I’m still doing some business with Sears (small town) or an independent selling Whirlpool/Maytag …
 
My wife and I did the whole “buy cheap and repair as needed” route for a few years. Save yourself the money/time/hassle/inconvenience and just pony up the big bucks for the Speed Queens if you can. We went through sets of Whirlpool, Maytag, and Kenmore washers and dryers over an 8 year period. Most units would breakdown within 14 months. Even with me doing the repairs myself, the parts were outrageously priced. We would get a new unit whenever the repairs would be more than a new unit and we started buying the extended warranties. The Whirlpool set was the worst, $1200 worth or parts would have been needed to keep them going past the 2 year mark so the extended warranty just gave us the original purchase price back and tossed the units. That was the point that we went with Speed Queen and they have been running without issue for 6+ years now.
 
Quote:
OP needs a STACKABLE set, so Speed Queen is out of consideration. P


wrong they have ONE model that is stack-able. See Google.
 
Originally Posted By: Reddy45
OP needs a STACKABLE set, so Speed Queen is out of consideration. Plus their 2018 model is a joke and it's getting harder to buy the 2017 or older AWN series washers.


Let me guess: The government energy efficiency standards ruined the 2018 model, correct?
 
we have had the same Whirlpool He (ok, Kenmore elite; but made by Whirlpool) for 18 years; no service calls; 5-6 people in the house.
the two keys (in my opinion ) are: the washer is made in Germany (don't recall on the dryer) and the unit, being a front loader, does not have a transmission.
 
We just bought a Whirlpool washer last month. It is a [censored]. The first one leaked right out of the box, I told the drivers to take it with them I wasn't going to settle for a repair job on a machine that was literally 5 minutes old. They brought another machine the next day, and this coming Thursday will mark four times service has been here to fix an intermittent problem with it stopping mid cycle. They are replacing the controller Thursday, hopefully that's it. Water sensing, energy/water saving pile of [censored]. The old style machines w/o all the "saving features" [probably something to do with the EPA] and computer controlled are much better.

We plan on spending 2 hours to do a wash if we allow this POS so sense the water level. That's if it doesn't stop mid cycle.

The whirlpool it replaced lasted 20 years, go figure..........

LOL Rant off!
 
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