Purchasing a Front Loading Washer & Dryer Set

I have the Maytag Neptune set and love them. There's loads of room so it means fewer loads. Just so you kniw, you CAN overload it. The only thing that happens is that the clothes come out really wrinkled. Other than that, no problems.

Electrolux is the best! I have a set myself and I LOVE them. There is no agitation stick so you can fit 25 pairs of jeans or 2 queen bedding sets. Depending on which version you get there is also options to choose the type of soil such as grass stains..persperation etc.

If you dont like this set there is also the kenmore set that is just as good. I cant remember the specific model right now but a friend of mine has them.

Hi there!

I am like you, I want to know what I'm purchasing will meet my needs before I buy it. About a year ago we purchased a new washer and dryer. We opted to not get the front loader just because we didn't have the money to also get the pedestals, I have a bad back and didn't want the front loader without them. ANYWAY.... what you're looking for is a high efficiency washer. They are the ones that weigh the load and put in the correct amount of water according to size of the load.

While we were looking, we went to Sears. Our salesman was wonderful. He was an older man who used to REPAIR washing machines, but due to his back issues can no longer do the work. So, now he sells them. :-) He gave us the low down.

LG machines.... hard to find parts when they break down.

Maytag.... no longer actually owned by Maytag, but rather Whirlpool(?). They are the same machines, but with the Maytag label on them. I also know Maytag has a problem with the seal around the door. There was a class action lawsuit against them about it... but they never changed the seal... so the problem still exists. The only difference is, no body can do anything about it because there was already a lawsuit!

Kenmore.... most of their HE machines are actually built in Germany. And having lived in Germany for 2.5 years, these guys know how to built a washing machine. Seriously.

Kenmore is a great machine. Go to sears. Take a look at their front loading HE machines, I think you will be happy with it. And, they come in a bunch of fun colors.

Oh, and by the way... we bought their top loading HE machine. I LOVE IT. You have to play with the settings on an HE machine to get things just the way you want them...but I do love the machine.

Check out Consumer Reports:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/appliances/laundry-and...

You have to subscribe to see their rankings, but since you'll spend a lot it might be worth it! They do a good job with providing unbiased comparisons.

Goodness! Who has tried to talk you out of the front loaders? From what I've read they are all more efficient, both in electricity and water usage. The ONLY drawback I've heard from mamas is that the front-load washers use too little water to get cloth diapers clean in just one wash. But if you aren't using cloth diapers go for it:)
I don't know much about them so I'm not going to be any help:( Good for you for spending a little extra to get something better!

I completely understand wanting to research a product before buying it, especially appliances but the "facts" can sometimes be overwhelming! When I bought mine 3 years ago, I simply looked for the one that had the features I was most interested in. I ended up buying the Kenmore. I was mostly interested in the load capacity and sanitary options. I like to wash my towels, bed linens and baby clothes in very hot water. I also do TONS of laundry so was wanted to cut back the amount of loads and conserve as much water and energy as possible. I also liked the feature that you could do a "quick" load for those times where you have to wash something at the last minute. The entire cycle takes 30 minutes. The dryer has always shut off when my clothes are dry and I have never had to restart the dryer to finish the job. What I'm saying is to definitely get the right price and a good name brand but don't worry about all the "extras". Just get one that has the features that you would use the most. I love mine! Oh, I would definitely read up on how to take care of the washer. I found that after 3 months or so it started to smell. You somtimes have to leave the door open when not in use to dry out the drum. You also have to run bleach or vinegar load without anything it it.

I have a Kenmore also. We are very happy with it. It does not have a load size sensor though, and I don't remember that being an option with the Kenmore's at our price point. I always do a full load - which isn't a problem for us, there always seems to be tons of laundry to do. We looked at the more snazzy brands (longingly), but ended up buying a Kenmore b/c of the price.

Hiya,
I used to sell washers and dryers so I know a bunch about them. I can tell you that there were a few brands NOT to get that we always had people call back and return. Don't get a GE or a Maytag. I also own one (And it does a great job). It's a kenmore. I've had it for 5 years. I love it. The only thing I would be wary of is that some of the FL'ing models have only been out a few years. The Duet has had theirs out for a long time. My guess is that you should go with the Whirlpool or the Kenmore (if whirlpool makes this kenmore model).
Goodluck!

L.,

I dont have one but I have read lots and lots of reviews and heard stuff on tv. Before you purchase a front loader, check the reviews and maybe Consumer Reports. I have heard water gets 'stuck' in the drum and makes the clothes smell like mildew. I was very interested in them but to me even the thought or possiblity of any smell has made me not want one. When I do get a new set in the next year I am gonna go for a regular washer and the matching dryer for the front loader. Just READ READ READ before you buy! Good luck!

I can tell you what NOT to get and that is Frigidaire. I have the set and while I love all the features, the washer has broken down not once but twice with the exact same problem! The last time I actually ordered the part(entire control panel) and fixed it myself. I will never, ever buy a frigidaire anything again. My refrigerator is the same brand and has also had problems. I will stick with a front loader washer though forever! Less soap, less, water, less energy and gentler on your clothes. As for the cloth diaper comment..Mine has a heavy soil/stain wash cycle that gets out anything:)

L. Etta, mother of a 7yr old girl and a 9 yr old boy:)

L.,

I got my LG front load stackable washer and dryer when I was pregnant with my 2 year old... I wasn't able to carry the laundry in to the basement, so my hubby replumbed and wired the bathroom (on main floor) so I didn't have to carry it all up & down steps.

I do love my set... I got it before the mist wash was available, but it does have the dryer sensor & it works great! When I turn on the dryer it always says 40 min, but once the sensor feels that the clothes are dry the dryer turns off - sometime it only takes 10 min to dry a full load of clothes.

The only thing I don't like about my set is that I have to wash full loads only (queen size bedding set, 6 sets of pants & shirts, 2 twin bedding sets, 10-12 towles & wash clothes, or almost a weeks worth of kids cloths)... I can't do a small load or it will sometime leak out the front door. But I just put a towel down and all is good. I don't think I'll ever go back to a top load set... I love mine!

But as far as the bills go... my water & electric bills went down after I started useing my set. Between then, if I'm remembering correctly, the bills dropped around $40 a month... but we do a lot of laundry with now 5 people including 3 kids 5 & under in the house. So, they do help to pay for themself in time.

Good luck finding your right set!

I purchased the Whirlpool Duet and I can tell you that I really liked how well it kept the baby clothing clean. The problem is it's now at the junkyard after 3 years because the plastic bladder cracked one day and I was told it would be $5oo to fix it. About 3 weeks prior to that happening the handle broke off. I don't know if other brand would be better but just an FYI of my experience. I am now back with the older type of washer :)

Front loaders are great! I wish I was able to get them. I would suggest a higher end Frigidaire or GE. Electrolux makes some really good ones too but are more expensive. With wich ever brand you choose do not just go with their basic front loader. Pick one just above the basic or a higher end one with the features you are looking for. Don't forget to look for Rebates. Sometimes the brands website have a rebate that the stores do not advertise.

LOL...reading your request was like I wrote it. I just told my friend yesterday That as soon as my taxes come I'm buying my front load no matter what. I do not have any suggestions, but I have a family of six, so if you find a good one, PLEASE let me know.

wife and mother of 4(4, 6, 9, 10).

I can't help you out with washer/dryer information but I wanted to mention that the government has approved a Cash for Appliances rebate program (similar to the Cash for Clunkers). The program specifics will be different in each state with Ohio's plan to be announced on October 15th. You can Google 'Cash for Refrigerators' or 'Cash for Appliances' to get more information.

We love our LG front loader set which does all the things you want and saves us a bundle on water bills, etc. We bought ours four years ago. LOVE THEM. We have never had a single problem at all. We do small loads and large loads. There is a rack in the dryer where I dried a cashmere sweater set that came out looking like it came from the store. Mostly though, we are doing clothes, sheets, and towels. It senses from the weight of the clothes how much water is needed, etc. It does take longer to do a wash load, though, usually about an hour. Doesn't take that long to dry.

Hi L.,
We also have an LG set. I LOVE it. The washer automatically figures out how much water to use based on how big of load you put in. We moved to a house that has free gas, so we even have the gas dryer which is awesome...practically run it for free:) We do a LOT of laundry, too...having 5 kids ages 7-1...so both are running ALL the time! I would recommend it! I also like that is has a 'freshen up' cycle on the dryer...so if I ever leave a load in there too long, I just turn on that cycle and in a few minutes they are no longer wrinkled:) Oh, the washer also has a sanitizer/extremely hot cycle which is great for whites or underwear when potty training:) We have never had any problem with this set, and have had it about 4-5 yrs. I know there are lots of good ones out there now, so it can be overwhelming...Good luck:)