I need to get a front loading washer for my home and have decided I want a commercial quality unit. These are better made, have better warranties and will no doubt last longer for my needs. Can anyone recommend a brand? I know of Ipso. Do the usual suspects like Whirlpool, etc. make good commercial machines?
Thanks very much.
What makes you think you need a front loading machine, and why do you think you need a commercial machine? Commercial machines may have "downsides" that you haven't considered.
CWM
I can't really recommend a particular brand but I can tell you with some confidence to stay away from Maytag front loaders. They have had some real problems with their machines over the last several years.
I would check Consumer Reports.
Forget commercial, buy Professional. Better quality and better appearance.
I buy the Speed Queen Commercial machines. You have to go to a laundry-mat supply house to buy them.
Alliance Laundry Systems makes the Ipso and the Speed Queen. See "
The reality is that a commercial machine used in a home environment is _extremely unlikely_ to require any repairs for a far longer time than any warranty will cover. I speak from experience. I put commercial quality machines in a rental unit, and it's been over 10 years with no repairs. I have a commercial washer at my house, and there have been no repairs for six years, though this would easily be possible with a consumer grade machine as well.
The front load consumer machines are so overpriced that the front load commercial machines are only about 1.25 to 1.5x the price of the front load consumer machines, and are of far, far better quality. To me, it's not just the money spent on repairs of the consumer machines, it's the hassle of dealing with the downtime, of running around buying parts, and of finding time to do the repair.
CR does not test commercial equipment. The Maytag front loader problems were with consumer products, not commercial. Huge difference.
By front load do you mean low water use Energy Star, any real commercial unit is better our Maytags lasted 30+ and had commercial use.
The commercial ones that have impressed me the most were made by Speen Queen. They were/are the standard of the industy for laundromats. However, they don't sell to individuals unless you can find a friendly distributer who will make an exception.
Doug
Can't speak for the OP, but a front loader uses less water, and it doesn't have an agitator, which tends to damage clothes.
There are good alternatives for about half the cost, and they don't require any special (expensive) detergents, either.
I was about to buy a traditional washer a few years ago and someone told me to check out Fisher & Paykel. I bought one and it has been terrific. Does everything a front loader does, and uses a direct drive, so there isn't even a transmission to fail. Spin dry cycle is at 1100 rpm so the clothes are almost dry before you put them in the dryer. That means I run the dryer for a much shorter period. Saves a lot of energy there, too. I paid about $600.
I second the vote for the F&P. I've had mine 5 years (it's my 2nd one, sold the first with the first home) and it's great. Less wear & tear and a very smart washer. It holds a lot of clothes, too. The top load makes it very easy to use. I was ready to get a front loader when I got my first one. I'm glad I didn't. Energy Star compliant, too.
PoD
I've had no problem buying Speed Queen commercial machines from the distributor. Drive up, pay with a credit card, take the machine with you. A lot easier than buying from Sears or other big box retailer where they usually don't stock anything.
"
Not all that well. Look at the specs on the XL model. You can't dry (11#) as much as you can wash (22#).
Since you typically will do loads serially, with one load washing and the previous load drying, it'll take about twice as long to do multiple loads. And of course these units cost much more than a separate washer and dryer.
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