HE Washer

[Ed Pawlowski]

We just bought a new Maytag High Efficiency washing machine.

So far, we've only done about 8 loads and it seems to do a very good job. It is scary to watch though. Have you seen one of these things operate? It has a glass lid so you can watch the entire process.

You set the cycle, push start and it locks the lid and goes. Water comes in from the center top. Then it flows thought the detergent cup. The water stops, then the drum spins at a medium speed. Then it slows and water flows in again, this time from a spray that shoots the water onto the clothes lining the drum. Then it comes in from two sources.

Finally filled, it starts to agitate while pumping water at times. Then it goes into rinse cycles with more water flowing from various places but this time it also flows through the fabric softener cup if selected. At one point, it directs water through the bleach, the detergent, then the softener cups.

It spins, it stops, it reveres , it spins again. It is more interesting to watch than 90% of what is on TV and has an instrument panel with about the same number of LEDs as a 787 Dreamliner.

The scary part is all those strange functions and valves sequencing. How long before a breakdown? I just don't see it as reliable as the machines of the past. I'm sure there is at least one good sized circuit board and a bunch of solenoids and sensors. It determines the amount of clothes and then add the appropriate amount of water

I've always been dead set against extended warranties, but $150 for five additional years may be cheap. I'll have to think about it.

[CRNG]

On Sun, 06 Oct 2013 01:53:09 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote in Re HE Washer:

I would guess about 2 - 3 year at most.

I wonder what is the life-cycle ownership cost for the fancy model, vs. the cost for the old style heavy-duty top loader? How much water saving does that extra cost save?

[Art Todesco]

We actually bought an HE front loader (GE) four years ago and after 2

1/2 years of use, replaced it with a GE top loader. It did not break down at all. But, it didn't clean the cloths and it never really rinsed the soap out completely. We always used the 'extra rinse' function and even ran the cloths through an extra complete 'quick wash' (with it's rinse and extra rinse cycles) with no soap the 2nd time. Even with that, sometimes, the cloths would come out with some soap residue, causing itching to the skin. Since converting to the top loader, itching is gone.

[Ed Pawlowski]

One person I know says she saves about $7 a month. I'm not sure that is real dollars or what the salesman told her she could save.

The price difference from the regular styles looks to be about $200. Maytag offers only one model of the old type, all the rest are HE. Like it or not, it is the future. Probably part of the "Full Employment for Appliance Technicians Act.

[Ed Pawlowski]

This is a top loader, but I can still see potential problems with all the technology and extra parts built in.

[WW]

We just bought a new Maytag High Efficiency washing machine.

So far, we've only done about 8 loads and it seems to do a very good job. It is scary to watch though. Have you seen one of these things operate? It has a glass lid so you can watch the entire process.

You set the cycle, push start and it locks the lid and goes. Water comes in from the center top. Then it flows thought the detergent cup. The water stops, then the drum spins at a medium speed. Then it slows and water flows in again, this time from a spray that shoots the water onto the clothes lining the drum. Then it comes in from two sources.

Finally filled, it starts to agitate while pumping water at times. Then it goes into rinse cycles with more water flowing from various places but this time it also flows through the fabric softener cup if selected. At one point, it directs water through the bleach, the detergent, then the softener cups.

It spins, it stops, it reveres , it spins again. It is more interesting to watch than 90% of what is on TV and has an instrument panel with about the same number of LEDs as a 787 Dreamliner.

The scary part is all those strange functions and valves sequencing. How long before a breakdown? I just don't see it as reliable as the machines of the past. I'm sure there is at least one good sized circuit board and a bunch of solenoids and sensors. It determines the amount of clothes and then add the appropriate amount of water

I've always been dead set against extended warranties, but $150 for five additional years may be cheap. I'll have to think about it.

As a old retired appliance repairman I am glad I no longer need to work on this junk. The OLD type top load Maytag is the one to buy. WW

[DerbyDad03]

It's not just the cost savings of the water.

Since the spin cycles are so fast, clothes come out much dryer so less energy is used to dry them. My dry times were cut in half and many loads can be dried on low heat for even more savings.

In addition, they say that front loaders are less abusive on the clothes themselves than top loaders with agitators. I don't know about top loading HE. Machines without agitators.

There more factors involved in the total cost of ownership than just the water savings.

[Frank]

We've had a Maytag Centenial top loader for about 3-4 years now and it still functions perfectly. Don't know about warranty but if it were front loader I would have considered one because I always figured these would fail by leaking.

[bob haller]

we need a new washer soon, my girl friend has been doing research..

maytag has a terrible reputation, so do most of the top loaders. easy to get off balance, wash time always 1 hour no matter what the timer setting.

my best friend bought a new washer a year ago and reports both these issues.

so we really dont know what to buy. my washer and dryer date back to 1990..so nearly 25 years old. my other washer and dryer are near 20 years old...

they are now worn out, having 2 of each are nice

[recyclebinned]

?The scary part is all those strange functions and valves sequencing. How long before a breakdown??

Just pretend you bought a new car and you?ll be fine.

[recyclebinned]

Buy Speed Queen.

[Norminn]

When I was shopping for appliances (range and w/d), I read the reviews and there seemed to be one common theme, which was a fried circuit board. Everything has electronic controls, so what the problem is is a mystery. Cheap Chinese boards? Power surges? No problems with ours, so far, but no whole-house thingy for protection.

Our Maytag is about 9 mos old, just two of us. I always use the "bulky load" feature to get more water so my clothes don't get ground to shreds; always a good deal of lint in the dryer filter. Washing with the regular setting looks like it's about the same as slamming clothes against the rocks on the river bank :o)

[gonjah]

If it helps, I've owned a Whirlpool Duet (front load) HE for 10 years now. Not one problem.

The rinse cycle is pretty entertaining though. :)

[Dean Hoffman]

From Consumer Reports.

Top Loaders rated Best Buys:

LG WT1101CW $700 Samsung WA422PRHD[WR] $750 GE GTWN7450DWW $800 Samsung WA400PJHD[WR] $700

Front loaders rated Best Buys:

Whirlpool Duet WFW70HEBW $800 LG WM3070H[W]A $900

Electric Dryer rated Best Buy

Kenmore 6800 $800

Gas Dryer rated Best Buy

Kenmore 7800 $900

[Stormin Mormon]

From what little I've heard, I'd suggest the warranty.

I think they also use special detergent, and very small portions of that.

. Christopher A. Young Learn about Jesus

.

[Stormin Mormon]

I like the old belt drive Whirlpool. That's what I've got, and it has served since 1994, and it was used back then. I've had to repair it a couple times, as expected.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Yes, that is what scares me!

[Ed Pawlowski]

I'm leaning that way as it gives me 6 total years of coverage for the cost of one service call with a cheap part. No deductibles. Given the reputation of the new machines, it may be a bargain.

Many of the detergents now are made for HE machines as it can be used in regular machines also.

[DerbyDad03]

I've got a spare circuit board ready and waiting in case mine ever goes bad. I had a problem with my Frigidaire front loader. 2 out of 3 symptoms pointed to the rather expensive circuit board. 1 symptom indicated the relatively inexpensive door lock solenoid. Guess which part I tried first, then guess which part it turned out to be.

I know, I know... I should have tried the cheaper part first, but I played the odds and lost. I consider the spare circuit board as insurance. I'll probably never, ever need it. ;-)

The other problem with my washer is a stress crack that keeps showing up in the plastic bezel above the control panel. I had the bezel replaced once under warranty, and then a few years later I replaced it myself at my cost. A few years later it cracked in the exact same location, so I quit worrying about it and left the cracked bezel in place.

[CRNG]

On Sun, 06 Oct 2013 08:48:54 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote in Re Re: HE Washer:

I would guess the salesman told her that. It seems very high to me. I would want to see exactly how that was calculated before I would believe it.