Originally Posted by
Catherine_MT
I read a TON of reviews and news stories before I bought a washer and dryer for this new house in the spring of 2011.
Ten years ago, when I lived back east, I had a Maytag top loading washing machine that lasted for over 25 years with NO repairs needed... ever! I did have to replace the dryer after 20 plus years. I did not want to put in a new electric heating element with that old of a dryer. It was in the brick house that I built with my late husband in the early 70's after his USN - Vietnam and all around the world time. His home state not mine - Great Lakes region.
When I sold the house a bit after 30 some years living in it with my late husband, we built it, I told the buyer that all appliances came with it but there was NO warranty on them. She was happy to get my w/d set and they worked well for her. She had four sons and a hubby. I did update my range and refrigerator and they were about 6 years old at the time when I sold the house. I did not update the older dishwasher and I rarely used it anyway.
My late husband and I had no children but we did a lot of laundry compared to some couples (Two people households plus a dog/dogs.) that I knew. That old Maytag washing machine was like the dryer... plain and simple. Different levels of water. Hot, warm and cold water settings. Regular and delicate settings. NOTHING was computerized. DIAL settings and it had a push button thing for the water levels (?) IF my memory serves me right. The dryer was plain and simple and it had an air fluff - no heat setting too - DIAL settings. I used my clothesline too. I did not use it as often due to my crazy work schedule for many years though. I hung up our clothes damp, air fluffed or briefly 'dried' in the house on hangers - I left the closet doors open. Sometimes I used a portable drying rack in the house for my delicate items in cold weather. Heavy socks if I did not want to super dry them in a dryer and other items. I did move the washer/dryer from the basement connection to our first floor set up after so many years living in the house too. I did not like to hang up my clothes in the basement even though it was super dry and we had a basic, regular ceiling height, full basement. I liked to hang up laundry outside when I had 'time' to do this and IF I was home to watch for rain, thunderstorms, high winds, farm plowing in other fields close to our 1 acre in the boonies, the latest blizzard and/or ice storms.
Many front loading washing machines have had recalls on them while they were UNDER and OUT of warranty and a FEW companies have LOST a class action lawsuit over their front loading machines. I do not have the list of them anymore - sorry. I think that one of them was Maytag and another one may have been Whirlpool? Seals, MOLD, bad smelling clothes not just the machine and horrific cleaning issues even though the customers left the DOORS open for 'air' and used ALL of the 'products' that the companies were trying to push/sell for these issues. People should not have to BUY products to keep their washing machine smelling good and clean! I do leave the TOP of my washing machine open almost all of the time, it is just a habit of mine. Some people had left their DOORS open on the front loaders but they still had mold/mildew and other issues with their SEALS and so forth from what I read.
Like I said, I did tons of research on these products from front loaders to top loaders and more. I know some companies that have made 'good' on a FL WASHING MACHINE to a customer because the farm/rancher lady had so many service calls on her brand new FL washing machine too! Vanns took care of it for her here in Western Montana and it was UNDER warranty from the company. It was a fancy computer, super well known brand too. Maybe a Whirlpool?
Many of the NEW top loaders have some of these issues but not as many as the FL ones. Computer issues, how they run and load water, clean, rinse, spin, etc. Seals are NOT as much of any issue obviously.
I bought a SPEED QUEEN top loading washing machine and front loading dryer. Plain and simple - not the bottom of the line for plain but the middle of the group. I ordered what I wanted and they had it NIB in stock. If I had got the plainer dryer - it would have to come in 'special order' and by the time I paid for it - it would have cost the same as the one that was IN stock which had a light in the drum and a noise buzzer when it was done drying. I did NOT care IF I had a light or a buzzer on the dryer. They were on sale too. They are white, have regular dials, have stainless steel insides = washer and dryer, a better warranty, have different water levels, have a delicate - slower spin and a regular - faster spin, etc. I am happy with my purchase.
I did have an OLD, original, electric not gas motor, Speed Queen wringer washer and tubs on stands in my garage back in farm/lake country and it still worked too. I sold it to a lady who really wanted one BIG time when I was having my big estate, house, garage, moving, etc. sale before I came out west - after my late husband died. My late husband bought it from the estate of one of our old Volunteer firemen - he was a fireman/emt himself at that old township department. He usually never went to sales of that type but the township FD ladies were helping out with the lunch/coffee for them as a favor for the family. Some of the firemen went over there to keep an eyes on things for the family.
When you look for some of the old brands - they are NOT what they used to be. Many companies merged or sold out or whatever. Our new, bigger, chest freezer is made in the USA too. WHIRLPOOL. It is one that you have to defrost yourself and we have it in our garage. The garage is insulated but not 'heated'. Some people have self defrosting freezers and they do not work well in some areas that have severe heat or cold temps in a garage or in a barn or in an enclosed back porch - it depends on the location and the brand too. Some of those 'self defrosting freezers' cost a whole lot more to RUN electric wise for those very reasons!
If I had the small cabin now and was off or on the grid... not in town as I am now... I would make some other changes when it came to buying appliances too.
It would be hard to keep up laundry if you had a bunch of children especially if you had a baby with cloth diapers. I do believe in cloth diapers even though I never had children. I did baby sit on and off as a teen and at 61 years old... I remember when they did not have paper/plastic disposable diapers.
Catherine