Recs for home laundry washing machine, please. Updated at the end.

Joyce B

Hello to all,
We recently got a Whirlpool 5.3 and it is not what we were expecting. The washes are very rough and it has already ruined a few garments. The electronic panel is a pain in the neck, does its own thing and is not intuitive.
We have an appointment with a technician in a few days but I am not too hopeful.
I am missing my old Kenmore that died after 28 years of good service.
We are thinking of returning the Whirlpool but we are not sure of what to get instead.
Have you bought a laundry washing mashine recently and what was your experience? Are you happy with your washing machine? Do you have any brands and models that you can suggest? Any models or brands to stay away from?
I will appreciate any advice that you can share.

3 months ago

Off Topic

33 replies

Latest reply was from Runcarla

Sisi

Veteran

My opinion is that the simpler and more "basic" the home appliances are (washing machines, dishwashers), the better they work. All that electronics just makes things more complicated. To answer your question, I have a Bosch and I am rather happy with it. Miele is another much appreciated brand.

3 months ago

Star

Veteran

I have an Indesit for 9 years now and also find the washes very rough and long. I put many items in a laundry bag and it helps 100%. I previously had a Bosch and loved it. I wonder if newer machines just are more rough...

3 months ago

Ginger

Veteran

My experience jives with Sisi's opinion. For what it's worth, I see lots of good basic washing machines at estate sales around here. I have a perfectly good non-computerized GE, maybe about 20 years old (it belonged to my dad's boss's mother!), so I have no reason to get a backup or room to store one, but it is tempting.

3 months ago

Olive Green

Veteran

Agree completely. We moved into a home with smart appliances and they suck. Designed for looks, not use.
I asked the last repair man what he would recommend and he said that the newer ones were complicated, and near disposable when they messed up. At least simpler ones are cheaper, and may last longer.

3 months ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

We swear by LG washers and dryers.

3 months ago

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

At the risk of jinxing my own luck, I will say the front-loading washer and matching dryer we have by Gibson have served us unfailingly since we moved into our house in 2010. They are easy to use, also. They came with the house, and I have no idea how long the previous owners had them, but they weren't especially new looking even back then. They were new enough to have "energy star" stickers inside their door frames, though.

Actually this is what ours look like.

3 months ago

Joyce B

Veteran

Thank you all for your valuable input.

@Sisi, agree that basic is probably better. I will look at what Bosch has to offer but it may be priced higher than we are willing to pay at this time.

@Star, thank you for validating that the washer is rough. I think it may be due to insufficient water as high efficiency washers use very little of it.
I will follow your advice to buy a bunch of laundry nets to protect the clothes.

@Ginger, estate sales are a great idea, but it would be best to do that with time. You got lucky with your washer, it should give you many more years of good service. I would say, stick to the washer that you have.

@Olive Green, agree about the simpler machines being better but the ones I have seen have small capacity.

@Angie, I will check LG , thank you for the recommendation.

@Sharan, Gibson sounds interesting, I think it is made by Electrolux, a good brand. I will see if I can find it. Shshh to not jinx anything, you should have a lot if good washes ahead.

I just don’t know why they had to ruin a good product, the only pro nowadays is for the manufacturers’ pockets as new washers are not expected to last beyond 10 yrs.

3 months ago

Aquamarine

Veteran

Speed Queen top load…no frills, used in dorms and apartments. Love mine! They almost have a cult following and reputation as “old school.”

(It does have various settings, via knobs, like Gentle, Heavy Duty, etc. I’ve successfully washed cashmere and other woolens on Gentle.)

3 months ago

Style Fan

Veteran

We just got a new LG washing machine and love it. No complaints.

3 months ago

phoebe

Active Member

I have a stacked full size set and the only function I miss is "spin" as an option apart, it was handy for spinning the water out of hand washed sweaters.

3 months ago

ChristelJ

Veteran

We got LG last year and are happy so far.

3 months ago

Helena

Veteran

Just piping in to say although I wouldn't recommend our brand, we have a top loader without an agitator and I would never go back to side loader. Good luck it's so hard to find good appliances ... They seem to be built to break!

3 months ago

cat2

Veteran

I am a fan of our front loading machine, I have had fewer things get weirdly stretched than when we used a top loader.

3 months ago

SarahD8

Veteran

We just got an LG washtower with a ventless/heat pump dryer. I love it. Energy efficient, water efficient, and has done just fine with my delicates (I wash my cashmere in the machine with Eucalan) so far.

3 months ago

NancyW

Veteran

When I moved I left behind a front loader (Bosch) that I liked and inherited from previous owners a GE top loader. Didn’t like the new machine, but LOVED that I didn’t have to dry the gasket with a towel after every session in order to prevent mold from growing. LG front loader with as few bells and whistles has really worked for our two person household.

3 months ago

SW Ann

Veteran

I recommend the Speed Queen, going for the "lower end" (still pricy) with the knobs if you can. More electronics equals more issues. These have extended warranties built in, and are good basic machines.

3 months ago

DonnaF

Veteran

Another vote for Speed Queen! All mechanical vs electronics that go out.

3 months ago

Kate

Veteran

And another vote for Speed Queen. I've had my pair of front loaders for five years, and they've never given me a bit of trouble. Perfect washes every time. Best warranty in the business and great customer service. I had so many questions when I bought mine, and the reps spent a lot of time with me on the phone. Pricey, but so worth it.

3 months ago

April

Veteran

Across several buildings and two addresses, there are actually 4 washers in play. A Miele (tiny, Euro style, meant to tuck inside a cabinet), and 3 full-size LGs. The Miele is the least intuitive - and not at all practical for items like sheets or towels, but it solves a problem for a guest house.

Thus far, we are very pleased with all 3 LGs. One is a stacked unit with a single control panel - you just select which machine you want to use and the rest is very intuitive. That one is in the poolhouse, which has no HVAC but a ceiling fan, and thus far it has held up through winters and summers. One is two separate full-size units stacked - this arrangement (in apartment) makes it quite a stretch for me to reach the dryer controls. In the main house laundry, there is a massive, agitator-free LG alongside a matching dryer. The only problem with that washer is that the tub is so deep my feet must leave the floor to get those socks at the bottom.

Another thing I have learned the hard way: the higher end of most brands is worth paying for. Not for a ton of features you won't use, but for things like "walking" during the spin cycle and for not becoming unbalanced at the drop of a hat.

2 months ago

SuzyQ2

Active Member

And another vote for Speed Queen. I had front loader whirlpools for about 10 years and the plastic drum on the washer shedded. Traded that for top loader whirlpool but hated it. The top locked and the water self leveling feature was loud, plus a wash cycle took forever, a good hour plus. I had just passed the 30 day return period but the local Lowes was great about taking them back. Research led me to SQ and love them. Old school dials and the top doesn’t lock so when I find that sock I dropped I can toss it in.

2 months ago

Olive Green

Veteran

The New York Times being timely:

https://www.nytimes.com/wirecu.....and-dryer/

2 months ago

Gail

Veteran

Speed Queen basic over here . I'm in LOVE with mine . I had a front loader before , this is a workhorse and gets my clothes clean. Bought mine in 2017.

2 months ago

Joyce B

Veteran

Thank you so much to everyone for the very useful replies. I will return to answer in more detail.

2 months ago

Joyce B

Veteran

I am seeing lots of supporters of LG and of Speed Queen so those are the ones I am considering, in top loader models.
@Olive Green, thank you for the timely, helpful article.
We had called Whirlpool and they sent a technician who did not have anything useful to suggest, but nevertheless was abusive and kept on shouting at me. That tipped the balance and we are definitely returning the washer. If the people they send cannot treat customers with respect, I will not buy from Whirlpool again. The brand has gone downhill, although it was my favorite before the washer situation.

@Phoebe, a separate spin function is very useful to have, same as soak by itself, both being hard to find after shedding a good amount of money these days.
@Helena, I would not trust the impeller only machines, either, I think an agitator serves a necessary function in washing machines although it is not always offered. Thank you for validating that for me.
@Cat2, stretching is another thing to consider, thanks for the heads-up.
@SarahD8, nice to hear that you are able to successfully wash cashmere in your LG.
@April, thanks for your great reviews.
@SuzyQ2, great that Loews worked out for you, I will keep them in mind.

One very useful thing when shopping for appliances is to check the return policy first. We got the Whirlpool we are returning at Costco, they have a 90 days return policy which turned out to be very useful. Loews’ is good too, as per SuzyQ2.
I may get an LG at Costco and if that does not work out, I will look for a Speed Queen, hopefully from a vendor with a good return policy. Speed Queen would be my choice but I may not be able to convince my husband due to its price.
Thanks again to everyone for sharing great advice and tips.

2 months ago

Kate

Veteran

Between the two, I would still recommend Speed Queen, and I say this as the owner of two LG appliances, a refrigerator and a stove.

The difficulty with LG comes when your appliance has a problem.

Getting parts is a real pain. Parts always have to be ordered and that can take anywhere from a week to you don't want to know. If your appliance is still under warranty, you will want, well, not really as it turns out, to use their service. That deserves its own thread. Let's just call it an exercise in uber frustration and leave it there.

Both of my appliances needed servicing recently. The stove would not maintain a proper temperature and calibrating it myself wasn't working, and the connection for the refrigerator's water filter broke. I felt like those repairs should not have happened in five & six year old appliances. (The older appliance, the fridge, had to be serviced once before.) I called a local service company with excellent reviews. They were great, but again, had to wait 10 days for parts and the total cost was $1,500. Ouch.

If you can afford it, and they offer a top loader model, buy Speed Queen. I don't think you'll ever regret it. Note: I am not employed by Speed Queen, but I sure do love my washer and dryer!!

2 months ago

Anonymous

Big yes to washers that are simple and obedient.
I don't remember the brand, but I had a very computerized one with no agitator. And it wasn't cheap. I had to babysit that machine and reset it 3x during each load. It's nickname was "scrap metal."

Was so happy when we hauled it to the dump in favor of a simple one (with agitator) that we found at a thrift shop.

2 months ago

Staysfit

Veteran

We replaced our whirlpool front load washer and dryer during Covid lockdown and all we could get was LG front load washer and dryer because of supply chain issues. It has settings for normal, bedding, towels, whites, perm press, delicates, sanitary, allergies (extra rinse) and speed wash. I can wash a large bulky quilt or fine delicates and haven’t had any problems. It comes with a 10 year warranty and I expect it to last only 10 years based on what everyone has told me. The whirlpool appliances were 20 years old when we replaced them. The whirlpools would crawl across the floor on the spin cycle regardless of all the balancing attempts made by repairmen. The LG machines are quiet, and stay in place! I’m happy I don’t have to keep pushing the heavy machine back into place after each load!

2 months ago

Joyce B

Veteran

Thank you for the suggestions and for contributing with your experience with washers.
@Kate, the problem about parts for LG is something I will consider.
@Suntiger, glad you could replace your washer with a traditional one, those are the best.
@Staysfit, so glad to hear that you have had a good experience with your LG, that gives me hope, especially for delicate garments. So far our new Whirlpool has ruined all our towels except for the Nordstrom’s ones (so far).
My previous washer was Kenmore, likely made buy Whirlpool, and gave us 28 years of good, reliable service.
I like to look at warrantees because they give me an idea of how long the item will last. If the warranty is for 5 years, one can be sure the machine will conk out at 5 yrs plus one day. Companies know their products for sure.
The other thing is, it is worth looking for a good return policy which is not easy to find. The main thing with this washer purchasing adventure is that I will likely purchase again from Costco because they have a 90 day return policy.

2 months ago

harmonica

Veteran

My experience is that you get what you pay for. I’ve had 6-7 washing machines since my student time, no doubt lower price equals lower quality. But the ones made in the 70s were meant to last forever, and they did. Since getting three kids I’ve, I invested in a top priced Simens and the washing quality in terms of being gentle, rinsing out detergents etc. was sooo much better! I don’t know if the US market is different from the European. Last year I bought a mid range washing machine (prioritising price), but got so frustrated that I sold it and bought an another one (Miele) in the very top price range. It was expensive(!!), but I’m not looking back. I’ve had excellent experiences with Simens and Miele, both at the highest price range.

2 months ago

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