high efficiency washing machines
#224496 - 11/12/05 10:12 AM
|
|
|
|
|
lj
Reged: 09/24/04
Posts: 179
|
|
|
Hey everybody,
Does any one out there have a high efficiency front load washer? We just got one and I am puzzled by it. It uses alamost no water and there are no suds! ( to me suds=clean) We only have a couple more days to decide if we want to exchange. Unfortunately, I have not had the time to do lots of laundry in it, so I thought I would ask all of you.
If you have one, have you been happy with it long term? Does it really save a ton on utility bills? Does it really decrease the wear on your clothes. etc. Anything you could share would help!
Thanks
Laura
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
I have one and it's the best thing ever! Our energy bill has decreased a TON and you don't have to use as much soap as my old one. One thing you do have to hake sure you don't do is leave laundry in the washer for very long because since it uses less water the clothes dry faster and they might start to mold or wrinkle. Hope this helps! 
--------------------
~*Faye*~ ^-^
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
I have one
#224502 - 11/12/05 12:30 PM
|
|
|
|
|
BL
Reged: 06/01/03
Posts: 3522
|
|
|
and I absolutely hate it! I don't think my clothes get as clean as they did when I had a top loading machine---and because it spins the clothes faster, they come out so wrinkled that I have to iron everything! It has ruined all of my sweaters by stretching them out of shape.
I am thinking about donating mine to the battered women's shelter and buying me a top loading one.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Laura - I got the Whirlpool Duet washer and dryer this past summer (early summer) and I love them. They use less electricity and less water and, yes, they are definitely gentler on the clothes. I'm very glad I bought them and I wouldn't trade them in. My husband and daughter also love the machines. I guess you know that you need to use special detergent for high efficiency washers though. I don't know what brand you bought but I really love my Whirlpool. Joanne
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Our 20-year-old washing machine is on its last legs and we are looking at replacing it. So I'm curious about this, too!
--------------------
jen
"It's one of the most serious things that can possibly happen to one in a battle -- to get one's head cut off." -- LC
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Jen,
I picked the Siemens brand. It was between that and Whirlpool. My husband used to work for Siemens and I know that those German engineered products are usually good so that's why we picked it.
Laura
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
It's a
#224523 - 11/12/05 03:43 PM
|
|
|
|
|
BL
Reged: 06/01/03
Posts: 3522
|
|
|
Fisher and Paykel. It looks like a top loading machine (the door is on the top), but it operates like a front-loading one. It doesn't fill up the bowl up with water. Instead, it sprays water from the sides and then spins it out at a high speed.
Did I tell you how much I hate it? I should have trusted my instincts in the first several weeks after I had it (that it wasn't the machine for me), but I didn't and now I'm stuck with it. And I paid a lot for it.
When I wash the sheets on my bed, I noticed that there are still mascara marks on the pillowcases when they come out of the dryer. And dirt did not come out of my sons' khaki pants (he worked at a golf course.) I never had these problems with the top-loading machine I had before.
We have this washer in storage while we're building our house, and I am so much happier with the inexpensive top-loading machine in our apartment! I hardly ever have to iron anything now. I was ironing for hours with the other machine.
Also, since the door on the top of the machine opens from front to back (instead of opening from side to side like most machines do), I was constantly hitting the cabinets/shelves above my washer. I never thought of this until they delivered it to my house!
Maybe the Duets are better, but I have not been happy with this brand.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
Re: It's a
#224579 - 11/13/05 02:14 AM
|
|
|
|
jrs
Reged: 03/31/03
Posts: 317
Loc: Aberystwyth, Wales
|
|
|
Hey - about suds = clean - it's actually not necessary to have any suds whatsoever for soap to work. In fact, and someone correct me if I'm wrong, I'm pretty sure that for most household cleaning products they actually formulate their recipies to include more suds than necessary because everyone has this conception.
I used a front-loading washer both back home and here in Scotland - never really had a problem with the quality of the wash at all, and apparently it saves money through energy reduction, is good for the environment, etc.
- Vincent
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Thanks to all who replied. I am going to do laundry today and I will watch out for excessive wrinkling (Thanks BL).
jrs - thanks for the info on suds. I guess I have heard that suds are not necessary, but I have been brainwashed by the marketing machine to think that I need them to get clean! Will have to change my thinking on that one.
I look forward to a lower utility bill, especially water bill which has been high for us. I looked at the users manuals and found that my old top loader used 50 gallons and this one uses 12 gallons per load. One sure benefit that I have noticed is the lack of noise. This washing machine is incredibly quiet! That's nice because my house is loud enough as it is.
Laura
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
Posts
