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mathmama Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 07 2006 Location: Pennsylvania
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Posted: Sept 14 2011 at 12:26pm | IP Logged
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Ok, there have been a bunch of washer threads on here and I have read them all. Now, it is my turn to start one. Yesterday, for the umpteenth time, I had to take the front panel off my front load Whirlpool in order to retrieve some little thing (this time a cloth diaper wipe, so not so little) from the trap. What a hassle. I have gotten pretty quick with it and I can even do with while 9 months pregnant BUT, I don't want to do it again. Ugh, that water, it is like a fish tank that hasn't been cleaned in months We plan to be moving soon and I will be gifting this washer to the lovely family that will be buying our house (whoever these lucky people are).
Here are the things I like about the FL washer: uses less water, clothes get clean, clothes dry faster, holds a good amount (I don't have a super capacity one, wish I did).
Here are the things I don't like: situations like I described above (which happen often enough, at least several times a year), I can't choose how much water I want to use (sometimes I want lots of water), I have had many items get caught between the gasket and the door during the spin which means the item gets ruined (this has happened a good number of times to nice clothes ), and I am not sure the low volume of water really works with my cloth diapers (we have to do lots of rinses, which makes diaper washing more of a chore)
I am wondering if I need to go back to a top loader. I have mesh bags to catch all the little things, but occasionally something slips by or bigger things start getting caught, like the recent diaper wipe. I am not about to dig through my diaper can in order to retrieve all the wipes to put in a mesh bag. But, are there top loaders big enough to hold a king size comforter?
Please help me think this through. Anyone else have experiences similar to mine and now are on the other side and happy with their washer?? Thanks!
Beth
__________________ Beth, wife to Tom and mommy to 4 beautiful girls:
Therese 11/04
Anna Mary 6/07
Veronica 10/09
Theodora 11/12
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Kristie 4 Forum All-Star
Joined: June 20 2006 Location: Canada
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Posted: Sept 14 2011 at 5:27pm | IP Logged
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Can't wait to hear the responses- my Front Loader is driving me CRAZY!!!!!!
It STINKS! Literally! I am sick of the pucks, vinegar, bleach, replacing gasket, phoning Sears etc. shenanigan!!
__________________ Kristie in Canada
Mom to 3 boys and one spunky princess!!
A Walk in the Woods
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CrunchyMom Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 03 2007
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Posted: Sept 14 2011 at 5:34pm | IP Logged
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I have a top loader high-efficiency that is huge and can absolutely hold a king comforter. The only thing I can imagine is better about a front loader is aesthetics.
We had a super capacity top loader that was not high-efficiency for years at our old home, and it could hold a king as well.
__________________ Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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JennGM Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005 Location: Virginia
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Posted: Sept 14 2011 at 6:43pm | IP Logged
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CrunchyMom wrote:
I have a top loader high-efficiency that is huge and can absolutely hold a king comforter. The only thing I can imagine is better about a front loader is aesthetics. |
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Ditto. Still quite pleased with mine.
CrunchyMom wrote:
We had a super capacity top loader that was not high-efficiency for years at our old home, and it could hold a king as well. |
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I never had King comforters, but King spreads and a Queen comforter would work in my old one, too. Not well, but okay.
__________________ Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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mathmama Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 07 2006 Location: Pennsylvania
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Posted: Sept 14 2011 at 7:06pm | IP Logged
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Does anyone know how big one needs to be to hold something like a king comforter? I have been reading about Speed Queen top loaders. They are not HE and are only 3.3 cu ft. Would that be big enough?
Also, with the top load HE machines do you get to choose your water level?
__________________ Beth, wife to Tom and mommy to 4 beautiful girls:
Therese 11/04
Anna Mary 6/07
Veronica 10/09
Theodora 11/12
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CrunchyMom Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 03 2007
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Posted: Sept 15 2011 at 4:43am | IP Logged
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No. I don't get to choose on mine. I kept the ancient top loader as a second machine for soaking things.
Not sure the cubic feet on mine. I'll see if I can find out.
__________________ Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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mathmama Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 07 2006 Location: Pennsylvania
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Posted: Sept 15 2011 at 6:12am | IP Logged
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Hmmm, I really like the idea of being able to choose the water level. I enjoyed that feature on my mom's old timey top loader when I was visiting her this summer. But I guess that way it wouldn't be HE.
__________________ Beth, wife to Tom and mommy to 4 beautiful girls:
Therese 11/04
Anna Mary 6/07
Veronica 10/09
Theodora 11/12
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4 lads mom Forum All-Star
Joined: Sept 26 2006
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Posted: Sept 15 2011 at 4:19pm | IP Logged
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My front loader biggie is often smelly, especially if I wash the towels on hot or super duper hot....and it smells like awful mold through the house This is after doing tub cleans frequently.... If we wash with a pre-wash cycle first and use the Tide stain product with H2O2 in it, then it is much better. I don’t get it. These same towels often smell awful when you dry off with them....I never, ever had this problem with a top loader....I would go back to a decent top loader if we had the chance. Not feeling the love.
__________________ Mom of four brave lads and one sweet lassie
Scenes From This and That
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cathhomeschool Board Moderator
Texas Bluebonnets
Joined: Jan 26 2005 Location: Texas
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Posted: Sept 16 2011 at 11:54am | IP Logged
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We got a front loader this past spring after our old top loader gave out. It wasn't washing well and stunk and left the close smelly too. So far we haven't had any problems with the front loader "catching" clothing or molding, but I do leave the door open (as in it's never closed unless it's washing a load) and I remove the detergent drawer and dump out the water it has collected after every load. The washer has a 4.7cu ft capacity and I've washed our king duvet in there a couple of times but I don't feel that it really does a good job. The duvet is too fluffy to really turn round and not heavy enough to get mashed down in the water. Our old upright did fine washing king sized quilts but couldn't wash this duvet either. It was a Whirlpool super capacity plus model, so I think it was about 3.5 cu ft. I think something a little smaller would have washed the quilt fine as well.
__________________ Janette (4 boys - 22, 21, 15, 14)
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mathmama Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 07 2006 Location: Pennsylvania
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Posted: Oct 17 2011 at 9:06am | IP Logged
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Well, this morning I had to take the front off and retrieve something from the trap for the umpteenth and first time! Again a diaper wipe. Again, something not so tiny. I told dh that whenever he sees room in the budget for $700 I would like to get a new washer. It looks like we won't be moving as soon as we hoped since our house isn't selling so I hope not to wait that long. I have decided on the Speed Queen. I just don't think I am modern enough to handle the HE machines
__________________ Beth, wife to Tom and mommy to 4 beautiful girls:
Therese 11/04
Anna Mary 6/07
Veronica 10/09
Theodora 11/12
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mathmama Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 07 2006 Location: Pennsylvania
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Posted: Oct 17 2011 at 9:51am | IP Logged
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Wow, it just keep getting better. I just took a load (the first of about 5 I need to do today) out of the washer and the laundry all has big black spots all over it! The spots are in the pattern of the holes in the drum. It seems like black lint, but when I pull it off there is a black stain underneath Thankfully it is a load of towels, but it is still annoying. I am going to call the appliance store and see how soon they could have the Speed Queen in that I want. Then I need to speak to dh when he gets home.
__________________ Beth, wife to Tom and mommy to 4 beautiful girls:
Therese 11/04
Anna Mary 6/07
Veronica 10/09
Theodora 11/12
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Donna Marie Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005 Location: New Jersey
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Posted: Oct 17 2011 at 10:05am | IP Logged
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About 4 years ago I purchased 4 LG appliances...fridge, dryer and washer (front loading) The dryer is dead after nearly dieing of the same ailment 3 times before, the fridge is on its way out after being replaced once and it is breaking like crazy, and the washer isn't washing well AT ALL. The company will not do anything about them, calling the previous calls their attempts to solve the problem...and now it is "out of warranty" weird, isn't it? I thought it showed that they sold me lemons and they should replace them.
I am so terribly disappointed after spending all of that$$. If you go front loaders, please don't get an LG. I have talked to LOADS of people that have had problems with theirs (ok, pun intended )
There is a huge listing on line of people with major trouble with their LG appliances. HUGE. I won't share its name because it is a bit off color...
Just an fyi...
__________________ God love you!
Donna Marie from NJ
hs momma to 9dc!!
Finding Elegant Simplicity
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Kristie 4 Forum All-Star
Joined: June 20 2006 Location: Canada
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Posted: Oct 18 2011 at 10:21am | IP Logged
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Funny, because in Europe they have had front loader so long- my mil's machine is 16 years old and she bought a Sweedish one. You can pack that baby full to overflowing, even diapers with stains, and everything comes out clean with just a spoonfull of detergent. The European machines are much better than the North American front loaders (and smaller from my limited experience). They cost a bit of a fortune, but it seems well worth it! I am hoping to get rid of my pain in the neck Sears machine (had problems since day one 4 years ago) and buy a European model.
__________________ Kristie in Canada
Mom to 3 boys and one spunky princess!!
A Walk in the Woods
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mathmama Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 07 2006 Location: Pennsylvania
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Posted: Oct 18 2011 at 7:11pm | IP Logged
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Well, it was a sock of dh's that got behind the drum and was being pulverized. Somehow the fibers of the sock got imbedded in my load of laundry. Hopefully, those fibers will work themselves out eventually. The good news is that my new Speed Queen is coming tomorrow afternoon! I can't wait to give it a workout. I have laundry up to the ceiling
__________________ Beth, wife to Tom and mommy to 4 beautiful girls:
Therese 11/04
Anna Mary 6/07
Veronica 10/09
Theodora 11/12
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