simka2 Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 For all you with large families...is it worth it to get these? I have just a normal capacity washer/dryer, and it seems that we are doing laundry all the time. Their are 3 adults and 4 elementary age kids. What say's the hive? Should I get them...or make do with what I have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My3Boys Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 Well, I guess I would take into consideration how old your current set is and how much life you think they have left in them. Of course, you could always sell or donate them. When my washer needed a repair costing more than it was worth, we decided to upgrade. I assume you are talking about front loaders? If so, then they have a much larger capacity than most top loaders, with maybe an exception or two. They are also much more energy efficient obviously, and do use less water than top loaders, again with an exception or two. I also found the front loader saves strain on my back (we bought the pedestals which also offer added storage). No agitator also means they are gentler on clothes; much gentler in fact. I never hand wash anything anymore, which is nice in winter with all those sweaters! In short, if you can afford it, I would probably do it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momling Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 I love my front loader except for one major issue: the mildew smell. I never had smelly washer problems with a top loader, but with a front loader, the water accumulates in the gasket around the front and sits in a pipe and filter that runs along the bottom of the washer. It is a really common problem with all brands of front loaders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simka2 Posted October 1, 2010 Author Share Posted October 1, 2010 The smelly problem is easily taken care of by leaving the door open--it just dries out and doesn't smell. I love my HE front loader--the clothes are twice as clean and we're using way less water and electricity. HOWEVER, loads take WAY longer to process-- regular load, with extra rinse (lots of detergent allergies here), no steam is 108 minutes! With steam (wonderful for zapping dh's gross work clothes) is 141 minutes. However, since it does twice as many clothes in a load, I suppose it comes out the same, timewise. This was my concern :glare:. I want something that will do lots of clothes clean and fast!!! My dryer is newer...so I really just need to replace the washer right now. Hmmmmm.....thinking.....thinking ;). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKDmom Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 (edited) I just bought a GE front load washer that was the highest rated one by Consumer Reports. It has a ridiculously large basket. I think it's about twice that of top-loaders. I did not buy the matching dryer, so I think I may burn out my dryer b/c I have a hard time resisting the urge to fill the washer basket full. It has a basket clean cycle so that you can dump a cup of bleach in and let it spend a half hour to clean the mildew smell out every month or so. A regular cycle on it is about an hour. It has a quick cycle, for the times you only have a few clothes, and that takes a half hour. You can do a sanitize cycle, but it takes 2 hr 45 minutes--I've only used that cycle once. I love this washer. I don't love bending over to load it, and I don't like that I cannot reverse the door on it. It opens to the right and my dryer is on the left so I have to work around the door to switch my laundry. But overall, it's wonderful. ETA: I found my washer on Home Depot's website: GE #WCVH6800JWW Edited October 1, 2010 by bonniebeth4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abigail4476 Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 My husband just bought me my first front-loading h.e. washer and I LOVE it! He's planning on going back to get the matching dryer in a few months. When I'm done washing clothes for the day, I wipe the excess water out of the door and leave it open to dry out. No problems with odor just yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brilliant Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 Dissenting opinion here. I don't really like my front loading LG. I've had it a little more than a year. No problems with mold or smell (I always leave the door open) but I don't think it gets our clothes as clean. And, as already mentioned, the loads take about twice as long. Not sure what you mean about HE dryer...I think that's called a clothes line. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 I love my front loader but it does take longer. I also leave the door open and have had no problems with any mildew smell. We have had a front loader for about 15 years now. However, we have an older septic system, so I appreciate not stressing it! A replacement system (meeting the new and improved code) would cost more than $20,000. I figure I can buy a lot of expensive, high efficiency washers for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelanieM Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 I rue the day I purchased a front loading washer. It may have a larger basket, but it uses so little water as to make it practically useless at actually cleaning anything. I had to adapt to smaller and smaller loads, and even then things didn't seem to come out clean. Then we had the smell issues... gah. My husband ended up modifying the water levels, which helped some, but I'll still never choose a front loading again. In fact, we'll be buying a new top loading as soon as the budget permits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runmiarun Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 I love my front loader! I have a Whirlpool Duet. It's my second one in 10 years due to a maniacal mover taking out my original. An average wash load takes 1 hour, 11 minutes. For heavy duty loads, it takes 1 hour, 32 minutes. This is with the extra rinse. I have hard water so I also use Borax as a supplement to my HE liquid. I have the smell when I first open the basket but after letting it air out, it goes away. I run the bleach/clean-unit-cycle monthly to maintain it, as well. That helps with the smell. I can put 4 sets of twin sheets in a load or my queen-sized comforter, if that helps with imagining the basket size. It also has a soak cycle that I love for letting the kids' dirty clothes soak overnight in soapy water. I typically wash 2x day, one load of clothes, one load of sheets or towels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 I love my front loader except for one major issue: the mildew smell. I never had smelly washer problems with a top loader, but with a front loader, the water accumulates in the gasket around the front and sits in a pipe and filter that runs along the bottom of the washer. It is a really common problem with all brands of front loaders. Try using less detergent (much less) and cutting out fabric softener. I also pour vinegar in the fabric softener cup with each load. I've had my Whirlpool Duet set for 8 years and a handful of months and the only time I ever had trouble with the mildew smell is when I switched from dryer sheets to liquid softener. Now I don't use any softener at all. The vinegar seems to do the trick Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 I rue the day I purchased a front loading washer. It may have a larger basket, but it uses so little water as to make it practically useless at actually cleaning anything. I had to adapt to smaller and smaller loads, and even then things didn't seem to come out clean. Then we had the smell issues... gah. My husband ended up modifying the water levels, which helped some, but I'll still never choose a front loading again. In fact, we'll be buying a new top loading as soon as the budget permits. Which brand do you have? That would probably be helpful for the OP to know. I've had the exact opposite experience. Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelanieM Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 Which brand do you have? That would probably be helpful for the OP to know. I've had the exact opposite experience. Barb I have a Whirlpool Duet Sport. And I also use vinegar, as you suggested. No fabric softener (ever), and very minimal detergent. We also tried a variety of brands of detergent before dealing with the water levels, but none of that helped. Changing the water levels did do away with smell issues, but of course it also eliminates some of the benefit and 'efficiency' of the machine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 I have a Whirlpool Duet Sport. And I also use vinegar, as you suggested. No fabric softener (ever), and very minimal detergent. We also tried a variety of brands of detergent before dealing with the water levels, but none of that helped. Changing the water levels did do away with smell issues, but of course it also eliminates some of the benefit and 'efficiency' of the machine. Weird. Maybe it's related to the amount of humidity in the air. Is your set in an outdoor laundry/utility room? Do you have AC? Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juelle Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 My front-loader has changed my life! We had the same average-sized Whirlpool top-loader from wedding till 5 kids. Dh let me research and choose, and I got a Bosch over the LG. I run most clothes loads on QuickWash which says it takes 25 mins, but sometimes is more like 35 because there are sensors which can tell how dirty the water is. Towels, etc I run on hot, which takes 1.5 hrs, or math and writing!:001_smile: I put a few drops of tea tree oil in every once in a while to kill any nasties. If the door is left closed even for a night, it will smell. I live in fear that the kids will break off that open door in our tight laundry room, but so far so good after 2 years. My hands always got scraped pulling wet clothes out of my old washer. That's the best thing about this one. Plus, I can run just 3 loads/day, for the 8 of us.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelanieM Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 Weird. Maybe it's related to the amount of humidity in the air. Is your set in an outdoor laundry/utility room? Do you have AC? Barb Indoor laundry room, and we have AC. Shortly after we first got the machine I put in a shirt my kid spilled chocolate milk on and it came out looking like it was still covered in milk. There was barely any water in the basket when the clothes were washing... just enough to wet everything, but not enough for it to be in water. (And no, we didn't overfill the machine... I tried various load sizes and this was still the issue.) Then all the clothes started to smell bad. It was horrible! When we finally messed with the machine and raised the water level it started cleaning things, and the smell disappeared. But again, not something we should be messing with. Perhaps it's a faulty machine, I don't know. But I do know that I found an awful lot of discussion online about similar issues with front loaders, so I won't be risking it with another one any time soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy in Indy Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 I LOVE my FL! I bought a Samsung steam washer and dryer in July of 09. I regularly use vinegar in my towel loads and always wipe the door/gasket and leave it open to dry. I haven't had any trouble with it smelling. Much less detergent...a water bill that's half what it used to be... I'm really happy with mine. (I do have the pedestals so there's far less bending, too.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim in Appalachia Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 We've had ours for 5 years. It's a Kenmore. It did cut down on the number of loads and it cut our water bill. We have high water and sewage, so I saw a drop right away, over $15 dollars a month 5 years ago. Now it's closer to a $20 to $25 savings. I think it cleans the clothes better than our old washer, and I love that I can throw stuff in and not worry about the agitator (things that might get caught or stretched). I'm very happy with the machine. If something happened to it, I would get another one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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