Aspasia Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 I can't decide! I know they wash a little better than HE top-loaders, but my biggest concern is the moldy smell that is common with them. We had problems with that at a rental, but that was before I knew I was supposed to leave the door open. If you love your front-loader, do you have smell issues? How do you deal with them? If you hate your front loader, what do you hate? I also have a small back-of-the-mind worry about my baby crawling into it (random, I know, but I read a terrible story about it). But I figure if I'm willing to live in a house with toilets, I can live with this unlikely safety hazard. If you have an HE top-loader, do you like it? I need a washing machine ASAP, but I am frozen by indecision. Help me, oh, wise hive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 I have an HE front-loader and I love it. It uses less water, which is a big thing since we are on a well. But the main thing is that I am not very tall. My back would HURT standing on a step stool so I could reach DOWN into the top-loader and pull all the heavy wet clothes up and out of the tub to put into the dryer. My front-loader is lovely - I SIT on the same stool in front of the washer and transfer the clothes ACROSS into my dryer. No more heavy lifting! Also my front loader gets more water out of the clothes so the (more expensive) dryer has less work to do. I would never want to go back to a top-loader. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 Love them. Am on my second one with no odor issues in either. I think many people don't bother to read the manual, and therefore don't know how to use front loaders properly. I can't see us ever going back to a top loader. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
She Reads a Lot Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 LOVE my candy apple red LG front loader! I've had it for more than six years with no issues or problems. I do leave the door open and run bleach through on the "tub clean" mode occasionally, but I've never had issues with the smell (now that my hubby and boys know to leave the door open, too). The grey rubber seal around the door does get a little gunky but the tub clean cycle clears this right out and bleach is cheap. When we lived in Maine, where the water bills were crazy high, we always had the minimum water use bill. Given how long my hubby's showers are, I attribute this to our front loader using way less water. Best of luck in your decision! Christina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeganCupcake Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 I love my front loader. I have gunk on the gasket, but I don't have stink. I love it in spite of the gunk. It washes clothes really well and saves a ton of water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 I'm happy with my front loader. It's 6 years old and I've never had issues with it smelling. We are also on a well and I like that it uses less water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 I have the original Duets. We have had them for probably 8 years or so. I Love them, even though I do have the musty smell. To combat it, we don't let clothes sit. They go from wash to dry with less than an hour of sitting around in the wash after it is done. My clothes don't stink unless they linger more than that. We live in an area with hard water so I attribute it to that. I think that there is some mineral build up that allowed the mold (or whatever it is) to get a foot hold. Our model doesn't have the 'tub clean' feature, but it does have a sanitary wash, so I run a load of towels through on sanitary to help get rid of gunk now and then. I will run it with either vinegar or bleach depending on my mood. Vinegar will help break up the deposits, bleach will kill the mold. We leave the door open if we think about it, but not always. I wipe down the seal, door, and inner lip with bleach every couple of months. At the same time, I remove the soap tray and wash it in the sink, and wash inside the machine right there with bleach also. We empty the drain fliter trap about 2x per year. It isn't easy to do on ours because it sits in a drain pan and they are stacked.The drain filter is under the front panel. We have to tip them backwards to remove the cover and get to the plug. I think they have improved the design since then and made it easier to get to. We use dryer softener sheets when needed but not liquid. When we used liquid, we got a lot more gunk around the dispenser tray. I am sure it only makes the situation worse. If you are looking at getting a new machine set, I would call a repair place that advertised that it does 'factory service' local to you and ask them if they have a recommendation. They will know you water issues and the climate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 I hate my front loader. It is a model that doesn't have a drain around the seal (I've read newer models do.) We try to keep it open between loads, but that doesn't always happen with 6 family members. The smell is wretched. I use vinegar, bleach, etc. regularly to combat it, but in ours, it's clearly a design flaw. Additionally, it takes forever to do a load of laundry. It is more gentle than our old agitating washer. It uses less water as well. Those are positives. I would just make sure to get a model that addresses the standing water in the seal and the mold that results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diann Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 Love my front loader! It has reduced our water bill, and I can fit a lot more clothes in it which means fewer loads. I've never had a smell issue in the 3 years I've owned it. Diann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 We don't have a mold smell with our front loader. I wipe out the gasket regularly and run a clean washer load periodically. While I am sure there are some models which are bad regardless, most of the people I know who complain of FL washer stink do not follow the instructions about cleaning the gasket and cleaning the washer on the wash cycle. We've had the same one for the last 6 years and it has on the whole been great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aspasia Posted July 5, 2013 Author Share Posted July 5, 2013 We don't have a mold smell with our front loader. I wipe out the gasket regularly and run a clean washer load periodically. While I am sure there are some models which are bad regardless, most of the people I know who complain of FL washer stink do not follow the instructions about cleaning the gasket and cleaning the washer on the wash cycle. We've had the same one for the last 6 years and it has on the whole been great. How frequently do you have to wipe out the gasket? I read somewhere that ideally you should wipe it out after every use, which sounds like a real pain. Washing machines are supposed to make our lives EASIER! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 How frequently do you have to wipe out the gasket? I read somewhere that ideally you should wipe it out after every use, which sounds like a real pain. Washing machines are supposed to make our lives EASIER! :) I have never wiped out the gasket on mine, but I live in a very dry area so mold isn't really a problem. I leave the door open between loads just a crack and that works great. I have had to fish multiple pencils out of the gasket and one pair of DD12's socks had to go because the gasket ate one every time I washed them. No harm done, but I got tired of having to fish it out every time I washed them. Normal socks don't do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 How frequently do you have to wipe out the gasket? I read somewhere that ideally you should wipe it out after every use, which sounds like a real pain. Washing machines are supposed to make our lives EASIER! :) I wipe mine out once every four to six weeks. My procedure is this -- I have lots of cheap sheets and towels and things that get used for pet bedding. I keep a hamper in the garage for dirty pet stuff. When I accumulate enough I do a load. That's usually once every four to six weeks. After the load is done I wipe down the gasket and the inside of the door to remove any pet hair. Then I run a "clean machine" cycle with bleach. Other than leaving the door open, that's the extent of the machine maintenance I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MistyMountain Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 I really like them. I had one in my condo then moved twice to places with top loaders that weren't even efficient top loaders. They were terrible about actually cleaning when things actually got dirty and I lost more clothes to stains. I just got a front loader again and it is cleaning much better. I thought top loaders were better with cloth diapers until I moved and started doing wash in a top loader. The front loader was better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpyTheFrog Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 I like my front loader. I often have my 4 year old move the laundry into the dryer for me. My 7 year old does all his (and his brother's) laundry. If I had a top loader, they wouldn't be able to help nearly as much, because they couldn't reach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 I have an HE front loader and really like it. It cleans very well and I have no complaints. Ours is in my basement and we don't allow the kids down there so I can leave it open when not in use. I think that is why I don't notice a musty odor etc. I have a terrible mold and mildew allergy so I would notice one if it was there. I live in an area with lots of groundwater and basement floodings, so our machine and drier are up on blocks. We made each machine a square of cinder blocks and placed a large square of plywood on too of the blocks to create a stable surface. They have been on those platforms for 10 years with no problem. I mention this because some people say they don't like how low the machines are. Putting them on the blocks lifted them up enough that it is more comfortable for me. My ILs bought some sort of stand for each machine. They were an option to buy when they were buying and they match in colour etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 I prefer front loaders. They use less water, less power, and less detergent. All environmental (and financial) positives. They do a better job cleaning clothes, and they are more gentle (so clothes last longer). No mold issues here. We do not wipe, but do leve the door cracked in our "dry" environment. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 I like mine. It does not seem to wash as well as my old agitater washer, but it does a decent job. The smell is not an issue with mine, but I leave the door open unless I am using it to let it dry out. We did not have babies by the time I got this washer, but I did have to remind my kids that it is not a place to hide during hide and seek just like I had to do with the deep freezer. Common sense must be learned lol. ETA: I have my washer and dryer stacked, so I can get my deep freezer next to them in my tiny laundry closet. I have an old style house with the bifold doors hiding the laundry in a little closet. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoxcell Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 I love them and hate them. ;) Love them because they clean really well, and extract out most water. I have never had a smelly issue. I hate them because they wear out and break easy. The first one we had only lasted like 3 years before it started tearing up our clothes. We took it in to be checked and they said the bearings went out and would be too expensive to repair. We then bought a new one and have had to replace the rubber boot/seal three times in 1 year. All it takes is over loading it slightly or some clothes catching and the rubber tears up. I'm super cautious with it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 I really like mine. I can wash down and it comes out like new. I bought an extended warranty with the last condemner reports best buy. it was a lemon. at least I collected as I had it less than five years. I left the door open until it dried, which only helped a little. when I used oxyclean to help boost cleaning power, I had no smell at all. I'm on my second, a LG, which I really like. I've had it 18mos. even with no oxyclean, leaving the door open to dry there is no smell. it's a better machine than the last one too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skeeterbug Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 Love having a FL and will never go back to a TL. I loved the Samsung one we had in the US, it had this great feature that you could add something to the wash for a minute or so after you'd started the cycle. I so miss that! It seems I constantly find a dropped sock or something that should have gone into the load. I leave the door open between uses but haven't really noticed a smell. As long as you get one that has a cleaning cycle or sanitary cycle you shouldn't have a problem with odor. Depending on your height, I also really like having it sit on one of those platform drawers so you don't have to bend down so far to reach into the tub. Little ones can still easily reach with a small stool. I actually have a drawer and the dryer stacked on top, the dryer would be out of reach for many. (But old Aussie houses are not made to accomodate both side by side, in fact I've only got one plug and am constantly unplugging one to use the other!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 I have an HE front-loader and I love it. It uses less water, which is a big thing since we are on a well. But the main thing is that I am not very tall. My back would HURT standing on a step stool so I could reach DOWN into the top-loader and pull all the heavy wet clothes up and out of the tub to put into the dryer. My front-loader is lovely - I SIT on the same stool in front of the washer and transfer the clothes ACROSS into my dryer. No more heavy lifting! Also my front loader gets more water out of the clothes so the (more expensive) dryer has less work to do. I would never want to go back to a top-loader. Oh my word, I thought I was the only one who did that! Well, until we stacked them and I started standing on it to reach the dryer controls. I love mine (LG) after 9 years of use, including three years of cloth diapered twins. No smell, but I leave the door open and do wipe out the gasket crevices now and then (and I'm a lousy housekeeper so when I say "now and then" we're talking semi-annually). The only disconcerting thing I've found is that, once in a blue moon, the door will start leaking. And it will leak because a single hair (mine) is laying over the gasket and out the bottom of the door. It's a small drip, but it freaks me out every.time. Until I remember The Hair and find it. Nobody's ever climbed into it, but it would be completely obvious if they did, and it has a child lock (no idea how it works or what it's meant to accomplish, just that it's there) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 Love having a FL and will never go back to a TL. I loved the Samsung one we had in the US, it had this great feature that you could add something to the wash for a minute or so after you'd started the cycle. I so miss that! It seems I constantly find a dropped sock or something that should have gone into the load. I leave the door open between uses but haven't really noticed a smell. As long as you get one that has a cleaning cycle or sanitary cycle you shouldn't have a problem with odor. Depending on your height, I also really like having it sit on one of those platform drawers so you don't have to bend down so far to reach into the tub. Little ones can still easily reach with a small stool. I actually have a drawer and the dryer stacked on top, the dryer would be out of reach for many. (But old Aussie houses are not made to accomodate both side by side, in fact I've only got one plug and am constantly unplugging one to use the other!)How very odd. And handy! Ours are on separate, dedicated circuits and the dryer has one of those special plugs that only fits into its weird receptacle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 I bought a front loader in 1981. Hated it. It should have been painted yellow and hung on a tree. I bought a front loader in 2005. Love it. I've never had any problems with smell. I don't leave the door open, I don't wash around the seal, nothin'. I've always assumed it's because I use Amway laundry producs exclusively, but I'm not willing to experiment to test my theory, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathmom Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 Hated ours. It was a Maytag Neptune lemon. Finally ditched it after multiple repairs and bought a cheap top loader. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acsnmama Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 LOVE our front loader washer & dryer. We bought the cheapest Samsung set we could find. The washer never smells. I typically leave the door open after I've done a load of laundry, but I'm not always consistant with that. However, I have a family member who has Woorlpool or Maytag FL's, I can't remember which, but has issues with the washer smelling, hers is an older set, not the newer ones. I'm not sure if it depends on brands or what. My Samsung set does a great job, and I've been very pleased, and it has been through 2 moves, as well as washed MANY cloth diapers (2 kids worth) and is still going strong, and everything comes out clean! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 How frequently do you have to wipe out the gasket? I read somewhere that ideally you should wipe it out after every use, which sounds like a real pain. Washing machines are supposed to make our lives EASIER! :) Not every time, but most times. I don't find it any more of a problem than clearing the lint screen on the dryer. It takes a few seconds. Running the wash cycle takes even less (hands on) time. Being able to do huge loads, save on water, wash things I previously had to wash by hand (delicate sweaters, intimates/bras) and wash things at home that I previously had to take to a laundromat (curtains, sleeping bags etc) certainly makes my life easier than it was with a top loader and ANY washer makes life easier compared to a rock in the creek or hand washing in the tub. While I've never had to use a creek, I did spend a lot of time washing by hand in the tub when I was a kid (no washer) so washers seem like miracles to me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 Hated mine. Hated. With. A. Passion. I was never so glad to see an appliance go. Maybe I just had a bum set. I also think that part of the problem was that we have a tankless water heater, and with the weird stop-and-go cycles on the HE washer, there just wasn't enough hot water to get the clothes clean. I was always having to re-wash, it stank, stuff got stuck in the gasket, the cycles took for-freakin'-ever. I just all around hated them. I now have the top-loading Speed Queen washer and matching dryer and love them. I know they're not as energy-efficient but they are so much faster and do a much better cleaning job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 I love front loaders. I believe they are more economical, don't tear clothes, etc., however, the two I had barely lasted 4-5 years. A major part broke, making repairs not worthwhile. Someone in the business mentioned to me that this is her observation as well. Don't know if it's true for all brands across the board. I had Frigidaire Front Loaders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucy in Australia Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 Love my front loader (Siemens) After putting up with a Whirlpool top loader that was completely incapable of getting rid of lint, I nearly kissed this machine. Less water, less detergent and our clothes came out cleaner. Winner here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aspasia Posted July 6, 2013 Author Share Posted July 6, 2013 I love front loaders. I believe they are more economical, don't tear clothes, etc., however, the two I had barely lasted 4-5 years. A major part broke, making repairs not worthwhile. Someone in the business mentioned to me that this is her observation as well. Don't know if it's true for all brands across the board. I had Frigidaire Front Loaders. I did read in Consumer Reports that Frigidaire (along with GE) has the very worst repair record of all the front loaders. So it could have been a brand issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 I did read in Consumer Reports that Frigidaire (along with GE) has the very worst repair record of all the front loaders. So it could have been a brand issue. I have a Frigidaire washer and dryer, the smaller ones that can be stacked (although they are still full-size, not girnormous size, lol). The year I bought them (2005? I think that was it.) they were Consumer Reports' best buy. Eight years, and they're still going strong. Seems to me I had a minor problem the first year (while they were still under warranty) but I've had no problems since then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.