Our washing machine is about to die, I'm afraid. So, we're shopping for a new one.

Can anyone tell me about front loading washers? What makes them so great that the price is significantly more? I've never used one.

The idea is that without the agitator, your clothes go through less trauma in the washer so they last longer/look nicer longer. They tend to be more energy efficient than the top loaders now. They tend to have a bigger capacity (although you really have to read this carefully because there are certainly energy-sucking, small capacity front loaders).

There are now some really nice top loading, eneryg efficient washers, too. They tend to cost just as much as the front loaders.

Overall, I think you're paying for the technology that lowers your electricty and water bills. Depending on where you live, that can make a huge difference or a smaller difference. In Minnesota we weren't going to recoup our money very fast :) Here in California, we do.

I'm happy we made the switch. I just wish we had the hundred bucks for the stands that go under them now. It does get low to bend.

I will never go back to a top loader. My clothes are lasting much longer. Even my black pants are not showing fading after once a week washing for nearly a year. I am usually replacing black pants for fading every year. (Cotton). I use very little detergent. I can make a 45 load box last for nearly 200 loads. The only problem is some detergents foam too much. Dr. Bronner's soap works well. I have a Kenmore and it mixes the detergent and the water together, works well. Also, my dryer time is less than washing time due to how much water is eliminated due to the high velocity spin.

The only frustrating part was when my little one was in diapers, you could not soak them in the washer. Not enough water. If you soaked them in a bucket, you could not just dump it in, you had to empty the water in the toilet first. 'Course had I realized then she had celiac disease, maybe her poop would have been solid and thus removed with "dunking" better in the toilet immediately. But she never had solid poops. Now, breastmilk poop (exclusive) does fine. A friend uses flushable liners but I can't do to the sewage system we are on.

Our water bill was cut in 1/2 and electricity went down some. Sam was born at the same time so usage increased greatly due to the diapers. So electricity was cut a good bit too. Mine also holds soo much. 12 bath sheets and 10 regular towels in one washing. Now, DH did just purchase some super towels that take up the room of two towels for each of them they are so absorbant. I am talking like regular cotton towels when I get 22 in there. Not the super things someone makes now.

We bought a maytag neptune several years ago (open box at Circuit city so we saved about $150) and have loved it.
I have diapers I have used for over a year that still look new. You can actually put bras in the washer and they don't come out all messed up. You can wash a ton of clothes all at once (you need giant laundry baskets). It will spin almost all of the water out of the clothes, and you can dry the huge load in the same time as it takes for one regular load like you're doing now...so basically it saves 2-3 dryer cycles along with the energy and water.

p.s. mine does have a prewash (like soak) for diapers and we too use very little detergent (we have a water softener too) and use less than 1T of detergent per load.

:dito:

I love mine too! I went from 10 loads a week to 5 (not counting dipes). It is great.

The only thing I don't like is it seems that clothes sour faster. I can't leave them almost 24hrs like I used to in my top loader. Anyone else have this problem?

Actually, its not a problem with the washer, its with the user :o I need to remember to dry the clothes. What an idea :D

Nancy,
I have been doing my homework and when we move we're getting the Whirpool Duets. :) I pay the utilities, so I'm looking forward to the $ savings. :p

Jessica

Mine is about to die also! I will be buying a front loader for sure!

Good Luck!

Sue

Timely thread. DH and I have been griping over our washer for a month now. We have a front loading GE and I think I hate it. But I still haven't figured out if it is just me.
The problems
-DH gets really stinky and visibly dirty at work. His clothes look the same after I wash them. I don't use "eco" detergents any more, I use Arm and Hammer unscented. I am going to try to find other unscented detergents to try.
-yes, I have been known to leave my stuff inthere for 12 hours and the get smelly.
-the amchine gets smelly when it is empty. The inside is always damp. So, now I leave the door open which I don't like.
If I use 1 t of soap, the clothes stay dirty. If I use more, the soap doesn't rinse out, and they are still dirty. This dang thing is just not using enough water.

I love being able to wash delicates in the machine, but I think DH and ds's clothes would benefit from more agitation.

How dirty does your family get?
I used to have a kenmore front loader. I loved that one. the GE cheapo is not worth it.
What brand are all of the front loading lovers using? I would love to know. We may sell ours and get a new washer.

I have the maytag neptune. i really like it. The one thing i dont like about it, it doesnt have a window in the door, so i cant see if there is soap suds in there w/o pausing the washer and opening the door. that can be a pain.

But i love that i can do larger loads, use less detergent, and less water. Its really cut back on how many loads I do.

Originally posted by seadnaboobala
.
-the amchine gets smelly when it is empty. The inside is always damp. So, now I leave the door open which I don't like.


I have always left the lid up on my machine (more difficult I am sure w/ a front loader as it would stick out), becasue I have always heard that you should let the air inside of your machine to stop it from mildewing in corners, etc....to eliminate the smell as well.

I also wanted to say that I heard the front loaders get your clothes cleaner because they are not sitting in the dirty water while washing. And I believe that the temps get higher thus killing more bacteria and germs on the clothes/towles...

have you guys heard this (sorry if this is repetition. i didn't have time to read all the posts.)

We have the Whirlpool Duet and love it. We also find that the clothes sitting in it make it stinky as does leaving the empty machine closed. I make sure that it stays open all night so it's atleast open 12 hours a day to air out and I run a bleach load once a week (for rags and such - we don't use many paper towels) and that helps too. I'm using way less detergent and my husband has found that his eczema is even better! For the diapers, I do one wash with cold water and detergent then a 'whitest whites' cycle with no detergent (this cycle is usually used for bleach loads so it has an extra rinse built in). My dipes have come out clean and great!

Ann

So maybe I should ask,
does any one else have clothes that get really dirty and come out clean with their front loader? If so how do you wash them? DH keeps blaming me for his dirty clothes and I am so tired of it!

i love my front loaders and will never go back.
1st set was the small kenmoores
now i have the bad boy kenmore elites on pedistals,love them!

Originally posted by seadnaboobala
So maybe I should ask,
does any one else have clothes that get really dirty and come out clean with their front loader? If so how do you wash them? DH keeps blaming me for his dirty clothes and I am so tired of it!

Try this (my husband used to work in a motorcycle dealership and his clothes would get dirty and greasy. Dirt would come out but not grease and then etc etc). Get plain white amonia. Put in 1/4 cup of that in the bleach tray. Use detergent as normal. No fabric softener (oh -- NO BLEACH -- if you want to use bleach in the next load, run water through the dispenser first).

The amonia gets rid of the grease and in combination with the detergent -- will clean ANYTHING. Won't wear out the fabric either. Leaves clothes soft. Doesnt' stink. It's also terrific for washing bed sheets.

Yes, my husband is a machinest AND landscaper--he gets filthy every day.

I have an Elite and I do prewash(w/ det)/heavy wash(w/ det)/extra rinse. That always does the trick for us.

I use Sun detergent, if that makes a difference.

Originally posted by seadnaboobala
So maybe I should ask,
does any one else have clothes that get really dirty and come out clean with their front loader? If so how do you wash them? DH keeps blaming me for his dirty clothes and I am so tired of it!