When you ditch Maytag what will you buy?

[robandmel1]

OK so I get from this site Maytag stinks. So what would you say is the best washer and dryer out there? What are you going with when you finally give up on your Maytag?

[aztraph]

Fortunatly not all maytags are junk, but there are a few design flaws that are not specific to any one brand.

First thing to realize is that whirlpool is the big boy on the block, they own the most, they own kitchenaide, they make just about every major appliance for Kenmore and they most recently bought maytag. if you want something non-whilpool, your left with the ultra expensive, like bosch, fisher-paykel, or something foriegn (although most of these are manufactured overseas, and if you want something truley American made you can try Staber in Cincinatti, OH) I know thats not a lot of choice but your alternatives include the old ringer washer (yes they are still around, just ask the Amish)

But if you are dead set against maytag i have a little more advice for you.

STAY AWAY FROM FRONT LOADERS!!

here's why:
in order to get your clothes as dry as possible, your washer has to spin at high speeds to get the maximum amount of water out of the clothes and to do this the load must be balanced. top loaders accomplished this by agitation, the load would even itself out naturally and this allowed the washer to spin at higher speeds and get more water out. but front loaders dont have and agitator, in fact they are constantly fighting earths' gravity, this makes it much harder to balance the load and if the load isn't balanced, it puts more strain on the rear bearing, when maytag first came out with the neptune this wasn't realised (which is why it's rare to find one ten years old and in perfect working order) I really don't care what brand it is, a front loader is going to have a shorter life span than a top loader, and the rear bearing is going to be the problem that ends it's useful life, the only exception is a $5,000 3 phase industrial washer in a laundry mat (and yes, i've replaced the bearings on those too).

But if you must go with a front loader, I would favor the Speed Queen, they are tight little machines. I've only had to work on one of those in the past year, but dozens of everything else.

But whatever you buy, get the extended warranty since most manufacturers only have a 1 year parts and labor warranty and nothing else, so protect your investment.

Good luck to us all, we're going to need it

[dfosbenner]

One of those glass washboards that women use on the side of streams.

[deckeda]

To answer the original question it depends more on the type of appliance and far less on the brand.

Whirlpool ownership should be a plus however.

Originally Posted by aztraph

...

STAY AWAY FROM FRONT LOADERS!!

here's why:
in order to get your clothes as dry as possible, your washer has to spin at high speeds to get the maximum amount of water out of the clothes and to do this the load must be balanced. top loaders accomplished this by agitation, the load would even itself out naturally and this allowed the washer to spin at higher speeds and get more water out. but front loaders dont have and agitator, in fact they are constantly fighting earths' gravity, this makes it much harder to balance the load

Exceedingly bad, mis-informed advice.

" ... your washer has to spin at high speeds ..." << This is a good thing, not a bad thing. More water leaving the washer is less water to heat later in the dryer. New washers are where the real energy savings come from for this reason.

The agitator most top loaders have causes extra wear as cloths are pulled down and around.

"but front loaders dont have and agitator, in fact they are constantly fighting earths' gravity, this makes it much harder to balance the load" No, they don't "fight earth's gravity" --- they take advantage of it with natural tumble action and minimal water usage.

There are many factors that result in newer models being unreliable, but being a front-loader per se isn't one of them. Laundromats would have ditched them decades ago.

[aztraph]

I know spinning at high speeds is a good thing, read my post, i said it has to in order to get the water out- duh!

Now i can't argue that agitators cause more were and tear on clothes, you are correct on that, I also appologize for not clarifying the fighting earth's gravity part, but i wonder why it took so long for someone to post anything about it. They fight earth's gravity when trying to BALANCE the load, a balaned load is essential to spinning the load AT the fastest speed possible.

I guess you read my post without really comprehending it, i think you need to take a class in physics.

[aztraph]

I just got done going down the list of all the posts you've made and have gained a better understanding of WHERE YOU ARE COMING FROM. Read into that whatever you like.

Now go read all my posts and, please, comment on them, I've had a tough day and could use a few laughs.

[deckeda]

I'll leave that generous invitation to read all of your posts to others. As for me, I've already seen enough. You take care.

[aztraph]

ok, you are obviously ill equiped, but should you gain a few levels of experience, say in a year or two, i would be glad to converse with you on a more, well i'm sure you get the picture. you take care and keep lurking in the background and try to learn something. K?

[deckeda]

Well, clearly I know where I belong. Speaking of learning something, you misspelled a word.

[nodiscnts]

I would advise any brand as long as its harvest gold or avocado green. These are good machines.