Washing Machines

[Mike Goetzke]

I'm tired of repairing my Whirlpool washer - about once a year. We were looking to get a Speed Queen - actually bought one the TC5 but it had a 6" dent in the side panel and they only wanted to give me $100 to keep it. Anyway, the salesman said he can't get another TC5 for two weeks but offered to send out a TR7 in a day. I told him to give me a day to think about it but seems the TC5 is an old school tank. That's why I originally ordered it. The TR7 has several more features. The TC5 has a transmission and a 1/2HP motor while the TR7 has a 1HP variable speed motor with belt drive. I'm so confused.

Anyone have experience with these that can help me decide? - Thanks

 

[Packard]

When my GE washing machine needed repair after 5 years of ownership, the GE repairman (actually another company that bought the GE name) said that the cost to repair would be too high to make sense.  He suggested I buy a new machine.

I complained that it was only 5 years old. 

He said, they typically last from 48 to 72 months.

My earlier washing machine was over 20 year old.  My parents had a washing machine for the entire time I lived at home (22 years). 

The repairman made it sound like the machine was engineered to last 48 to 72 months.  They clearly know how to make machines that last longer; it no longer fits their business model.

I am not convinced that changing brands it going to make much of a difference. 

I picked my current washing machine because it was on sale.  It is about due to fail as it is over 5 years old.  When it fails, I will watch for a machine that is on sale. 

Note:  I have little faith in front loading machines’ ability to remain water tight over the long run.  I will pick a top loader (I know it uses more water) next time too.

 

[bertv]

Get a Miele. Frontloader, yeah, But superb quality. Expensive, but will you last at least 15 years.

 

[Holzhacker]

I think we got about 5-6 years out of our Bosch front loader. The current Samsung has about 10-12 years on it and still works great with no problems. The front panel accessible filter is a huge plus if you have a dog. Easy to clean out.
I wouldn't buy any Samsung electronics, i.e. TV, fridge but the washer and dryer have been great.

 

[Mike Goetzke]

I think we got about 5-6 years out of our Bosch front loader. The current Samsung has about 10-12 years on it and still works great with no problems. The front panel accessible filter is a huge plus if you have a dog. Easy to clean out.
I wouldn't buy any Samsung electronics, i.e. TV, fridge but the washer and dryer have been great.

Thanks - can you provide the model # please?

 

[Rutabagared]

I've had a Speed Queen for over 10 years.  Love it.

 

[Mike Goetzke]

I've had a Speed Queen for over 10 years.  Love it.

Thanks - which model? (bet it's TC5 old school design)

 

[jonnyrocket]

I have the speed queen front loader. Have had it for 6 years now with 0 problems. This is coming from a home with 8 people in the house.  Multiple loads per day. We also deal with sandy clothes quite often due to frequent trips to the beach. In fact, prior to the front loader, I was replacing the tub seal on my Maytag top loader every 18 months.

 

[rst]

We had a Maytag that lasted 30+ years and a Kenmore dryer for the same time frame.  The more features they add, the more prone to failure.

 

[luvmytoolz]

After battling with an Electrolux that gave us constant issues practically from day one, and then an LG that was temperamental, we finally got a Haier a few years ago that hands down is the best washing machine we've owned. Was hundreds cheaper than other comparable machines, but the reliability is great and it's super quiet. Front loaders can be a pain with needing to drain them constantly to reduce the smell that builds up, which we thought must be normal, but this one doesn't build up any smell. Couldn't be happier with it:
https://www.haier.com.au/laundry/wa...nt-loader-washing-machine-hwf85an1-62353.html

 

[Sparktrician]

I have a Bosch WFMC8400UC/09 that I bought in '06 (19 years ago), and had to have a water valve replaced two years ago.  No complaints here.  [smile]  I bought a Bosch gas dryer at the same time, but sold it when I bought my current home in '08 due to this being an all-electric neighborhood.  The replacement Bosch electric dryer has been problem-free since '08. 

 

[Mike Goetzke]

Thanks for all the help. The dealer found a new Speed Queen TC5 for me. Will be delivered shortly.

 

[Vtshopdog]

We got 15 years out of our Samsung front loader but then the spider arm that spins wash drum cracked.  Being psycho DIY type I opted to fix it myself as a commercial repair would exceed price of a new machine and I'm staunchly opposed to trashing things that can be saved.

The visible interior of the wash drum was spotless but when disassembled it had loads of detergent scum accumulated (see photos).  The detergent scum harbors bacteria that create acids and contributes to the destruction of the spider arm, not unlike process of dental decay when one does not brush teeth.

I did a deep dive to try and learn about things and ended up on a British laundry equipment repairman forum similar to the FOG.  The consensus among those folks was the buildup issue can be mitigated with below steps:

Regular cycles at hottest setting with plenty of detergent.  Powders have abrasive components (absent in liquids) that help.
Regular use of bleach
Periodic use of machine cleaning product, (I like LemiShine)

Use of fabric softeners can increase buildup

We just run an extra hot cycle with bleach a couple times a month loaded with appropriate, semi sacrificial items.  No reason to think the buildup issue would be unique to front load machines and absent from top load.

YMMV

 

[Packard]

I went home yesterday and looked at the washing machine that I bought on sale.  It is a Maytag.  I have no idea if it is made in the USA or by a foreign entity.

It is about 5 years old and aside from getting stuck at “22 minutes” remaining a couple of times, it has been fine. (I had to “re-boot” by unplugging the machine and restarting. But mostly it is still working.

I would note, that despite dire warnings, I still use dryer sheets for some of my laundry.  I don’t use it for towels, or items that need to absorb moisture because they have waxes and oils in them to accomplish the anti-static properties.

A useful side benefit:  The spent drier sheets are simply the best product I have found for polishing my eyeglasses and cell phone glass.  Nothing else works nearly as well.  And while it is not really “free”, I think of it as such.  A useful way to recycle.

(And if someone suggests I will go blind, get cancer or die young because I re-use drier sheets to polish glass, I will ignore them.)

 

[Chainring]

[member=68668]Vtshopdog[/member]

I had a look at the LemiShine label and had correctly guessed before doing so that its main ingredient is citric acid. Oddly, they have sodium bicarbonate in there, which would lessen the punch of citric acid. Seems a bit strange for them to do that.

Personally, I'd use sodium percarbonate in one really hot cycle. Then, in a separate hot cycle I'd use citric acid. Both are available in bulk and great for other uses around the house. The dish washing machine is a great place for them.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CHMT5L9H/ (Take a guess what's in this.)

 

[Packard]

The full cycle on my dishwasher takes 2 hours and 15 minuted (including the super hot “sani-cycle”.

Commercial restaurant dish washers have either 1-1/2 minute or 3 minute cycle time.

And the glass washer in bars apparently has a 45 second cycle.

So, why does my home dishwasher take over 2 hours longer than the commercial counterparts?

Corrected AI induced error (“sand” for “sani”)

 

[Chainring]

[member=74278]Packard[/member]

Are you running it with a heated dry cycle? Is your dish washer on the hot water feed at the sink? If so, do you run the hot water tap until it gets hot then start the dish washer?

Is that supposed to be "super hot sanitation cycle"?

 

[Packard]

[member=74278]Packard[/member]

Are you running it with a heated dry cycle? Is your dish washer on the hot water feed at the sink? If so, do you run the hot water tap until it gets hot then start the dish washer?

Is that supposed to be "super hot sanitation cycle"?

I really don’t know what “sani-cycle” means.  For me, it means that the dishes dry faster. 

My hot water comes out of the tap near boiling temperature and is something I have to be careful with.  I know there are fixes for it, but the hot water offers some advantages that I don’t want to give up.

Eliminating the sand-cycle shortens the cleaning cycle to around 2 hours.  Certainly not 90 seconds or 180 seconds that the commercial restaurant units offer. 

I think the bar glasses are cleaned with really hot water as they unload the machine holding onto a plastic carrier. 

In any event, why so much longer for the home washer?  I’ve seen articles about deluxe kitchens with two dishwashers.  Why not one only that cleans in 3 minutes?  I am missing something in this whole process.

 

[squall_line]

Commercial dishwashers are generally more about sanitizing dishes after going through a hand-wash sink/station than actually washing dishes.

And, generally speaking, a commercial kitchen will have its dishes washed within minutes or hours of getting dirty, rather than days or weeks in a home dishwasher, so you're not dealing with dried/caked food.

 

[Chainring]

I really don’t know what “sani-cycle” means.  For me, it means that the dishes dry faster. 

My hot water comes out of the tap near boiling temperature and is something I have to be careful with.  I know there are fixes for it, but the hot water offers some advantages that I don’t want to give up.

Eliminating the sand-cycle shortens the cleaning cycle to around 2 hours.  Certainly not 90 seconds or 180 seconds that the commercial restaurant units offer. 

I think the bar glasses are cleaned with really hot water as they unload the machine holding onto a plastic carrier. 

In any event, why so much longer for the home washer?  I’ve seen articles about deluxe kitchens with two dishwashers.  Why not one only that cleans in 3 minutes?  I am missing something in this whole process.

You previously wrote "(including the super hot “sand-cycle”."

I'm assuming sand-cycle is a mistype and is supposed to be sani, as in sanitizing cycle. If so, that means the water is heated to a temperature of, IIRC, 165F or higher. The dishes dry faster because the heated water, thus the heated dishes, have water evaporating off them quicker.

Near boiling, are you sure of that? I've turned our gas hot water heater up to the max and at a tap right next to the heater it was around 156, if memory serves. Recommended tap temp is somewhere around 126F.

Unless you're doing a quick rinse, your washer is going through at least two cycles. First is a pre-rinse and second is the main cycle. That second cycle takes a while.

Technology Connections on YouTube has done a really good video on dish washers and the various cycles. This is his first; there are newer ones.