I’m going to have to buy a fridge, a washer and a dryer (because I’m BUYING A HOUSE! Ack!). Does anyone have any general pointers as to:
(a) things to look for
(b) brands to avoid/seek out
© etc.?
In general, I don’t have any particularly fancy needs, but would obviously like reliability and value.
Thanks
I just recently went through a dryer repair fiasco, and while chatting with the second repair guy, he said he would advise against buying Maytag these days. He had stories about problems that he claimed should have led to recalls, but didn’t. Of course, you’re getting it third hand from someone you don’t know, but that’s all I have to offer. Maybe you could call a repair place and see what they might have to say?
Personally, when I have to replace my washer, I’m getting a front loader. They’re more expensive, but they use less water and they’re supposed to be easier on your clothes. But I’m some years away from that purchase, so I have nothing else to offer as far as brands.
I would recommend that you give serious thought to which features you really want, what you absolutely don’t want, and what’s on your nice-to-have list. As for a fridge - don’t go too small - there’s nothing worse than a fridge that’s too small. For the washer and dryer - think about how you want/need the dryer door to open based on where they will sit. It can be a major annoyance or inconvenience.
Happy shopping!
When you get your fridge, don’t get the kind that has the freezer compartment and the cooler side-by-side (rather than top and bottom), because that makes for narrow shelves that are hard to fit stuff into.
It’s pretty hard to go seriously wrong with Kenmore appliances. For the most part, Whirlpool makes the things, and those folks probably make half of the appliances sold in the US under quite a few brand names. GE’s got a few brands, and the rest are from the likes of LG and Bosch.
I’ve got a Kenmore front-load washer and think highly of it. Nice big capacity, gentle on the clothes (no big corkscrew grinding against them) and quiet, even on its high-speed final spin, which gets clothes nearly dry before they even get to the dryer. Less drying = less wear on clothes and less power use.
It’s frequently “featured” in one of its minor variants for around $600. The primary variable is in its delay-start timer feature - you can set it to start “X” hours later - some models have an 8-hour timer, some 6 or whatever. Same guts, but the timer difference is all that’s needed to keep the FTC happy that they’re not running a perpetual sale on one item, which is apparently not legal.
Best value: Find a local “scratch and dent” place and try to make a deal on all three. If you don’t have a truck, get a friend with a truck to help you pick them up and install them yourself.
Believe it or not, you can also deal at many new appliance stores. Just make sure you are talking to someone empowered to do so, and you may be suprised at how much they will drop the price to sell rather than see you walk out the door.
Big-box home stores often run 10% off coupon and 12 month free financing specials that can be very attractive, as well, depending on your situation.
I have an enormous, 26-cubic foot refrigerator that came with my house. Initially, I thought I would love it, because it has so much room! Now I hate it with a passion, because it is way too big, and I’m forever finding fossilized science project material in the way back. So my only advice is, bigger ain’t necessarily better. Really look at what you keep in your fridge and how often you shop, and how often you throw old food away, and buy the smallest size you can work with.
Look for the energy ratings. These are listed on yellow papers on the front of the unit and give an estimate of cost per year for energy used by said appliance. Too low and the sucker won’t be very powerful. Too high and you’ll spend a fortune running it. Also there are two types- electric and gas powered.
Otherwise, stick to well known brands- Maytag, Whirlpool, etc. Check features (agitation type, timed vs. sensor drying, etc), size, and openings. Ones that load from the front can be a pain in the ass depending on the space they are kept in, but top loaders, are, imho, terrible when stacked. They never work out right. The stuff in the dryer is hard to get out, and the space between the washer top and the dryer on top never works out very ergonomically. Laundry centers especially blow. YMMV.
The usual rules apply- consumer reports, read amazon reviews, ask for specific recs, shop around, etc. Remember- Fry’s ain’t just for computers.
I think these are very sexy, and I also dig the toploading kind that don’t agitate but rather sort of gently tumble the clothes about in the water.
Meanwhile, the only vacuum to get is a Dyson. Hands down. We just got one, and boy does it suck! But that’s another thread.
I second Kenmore (Sears brand). I believe all of their washers and dryers are made by Whirlpool (at least that was the case a few years ago). They’re usually the exact same unit as the name-brands made on the same assembly lines, but cost a couple hundred less because they have a different label.
Our appliance guy said the same thing about Maytag washers. We’re getting a Whirlpool front-loading washer for the same reasons others have mentioned. He gave the thumbs-up to the Maytag dryer my husband wants, though. The one with the hanging drying closet thingy above the tumbling dryer. I also agree with the refrigerator not being side-by-side. This is what I have and I do not like it.
Consider your water bill. If your new home is in an area with water meters, you may be able to make up the extra expense of a front loader in a couple of years, making it the thrifty choice in the long run.
For fridge: I like the freezer chest on the bottom design since it places things you’re getting all the time at shoulder level. I think about this more and more often during the 17,000 times a day I stoop over to find the milk or butter.
Get a frost free freezer. Nothing is worse than defrosting a freezer.
We got a basic Whirlpool freezer top/refrigerator bottom model a couple of years ago, and it’s worked great for us. This will sound stupid, but I really like the glass shelves in the fridge. Makes it look bigger inside, and, more importantly, easier to see stuff that’s way in the back. The shelving system makes for a lot of flexibility too; I’m always surprised how much we can stuff in there. And the whole thing is easy to clean.
I don’t know if they still make 'em like they used to, but my wife’s grandfather picked up a Maytag washer and dryer from an auction several years ago for $100. They must be more than 20 years old, and, aside from replacing the timer on the washer and a seal on the dryer, they seem to be holding up well. We expected to have to replace them when we moved to our new house, but we’re still waiting.
Yup. My folks generally did this and always had decent luck.
I’ve got one of the early-generation Maytag Neptune Stacked front load washer and front load dryer.
Bought it used from someone who had “hardly used it”, rather inexpensively. Had a couple of things under warranty looked at and repaired (parts warranty, not labor) and have a list of the recalls it has been subject to, but other than that, I love it - stackable so I can turn part of the laundry area to storage, and quiet so I can watch TV while its on.
If having the ice and water in the door is important to you (as it was for us), you’ll pretty much have to go with the side-by-side. I’ve seen one freezer-on-bottom model that offers water in the door, but not ice, because there’s no way to haul the ice from the freezer down below up to the level of your cup.
Our fridge, bought in December, is a Kenmore, and so far we love it muchly. It’s a side by side with adjustable glass shelves in the fridge and a combination of shelves and pullout wire baskets in the freezer. The ice and water in the door are filtered, which is a must in our city. And, it seems plenty big enough for us, although we do plan to also get a standalone freezer at some point for mass storage of bulk-buy bargain items.
I’m on my 3rd front load washer (I keep selling the houses and leaving the washers) and I love them. If you go with one, and have the space, look at getting the risers for underneath it. It raises the washer maybe 10" higher, which makes unloading it a lot easier.
I also keep buying freezer on the bottom frig/freezer combos. I love them for the reason stated above. The stuff I need is at an easy reach level. I’ve started seeing these offered with pullout basket/drawers, rather then just shelves in the freezer parts. If I was buying now, I’d look for one of those, since it’s a bit of a pain to get to the back of the shelf down at shin level.
I went with the side-by-side because I wanted the ice-maker/water dispenser on the door. I wasn’t sure if it was frippery or not, but as it turns out, I love the feature. In the past, I’ve never remembered to make ice, and it’s really nice to have it on tap. It is true that you get narrower shelf space in the side-by-side, but it’s not a huge issue - I just got the biggest side-by-side I could squeeze into my kitchen. (Contrary to what someone said above, a larger refrigerator doesn’t really cost all that much more in terms of energy.) My fridge is a Maytag which got so-so reliability reviews but which has been fine so far. (Don’t bother asking the appliance salemen about reliability – they’ll bad mouth whatever manufacturer they don’t sell.)
Ok so i’m reviving this thread because I was searching for appliances and found it. My sister and bro-in-law are moving and their new pad has sh*tty appliances so they’re gonna buy new and because their life is more interesting than mine, I’m going to help.
Anyway Tastes of Chocolate - you said that you like front-loading washers right? Are there any down-sides? That’s what I’ve been telling her is the way to go, especially the high efficiency ones. As for the fridge, I think she really wants side-by-side so I’ve been doing my research on those - she has kids so I wanna make sure she gets something that can expand with her family. My mom loves her Kenmore w/d so that’s the brand I started looking at, plus it’s just one I"m most familiar with. I have been seeing commercials for their new colored front-loaders (the “HE4t”) which is what I am recommending for her and I’ve heard nothing but good things. Anyone have them? They look v cool. Plus like someone said above, Sears/Kenmore is pretty trustworthy brand. Thoughts?
We just bought front loaders Monday. Haven’t used them yet (gas got hooked up today), but the downside…they were much more expensive than any of the “standard” washer and dryers.
You can’t open a front loader in the middle of a cycle. That’s a big drawback for me.
FWIW, if you go to Sears this Sunday between 5 and 6, you will get an additional 10% off of all pricing! It’s Friends and Family Night!