It wasn’t any one company. I believe Sears rebranded appliances from many different vendors in their Kenmore line. In fact, interestingly, the exact Maytag top-loader that I eventually bought after doing a lot of research had a rebranded Kenmore equivalent. It had all the same control knobs but with different markings on them and was otherwise identical in every way.
Yeah, that was what I meant. Based on the model number, I was able to figure out that my specific model was manufactured by either LG or Samsung. I did not intend to imply that they made all Kenmore washers.
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Consumer Reports. Check them first. Do NOT confuse the name with Consumer Reviews, which tends to be sponsored and, shall I say, lean toward the more gregarious sponsors. It might not be a bad idea to check Popular Mechanics, either, since they seem to have gotten into the review & ratings game. [I don’t know their reputation in terms of sponsor quid pro quo…] Note that Consumer Reports basically times their testing & reports for seasonal purchases. It might not be big appliance season, but local libraries will have back-issues and are worth the read. Also, if you don’t already know, find online a 'What to look for in a ________" if only so you can learn about the latest features and which are worthwhile (or not).
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Know what your dwelling can handle, particularly in terms of power input and waste output. You probably can’t run a 220v dryer in an apartment; you don’t want to pump a XXXL washing machine tub down a 1.5" drain…
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Let the washer dry. The advice about leaving the door open for a while so mold/bacteria doesn’t accumulate is true for any washer. Let it air out, let the water evaporate, let the microbes suffer and die and get washed away. My wife and I argue whether or not that door can be closed after a couple hours, but you can argue that one (or not) with whoever shares your dwelling.
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It’s laundry, not entertainment; Don’t bother with a see-through door or lid. The wife and I learned the hard way that the clear plexiglass lid isn’t worth it. We never sat and watched the washer clean the clothes, never even checked on functionality or performance, and the natural carelessness of opening the lid and letting it swing into the stay-open position was a repetitive strain on the shaft and pivot-point until it just cracked. At that point, the lid wouldn’t stay down and keep the little sensor switch in the closed (active) position so the machine wouldn’t turn on. The manufacturer called it normal wear-and-tear, not covered by the warranty; the repairman quoted an outrageous price for a replacement lid* – which was already on back-order for several other customers. Solid metal will be opaque, but watching a washer clean clothing is only slightly more fun than watching paint dry.
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Consider used. After the incident above, my wife (and I) got so pissed off that we decided to scrap the 9-month old washer and look for a used one. A local repair shop had several restored units that were ten years old or older. He says appliances were made better back then, with fewer hypersensitive microelectronics and more mechanical failsafes. [It probaby helps a lot that he can harvest older parts and frankenstein them together, resulting in very solid and reliable appliances.] The replacement cost 1/8th what the new one cost. This guy might be a rarity, though: If anything bought from him breaks down, he or his partner will fix it and charge only for the replacement parts. He knows his machines are worn when he sells them and parts he didn’t replace are continuing to wear down, but he stands behind his work and won’t make his customers suffer from a ‘lemon’ purchase.
–G!
*The tub, made of polished stainless steel and costing hundreds of dollars, retails for dozens of dollars. The replacement lid, made of plastic that costs dozens of dollars, retails for hundreds. [Yes, I’m exaggerating, but not by much.] The reason is that the replacement lid breaks more often and can’t just be fixed with glue and clamps while the tub rarely breaks and dents can often just be pounded back in with a hammer. The manufacturers price for profit, not for relative materials cost.
I know Whirlpool owns Maytag now. Maytag reportedly still runs independently. But I’ve also heard that in fridges several brands are all made in the same plants with different badging. Anyone actually know the straight dope on the Whirlpool Maytag confab?
Anyway another vote for avoiding all the special cycles dodads. I do like the ones that automatically adjust the water to the load though. I think they have something that weighs the clothes and fills based on that. Energy efficiency matters. Not as much as reliability but close.
We had to replace our washer that chugged on for 15 years. At the same time we replaced the dryer. I told the salesman I want a top load washer with an agitator. He showed me the set and because they were a simple washer and dryer, they were the least expensive in the store. Some of the washers had computer-like screens and were thousands of dollars. So complicated. I just want to simply wash and dry clothes.
When I told him that the washer we were replacing was 15 years old, he said - you won’t see that again.