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I fucking hate high efficiency washers and dryers.
- Thread starter Douche McBaggins The 3rd
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I have the whole HE LG set. So good.
Haven't had any issues with my HE dryer, but I really hate the GE HE washer I have (came with the house, unfortunately). It doesn't allow you to manually adjust the water level and it always uses too little water. I usually add a bucket of water or two to every load and run an extra rinse cycle because I found that if I didn't, clothes would be covered in a thin layer of grime after the cycle stopped. Note: I'm not expecting water to rise above the load the way it used to in the washers of my youth, but I'm finding I just don't get good results if there is not enough water to fully saturate the load.
Think I will end up retiring it and switching to a Bosch washer. I've heard they're pretty good.
Think I will end up retiring it and switching to a Bosch washer. I've heard they're pretty good.
Funky Papa
FUNK-Y-PPA-4
Front loaders are the most common units in Europe and those problems are rather unusual. It looks like Whirlpool was selling crap.
Either that or German/Swedish companies understand something about their appliances that other manufacturers don't. Bosch, Siemens, Balay, Electrolux, AEG are all good.
Captain Tuttle
Member
Haha, this is so true. We upgraded to high efficiency ones after our old school top loader died. The silence is disconcerting
And by "all" you really mean "whirlpool". Gotcha.
Still, anything that's built in a way that can have left-over standing water in it only makes sense to dry after use.
CharlieDigital
Banned
By "all" I really mean "all".
I just purchased an LG and the usage instructions and placard have a note that the front must be cleaned out and dried after every use and not to leave the door closed when not in use.
The class action lawsuit and the one singled out is Whirlpool, but they are all functionally the same with a rubber gasket seal in the front that easily collects standing water.
http://www.today.com/news/your-washing-machine-growing-hidden-mold-6C10671363
Washing machine models named in lawsuits include:
And more reading: http://www.theindychannel.com/news/...ont-load-washing-machines-contain-hidden-mold
Germans, Americans, Koreans -- basically covered all the bases there. It's simple physics and inevitable that the front seal will collect standing water and where there is standing water, there will be mold.
My guess is that, first, European weather is generally less humid than many parts of the US. Second is that European market appliances are probably more compact and thus you must do smaller loads more frequently. Here is a question: how often do you do your wash in a week? In my household, we only do the wash on the weekends so the appliance would sit unused most of the week. If standing water were left there, it would have a nice, solid week to grow mold.
CheDominik
Member
Hari Seldon
Member
Can you even buy the old school kind? I'm worried because mine are getting long in the tooth and I have heard that the HE stuff is terrible as well.
teruterubozu
Member
eh, I've gone through 2 frontloading LG washers. They're OK. My wife likes the "look" but I find them prone to breaking and unnecessarily complicated mechanically.
My old Maytags were beasts and easy to maintain. We had to leave them when we moved though.
My old Maytags were beasts and easy to maintain. We had to leave them when we moved though.
The Interrobanger
Member
It's true. Fuck HE dryers especially.
Fleet_of_Foot
Member
When I was in college, I lived in a crappy apartment that had a really crappy washer and dryer. The dryer took like 3 HOURS to dry clothes.
One day we realized a bird had built a 3-foot-long nest in the dryer's exhaust hose. We cleaned that out,and the dryer worked better.
So check the exhaust hose.
One day we realized a bird had built a 3-foot-long nest in the dryer's exhaust hose. We cleaned that out,and the dryer worked better.
So check the exhaust hose.
CheDominik
Member
Frontloaders are pretty much standard in Europe and I've never heard that mold is a big problem. And those modern washing machines really save you a bunch of energy,water and do a really good job, but maybe I'm just spoiled by the likes of Bosch, Miele et al. Seriously buy Bosch or Miele and never look back.
RobotChant
Member
Front loading washers by nature trap moisture. If the door is closed, over time that moisture can get funky smelling. This is why it's recommend to leave the door open slightly, so that air can flow.
Top loading washers don't have to be air/water tight and thus they rarely develop the stench.
I personal experience is if you leave the door open after a wash the smell won't develop or will go away.
Top loading washers don't have to be air/water tight and thus they rarely develop the stench.
I personal experience is if you leave the door open after a wash the smell won't develop or will go away.
CharlieDigital
Banned
Bosch is one of the brands listed in the class action lawsuit.
As I stated above, I think the issue is one of climate and usage patterns.
The Albatross
Member
Sounds like a piece of shit dryer.
But, I'm with you that high efficiency washers... unless you're spending $700+, really aren't very good. Most HE washers between $350 - $650 don't even get your clothes clean. My new dryer is fucking awesome though.. Dries a decent sized load in 35 minutes, I love it. This was after my old dryer, one day, started a fire.
Already exists. Pretty common at a lot of restaurants, hotels, etc. Though I don't know anybody who has one in their home.
But, I'm with you that high efficiency washers... unless you're spending $700+, really aren't very good. Most HE washers between $350 - $650 don't even get your clothes clean. My new dryer is fucking awesome though.. Dries a decent sized load in 35 minutes, I love it. This was after my old dryer, one day, started a fire.
Already exists. Pretty common at a lot of restaurants, hotels, etc. Though I don't know anybody who has one in their home.
Yep new Maytag are just rebranded Whirlpool. Their first line of HE Neptune washers had enough problems to bankrupt the company. I'm running a pair that is about 12 years old. I hate even acknowledging that for fear of jinxing them.
MisterNoisy
Member
Open your dryer up about once a year and clean it out with either a dryer brush (looks like a giant bottlebrush) or a shop vac, along with the ducting that takes the hot air out. It's a pain in the ass, but less of one than a dryer fire. Added bonus is that it'll restore drying performance because all that crud isn't impeding airflow through the machine.
I had one in some house I rented last year.
One thing to keep in mind is that the people operating these machines are not motivated to keep them operating in peak efficiency. Why spend money to fix busted appliances if people just pay for a second round through the dryer and call it good?
OP, sounds like the dryer has a busted heating element. The entire point of HE is to use less energy, and if you are using 2-3 dryer cycles you are using more energy than one trip through an old-school dryer.
OP, sounds like the dryer has a busted heating element. The entire point of HE is to use less energy, and if you are using 2-3 dryer cycles you are using more energy than one trip through an old-school dryer.
Valkyr Junkie
Member
Higher-end top-loaders nowadays don't really have agitators inside them anymore.
Yeah, my mom has one without an agitator, but space concern was also an issue. At the time I couldn't really find a top-loader that was small enough. When I buy a place next year I'll likely replace both anyway, and LG will certainly be at the top of my list. I do like the lower water usage of the front-load washers though (though I suppose a HE top-load might use less water as well too, I've not really looked into them.)
Zippedpinhead
Member
My HE washer washes great!, can't complain.
My dryer... kinda shitty at times. If there is a towel in the dryer, then it is the only thing getting fully dry, everything else will come out damp. Unless I turn on timed dry, towels and other fluffy large items throw off the dry sensor.
My suggestion is dry less, or dry towels separately.
My dryer... kinda shitty at times. If there is a towel in the dryer, then it is the only thing getting fully dry, everything else will come out damp. Unless I turn on timed dry, towels and other fluffy large items throw off the dry sensor.
My suggestion is dry less, or dry towels separately.
Funky Papa
FUNK-Y-PPA-4
I do my laundry weekly, but there's never any water left around the seal. The centrifuge takes care of that pretty well.
I remember that seals would get a bit dirty and smelly many years ago (I'm talking early 90's), but seals were also different and centrifuges were nowhere near as powerful as they are now, so clothes would come out pretty wet.
Wuthering_Heights
Banned
Clean the lint trap.
That's a bummer to hear, especially the 4yr length. The washer was one of the few things I buy an extended warranty for and it's only for 3 years.
P
IISANDERII
Member
Your high efficiency washer sounds....
like it's a low efficiency washer
like it's a low efficiency washer
my work has these.
I still find it amazing that anyone would put their jeans in the dryer. I mean. SMH.
Mattlikewhoa
Member
My HE washer and dryer work rather great to tell you the truth. No problems here... (Samsung and now LG).
I am guilty of not reading the entire thread and going straight to the reply button. Try living without a washing machine. My life got a whole lot easier once I bought one. Granted I bought the cheapest new one I could find. Before that I was hand washing a few things almost every night. Is it an option for you in the US to buy one?
shira
Member
I can second this. Washing clothes by hand is a pretty neat workout. Its one of the only efficient ways to workout the forearms with a twisting motion.
Dead Prince
Banned
had mine for about 5 years. it's dying now. would buy. i have the front load one. they work so well and very water efficient and energy efficient as well. i'm in the market for a new one to replace the dying one.
entremet
Member
I saw it all the time when used to do laundry in laudromats in college.
All dryers basically work in the same way, so I'm trying to find out the difference...
I can't find what makes Maytag's HE dryers highly efficient other than the mention of an advanced sensor. So either the heater or sensor is busted in the OPs dryers. I wouldn't be shocked if it was the sensor. And, yeah, his Laundromat might want to check the vents.
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