Washers

ryansride2017 · Jan 21, 2012

I'm looking for a top-loading washer, with a 3.5 cubic ft. capacity or larger AND a center agitator. Occasionally at work and at home, I get my jeans really dirty...not with oil and grease but with normal dirt from the garden that a normal washer should take out. We currently have an non-agitator model that just isn't getting the job done. I personally think there is no way a non-agitator model can get clothes as clean as a washer with an agitator. It's a different story if a person always works in the office and never get their clothes dirty...then maybe you could get away with one. I just want something that gets my clothes clean!! Any suggestions?

eljefino · Jan 21, 2012

I run baby poop diapers thru my Neptune front loader. They come out clean. Maybe you could pre-wash with a 5 gallon bucket? Go old school! I do this if I get extremely oily or gassy working on something, to save the innards of the good machine.

motorguy222 · Jan 21, 2012

A top load washer is most likely going to be made by either Whirlpool(Whirlpool-Maytag-Roper-Kenmore) or GE. Whirlpool is usually a good washer as long as it is a basic top load without the horizontal tub.The parts are usually easy to get and priced descent. Most models made starting in the early 90's? are also beltless,they are basically direct drive and reasonably easy to work on.

scurvy · Jan 21, 2012

Same as eljefino, I run poopy diapers through my old Maytag Neptune front loader and they all come out sparkling fresh & clean. A tablespoon of Charlie's soap, a dash of Oxyclean in the main wash and regular white vinegar in the softener compartment. We do all our clothes this way, including my work uniforms which often come home with large gear oil or grease stains (Cintas takes 2+ weeks to bring them back). Everything's always come out clean.

DrDusty86 · Jan 21, 2012

Careful about misinfo guys.. Beltless..just a few are..Kenmore can be made by several different companies, it's just a name thats all..please don't post if you don't know facts..Talk to an appliance repair center..a motor oil forum is the wrong place to ask this.. OP do hands on research.. look at the motor assembly of different units.. we sell some $380 GE TL washers with one piece motor/drive units, then some with ALL plastic transmissions..Whirlpool has the same cheap line.. as does Maytag. But all brands have some cheaper well built units, it just depends.

Nick R · Jan 21, 2012

Get a front-loading samsung or LG model with Steam. Those work extremely well for heavily soiled clothes.

strongt · Jan 21, 2012

Maytag's are just a name now. They are made by Whirlpool. The Neptune front loaders are Samsung Units. I used to work for Maytag back a few years before the buyout.

Spazdog · Jan 21, 2012

Originally Posted By: strongt

Maytag's are just a name now. They are made by Whirlpool. The Neptune front loaders are Samsung Units. I used to work for Maytag back a few years before the buyout.

The Maytag Centennial tricked us. It had this big MADE IN OHIO sticker on it and it was priced competitively. First time we use it, my wife pushes the start button and it FALLS INSIDE THE MACHINE! It FALLS THE [heck] INSIDE THE MACHINE! So we have to wait 3 days to get another. It cannot be balanced. It shakes and walks all over the floor no matter how it is adjusted. http://youtu.be/tjx7qES_Gcc It's not just us either #3 is noisy and vibrates but it stays in place

strongt · Jan 22, 2012

Originally Posted By: Spazdog

Originally Posted By: strongt

Maytag's are just a name now. They are made by Whirlpool. The Neptune front loaders are Samsung Units. I used to work for Maytag back a few years before the buyout.

The Maytag Centennial tricked us. It had this big MADE IN OHIO sticker on it and it was priced competitively. First time we use it, my wife pushes the start button and it FALLS INSIDE THE MACHINE! It FALLS THE [heck] INSIDE THE MACHINE! So we have to wait 3 days to get another. It cannot be balanced. It shakes and walks all over the floor no matter how it is adjusted. http://youtu.be/tjx7qES_Gcc It's not just us either #3 is noisy and vibrates but it stays in place

Where did you buy it ? Maytag's back when they where made by Maytag where made with different parts for stores such as Lowes,Sears,HomeDepot. They had the same Model # but different Letters in the Model #'s. The ones at those stores had cheaper buttons,timer's,cheaper motors. Then the ones sold at Maytag Retail Stores.

motorguy222 · Jan 22, 2012

Originally Posted By: DrDusty86

Careful about misinfo guys.. Beltless..just a few are..Kenmore can be made by several different companies, it's just a name thats all..please don't post if you don't know facts..Talk to an appliance repair center..a motor oil forum is the wrong place to ask this.. OP do hands on research.. look at the motor assembly of different units.. we sell some $380 GE TL washers with one piece motor/drive units, then some with ALL plastic transmissions..Whirlpool has the same cheap line.. as does Maytag. But all brands have some cheaper well built units, it just depends.

Most domestic top load washers are beltless,started in the early 90's. Kenmore is a name and many are made by Whirlpool or one of its subsidiaries.The many companies that made washers have been consolidated into a few,namely Whirlpool and GE. Most belt drives you see these days are front load,the OP is talking about top load.

asiancivicmaniac · Jan 22, 2012

We've had good luck with Whirlpool. We have a mid-end top loader that claims to have "commercial-duty" parts. It's been 9 (maybe even 10 years) and it hasn't given us a problem except the circuit board needing replacement when we first got it. It's noisy though. Stay away from Frigidaire.

Nyquist · Jan 22, 2012

We've had a GE washer ($340 paid) for about 5 years now. So far we haven't had any issues & clothes always come out clean. It's pretty quiet too.

Trav · Jan 22, 2012

Speedqueen! Direct drive, all metal gearbox, SS drum. Everything an old school Maytag had and then some. I use the top load commercial/manuals in my apartment buildings and they hold up to all kinds of abuse. The last one i bought 2 yrs ago was $550 and IIRC $150 for the coin box.

Shannow · Jan 22, 2012

Got a 15 year old whirlpool top loader. It's copped a flogging. Once every 3-4 years I get the phonecall at work,and spend an hour replacing the coupler. Only other problem ever was the lid and balance switch that was soldered and taped for 4 days while the part arrived off ebay for $12...would have left it so, except the children were learning to feed the machine...BTW, the lid and balance switch is line voltage.

Merkava_4 · Jan 22, 2012

Stainless steel drum and extra rinse feature are nice to have.

Turk · Jan 22, 2012

Yea - our new Whirlpool is doing a similar job well.

fdcg27 · Jan 22, 2012

Originally Posted By: Trav

Speedqueen! Direct drive, all metal gearbox, SS drum. Everything an old school Maytag had and then some. I use the top load commercial/manuals in my apartment buildings and they hold up to all kinds of abuse. The last one i bought 2 yrs ago was $550 and IIRC $150 for the coin box.

+1 We have a Speed Queen top loader we bought in 1995. It has averaged probably five loads a week ever since, and I have never had to do any repairs to it. It was pretty inexpensive as well.

Virtuoso · Jan 22, 2012

We bought a top-loading Maytag Centennial washing machine from Menard's coming up on four years ago. We average two loads per day (sometimes 0, sometimes 5-6 just depends). Cost was in the mid/upper-three hundreds and I hope it keeps working for a long time! Made in Canada IIRC. Clothes come out clean but I think a lot of that has to do with your detergent selections.

simple_gifts · Jan 22, 2012

Speed Queen makes commercial grade equipment so perhaps lessons learned filter down into their residential line. They also have attractive towel wrapped women on their homepage.

mcshooter · Jan 22, 2012

our 4 year old speed queen is 4 years old and is rattling like a spun bearing.

Washers

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