World of Washers

Leah writes:

Hi Brad,

I want to thank you for your blog. After searching through all the junk on the Internet regarding washers, it is great to find some well- thought-out, down-to-earth advice on washers.

We have a 4 year old Frigidaire Gallery FL that is a total lemon. We have spent as much on repairs as we did on the machine (not including the repairs when it was still under warranty), it has never cleaned clothes, and our clothes and the machine smell like mildew. There is no visible evidence of mold, but I do everything recommended. I use only 1 T of HE detergent, I run bleach through it once a month, I wipe it out after every use, and I leave the door open. Now the drum is leaking. So, finally I can get a new machine! After my experience with the Frigidaire though, I am nervous!

I want an HE machine. We have 4 children and tons of really dirty laundry, including cloth diapers. I plan to get an extended warranty and definitely need something that heats water. The mold issue really concerns me because I have 2 children with allergies and asthma. I have read your take on the mold issue and it is reassuring. I think that getting a machine that heats the water and is a different design, possibly with steam, should eliminate this concern. Whenever I read the online complaints though, I am scared!

So, I need something that cleans really well. I wants something fairly large. At least 4 cu. ft. I want something that gets good and hot to kill allergens. I want something that isn't as likely to break down. And I don't want to spend more than $1000, absolute top price would be $1300. Maybe that is way too much to ask? :)

At first I had decided on the Samsung FL, but after reading more about the issues with the Silvercare technology, I am not so sure. I also called their customer service department and I'm sure the person I spoke to didn't have more than a second grade education. She couldn't even answer my questions about water temperature and how exactly the steam feature works on the models that have it. Now I am considering the LG FL. Somewhere in you blog, I read that LG machines have silver in them also. Is this correct and is it used any different than the Samsung? I have also considered the GE Harmony HE TL, mainly because of the mold issues.

Any thoughts or comments on these machine is appreciated!

Also, I am interested in what people out there know about the different extended warranties. Sears seems to cover the most and includes free yearly diagnostic check-ups and maintenance, but the policy costs $200 more than Lowe's, Best Buy, and Home Depot. Sears also has a 90 days return policy and I believe the others all have a 30 day return policy. Everyone I speak with tells me something different about the warranties. Without reading all the fine print, I would love to know what others have found to be the best deal. I considered buying at a locally owned store, but they have a 50% restocking fee and told me that regardless of what warranty I have and what is wrong with the machine, once I get it, I am stuck with it. I didn't like that response!

Anyway, I know there is no easy, 100% correct answer, but thanks for your time.

Leah

My response:

Leah,

Very sorry to hear about your problems with your Frigidaire washer. They make a decent machine, but they are nothing like the ones they used to build. But I guess that is pretty much the same with everything today.

I can't begin to guess why you had the mold problems in your washer. I think my advice on cleaning and keeping these frontload machines is sound, but for whatever reason my methods do not solve everyone's problems. So, yes, mold can still be an issue. I still believe that it is an issue in any machine; the problem is just exacerbated in frontload washers.

So you want an HE machine, and you want it to heat the water. There are a few top load washers that offer an internal water heater, but they do not offer the higher water temperature that you are requiring. That leaves frontloaders. You also want it to be around a grand, and you want it to be dependable.

For the above reasons, I am going to recommend the LG WM0642HW. I have written about this washer in my previous posts "Reader Mail: WM0642HW frontloader" and "The frontload washers I would buy myself". I believe this washer is a tremendous value, and will meet most every person's needs. Features like steam and silver are all well and good, but are not necessities. This washer offers the capacity you are looking for, is very energy efficient, does an excellent job of cleaning with the aid of the internal water heater, and comes with a great warranty.

The GE Profile Harmony is also a good choice, but I think your needs would be better met by the LG.

If I mentioned LG making use of silver, I think I was referring to their refrigerators, not their washing machines. LG incorporates silver into the liner and door seal of their refrigerators.

In regards to warranties, I would advise against purchasing any extended warranties from Sears. Of course, I'd also advise against buying from Sears at all, but that's just because I am biased and think Sears sucks. Their warranties are hellatiously expensive, and there is little to no periodic maintenance required on modern appliances. They charge a much higher price for their warranties because they include the annual "check-ups", but they are banking that most people will forget to ever call for these check-ups.

Plus, there is also the fact that in buying from Sears (and buying their warranty) you will be forced to deal with A&E Factory Service, the service arm of Sears. This is one of the (many, many) reasons Sears sucks today, and I would advise against tying yourself to a product that will leave you at their mercy. Here's a link for you.

I do not think an extended warranty is a bad idea. As you can already attest, this crap just breaks. Most of the major retailers are selling warranties from GE. This can be either good or bad, depending on the level of service GE provides in your area. Buying these warranties does not necessarily mean GE will be doing the service, it just means GE Assurant (or something like that) will be paying for any service claims. And with any insurance company, they will be kicking and screaming when it is time to pay up.

In regards to your other questions about the Electrolux line of laundry, I must profess ignorance here. I know nothing about these machines, and didn't even know they existed until you brought them to my attention.

Electrolux is the company that owns and manufactures Frigidaire. Obviously, in your case that is one strike against them. That is not to say that since your washer was crap, these will be too. But I would be wary. I will try and get more information on these machines, but my advice would be to look at these with a very critical eye.

Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Brad

Leah's response:

Hi again Brad,

Thank you so much for your help. Yesterday we purchased the LG WM2487 from Sears. It is a long story, but I left there pretty unhappy because the sales person really mislead me and said he could not beat a competitors sale price at the last minute. My husband was so sick of it all, he told me to just buy it, so I did. But after reading your email today, we canceled the order at Sears, went to Best Buy and ended up saving $200. I was actually considering the LG 0642, but it wasn't on sale and our model was only $150 more. Our model has the steam feature and the Allergiene cycle which is supposed to be much more energy efficient than the regular sanitize cycle, and I know I will be using it a lot. The machine is certified as allergy and asthma friendly, so if we have any mold issues, you can bet they will get hell from me! I just hope that all the extra fancy features don't cause mechanical problems. I have the 5 year extended warranty so hopefully we are covered for at least 5 years.

Anyway, thanks a lot for your help. You saved us $200 and possibly a lot of grief in having to deal with Sears!

Leah