front loading vs. regular washer??

Dollar Stretcher is a great little site. Here is the link:

http://www.stretcher.com/

good info thanks...

__________________
Some can't find happiness. Some feel pain & loneliness. Every breath is a struggle for survival.

We aren't thrilled with ours. Probably if the price had not been so nuts, we wouldn't be so unhappy, but we forked over some big bucks for the Kenmore set.

The thing has a cycle called "autosoak". Translate = machine stops while wet clothes sit. No appreciable amount of soak water that I can see...

Soak to me means IN WATER. Enough to drown fleas, enough to fill all the air holes. Enough to hold the baking soda on stinky stuff long enough to get the smells out.
On occasion, when we forget a load in there and the laundry goes sour, when I rewash, the clothes still come out smelly. I know folks who use highly-fragranced laundry products probably would never find that out, but we have some fragrance allergies in our home so have to use all unscented products. Dead giveaway of a machine that is not up to snuff...
Baking soda doesn't work. Vinegar doesn't work. Only taking the stuff to the sink and soaking in deep water with those products works to get that smell.
Or my old top loader on soak cycle.

Our dirtyest stuff does not come out cleaner. I agree with everyone else who said the top loader was better for really dirty stuff.

The water saver feature is great, except there is no override if you want to use more for whatever reason.

I like knowing the super hot feature is there, but I can't say there is a noticeable difference when I use it. I understand its still not as hot as european models, and so I still boil items on occasion. THAT makes a difference in whites.

I like the stack feature.
We're still under warranty and so I'm not quite as furious about the constantly breaking door handle as I'd be if I had to pay for it every time. We are now replacing #4.
(We are an adult couple, no children, and I'm almost always the only one using this machine. I'm not hard on the handle. )

On that note, I would be happy to sell mine....

__________________
Hut on the Hill Farm
http://www.hutonthehill.org

Boy, I like this board - you guys are really answering all my questions!

I'm leaning towards the front loader after reading all of this. Except I've never heard of this 'sour' smell before. I use non-scented laundry detergent and I ride horses and garden but nothing like logging.

I'm having a bit of a flea problem myself. I'd also like to be able to put a down comforter into the washing machine but I don't know if the lower end front loading ones would be able to handle it.

I'll check out the Dollar Stretcher site.

thanks for all the input!

Beaux

We have the Kenmore Elite front loader and it is wonderful. Our clothes come out cleaner than they did with the top loader.

take my word for it! our frontload washer does laundry for 11 people 2 adults and 8kids it handles just about anything you throw at it as for heavy blankets and such just don't stuff it full and it should handle it just fine.by the way that translates to about 4-5 loads a day and it takes us about amonth to go through a bottle of det. just one thing to remember make sure you don't use to much det. because it overloads the sensors in the machine and it will burn your motor up trying to gey out all the soap.the guy who fixed our washer said all you need is around 2-3 tbls of det. good luck and have fun washing laundry.

1. Ammonia is absolutely the best thing I've found for removing the mildew smell from fabrics.

2. I've seen lots of used machines available on Craigslist (www.craigslist.com). That's an online classified site available (and popular) in most areas.

__________________
www.glimmercroft.com
The basic message of liberalism is simply: The true measure of a society is how it treats the weak and the needy. A simple Christian message (Matthew 25:40). -Garrison Keillor

I can't afford a front load washer. Not when I can buy a fine used toploader for $50.

But I've used them, and they sure are nice. The clothes don't get damaged the way they do with a top loader. They come out cleaner (I think). And the water usage is a whole lot less. They really are a great machine, just expensive as all get out.

We also have the Kenmore front loading washer. I have had new t-shirts come out with holes. The washer has also required more maintenance then the old top loading one ever did. But maybe the water and detergent savings help make up for this?? Still, it doesn't replace the damaged clothes.

__________________
veni, vidi, volgavi

As I mentioned- I like to soak 2 socks, or 2 kitchen/handtowels- in water and get them soppy and throw them in the FL when I am washing a DIRTY DIRTY load...I think that adds enough extra water. Otherwise for regular grandchildren wear and tear the FL regular cycle works fine.

I read the ingrediant label on my High Efficiency Equator Laundry Dtergent. The first ingredient is sodium carbonate, which is sal or washing soda, for all you guys making your own laundry soup. Secondary is Sodium Laurate, which is an ingredient in baby shamppoo. Third is coconut something- I will check and try to post over the weekend so those of us who like to make our own detergent can take a crack at making HE detergent. I use 1 tablespoonful, with 2 tablespoons borax, powdered bleach, and cheap liquid fabric softner. I have to add the liquid fabric sofetner to prevent the clothes from clinging to the drums and being damp after the dry cycle in my combo washer/dryer.
Anyone try the homemade liquid fabric softner recipe that was recently posted on one of the forums in a FL washer?

I use 1 tablespoon

Got our new FL Kenmore two years ago and absolutely love it! Uses less water, detergent, clothes cleaner -- much, amazingly dryer at end of spin, holds an unbelievable amount of clothes, spray a rug cleaner on any grease-tractor-construction dirt-paint-tough-spots.

Bought it new, old TL was 16 years old -- wanted to get a new something, not used, these mechanical devices have a life and we wanted it all.

Very Happy with our FL,

Alex (& Nancy)

__________________
Thou art That

I have found the same problem when I'd leave clothes in the top loader. You have to expect mold to begin to grow. I don't do a load of laundry if I know I'll be gone all day. As for fleas, a clothes dryer on hot should take care of them if the soap doesn't.

High Effeciecy Laundry Deterergent Ingredients In Order Of Listing
1. SODIUM CARBONATE 9washing soda0
2.SODIUM SULFATE
3. SODIUM bORAX
4. Sodium Alkyl aryl sulfonate
5. Linear acohol ethoxylate
6. Coconut diethanolamide
Soaspmakers and chemists- You are more than welcome to translate into regular speech!

I used my front loader with cloth diapers. I washed them twice, once with the reccomended amount of detergent and the second time with a tiny bit and some vinegar. Used the extra rinse cycle on both washes. Never had any problem. Occasionally, they would need an extra wash if they had set too long before I got to wash them.

Otherwise, I love my front loader. I like that we can stack the dryer on top of it and also that I can wash our king size quilts and comforters with no problem.

Well, my son in law is a mechanic, and his clothes come out remarkeably clean - much cleaner than the top loaders... I have a Whirlpool Duet pair and love them

Mary in OK

Oh darn, the washing machine just bit the dust. It just buzzes instead of agitating. Maaan! So I'm going to be making the rounds today. I found 3 different ads in the yellow pages for reconditioned appliances, one for a builder supplier as well as Sears and Lowes and other furniture stores. I'm tempted to buy the first cheap one I see.

Now I have to see if one of my new neighbors will let me finish the load tonight.

Thanks all!

Beaux

I got my neptune front-loading washer from Sears. It does a good job of cleaning and doesn't use as much water as the top-loading machines. However, it cost quite a bit more than some of the top-loading machines. You can check out customer reviews on-line for washing machines to see which does the best job for the least amount.

I have a front loading washer and just love it - uses 11 gals of water max per load and if you need to sanitize (a 2 hour cycle), it has an internal heater to get the water temp higher. I did use what detergent I already had before buying the HE, just used less. Clothes that spin on high come out almost dry. I have a whirlpool duet and it has a prewash, soak etc. plus yo can load detergent for pre-wash and wash plus bleach and softener at the beginning of the cycle. I believe the electricity cost is about $11 per year.

We have a Thor front loading washing machine. Asside from the water pump breaking, which I fixed, I am pleased with it. It uses very little water and almost no electricity. It does not do large loads. When we need to wash the comforters, blankets, etc we go into town to do it. It is not worth it to us to have a larger washer for the once a year cleaning of those things.

__________________
SugarMtnFarm.com -- Pastured Pigs, Poultry, Sheep, Dogs and Kids