washer and dryer purchasing question..

[Enuff2Eat]

all,

we recently "broke" our washer. i called the repair man and he said between $125-$175 to repair. we got a cheap top load washer and considering getting rid of it. we checked at best buy, lowes, homedepot and finds that we can get a top load for around $450 and the front load for around $800-$1000. is there an advantage for such higher cost? "it looks good", the wife said. another question is that do i need to buy the washer and dryer in pair since the our dryer is functional just fine.

can anyone give me some advice on buying washer and dryer? it seems to me the more button the higher the price the same model. we are not fancy people and the features does not seems to care much....

thanks

enuff

[flipstress]

Hi, Enuff2Eat.

I have a Kenmore front-loading washer that I bought over 6 years ago when I moved to my house. I like it and have had no problems with it. It saves water and is gentle on clothes. It is an Energy Star appliance and is supposed to be more energy-efficient than my old washer in my apartment. I consulted Consumer Reports before buying it.

I have no dryer, though. We just line-dry.

There was a thread not too long ago about washers and dryers in Other Topics: http://early-retirement.org/forums/i...?topic=10235.0

[brewer12345]

Check out Costco - much cheaper.

There is no need to replace your functional dryer.

[samclem]

enuf,

There's no need to replace your dryer. And, as you note, the multi-button bells an whistles on many washers just drive up the cost and lead to more breakdowns.

I've already written enough in previous threads (including the one flipstress cited) about our cool Staber washer. I think it is the best washer made. Not cheap, but not as expensive as some others offering far less robust construction. Highly recommended if you want something that is built to last a long time and which will help your clothes last a long time.

[Caroline]

I have a Kenmore front-loading washer that I bought over 6 years ago when I moved to my house. I like it and have had no problems with it. It saves water and is gentle on clothes. It is an Energy Star appliance and is supposed to be more energy-efficient than my old washer in my apartment. I consulted Consumer Reports before buying it.

I have no dryer, though. We just line-dry.

This was EXACTLY my story, Flipstress. Six years, Kenmore brand, Consumer Reports, line drying -- the whole nine yards. For a second I thought I'd written this earlier and then forgotten that I did so! Made me think I was having another senior moment!

There's been one change however. Last week, DP went out and got a dryer at the thrift store -- late model, energy saver, works great. They wanted $75 for it but he convinced them to let him have it for $40. That's my guy!

IMHO, I don't see why anyone would need a new dryer just to match the washer (energy usage being roughly equal.) Think of how many tons of stuff end up in the landfill just because it doesn't match other stuff... that's one HELL of a lot of aluminum cans you'd need to recycle to balance your ecological karma, there.

Only other thing I'd add is that the front-loading washer is really, really QUIET. I hardly know its on, sometimes.

[Martha]

Our washer died not too long ago as well. We ended up buying a Tromm from Home Depot, a front loader made by LG. We managed to squeeze out about $150 in rebates, taking the price down to about $800. Even though it is just the two of us we got a large capacity machine so I could wash blankets. So far we love the machine. As others have said, the front loaders are quiet, easy on clothes, and they also use less water and less detergent than top loaders. However, the cycle runs longer.

The Tromm has a direct drive, with no belts to wear out.

We kept our old dryer.

[Average Joe]

Kenmore washer and dryer bought in 1992. Moved them to 7 different residences in different states, stored unused for over a year once. Never had any maintenance or repairs other than new hoses. Both still run flawlessly and serve a busy laundry generating family.
Your mileage may vary.

[Average Joe]

Originally Posted by flipstress

I have no dryer, though. We just line-dry.

Your profile says "recycles dryer sheets."

[lets-retire]

Originally Posted by Caroline

IMHO, I don't see why anyone would need a new dryer just to match the washer (energy usage being roughly equal.) Think of how many tons of stuff end up in the landfill just because it doesn't match other stuff... that's one HELL of a lot of aluminum cans you'd need to recycle to balance your ecological karma, there.

Post Hi-Jack

When I was a garbage man we would constantly receive orders for special pick-ups of appliances simply because they no longer were the desired color. They still worked perfectly, they just weren't the color of the day. In a matter of four years we picked up two sets of washers and dryers from one house.

You may now go back to your regularly scheduled post.

[Lakerat Nomore]

We sold our old washer and dryer with our old home in March. I fully intended to replace them with inexpensive models when we moved into the new house. I am the type that doesn't need all the fancy cycles, bells, and whistles. After looking around at what is out there we decided to splurge on a whirlpool ( front load) washer and dryer. After doing some research and listening to the sales people we decided that saving water, electricity, detergent, and wear and tear on our clothing would offset the initial cost of the upgrade. I have to say that I have been very happy with our decision. The washer is very gentle on our clothes. I have items that I washed a dozen times this summer that look like new. The washer does a wonderful job cleaning the items with less water, soap, and electricity. The dryer cycles are shorter due to the clothing coming out of the washer with less residual moisture. I don't think I would ever choose to go back to the top load models.

[Leonidas]

We replaced both of our ancient machines two years ago. We got our money's worth out of them, the washer was about 25 years old and the dryer more than 15. Researched through Consumer Reports, ePinions, etc. and a web site (don't recall address) where people completely obsessed over the minutae of various machines and purchasing them.

We could have gone the less expensive route, but chose Bosch Nexxt for energy savings, capacity, reduced soap requirements, reduced wear on clothing and reliability. We've been very happy with the improvements over our old machines. Could have went cheaper and got top loading washer or less expensive brand, but we decided that in the end the better machines would meet our needs and we really wanted the improved features they offerred.

The laundry doesn't do itself, but it gets done so much more quickly with the bigger machines. Also, we save a lot of money on soap because the washer uses so little. We used to buy laundry soap every week, now it's maybe once a month.

A lot of clothes that used to go to the laundry for dry cleaning (they could be laundered but the old machines were too rough) now get done on the gentle cycle with line drying. That saves a lot of money.

The biggest savings came from reduced electricity costs associated with use of the gas dryer, of all things. The old machine took forever to dry a load of blue jeans or blankets. The new dryer is so much more efficient that it dries jeans in less than a quarter of the time, and it senses dryness so it shut itself off when the clothes are dry rather than continue to run until the timer shuts off.

I must have erased the spreadsheet I used, but I tracked the changes in costs just for soap and energy for a couple of months after the purchase and remember being pleasantly surprised at how much money we were saving.

Saved a little money by buying the basic washer and installing them myself. We did buy the "premium" dryer, and I remember there was a good reason why - but can't remember now what that was.

[Nords]

Originally Posted by Enuff2Eat

is there an advantage for such higher cost? "it looks good", the wife said. another question is that do i need to buy the washer and dryer in pair since the our dryer is functional just fine.
can anyone give me some advice on buying washer and dryer? it seems to me the more button the higher the price the same model. we are not fancy people and the features does not seems to care much....

First, some other threads:
http://early-retirement.org/forums/i...?topic=10235.0
http://early-retirement.org/forums/i...p?topic=6433.0
and you can search for your own favorite keywords.

Second, buy what you need and not in pairs. If you don't care about the looks of mismatched washers/dryers then it doesn't matter.

Third, consider your clothes-washing needs. We've looked at the Staber, the LG, and other brands but we've decided to pass. We basically run a few loads a week of beach bum shorts & t-shirts, tae kwon do uniforms, and towels. We don't wash anything that's expensive to replace or that requires delicate handling. When we replace a broken washer or dryer we usually search Craigslist for stressed-out sellers who have no idea what they can charge. If you can get a washer-dryer set for $200 every few years then it takes a long time to beat that savings with a more expensive machine. However the Staber and the LG must be pretty good machines because we've never seen them for resale.

But if you have really nice clothes, articles needing delicate handling, or special laundry needs then you may want a more expensive machine.

[flipstress]

Originally Posted by Average Joe

Your profile says "recycles dryer sheets."

Hi, Average Joe.

The profile statement was not written by me. The statement is automatically generated by the board software for each of us, and it varies depending on how many posts we have made.

If you are interested, you can do a search on dryer sheets for some board history on how the theme of dryer-sheets was adopted by the board. IIRC, it's related to frugality--saving on dryer-sheet costs, etc.

I have not bought dryer-sheets in years. BTW, your profile says "Confused about dryer sheets".

[Caroline]

In a matter of four years we picked up two sets of washers and dryers from one house.

That's a crying shame. What a waste of resources.

Not to be entirely negative, however, let me add kudos to all of those who've used their machines for years, who forgo matching units in favor of frugality and environmental responsibility, and who buy energy-saving appliances when they DO upgrade.

[lets-retire]

Originally Posted by Caroline

That's a crying shame. What a waste of resources.

It was a scam. I was paid $30 to take them away and I was paid again about $200 by the people who didn't care that they were 'the wrong color.' The only thing I paid for was the gas and back then it was about $2.

[Average Joe]

Originally Posted by flipstress

The profile statement was not written by me. The statement is automatically generated by the board software for each of us, and it varies depending on how many posts we have made.

Hi Flipstress, I was just making a lame attempt at humor. I didn't even notice your follow on comment elaborating on the dryer sheet theme.

Originally Posted by flipstress

BTW, your profile says "Confused about dryer sheets".

I wondered why it said that - apparently because it's true

[flipstress]

Oh, OK. It's hard sometimes for me to pick up humor from posters that I'm not familiar with.

Well, now at least you got some background on those dryer-sheet lines. Welcome to the board, BTW!