Helpful Hints to Remove the Fear of Purchasing a New Washer
Basically, there are two types of washers: the conventional top loader and the high-efficiency front loader. When choosing what would be best for your household, you need to consider several things: number of people and their ages, budget, costs of water in your city, and special items you would like the machine to be able to handle. Also, you need to consider your available space.
When looking at the members that you wash for, keep in mind their current ages and their needs in a few years. The wonderful little girl that is content wearing simple cotton play clothes will be ready to rip your face off if you damage her frilly camisoles six years from now! The cute little boy who puts frogs in their pockets for you to find will be wearing clothes as big as Fort Knox!
When looking at your budget and utilities, you need to keep in mind the savings that you will have if you purchase a high-efficiency (HE) machine, even if the initial costs are higher than you would like. If there are certain items that you hand wash, or take to the laundromat, such as comforters, these items need to be considered as well.
First we will consider a conventional washer (CW). When doing full loads, the machine requires forty gallons of water. Imagine if you do ten loads a week, you would be using 400 gallons of water. Your standard drying time will average 70-80 minutes, depending on the fabric types and how humid it is. The reason for this longer drying time is because a CW spins at an average of 600 rpm. The clothes will wash in a DILUTED soap solution, unless you have an adjustable water level, and can choose a water level closer to the amount of clothes you have.
The capacity of a CW is based on the type of agitator you have, not the size of the basket. The average basket size is 3.2 cubic feet, but the type of motion produced by the agitator is the key factor. The less motion, the fewer clothes the agitator can handle, and the less cleaning action you will have. Keep in mind that the agitator basically does the same as a washboard, even though they are better designed to be gentler on your clothes. Your clothes will only be surface cleaned.
There are three types of agitators. The most basic is a straight-vane agitator. The entire agitator moves as one unit, and gives you the least washing action. I usually recommend this for commercial use for items such as towels and mop heads.
The next type is the dual action agitator. This gives you motion in the base as well as the vertical part of the agitator. The action of a dual agitator can be improved slightly depending on the angles and curves of the edges of the agitator. The movement will be a basic side-to-side swishing motion. If you are an elderly person with very simple laundry needs, this would be a good basic machine to purchase.
The last type of agitator is the triple agitator. Besides the motion described, it adds an additional up-down movement, which causes the clothes to move in a vertical circular motion, pushing the clothes down to the bottom of the basket. This is where the best cleaning action takes place.
The first two types of agitators can be found in every basic brand, such as Whirlpool, Kenmore, Maytag, and GE. The third is only found in the Kenmore washers.
There are three main types of material that the drums are made of. The first type is found with single and dual agitators and is called spreckle. It has a slight texture and can be prone to retaining odors, rusting and staining.
The second type is made of a hard polymer or plastic tub. Definitely more durable than the spreckle, but if you do excessive hot water washes, the drum can eventually warp, and can still stain over time.
The third has two types. Both start with a stainless tub, but you will find that some are coated with porcelain. Either product will work well. These types are the most durable, and are also gentler to the buttons and zippers on the clothes. You can find these in the mid- to high-end price ranges of almost any brand.
The next things to consider are the basic features of the washer. The normal options allow you to pick your water level, the water temperature, and one or two rinses. Depending on the price of the machine, some of these features will be chosen in the cycle options. You can also pick a machine that lets you choose a variable water level, so that you can control the amount of water used. This can give you some water savings by changing the level of the rinse water etc. If you have a lot of different types of materials, you may want to pick one that gives you more options. You will also find machines that have options separate from the cycle dial that allow you to do other options no matter what cycle you choose.
If you have full size blankets or smaller, the average CW with a triple agitator will be able to handle these items. But if they are extremely puffy, or are of a larger size, you can do extreme damage to your washer or the comforter. If you have very delicate items, you want to look for a washer that has a hand wash cycle.
You will have the option of a standard type set of controls or electronic controls. The main difference would be in the repair costs. Both types are expensive to repair, but electronic controls are about double the cost. Also, there are fewer machines that are belt-driven. Many are now a direct-drive transmission, which means the basic handyman may have more trouble repairing this type of machine if it breaks down.
The other type of machine is the high-efficiency washer. This can be purchased either as a front-loader (FLHE) or a top-loader washer (TLHE). The FLHE can be stacked with the dryer on top or side-by-side. When using the side-by-side option, they can be placed directly on the floor, on pedestals, or under a countertop. When considering either stacking or using pedestals, you must make sure of your allowable space, taking in to consideration the location of windows and cupboards. Also, because some of the HE machines are greater in depth than a standard machine, make sure you have room to open the door. You must also take into consideration the direction the door opens. If you are buying a matching pair, only the dryer door can be reversed.
If you choose to place them under a counter, it is recommended that you purchase a steel galvanized top kit. This will replace the original top, and will help eliminate the chance of rusting due to moisture caught under the counter.
The largest FLHE use 15-18 gallons of water, and the TLHE uses 20 gallons. Basically, based on ten loads a week, you are saving 200 gallons of water! If you pay a double sewer bill, as I do, this is an important feature. The average drying time, again based on type of material and humidity, averages 34 minutes. The idea is that the clothes are dried and folded before the next load is done, instead of the other way around. The average spin speed is over 1000 rpm. For instance, your towels will be almost dry before you put them in the dryer! If you are concerned about the spin speed affecting your delicates, the lower spin speeds are totally safe for these items. Some washers will have a no-spin option as well.
Initially, you will look at the cost of the machine and feel that it is too much to spend. Several things to keep in mind are that you will save on water, electric, and gas. Also by using the low-suds HE laundry soap, it will be gentler on the environment and also your septic tank, if you have one. Plus, there will be less wear and tear on your clothes, making them last longer. Think about how many times you have removed items and have had to repair or throw away the item.
When you start to wash a load of clothes, you will be putting all of your cleaning products into the designated section of the dispenser. It is imperative that you use only HE soap, which can be found everywhere. Standard soap will produce an excessive amount of suds due to the washing action. Reducing the amount is not acceptable either. With some manufacturers, it will actually void your warranty if you use standard soap. It will gum up your system, plus you will have to do repeated rinses to remove all of the soap, which defeats the purpose of using a water-saving machine. DO NOT CHEAT!
As with any washer, do not overstuff the machine. With a CW, you can damage the agitator if you continually cram the clothes in the basket. Think of putting your clothes in just like you put batter into a bundt pan. This goes for the HE washer as well. Use the guidelines in your manual.
After loading the cleaning products and placing your clothes in the washer, the door will lock. You then pick your cleaning options. On some HE washers, such as the Kenmore brands, a default setting will show, with other options available. What is nice about this is that it will not allow you to wash delicates in a hot temperature, high spin speed. You also will not pick your water level, because a pressure-sensitive switch controls the water level. You will have to adjust to the fact that the clothes will not be completely submerged. They will wash in a CONCENTRATED soap solution.
As the cycle starts, a mixture of water and soap will spray on the clothes, and this spraying alternates with the tossing of the clothes, until the correct water saturation level is reached. The water, with the help of gravity, is forced through the fibers of the clothes, and gets the dirt out of the fibers instead of just surface cleaning the clothes. When using the delicate or hand-wash cycle, the clothes are never completely rotated. The motion literally mimics washing them in a sink.
Even though the door locks, you can add items during the beginning of the cycle, when there will be no affect on the water in the basket. You can add clothes past this point, but you have to wait for the water level to lower before the door will unlock.
When the clothes are done spinning, it is recommended that you give items a pop before you put them into the dryer. This will eliminate wrinkles from being scrunched.
As far as capacity, there are two basic sizes. The smaller capacity washers are generally about 3.5 cubic feet. These will hold 18 towels, or full size comforters. The larger sizes average 3.8 cubic feet and hold 23 towels or queen/king size comforters. Within these capacities, you can select a machine that has more basic features, and a higher end washer that has more special cycles and options. Pick a machine that fits your habits.
Some of the special features that you can find on certain HE washers are thermal heaters, special rinse cycles, wools, silks, stain treating, and steam options. The thermal heater is good for people with skin or allergy issues. The heater makes the hot water hotter and keeps it hot through the whole cycle to sanitize as well as kill dust mites. The special rinse cycles will be of value for people with sensitive skin. You can now wash washable wools, silks, etc. With the stain treating cycle, the machine first puts in cool water to treat cool water stains, and then adds warm water for warm water stains. You may find that you end the need to pre-treat.
Some people are concerned with leakage. I suppose that it could happen if you have a lemon. I have not found it to be a common occurrence. Also, as with any washer, it is recommended that you leave the door or lid open for a short amount of time, especially on humid days. This will help to eliminate a mildew odor. On the Kenmore HE washer, there is a “clean washer” cycle that is meant to clean out your system. You just put bleach into the dispenser and run the cycle – without clothes, please!
If you are concerned about using a front loader, and like the traditional upright style, there are models made by Whirlpool and Kenmore that give you the HE savings and capacity, but without the need of possibly putting them on pedestals. They look like a standard washer, except they do not have an agitator. The washer sits on a four-legged suspension system. There are two leveling rings to keep the load in balance instead of one, as on a CW. The disk in the bottom pushes the clothes in one direction and the basket follows. Then the disk moves in the opposite direction, with the basket following in the same direction. This motion is a lot stronger than a dual agitator. It still forces the water through the fibers of the clothes.
The capacity of the basket is 4.5 cubic feet, but you still only put in the equivalent of 23 towels. The reason is because it does not have the benefit of gravity, and needs more room to move the clothes. You still get the energy savings of a FLHE.
If you do purchase a HE washer, allow yourself time to adjust to the washer. First, and most important, READ YOUR BOOK! Literally sit in front of your machine and learn it. It is safer to start with lower level wash and spin cycles until you learn what works with your cleaning needs. If you still have questions, contact your sales rep for more help.
If you need to buy a pair, but are concerned at the cost, consider buying the HE washer and a standard super capacity dryer. You can get a dryer by Kenmore that has a 7.5 capacity, which is the largest made, but half the cost. If you do not care whether it matches, this is a good option. Also, if this is not a rush purchase, check with the sales associate for promos and financing.
There are many new products that will be coming out over the next few months. Whirlpool has just recently launched the new CW Maytags, which are very sturdy machines. They will be introducing the replacement for the old FLHE Maytag sometime this fall. Whirlpool will also be introducing a steamer FLHE washer and dryer. The steam option will be available in both units. These are just to name a few.
I also highly recommend the extended warranties, especially with any item containing a circuit board (see my other article on extended warranties). People need to understand that it costs more to repair an appliance than it does to manufacture one. Plus, the more you maintain your appliance, the longer it will last, just as with a car. You would not go without changing the oil on your car! If you have a large number of people that you are washing for, this is another reason to keep your machine properly maintained.
Hopefully, this information will make you feel more comfortable choosing a new washer. When shopping for your new appliance, your sales associate should be educating you so that you feel secure with what you purchase. You can hope that your appliance will last another 20 years, but in reality, this will probably not happen. So, protect yourself with a warranty if you can to allow for the unexpected. The manufacturers are coming out with more efficient products every year. Look at your future needs as well as current ones, and this should help you to avoid a bad purchase.
