New Washer/Drier?

The Staber brand is very different, in design, materials and operation. It's expensive but it's very well made. A small appliance manufacturer that grew out of a commercial washing machine service company. If you want a product that will last a long time, take the effort to find a dealer with one in stock and go look at it. If you call the factory they can give names of customers references. You can even buy one that is all stainless steel on the inside. It has no vibration problem. There are internal concrete weights on vibration dampers that counter balance the spin. See: http://www.staber.com/ I'm very pleased with mine. It takes some adjusting in using it because it is much different than the typical automatic washer. Your clothes will be cleaner and not as beat up. Noticeably less lint in the dryer.

Devil505 wrote:

coalmeister wrote:"We" bought the Kenmore 417 series in 2005 and "we" are very happy with them.

Thanks for the info.....

Seems to me that these models are all the same..made for GE, Sears, Frigidaire, etc.
I wonder if they are all the same but with different names on them?

More than likely made by GE.
I had an RCA dishwasher and if you looked under the insulation the tub had a big GE molded into it. My mothers dishwasher was a Sears with a big GE molded into the plastic. When I first got Married I bought a Kenmore fridge (what a piece of crap) that did not work when I had it delivered. They sent a repair man out and the compressor was bad. He replaced it with genuine GE parts. That dang fridge only lasted 6 years.

Although several years ago Frigidaire made the lawn and garden tractors for Sears.

Devil505 wrote:

coalkirk wrote:First I agree with Freddy, keeping it under 1,200 for the pair is a problem.

I was looking at the Whirlpool Duet series & they make a smaller pair that would be just around my price range, on sale....but now I'm leery of spending that kind of money to buy a headache!
Anyone else have good luck (no smell) from a front loader?

We have a Duet washer front loader no problems as of yet . Just over a year . Dave

I've been running a Maytag Neptune set (washer/dryer) since July '03. The only issue I'm having is the liquid bleach remaining in the cup after a cycle. I don't think this is a manufacturing defect because it started happening after I had this scam-artist install a new well pump in the middle of winter '04 -- long story short -- it's more than likely plugged with sediment.

I had to buy one, because at the time we were having hot water issues -- so less water meant more hot water. Plus, it cut down on the well pump cycling, which was on borrowed time to begin with.

The spin cycle is INSANE! Sounds like the washer is heading down a runway @ full throttle! But when you throw your clothes in the dryer, they're almost dry -- just from the spin cycle ( I think it's like 1300 RPM! ) Dryer does less work ( & so does your electric bill ). You can set a faster spin or a longer spin. I leave everything pegged -- I want my clothes CLEAN!

So far, so good with both. They were pricey, but I plan to get a minimum of 10 yrs out of them to justify the cost.

Heyyyy... here's a good looking pair for less than $1,200!

Freddy wrote:Heyyyy... here's a good looking pair for less than $1,200!

Thanks anyway Freddy....but I was hoping o keep it to less than $100.00 for the pair!

We have the Whirlpool Duet pair, and love it. Its the same amount of time to wash and dry, so keeping laundry going is pretty stream lined . We don't use the "High Efficiency" soap that it calls for, just regular Purex.
As far as smell. Zero. We do leave the door open on the washer to air dry it. The only place I have seen mold grow is the soap drawer that you slide out to put your detergent and softener in. You can easily remove the drawer to clean it however.
What I like about the washer is it spins the clothes so fast, they are almost dry when you take them out. I did shore up the laundry room floor with a 4 x 4 and lally column to reduce any vibrations.
All in all, if I had to, Id buy them again.....

My top loader washer took a poop this week. Made me think of this thread. We were at Sear today looking. The combo units that stacked were to high for my wife to reach the controls and when they were placed side by side they seemed very low. Unless you want to buy the $200 stand to put them on. I pulled my wife's cousin's washer out of my basement and hooked it up. (been storing it for him for a year now). It will do until we decide on what to buy.

We also got the Kenmore series when they first came out. Wore it out after 6 or 7 years. Got an exact replacement cheaper than the cost to repair the bearing. Doing the amount of laundry we do it's suprising it lasted that long. Didn't have any problem with front loader smell. Scott

Front loaders, while more expensive to buy are a better deal in the long run. They use less water, electricity and soap. They also leave the clothes dryer after extract (less work for the dryer $$$$). The biggest benifit however is your clothes are in fact cleaner, finish better (wrinkles) and they don't get beat up nearly as much as a top loader (wear). The washers themselves also tend to be more reliable as they don't have to work against 3 times the water load. The payback for the additional cost is less than a year I would guess.

coaledsweat wrote:Front loaders, while more expensive to buy are a better deal in the long run. They use less water, electricity and soap

Been all over the map (mentally) First I was going for a front loader but the mildew smell worried me
Then I was going for a high efficiency top loader but the same problem & they are the most expensive!
Then I was just going for the old top loader (agitator) type but they are boring!

Now I'm back to the front loader, which I will stack after laying down cement blocks to raise the Washer off the ground to make loading easier for my wife. It's just the 2 of us now but she wants the capability of doing large loads & a King size bedspread. Her main desire is to avoid as much ironing as she can, so the low wrinkle handling (if true) would be a big plus!


I told her to just put the clothes in the Harman TLC...which is both front & top loading!!!

Bought the cheap Frigidaire with the high marks from Consumer Reports. Absolutely love it. Occassionally leave the door open due to absent-mindedness. I use Costco brand "environmentally friendly" soap. It uses about 18 gallons per normal load rather than the 40-some gallons of a regular top load, and it gets my grimmiest work clothes very clean. It seems like it takes a little longer for a cycle to run, maybe 40 minuts, but I have no complaints or problems with it.

from a professional stand point front load washers are NOT worth the money. i own a appliance repair buisness. yes the front load washers do use less water that is the only good point. they do spin you clothes out more but over time it really takes a toll on your clothes. i have 3 repair calls for every 1 top load call. pound for pound a super capacity plus top load washer will wash the same amount as a front load washer. the tub looks alot bigger in a front load because there is no agitator so people stuff the crap out of it. if you are set on buying a front loader look into a whirlpool duet. of the front loaders i get the fewest amount of repair calls on them.. and for top load washers look into either whirlpool , kenmore or kitchen aid. they are all made by whirlpool. i can take parts from a 15 year old whirlpool and put em on a brand new one. they have something good and know it so they stuck with it. and stay away from anything digital. manuel knobs very rarley break and if they do they are cheap to fix in the area of 60.00 on the digital control machines the main board is called the mother board and they do go bad the repair for a new mother board is about 200.00... and those prices are parts only. also if you do buy front loader buy the extended warranty....

Do you have any experience with the Staber front loader?

http://www.staber.com/product/810024

sorry no i do not. i have never had a call on one of them. so i would say thats a good thing....right