Washing machine update
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We bought our Whirlpool washer and dryer in 1995 when we moved into this house. They still run like champs. Had to replace a belt once, but that’s it. I’m not buying a new washer and dryer until these plotz. I don’t want electronic circuit boards and bells and whistles. I just want clean clothes.
Those would be Whirlpool “direct drive” machines, AKA “Design 2000”. Among the most reliable residential machines ever made and Whirlpool sold millions of them under the Whirlpool and Kenmore name.
My daughter has a set that came with her house. She thinks they’re kind of old fashioned but I convinced her to keep them until they die. Given their relative simplicity and the availability of parts I suspect she’ll have them for a very long time.
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Those would be Whirlpool “direct drive” machines, AKA “Design 2000”. Among the most reliable residential machines ever made and Whirlpool sold millions of them under the Whirlpool and Kenmore name.
My daughter has a set that came with her house. She thinks they’re kind of old fashioned but I convinced her to keep them until they die. Given their relative simplicity and the availability of parts I suspect she’ll have them for a very long time.
@Steve-Miller Exactly right! Very reliable.
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This guy is good too.
Link to videoThis guy is good too.
Link to videoI watched this quickly, I'm going to watch it again, and I'm going to think on it.
Link to video -
Link to video
I guess this Maytag doesn't check out after all.
Btw the Amana in this video was my exact washer that broke new to me but only 2 yr old.
It was the worst washer I've used in my life and I'm not exaggerating.
It didn't wash, then rinse, then spin, exactly.
No matter the knob you turned, it always filled with only 2 ft of water.
It didn't finish filling, then start washing, etc. It It groaned for several minutes before it changed to the next thing it has to do, right down to pausing before the final spin and then again before you could lift the lid.
It ran for what seemed like about an hour. It used electricity like there was no tomorrow.
Man, I hated that machine. Good riddance.
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I've decided no two ways about it. I want a new mechanical Speed Queen.
$600 every 2 years for the electronic panel to flip out, then to buy a new one, then to hire them to remove the old one and install the new one (not my skill set) is ridiculous.
I'm enjoying doing laundry by hand in the kitchen sink, wringing it out, hanging on chairs on the enclosed glass patio for a day with the ceiling fan on, and then drying in the dryer.
I don't mind at all. I've been doing laundry by hand for 2 years.
I want to have my ceiling leak fixed first.
Also, the underside of the floor that I know could reach 7k.
$$$$ in my world.
The car I bought didn't cost 10k. (25k miles, small, pristine, live it, more later).
The tiles give some when you walk on them and I know why. It's disconcerting and needs the right contractor asap.
I've wanted an Asko for a long time but couldn't swing and can't today.
I am kind of two minds, but having the kind of washer my parents had in our house would be the best. How wonderful in this fast changing world would that be.
The nail in the Asko coffin for me is it has electronics.
Why take that risk when you can get a new old school mechanical washer?
I mean I can think of reasons but on balance I crossed it off my list.
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That cursed washer sitting in my house with a fried circuit board and 4 inches of rancid water (bleach arrived, soon to be added, but going to inhale bleach today, not wearing a mask and gloves, not dealing with it).
It can be professionally taken from the house not the street corner.
Fine. But it can't be connected to plumbing and can't have standing water.
So need someone with a shop vac and someone with tools to handle the disconnections. There's a reason why professional haulers won't do it.
But it's junk, it's dangerous, has bad memories, and it needs to leave.
PSA: Don't buy an Amana washer.
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We bought Maytag's Commercial line a few years ago.
Basic controls. No screens, or any other membrane switches, etc. Just dials and a push button. I expect them to last 30 years.
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This is the culprit. $639 suggested retail. $448 market price? You couldn't pay me to have another one in my house.
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Wash" cycle with HE detergent to clean the drum and prepare the dispenser.
Water Connection: Ensure the hot water inlet hose is connected to the hot supply and the cold to the cold. Reversed hoses can lead to warm rinse water and wrinkles.
Water Supply: Make sure both hot and cold water faucets are fully turned on for proper fill.
2. Detergent and Additives
HE Detergent: Only use HE or High-Efficiency detergent and measure it correctly. Excessive detergent or using non-HE detergent can cause excessive suds, poor cleaning, and very wet loads or error codes.
Detergent Dosage: Follow the manufacturer's dosage based on soil level and load size. Use less detergent for very soft water.
Fabric Softener: Measure carefully, dilute it, and add it only to the rinse cycle to avoid staining. Using too much on smaller loads can cause discoloration.
Liquid Chlorine Bleach: Measure accurately and follow manufacturer's directions. Undiluted bleach will damage fabric.
3. Cycle and Settings
Temperature: Select the warmest water safe for your fabric, checking garment care labels. Warm/hot water may be cooler than in previous washers.
Soil Level (Wash Time): Select a suitable setting for your load. Use "Extra Heavy Soil Level" or "Extra Power" for heavily soiled items, and "Light Soil Level" for lighter soil to reduce tangling and wrinkling.
Spin Speed: Faster speeds shorten drying time but may increase wrinkling. Slower speeds reduce wrinkling but leave loads damper.
4. Loading and Sorting
Load Size: Do not overload. Items must move freely. Load items in loose, even heaps around the washplate.
Sorting: Separate dark items from lights and whites to prevent dye transfer and a dingy appearance.
5. Maintenance
Clean Washer Cycle: If clothes are not coming clean or the water level seems low, run a "Clean Washer cycle" approximately once per month. This re-calibrates the control to factory-set water levels and helps remove detergent/softener build-up. Use the recommended affresh
Washer cleaner.
If you are still having concerns, please reach out to us directly through any of these options:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmanaBrand/
Live Chat: https://www.amana.com/resources/contact-us.html (Tuesday - Friday, 8 AM - 6 PM ET)
Customer Service USA: 1-866-616-2664 (Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 6 PM ET)
When reaching out on Social Media (Facebook or Instagram), please reference the case number #25100304.
We’re looking forward to hearing from you.
Marie QI have a better idea, Marie Q. Stop promoting disposable clothes washers and these stupid instructions about how to make an appliance function because it isn't capable of washing clothes for 3 years and a day wouldn't be needed.
The best part is don't overload. No, definitely don't overload because government regulations limit the machine's fill level to tub 1/3 full.
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