# are LG smart washers all stupid junk that do not work?



## the13bats (Jul 25, 2018)

Its been a few years but my wifes mom surprised her with a high end LG top load washer,

It is the smart type, with basically no agitator in the drum, i dont have the part number but if you have a valued opinion you know the machines,

It has never done a good job, doesnt matter the setting or load type,
Items will still be soiled, smelly many times,

I messed with it a lot, even for example 2 or 3 bath towels, a handful of shop rags will come out less clean than if you hand washed them in a sink with dish soap,

For a while i assumed ours was a lemon but lots of complaints online,

Anyone have any answers or opinions to add,

Thanks,
Cheers
b


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## Gregsoldtruck79 (Dec 21, 2017)

Only that we bought a brand new "agitaterless" top loader yeas ago from Lowes and my wife ran 3 loads of clothes through it. She called Lowes and they came and picked it up for full credit return. We then went to Lowes and bought one with an agitator. Then, wife was happy...and I was happy.


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## u3b3rg33k (Jul 17, 2018)

i had a samsung toploader washer for a while. no issues except with super large items like comforters that i probably should've had dry cleaned. got another when the exploding washer recall happened. still worked fine.


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## thekux (Jul 30, 2018)

I am an HV AC man of 33 years and I buy the most simple cheap washer dryers I can get because of the easiest to fix. And they run for quite a long time before the break and it doesn't cost much to fix. Find out how to fix it on YouTube

Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk


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## Drachenfire (Jun 6, 2017)

I do not understand manufacturers fascination with agitator-less washing machines. I suppose they see it as a way to increase capacity without having to increase the size of the washer itself. 

Regardless, common sense will tell you if the clothes are not agitated in the wash, they do not get cleaned. 

Recently we replaced our 20+-year-old Kenmore that died. In researching a replacement, I found it ridiculous the amount of electronic bells and whistles they are putting into some of the new machines with consoles that look like the cockpit of a 747. Almost all of them were agitator-less. I have yet to meet anyone who would use even half those features on these thousand dollar machines. I also cannot imagine what it would cost to have to repair one of them.

I settled for a basic Maytag with agitator that received solid reviews from various evaluators. 

My advice to the OP is chuck the washer and go back to a basic one. Sometimes simple is better.


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## CaptTom (Dec 31, 2017)

I haven't used a newer top-loader, but I know my new front-loader is over-engineered to save water. The "normal" setting barely gets the clothes damp. The "heavy" setting is pretty good, but takes well over an hour to run. The old-style (top and front loaders) would get clothes clean in much less time, were dead simple, reliable and easy to fix.

Where I live water is plentiful. I'd gladly use a little more and go back to an old-fashioned, simple, functional washer.


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

We just bought a whirlpool agitator-less top loader last week.
Were impressed how clean the clothes are getting and
how huge the tub is. The reason we picked a whirlpool
is because four months ago we bought a whirlpool dishwasher
and the stuff comes out sparkling clean. It heats the water and
washes for 3 1/2 hours and yet it is energy efficient -- uses less
water and electricity...There is an option to wash for only an
hour but that option uses more electricity...

For me the big tub on a washer is a plus cause
my laundry room is in the basement, and I can get
twice as many clothes in the washer than our old agitator
machine. One big load instead of two loads. It also has a 
deep water option. 

So far :smile: I'm happy...I forgot to mention our old machine
(agitator type) was over 3O years old!

CaptTom ... I read on the net to fool the machine sensors -- wet your clothes
first before turning the machine on...pour some water on top
of the clothes to make it heavier...thus fooling the machine into thinking there
are a more clothes in the machine -- so that it adds more water. I assume
that means the sensors go by weight.
I haven't tried it, cause so far our heavy water load is sufficient; we've only
had the machine since last Tuesday.


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## u3b3rg33k (Jul 17, 2018)

Two Knots said:


> We just bought a whirlpool agitator-less top loader last week.
> Were impressed how clean the clothes are getting and
> how huge the tub is. The reason we picked a whirlpool
> is because four months ago we bought a whirlpool dishwasher
> ...


I did this for big things like fluffy comforters - i had a hose next to the washer so I'd just wet it down and then press start. worked perfectly, and saved me trips to the dry cleaner.
mine didn't have a setting for extra water. 
the washer detects mass by spinning the drum/agitator and seeing how long it takes to stop (measures inertia). it doesn't have a way to detect large fluffy items that need to be soaked to get washed.


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## the13bats (Jul 25, 2018)

Ours is lg, so i cant speak for other brands 
I find it a bit ridiculous to have a $1000 washer that i have to run extra water on things to get them clean,

But might try it, ive seen lots of water in ours and still dirty and many times smelly clothes,
Forget washing thin blankets the dog sleeps on.

We got lucky and there is an old great working agitator style washer and matching dryer in basement, but it isnt big enough to do a comforter, but could do clothes


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## Two Knots (Nov 12, 2011)

To be clear --you need to wet the clothes with water first to make
them weigh more 'before' turning on the machine.

So far I haven't tried it. I've only done a few loads so far
and there seems to be enough water. 

If it works, please let us know.


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## u3b3rg33k (Jul 17, 2018)

i've never had trouble with an HE top loader. the sales guy at the store told me most people who do are overloading the washer.


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## the13bats (Jul 25, 2018)

The fact a sales person has a ready answer shows these machines have issues,

When we moved, i had lived in same orlando house 46 years, i had a large pipe of clothes and stuff needing wash, plenty to test the machine actually more than i want to admit,

during my testing i did things like super small loads, on various settings and none were as good as an old low end agitator washer, which would clean very well twice or 3 times the amount i tested, my point, overloading isnt an issue in my case,


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## sestivers (Aug 10, 2007)

I think they suck, too (mine is GE that came with the house). I put in a half-size load with the dial set to super size and use the heavy setting, just to get the clothes wet. Before that I would have items on the top of the load that never even got wet during the whole cycle.
Even with this there are pieces of linty, gritty debris that get left on a lot of my stuff. It comes off in the dryer but many of my things are synthetic that I hang to dry so they have to be brushed off later. Or if it's something black it might have to go through the wash again. It's so stupid.


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## DanS26 (Oct 25, 2012)

I have an original Maytag Neptune front loader washer......yes that is the same washer that bankrupted the Maytag company. Whirlpool bought them out to save the brand.

Well I just replace the tub bearings every ten years and the wax motor every 5 years and the machine works great.....low water usage but the clothes come out clean....oh yes...you have to keep the the door open all the time when not using....to keep the mold and stink down. Love the machine. hahahaha

Actually I like the door open/closed situation since I can look and know when the the washer has a load of clean clothes ready for the dryer or when the washer is available for a new load. In a household where many people do laundry it is an advantage.


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## CaptTom (Dec 31, 2017)

Two Knots said:


> CaptTom ... I read on the net to fool the machine sensors -- wet your clothes first before turning the machine on...pour some water on top of the clothes to make it heavier...thus fooling the machine into thinking there are a more clothes in the machine -- so that it adds more water.


Thanks! I'll try that!



the13bats said:


> ...I find it a bit ridiculous to have a $1000 washer that i have to run extra water on things to get them clean.


Ditto!



DanS26 said:


> I have an original Maytag Neptune front loader washer...


Lucky! I don't know that model, but those old front-loaders got things really clean, even if you stuffed them full. I'd look for those at laundromats on trips, because they'd clean two or three times as many clothes in one machine than the top loaders. I guess the new ones are designed to avoid using water or electricity, at the expense of getting a lot of clothes clean.

Another beef: The top loader has a place to add bleach. But it dumps it right on top of the clothes, not diluted (or not enough.) With the old, simplistic top-loaders, I could let the water fill up a little, then add bleach, and then add the clothes after the bleach had diluted a little.

With the front loader, I tried adding the bleach along with a gallon of water, prior to adding the clothes.

The first thing it does, before starting the cycle, is pump out any water left from last time. So much for that idea!


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## NickTheGreat (Jul 25, 2014)

There's a lot of EPA regulations on washers that limit the quantity of water used. So they have to run longer. And do a worse job to boot. I've had lots of family members with the front loader LG's, front loader Maytag/Whirlpools. My sister has a top loading agitator-less Maytag that sucks. 

After a lot of research and testimonials from friends. We just replaced our units and went with the Speed Queen. Speed Queen is kinda a gray area of "commercial" unit sold to consumers, so they can use the full quantity of water. Ours is kinda loud, uses lots of water, and does a helluva nice job of washing clothes. 

I have heard/read that the 2018 units aren't as good, but I have no experience with them whatsoever. I do know they also got much more expensive.


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## DanS26 (Oct 25, 2012)

Also because of the EPA regulations, hot water does not mean hot water....it means luke warm water at best. No matter what people say IMO clothes washed in cold water do not come out as clean as clothes washed in hot water.

My solution was to plumb the washer water inputs only to the hot water piping when you need a hot water wash only. Works like a charm and the clothes come out bright and clean every time.


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## CaptTom (Dec 31, 2017)

My front loader has settings for "heavy duty" and "hot water" which seem to work OK, if a bit slowly.

The door gets quite warm to the touch while the clothes are agitating, so I'm pretty sure it's using only hot water. If the hot setting didn't work, I was ready to add a valve in front of the cold water hose to just shut it off when I didn't want it to mix in cold water.

Where I am, water is plentiful. I'm not really happy about one-size-fits-all regulation which goes beyond efficiency to actually making the appliance unsuitable for its intended purpose.


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

As far as I am concerned, most modern washers, particularly front loaders, are over-sized, over-teched and over priced.


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## DanS26 (Oct 25, 2012)

CaptTom said:


> ............. I was ready to add a valve in front of the cold water hose to just shut it off when I didn't want it to mix in cold water..........



That's what I did initially, but it took forever to fill the tub. Then I got the idea of plumbing (with valves of course) both the washer hot and cold hoses to the hot water line only. Washer fills fast with hot water only. Just don't tell the EPA police what I've done.....I'm sure it would be more than a fine. :wink2:


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## NitrNate (May 27, 2010)

overpriced, over-engineered, over-complicated, lots-of-plastic-parts-that-break, junk, IMO. i love my old-school washer/dryer, they churn through loads and keep on chuggin' with little to no maintenance.

about the only thing i can think of positive to say about the HE ones, is they look pretty.

nobody cares about the EPA anyway, they are pretty much useless. they still can't manage to figure out how to force car manufacturers to list ACTUAL REAL WORLD mileage on window stickers.


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