# Is There a HE Washer That Is Not a Piece of Junk



## jmon (Nov 5, 2012)

I agree with you. I went though the same thing googling and checking reviews for my latest washer. 

I had 2 topload Kenmore, both lasted about 10 years each. I now have a new He Maytag top loader going on 2 years. So far so good. 

Whether it says made in America, China, or Mexico, it doesn't matter what brand you google/review, you're bound to fine a few horror stories about how poor and crappy they are. Just my opinion.


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## TheBobmanNH (Oct 23, 2012)

Exactly. Take horror stories with a grain of salt. Find your favorite ANYTHING on line (appliance, car, restaurant), the hting you would swear by, and you will find horror stories.


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

Washing machines are a definite crap shoot. In the 20 years I've lived in my current home, I have owned 6 different washers.......all top loaders but different brands from Kenmore to GE to Whirlpool. I feel very lucky if I get 5 years use out of one. I've heard the horror stories about the HE washers.......one neighbor has one that developed some sort of mold problem inside.......I guess do your best homework and roll the dice. It shouldn't be that way.


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## Freedomsand (Mar 11, 2015)

Gymschu said:


> Washing machines are a definite crap shoot. In the 20 years I've lived in my current home, I have owned 6 different washers.......all top loaders but different brands from Kenmore to GE to Whirlpool. I feel very lucky if I get 5 years use out of one. I've heard the horror stories about the HE washers.......one neighbor has one that developed some sort of mold problem inside.......I guess do your best homework and roll the dice. It shouldn't be that way.


There was a lot of media coverage on the mold issue a few years back; it is not brand specific. It happens with the front loading washers because the door seal has to be tight. The quick, easy preventative: keep the door open when not in use. Works for all brands!


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## thediyhubby (Nov 1, 2014)

I've got an old whirlpool that is still going after 10 years. Bit noisy on the spinning cycle but otherwise ok. Was thinking that I would replace with the same brand but after looking at consumer reviews of the new models, definitely not getting one of them. No idea what to do when current one dies.


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## christoff (Feb 26, 2008)

I have had 2 sets of front loaders and neither one could clean nearly as well as a top load. I just can't see how clothes falling on top of each other could get them clean, especially if the machine is overloaded a bit.


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## TheBobmanNH (Oct 23, 2012)

christoff said:


> I have had 2 sets of front loaders and neither one could clean nearly as well as a top load. I just can't see how clothes falling on top of each other could get them clean, especially if the machine is overloaded a bit.


The same way swishing clothes back and forth gets them clean? You don't think your top loader has a scrubber in it, do you? I know people hate front-loaders because they were really unreliable in their first generation but pretty much every actual study comparing the two shows the front-loader winning in every category but price.


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## christoff (Feb 26, 2008)

The agitator in a top load is a lot stronger "swishing clothes " then clothes falling on each other in my opinion.


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## Freedomsand (Mar 11, 2015)

christoff said:


> The agitator in a top load is a lot stronger "swishing clothes " then clothes falling on each other in my opinion.


I've been looking at new washers and dryers. The HE top load washers do not HAVE an agitator! I was shocked.


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## jimn (Nov 13, 2010)

I have had a simple frigidaire Galaxy front load for 8 years now. Still works perfectly


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## Hoek (May 9, 2015)

Are there any still with an electromech timer/control? Circuit boards with microprocessors scare me, because in my experience they have had about a 100% failure rate and they are very expensive and machine specific.

It seems that doing homework is nearly impossible because all you get are either horror stories or some consumer magazine that tested a few brand new ones for a few cycles and then published their results.

I desire one that will last more or less indefinitely like my good old Maytag top loader. There seem to be zillions of those and they almost never have a failure that cannot be repaired cheaply. Is this asking too much from manufacturers?


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## lance80 (Jan 22, 2015)

I believe Speed Queen still makes mechanical control washers. They are spendy but bulletproof. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## sgip2000 (Sep 24, 2012)

I've had my Samsung pair for 3 years without any issues what so ever.


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

I installed a set of the Whirlpool Duets for a customer 9-10 years ago and they still work fine. There are on kids, so laundry activity is far less then with kids.
I have the LG w/steam for about 5 years and no issue so far.


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## indigo (Dec 14, 2009)

http://www.staber.com/washingmachines

Seriously considering going this route next time, though my usage is quite limited. For those with serious laundry needs - I'd say it's a not brainer to do it once and do it right.


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## Hoek (May 9, 2015)

That looks intriguing. The price is OK also. Does anyone else have any experience with these?


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## Dave Sal (Dec 20, 2012)

I bought a Kenmore HE front load washer with matching dryer and pedestals. Set me back about $3k almost ten years ago. After using them for a few months my wife started complaining that our clothes no longer had that clean, "freshly washed" smell. She was right. It got to the point where we both hated it and I ended up giving the washer away. We bought a new GE top load machine that uses lots and lots of water and our clothes smell good again. While I agree that front loaders save a lot of water, I also believe that you need a certain amount of water to adequately clean a load of laundry. It's like trying to shower using one gallon of water. You'll get wet, but you're not gonna get real clean. I also find it funny that they now have a new product line that is a "washing machine cleaner" that is used to try to get rid of the mold problem that is specific to front loaders. No front loaders for me ever again.


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## DanS26 (Oct 25, 2012)

If you are handy..(and this is a DIY site right?)...you can keep a washer (or any mechanical device for that matter) going for a long time.

I purchased a Maytag Neptune when they were first introduced. That's right the Neptune that bankrupted one of the most admired companies in the USA.

This machine runs fine in fairly heavy use......but I've replaced control boards, tub bearings, pumps, wax motors, etc.

It's a mechanical thing and if you are not willing to repair then you have to pay the price to replace.

Maytag paid the ultimate price for a failed effort to catch up to competition without having the right engineers on board. Why they had to catch up is a great story and will be studied by business schools for many years.


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## troyks (Feb 17, 2015)

indigo said:


> http://www.staber.com/washingmachines
> 
> Seriously considering going this route next time, though my usage is quite limited. For those with serious laundry needs - I'd say it's a not brainer to do it once and do it right.


The Staber washers are pretty interesting, I learned about them years ago from them being a segment on the "How It's Made" TV show, but after doing a lot of research on them they don't seem much more reliable than any other machine. There's lots of reports of needing new bearings, belts, control boards, etc. every so often, just like any other washer. For the price and marketing behind the machine I really didn't expect to read that owners both love and hate the machines, and few sound like they'd be eager to buy another if they had to. They do have a reputation for being easy to work on, which is good but to me it seemed like they're built with the expectation that you'll be working on it often.


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## Windstang (Jul 27, 2015)

I just went through a song and dance to repair a front load Kenmore Elite front load washer (aka Frigidaire). The typical failure on these is the rear seal which eventually causes first rear bearing to fail - there are 2 bearings on the shaft to hold the stainless drum in place. So I got a repair kit (seal and 2 bearings), watched a few youtube videos on how to take the thing apart. All went well until I had a look at the spider, which is an aluminium piece that attaches the shaft to the stainless drum. Well the spider also had a hairline crack in it. Not sure if I cracked it trying to beat on the sucker getting it apart (shaft seized onto the bearings because of leaky seal) or if it was already cracked and I just made it worse. Anyway - I found out you can't just buy a replacement spider for these washers. Apparently you can for LG and Samsung. In order to get a new spider, I would have to buy the stainless drum and rear plastic housing for $366. 'F' that I thought so I made my own spider using steel channel (look on youtube to see what others did) and it runs just fine now after 5 loads. If you're having knocking noises, your spider is probably broken although it could be a shock is damaged. Grinding noises when the tub is turning are the bearings going bad. The places that sell the seals and bearings say that you're lucky to get 5 years out of these machines - although of course that would depend on number of washes. They use much less water, but as someone said "the solution to pollution is dilution" so it takes water to get stuff clean. 
Anyway from having taken one apart and looking at many other drums and spiders as I tried to find a replacement, it appears to me that the front loads have an inherent design flaw and that is the rear seal which leaks after a few years which causes the bearing to crap out. Also - because the spider is aluminium, apparently the wash water and detergent raises the pH of the water and this causes spider corrosion - at least that is the theory. A few suggestions say to use HE detergent and use very little.
One the positive side, there was no mold or other residue anywhere in the washer - probably because we keep the door open.


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## DanS26 (Oct 25, 2012)

A true DIYer does not make things worse during a repair. 

If you destroy the machine to repair the machine you are a hack.

Think like an engineer designer....it all fits and it all is replaceable.


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## Windstang (Jul 27, 2015)

I've never heard that before. Sometimes I validate my failures by saying that it was broken in the first place - but at least I tried. Sometimes it is better to try and fail than not to try at all.


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## TheBobmanNH (Oct 23, 2012)

DanS26 said:


> A true DIYer does not make things worse during a repair.
> 
> If you destroy the machine to repair the machine you are a hack.
> 
> Think like an engineer designer....it all fits and it all is replaceable.


I thought DIYer and "hack" were synonymous. It's how I was raised.


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## Beachfront (Aug 5, 2015)

About two years ago, I purchased a front loading Samsung washer and the LED board had gone out. I had to pay out of pocket to get the Samsung servicing company to my house to swap out the board.


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## DanS26 (Oct 25, 2012)

Well today our Maytag Neptune conked out again. Just shut down right before the rinse cycles began.

Hmmmmm whats going on. Well the cold water rinse is not filling the machine as required. Since the water level is not rising as required the machine shuts down thinking that there is flood going on.

As a true DIY'er I start diagnosing the problem. First thought is that it is the mixer valve....so I replace that....no change in operation. Well then it must be the cold water hose clogged....well hose is fine.

Finally I determine that the faucet is clogged...sure enough the valve is clogged.

Just another day in avoiding the dreaded "authorized repairman" and the inflated outside repair cost.


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## Rango (Dec 13, 2013)

I got $25 for my pristine 8yo Samsung top loader because they stopped making the main board. Found out after a three month wait and doing laundry in the bathtub. The spider arms were deteriorating so it was just a matter of time. After researching I learned a lot of people got a similar expensive lesson and went back to the old school ways.

I bought a Speed Queen and the clothes do come out cleaner, it's pretty much a laundry mat machine and sounds industrial. It uses more water but does a load in half the time. Never could get the comforter to clean well in the top loader, still had soap powder on it. It's no problem now, plus I like soaking stuff if I want.


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## Windstang (Jul 27, 2015)

I'm happy to report that my steel homemade spider is still working great. No knocking and banging and the spinning is quiet too. If you can't find a replacement spider and have a welder, it sure is worth making your own. 

It is a bit unnerving cutting the old spider apart to get at the steel shaft so it can be installed in the new spider arms but the thing was broken anyway so what have you got to lose.


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## Jay_appliancPro (Aug 25, 2015)

Do not I repeat do not purchase a whirlpool front load washer, that includes kenmore. They have a ongoing spin bearing problem that cost 600- 1000 to fix within 5 years of purchase. Trash. Do not buy the top load washer without the agitator they are also trash.


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