TJ Carr

The dryer is starting to die and the washer is on it's last legs as they are both 15 years old Kenmore...

Went to Sears & Lowe's & the Mrs seemed to like the front load ones better, but I've read about problems with em leaking/seals going bad & bearings wearing over a couple years.

Of the top load washers she liked the Whirlpool Cabrio, wanted to take a look at some Fisher & Paykel but nobody here in town carries em in stock..

Anybody know if the Whirlpool Cabrio are good washers/dryers, or what brand are good solid units that will give us a savings in water/electricity over the life of the units (hopefully at least 15 years)??

budro

i don't know too much about brands. i am a contractor who has been called to more than one house where people loaded their front load washer and had a disaster. it seems the most common problem is not stuffing everything in good. it seems if a shirt sleeve, part of a towel, or whatever is caught in the door then the washer will not seal good. this leads to water where it is not wanted. i noticed the houses where this problem brought me were busy homes with kids, mom working too, etc. do you and the wife have kids at home? are you in the fast lane? if so, then maybe a top load washer will help with the problems we create. i don't own a front load, i have just seen the damage done caused by a lack of attention. budro

woodchuck

On do it yourself forums there are lots of problems with the front loader type. The complain about moldy smells. Mold behind the seals.

havasu

We've had a GE Profile front load washer and dryer for about 5 years now, and love it. They are economical to run, and the flat surface on top makes for a nice additional work space. We have never had a problem with leakage, but the mold smell behind the gasket is sometimes noticeable. In order to eliminate this problem, we leave the washer door cracked open overnight after doing our clothes, which dries out the seal.

handyguys

Do the math on how much you will save versus the premium you will pay for the ulta efficiency. If you save 2c in water per load how long until you get a payback?

Also, some people also have rattling problems. The machines can be hard to balance properly. Even if they are balanced you can still feel like you have a train passing your house when they are on the spin cycle.

Personally - if I had it to do again I would probably just get the cheapest top loader versus a 'top of the line' front loader. They are 1/3rd the price and wash just as well.

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