Washing Machines

[Keithpaints]

Our 1990 Heavy Duty Lady Kenmore is emitting white smoke out of electrical box. We stopped using. It has served us well was at Antie house when we moved in 8 years ago. My 1988 Maytag gave to neighbor she does laundry for others her kids bought a new washer lasted only one year broke down with heavy use. Broken springs on bucket. Super cheap crappy springs made to fail. That was 2016. She is still using my old Maytag 2024 has had new belts & hose put on.

To my surprise most repair places won't service our 30+ year old Kenmore & Sears shut down in Hawaii. Parts hard to find. Just curious does anyone here still used old washers
made to last over 50 years, or does everyone use newer ones from box stores with one year warranty. You can get 3 extra years if pay for extended. A must for the crap they put out these days.

 

[AT5760]

My understanding is that Speed Queen still makes them with “old school” quality. Not fancy, fewer circuit boards and frills.

 

[azn_knives_4l]

My understanding is that Speed Queen still makes them with “old school” quality. Not fancy, fewer circuit boards and frills.

These are even still American, iirc. Met a distributor and talked shop as recently as 2019.

 

[Keithpaints]

I found that Sears appliance repair is still in Hawaii even though no Sears store anymore. They have parts or can get them. It will cost 119.00 for technician to come to house & diagnose the condition of washer what it needs & give estimate to fix it. If agree the 119.00 will go toward repair & parts. If machine is beyond repair just out of 119.00. I will give model # & description of problem before he comes out. Sent him pictures.
They repair other brands as well.

If we get a decent new one top loader with agitator around 800.00 + delivery hookup fee+ removal of 50.00 for old washer.

Next door neighbors got new stackable front load washer & Dryer. After two years needed new computer board 400.00 + labor. I've seen them out there again for repair under 5 years old.

I'll check out the Speed Queen I'm told new machines take longer to wash than our old heavy duty Kenmore with porcelain bucket, strong motor & trans heavy strong springs just like my old Maytag.

 

[Keithpaints]

Thanks for heads up. Found one dealer on Oahu who carries top load Speed Queen washers with full 7 year parts & labor warranty. Also laundrymats top loaders are Speed Queens. Box stores only give one year full warranty.

 

[fortheloveofmoar]

+1 on speed queen fyi. Reddit BIFL is obsessed with the things. For the record I don’t own one but I’ve heard that suggestion so many times.

 

[McMan]

https://www.sundbergamerica.com has parts of older appliances, including washers and driers.

 

[user 52901]

Our 1990 Heavy Duty Lady Kenmore is emitting white smoke out of electrical box. We stopped using. It has served us well was at Antie house when we moved in 8 years ago. My 1988 Maytag gave to neighbor she does laundry for others her kids bought a new washer lasted only one year broke down with heavy use. Broken springs on bucket. Super cheap crappy springs made to fail. That was 2016. She is still using my old Maytag 2024 has had new belts & hose put on.

To my surprise most repair places won't service our 30+ year old Kenmore & Sears shut down in Hawaii. Parts hard to find. Just curious does anyone here still used old washers
made to last over 50 years, or does everyone use newer ones from box stores with one year warranty. You can get 3 extra years if pay for extended. A must for the crap they put out these days.

2 pieces of advice, one easy, one hard
Easy: Avoid Samsung. Technically (too) sophisticated. Circuits boards fail readily. Out-sourced contract repair service poor or worse.. Parts seldom avbl and very expensive. My dryer failed in 15 mos--no $300 circuit board avbl: parts supplier said 'try again in a few months. Finally found one on eBay for $100. Installed it myself. Samsung had promised a replacement--then w/o warning or explanation reneged. No explanation. No calls or e-mails answered.
Hard: don't really know HOW I did this exc to say i searched the net obsessively and finally found an appliance-parts salvager who was, incredibly, able to supply a used heating unit for my GE wall over--which was 35 years old!

 

[JASinIL2006]

2 pieces of advice, one easy, one hard
Easy: Avoid Samsung. Technically (too) sophisticated. Circuits boards fail readily. Out-sourced contract repair service poor or worse.. Parts seldom avbl and very expensive. My dryer failed in 15 mos--no $300 circuit board avbl: parts supplier said 'try again in a few months. Finally found one on eBay for $100. Installed it myself. Samsung had promised a replacement--then w/o warning or explanation reneged. No explanation. No calls or e-mails answered.
Hard: don't really know HOW I did this exc to say i searched the net obsessively and finally found an appliance-parts salvager who was, incredibly, able to supply a used heating unit for my GE wall over--which was 35 years old!

This was our experience, too. No more Samsung for me.

 

[Keithpaints]

Not surprised at all. Rating of washing machines reminds me of 10 best knives you can buy. It's like Amazon reviews 85% 4 and 5 stars. 10% 1 star. Often but not always the one star reviews you should read first. Found many horror stories of machines that don't get clothes clean, having to abandon a washer because repair bill too high. Fighting mold because of crappy seals.
When our 50 year old water heater gave out bought a new one. Asked installer life expectancy of new unit. He told me 10 years if your lucky they make them out of the cheapest materials they can get away with. Looking at best rated washers at big box stores. Having had old maytag & this old heavy duty Kenmore box store washers look cheap. Even on extended warranty stories of bad customer service unable to get promised repair. In 1988 I paid around 450.00 for Maytag. It had a 10 year full parts & labor warranty. Nothing went wrong with washer first 10 years. First repair down the line was belts. Now they have one year warranty & life expectancy 4 to 8 years depending of use & repairs.

I didn't know about Speed Queen we have been doing clothes at laundromat.
They use Speed Queen front load washers & top load. The top load use less quarters & are in constant use all day long 7 days a week. Commercial grade pricy washers they make too.

 

[Michi]

We have a Miele. That's the second one. The first one lasted a little over 30 years. It could have been repaired again, but it wasn't cost effective anymore at that point. I expect that the replacement one will outlive us.

Miele are good with spare parts. You can count on 20 years or more of availability.

 

[Keithpaints]

At laundromat today.

 

[MarcelNL]

We have a Miele. That's the second one. The first one lasted a little over 30 years. It could have been repaired again, but it wasn't cost effective anymore at that point. I expect that the replacement one will outlive us.

Miele are good with spare parts. You can count on 20 years or more of availability.

availability of spare parts is certainly good with Miele, whether a repair makes sense at the price of many of those parts is something else. We had a Miele that had a main ECU error for which the repair came in just shy of 1000 euro, and consisted of replacing the whole circuit board.

A local shop specializing in component replacement for a.o. Miele washing and drying machines repaired it for something just shy of 300 (2x shipping, diagnostics, repair).

For the mechanical part they last LONG, and parts are cheap, issue is that the trouble is usually not there as Miele has the mechanics under control quite well, now only for the electronics to get to that point.

 

[Keithpaints]

We have a Miele. That's the second one. The first one lasted a little over 30 years. It could have been repaired again, but it wasn't cost effective anymore at that point. I expect that the replacement one will outlive us.

Miele are good with spare parts. You can count on 20 years or more of availability.

Is your Miele front loader? Been using commercial front loaders at laundromat
They clean well. Stood there & watched most of the cycle action glass door large capacity Huebsch machine.

 

[Michi]

Is your Miele front loader? Been using commercial front loaders at laundromat
They clean well. Stood there & watched most of the cycle action glass door large capacity Huebsch machine.

Yes, front loader. Takes longer, but uses less water and is much gentler on the clothes.

 

[Keithpaints]

Yes using gravity for mixing, changing direction during cycle. I'm hesident up here it rains alot. would have to keep door seals clean & dry to keep mold at bay. Most people don't clean seals leading to smells just takes a little preventive measure.

Looking at top of line top loader with agitator. It has deep cleaning & gentle cycle choices. Just like Lady Kenmore that served us well without any problems for 8 years. Don't know history of repairs except it was bought 1990. Janice liked the gentle cycle. Talked to independent dealer. They have to order from mainland. People in Hawaii with big families need bigger volume & like cheaper prices, but I've seen on our street big box washer dryer last less than 5 years have to ditch it & buy a new one. Just us two ability to fill water high for larger loads. Temp. setting direct from hot & cold water lines worth the extra cost should last our lifetime with usual repairs of a quality machine. I've read that big box like Maytag, & other high rated machines have partial conditional warranties on drive train that end up costing more than machine worth to fix.

Top of line Speed Queen have 7 year unlimited parts & labor warranty. Big box too much flimsy plastic & weak metal parts designed to fail. Maytag has joined the big box cheap price on sale. They are not your parents or grandparents Maytags. My next door neighbor. Old lady who had a spotless home had her Maytag going on 60 years. She passed away since I moved up here. She was a good friend.

Old reliable heavy duty Lady Kenmore till she started smoking.

 

[MarcelNL]

OT; those names are totally impossible nowadays...

Lady Kenmore, Speed Queen...just saying ;-)

 

[HolyDiverScallop]

I had a Maytag washer/dryer set in my old place that I moved there from another state. I bought them, used, at an estate sale when I bought my first house. 14 years later, moving to another location, I took them with me. Leaving there 6 years later, it was easier to leave them and I absolutely should not have.

They were dead simple, indestructible, and best of all, paid for. I hadn't realized how expensive white goods had gotten.

I bought a set of Speed Queens to replace them, and spent a shitload of money and am very happy with what I got while regretting that I needed to. 7 years into that purchase, they're going strong.

 

[Keithpaints]

Our drier unit trades can blow strong high up in valley. We have lines in the garage when it rains. In distance can see my young avocado tree. High winds it was bent over. I used garden twine to pull it upright. Almost died when took it out of pot into the ground. Lots of TLC for the leaves, fertilizer etc. it is about 7 feet tall now & getting fuller. Someday will dominate back yard.

 

[mengwong]

Someday will dominate back yard.

https://quoteinvestigator.com/2020/04/29/tree-shade/

 

[aporigine]

Our drier unit trades can blow strong high up in valley. We have lines in the garage when it rains. In distance can see my young avocado tree. High winds it was bent over. I used garden twine to pull it upright. Almost died when took it out of pot into the ground. Lots of TLC for the leaves, fertilizer etc. it is about 7 feet tall now & getting fuller. Someday will dominate back yard.View attachment 328464

Is that wind making shapes of the wires?

 

[Keithpaints]

It could be heavy towels usually put in that area. Line is wire with plastic coating. Easy to clean with a damp small rag. Sometimes wind strong coming off ridge between houses I guess that's why put closeline there many decades ago.

 

[Keithpaints]

The Sears appliance repair guy came. I had taken 2 screws out & wd40 the swing latch in back when first started smoking. Lifted up console to expose electrical components. Couldn't see any burnt wires. The two front screws were corroded. He lifted up Console turned on machine. After a little while smoke coming out of capacitor that's what starts the different cycles. He said that I could order part about 100.00 & save money by putting it in myself. That's what I was thinking when I saw it smoking. I asked him if he could check the drive belts. Took panel off & found it was a direct drive model. He told me these had heavy duty gears not like the cheap stuff now that shears off. So I paid him the 119.00 for inspection & ordered new capacitor & two new screws on line for 94.00.

 

[MarcelNL]

A motor start or run cap for 100 bucks ? WOW that is rich!

great that it's a pretty cheap fix in the end, when related to buying new!

 

[NotAddictedYet]

Old reliable heavy duty Lady Kenmore till she started smoking.

It's time to quit smoking then.

Glad the problem turned out simple in the end.

 

[Corradobrit1]

Yes, front loader. Takes longer, but uses less water and is much gentler on the clothes.

I'm a Miele fanboi. I bought my first after moving to Germany. Great machine with the Twindos system. No more messy powders or liquids. Precisely dosed based on water hardness. It's super quiet, energy and water efficient and has so many options compared to the old GE Front Loader (I believe it was the first consumer front loader on the market in the mid 90's) I had for 25 years in the USA. Served me well though, and was miles better than the 70's era top loader it replaced. Technology as moved so far forward. Longevity is still open.

 

[Michi]

I'm a Miele fanboi. I bought my first after moving to Germany. Great machine with the Twindos system. No more messy powders or liquids. Precisely dosed based on water hardness. It's super quiet, energy and water efficient and has so many options compared to the old GE Front Loader (I believe it was the first consumer front loader on the market in the mid 90's) I had for 25 years in the USA. Served me well though, and was miles better than the 70's era top loader it replaced. Technology as moved so far forward. Longevity is still open.

I grew up with front loaders. Top loaders were unknown in Germany when I grew up. I didn't see my first top loader until I first came to Australia in my early twenties.

We used a top loader for about ten years because that was all we could afford initially. It was murder on our clothes, wearing them out unbelievably fast. And it used an absolutely horrifying amount of water. As soon as I could afford it, I bought a Miele because I knew from back home that they worked well. Never looked back.

 

[SwampDonkey]

Parents have a speed queen that goes through hell with a bunch of farm clothes and horse hair etc. They love it and has lasted 10 years so far.

We got a maytag with impeller, not agitator, a few years ago. Been pleased with it, it doesn't get stuff quite as clean as an agitator but it's soooo much more gentle on clothes. I come home muddy and gross from the field all the time and it's good for me. Only person I'd say go agitator is like a mechanic or pipe fitter that's covered in oil on the daily. Detergent plays a big roll too. But for my more sensitive active/tech wear and wool shirts/sweaters, impeller all day.

 

[Keithpaints]

This Kenmore has several different wash cycles I've used the delicate to wash quick dry stuff that use for exercise & hiking. The agitator moves much slower. She always uses the slow cycle. Control of water you just fill as much as you need for size of the load. It's just been a reliable machine that gets clothes clean. We don't use fabric softeners. Just soap & little Oxyclean. The Speed Queen front loaders are 2,500 & up. I was considering a front loader after washing clothes at laundromat. Those industrial front loaders only way I'd wash my bedspread light comforter.

Miele machines not available here.

 

[aporigine]

This Kenmore has several different wash cycles I've used the delicate to wash quick dry stuff that use for exercise & hiking. The agitator moves much slower. She always uses the slow cycle. Control of water you just fill as much as you need for size of the load. It's just been a reliable machine that gets clothes clean. We don't use fabric softeners. Just soap & little Oxyclean. The Speed Queen front loaders are 2,500 & up. I was considering a front loader after washing clothes at laundromat. Those industrial front loaders only way I'd wash my bedspread light comforter.

Miele machines not available here.

I am grateful to live somewhere the water is soft enough that 1/2 to 1/3 a measure of detergent does the job.