It would be nice if top loading washers with manually set water levels came with markings inside that tell you what water level to set based on how high the load is inside. Otherwise, it is kind of a guess that could result in either too little water for the load or wasting water.
1 Like
One thing to consider is difficulty and expense in repairing new computer-based appliances. As with newer cars, repair and maintenance are much more complicated and can’t be done by the average do-it-yourselfer. My “new” washer that my oldest son got for me in October is a GE model from 2004. Entirely manual. My son (mechanical engineer, recently retired) bought it and a matching dryer for $60. He also owns a vintage washer and swears he’ll never get a new-fangled appliance if he can help it.
4 Likes
I have Lg front loaders, have a service plan with pse&g so all good. Just had the dryer fixed, heating coil had to be ordered because it’s different from other dryers. I have issues with washers/dryers around the 5 year mark.
I wish I could check the status of the washer and dryer on an app, they’re in the basement and we have 5 adults living here, so they’re used very often.
1 Like
LG here too. My washer is top loading, which is how I wanted it. I don’t use any of the AI features, but it is easy to change the settings. It’s really nice that I can do blankets and comforters in the machines. I ordered mine from Costco.
I do this (steam out wrinkles) by throwing a wet wash cloth in with with the wrinkled item and drying on high heat - works in 5 to 10 minutes depending on item/material.
4 Likes
I did that with my last dryer. Not sure why or how but the steam function on my dryer works MUCH better for me than that method on my old dryer did.
My S and DIL (well to be honest my S, and not so much my DIL) wanted the new, ginormous LG heat pump dryer b/c its so much more energy efficient. 7.8 cu.ft Graphite Steel Front Load Electric Dryer. The reviews warned that it took longer to dry (seems then that it negates the energy efficiency but apparently not) and also warned that sometimes the door latch has issues, but so far they have been very happy with it, and if the latch has an issue maybe he’ll put his mech E skills to good use 
We have appliances that have wifi connection options but would never connect them to our wifi. Don’t plan to remotely run the dishwasher or talk to the refrigerator, and why give crooks a potential way to hack into our system.
We have a Sears w/d set that is made by LG. Have had them for many years and so far no problems.
3 Likes
I have a friend who is under 5 foot tall. She ended up with a new washer where she can’t reach the bottom. It was a relief to her once she found a grabber tool that helped her get clothes out of the bottom.
4 Likes
That’s why I like the front loader so much.
4 Likes
My main and pretty much only gripe with my Speed Queen front loader is that the drum doesn’t have a light inside. Because the drum is dark, it is occasionally hard to see small pieces like black socks stuck to the drum after the spin cycle. Sometimes I feel like a raccoon fishing for grubs in the mud while I blindly fish for any leftover pieces with my arm inside the drum. 
Other than that, it is a solid washer with all the functionality I need allowing me to wash anything from a couple of cashmere tops to a 5x7 washable rug!
5 Likes
I’m keeping my 30-year-old Maytags until they give out. I only had the washer serviced once, and the repairman told me they don’t make motors like that anymore.
9 Likes
We have LG front load washer and dryer that have been pretty good thus far. Our fridge is also LG.
When the dishwasher needed to be replaced this month and we replaced a cooktop last year, we went to a locally-owned appliance store and looked at everything and asked the salesperson what had good repair records or if it needed repair, what was easily handled. He knew we were going to buy from them and didn’t hold back. What he said was confirmed by consumer reports reviews.
1 Like
About 6 months after we bought a new w/d set, a light came on in the dryer when I opened the door. I had never noticed it before. Maybe because the room was lit and I had never noticed it? It turns out that the bulb had been out the entire time, but for some reason came on that time. But it went out again as I wiggled it. I didn’t have a new bulb, so it is still out…and I don’t notice it. lol
2 Likes
We are keeping our 30+ year old Maytag Washer & Dryer as well. Our mechanic also says they don’t make them as sturdy any more. Ours does have digital readouts and buttons instead of dials and knobs but they have been good all these decades. They get the job done and not much servicing to date and repairs were reasonable.
1 Like
We got a fancier LG set (front loader) last summer to replace an old Kenmore that finally broke. I hadn’t planned to connect it to the Internet, but I did on a whim, and I’m surprised how much I like getting a notification when the cycles are done, or being able to check how much time is left. It’s the little things, these days 
Anyway, so far, I’m really happy with it.
4 Likes
For those prioritizing sturdiness, another option, which we did for our second set in the basement, is to get “commercial” Maytags (without the coin slot option LOL). We did ask them to remove the extremely annoying end-of-cycle buzzer on the dryer, whose only setting was on/repeating at the end of every load. (I didn’t need a new robot nagging me to do a chore.)
4 Likes
No judgement..really…because I have made conscious trades of privacy for convenience at times too…just be aware that in order to get those notifications the fine print in your app probably gave LG access to your photos, all your emails,your search history and your locations. They use that data to target ads to your habits, but also, worse, to calculate how much you’ll pay in their dynamic pricing algorithms. Done working at 5, photos of the family at a ski lodge, and eat at sit down restaurants rather than fast food? If you buy things online, you’re gonna pay more for your next refrigerator than jane doe who buys the same model but works night shift, doesn’t go on vacations and only gets the rare happy meal for her kids.
That’s not a crazy conspiracy theory like I would have thought 10 years ago. That’s how industry is using our data now.
8 Likes
It was super creepy when I was at my ILs and my mother-in-law looked at her phone and said to me, “your dryer load is done”….
2 Likes
I also have the Maytag commercial washer and dryer. It is a workhorse. I’ve only had it for 7-8 years with no service calls. I will definitely get that annoying buzzer disabled if a service person comes by.
1 Like
I couldn’t stand it for more than a day before I called them and asked them to come back and do it. 7-8 years, you are as patient as Job!
1 Like