<p>My Whirlpool of at least 15 years will not spin out during the spin cycle (so the drum of the machine) . Currently have an appt. for a repair man tomorrow. I’m sure the house call alone will be around $65. Starting to wonder if it’s worth having them come out or if I should just call it a day and invest the $$$ in a new model.</p>
<p>I made a stop at 2 appliance centers - am looking at either a Whirlpool (locally made) or a GE that does not have the tall agitator - I’m so uneducated on this!- but will be energy efficient and use less water - am told I would need to buy the “HE” laundry soap.</p>
<p>Can you offer any advice on…
The spinning problem and how big (i.e. , expensive) it might be to fix.
The new “HE” low-water models???</p>
<p>Getting a new washer (and maybe dryer) is about as exciting to me as a new roof (translation - NOT EXCITING!). I don’t want/need top of the line, don’t have room for the stackables, so just want a good quality, wash-my-clothes machine.</p>
<p>When I had a similar problem with my dryer, advises I got here was to get it reaired. They said it would last another 15 years. I am sure they stop in. Good luck.</p>
<p>We finally got rid of our ancient top loading washer that was barely agitating, and our marginally functional old dryer, and bought the Whirlpool Duet front-loading W/D pair. (I chose to get machines made in Benton Harbor, Michigan, rather than Mexico, and so paid about $200 more for the pair. I believe in supporting American workers.)</p>
<p>Anyway, I simply cannot believe how incredibly wonderful these machines are, and what a fantastic job they do of getting things clean and drying them efficiently. Not only is everything MUCH cleaner, but I can wash huge down comforters, area rugs, and the like. There are cycles that use steam to deodorize stinky towels and college male bedding. They wash delicates that mustn’t be twisted around magnificently. </p>
<p>I really cannot say too much in their favor.</p>
<p>Front loading is not a priority for me (I don’t really get the benefits). Whirlpool is also made here in Ohio so, that was a plus for me as well. Do you have the agitator or not?</p>
<p>Front loaders don’t have agitators. They are MUCH easier on clothes and whatever else you wash as a result. And they spin out a LOT more water so that drying time is cut to a minimum–quite possibly in half. And they do a better job of cleaning. Better cleaning with less wear and tear and drastically shorter drying time are significant benefits, to me.</p>
<p>The dryer, BTW, has a wrinkle-prevention feature which stirs the clothes up every once in a while for a couple of hours, so that you don’t have to empty it immediately to prevent wrinkling. </p>
<p>All I can say is that they are just VASTLY superior.</p>
<p>I occasionally have the same problem with my top loading Admiral washing machine. It will go through the wash cycle and then not start the spin cycle. If you open the lid, you may see on the right hand side edge under the lid, a small plastic tab. This tab fits into a small cutout on the washing machine top where there is a pressure switch. If this matches what you have on your Whirlpool washer, use a flat blade screwdriver and press down on the switch a few times. You should hear it click.</p>
<p>To test, set your water level at the lowest level and start the wash cycle. If the spin cycle fails to start, press down on the right side of the lid where the tab is mounted and see if the spin cycle starts. If it starts, then the lid may need to be adjusted to allow the tab to fully press down on the switch. If the spin cycle still does not work, the switch could be bad or the main washing machine control may be bad. As long as the wash cycle works, you can assume that the motor is still good.</p>
<p>The inventor of the wrinkle-prevention cycle deserves a gold medal. Even if I’m around when my dryer stops, I do not rush to unload the still hot clothes, because they get wrinkled while I unload them! I wait for half an hour or so for the dryer to stir the load while it cools, and then the clothes come out looking nice and smooth. Love this feature. I also agree with Consolation that front-loaders do a much better job at cleaning clothes than top-loaders.</p>
<p>In my opinion, not getting a front-loading washing machine is like not wearing a seatbelt. It’s just not something you do! Seriously, it isn’t even a close choice. The money and water you save is amazing, and the clothes are practically dry when they come out of the washer, so drying time (and energy) is greatly reduced. If getting a front-loading machine isn’t a priority, it SHOULD be.</p>
<p>I agree with Consolation, BunsenBurner, and MomofWildChild-- get a front-loader. Not only are they more gentle on your clothes, they use much less soap, and they extract more water in the spin cycle so your clothes are much dryer at the end of the wash cycle shortening the drying time. The negatives are the cycle takes longer and you should dry the gasket and leave the door ajar after doing your loads for the day.</p>
<p>I love my whirlpool duet machines and would not go back to the agitator models…BUT…after 6 years, the washing machine basket just broke off-- past any warranty of course. Not only did it happen to mine, but to my neighbor who bought hers within a few months of mine, and to the appliance store owners themselves. I decided to replace the wash basket (maybe it’s called a barrel-- the round inner part of the machine that turns the clothes) instead of getting a new machine. Apparently Whirlpool (which makes all the Maytags and I think Amanas too) has no plans to fix this problem. </p>
<p>So if you’re happy with your agitator you may find it worth just repairing it–it will probably last another 15 years. On the other hand the front loaders are really wonderful and they do save water and energy…planned obsolescence or no…</p>
<p>One complaint is mildew inside, but it sounds like leaving the door open will prevent that problem. There were other complaints about front loaders too, including reliability/electronics concerns (which may be true with any new washer). There were also some families that liked front loaders. </p>
<p>I think I’d only like front loaders if I could have the drawers below to make them taller. And in my case I’d have to pay that extra cost but never be able to open the drawers due to a necessary drip tray in our upstairs laundry closet.</p>
<p>I have the original Neptunes (Maytag)- the ones with the mildew problem. Mine are now 13 years old and have never needed any repair except the rubber gasket fix they did for the mildew. I do wipe out the rubber gasket and leave the door open, and every now and then I do the vinegar cycle that they recommend.</p>
<p>MOWC, can you tell me more about the Neptunes? We’re about to move into a house that has those machines, and I’ve never had a front-loader before. Vinegar???</p>
<p>There are tablets you can purchase (I use Affresh brand tabs). When used monthly, they will keep your drum nice and fresh. You also need to clean the pump filter each month. More maintenance than a top-loader, but worth it. I personally would not sink any more money into a 15-year old washing machine.</p>
<p>The Maytag Neptunes were the original front loaders and the 1st gen had the mildew problem. May tag did a minor recall and replaced the original rubber gasket, but still recommended doing this process wherebyou run a cycle with vinegar and then detergent. I forget the exact drill, but it’s on the Internet. I don’t really do it very often. We eventually got the risers/drawers which is great! You don’t have to bend down as much.</p>
<p>I am not good at finding links on cc for old threads, but there are several on washers. I was an avid reader of them last fall when I faced your problem. On cc (and many other review sites) the consensus I seemed to be reading was that top loaders without agitators did a very poor job at cleaning clothes.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t put much money into a 15 year old washer. Then again, I usually hang onto an appliance that is “sort of” working for too long. I like to have a professional declare it dead. Some things have been fixed for a very cheap part.</p>
<p>I bought a LG front loader. My whole family is in love, and trust me, these 3 boys don’t care about laundry. The soap savings alone is huge. I don’t care about water usage (we have a well), but it uses very little. The clothes are SO much cleaner and as others said, come out so dry they require half the previous drying time. </p>
<p>I did buy the pedestal. I’m only 5’2" and I wouldn’t want to do all that bending and reaching without it. Rip-off job on the part of mfg not including it w/ the washer. Also a terrible design flaw as it is not quite tall enough to hold the Tide bottle. I’ve never used the drawer for anything but hiding Christmas presents, but I’m glad I bought it.</p>
<p>I quit doing the gasket wiping after each load or the monthly tablets after a couple months. I do leave the door open, and have had no mildew problems/smell whatsoever.</p>
They wash delicates that mustn’t be twisted around magnificently. </p>