It's appliance shopping time... Suggestions?

flyingcheesehead

flyingcheesehead

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iMooniac
Hey folks,

Looking for a new refrigerator, washer and dryer, and I'm just wondering what you all find to be the killer features of yours?

I'm getting close to selecting a refrigerator. I want a french-door model with... Well, I don't know what to call it other than a "split door". Samsung calls it ShowCase, Kenmore calls it Grab 'n' Go, and LG calls it Door-in-Door. Dunno if anyone else does it yet:

DoorinDoor.jpg


For the washer and dryer, I have no idea what to look for yet. Help! :goofy:
 
Old stuff broken? Or a chick driving you to consume? Just say no, or grab whatever craigslist has close by.
 
ClimbnSink said:
Old stuff broken? Or a chick driving you to consume? Just say no, or grab whatever craigslist has close by.
Click to expand...

really bad idea...go with samsung - best temperature control I've ever had so food stays fresh longer
 
The front loading washer / dryers are popular but I am ready to switch back to the top loader.

Cleans fine but you have to leave the washer door open all the time otherwise residual water causes mildew and the aroma is horrific. The smell gets into towels and clothes.

I pass through out laundry room in the dark frequently and kick that GD door since we have to leave it open between loads.

I am not 100% sure why they have this issue and top loaders don't but Apparently it is pretty common

http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Mold-Smell-in-Front-Loader-Washing-Machine

http://blogs.babycenter.com/tips_an...e-smelly-mold-from-your-front-loading-washer/
 
I agree with Bryan.

Washer/dryer, you want the very, very best, find a dealer that sells Speed Queen. They are designed and engineered for commercial use only, last frickin' forever. Not cheap, but no more costly than a lot of the trendy stuff (like what we bought, sad to say). Buy a set, you'll have 'em for 20 years.

Refrigerator, geez they got expensive. You buying for a premanent home, or to use until the next place? The delta in price is less than once it was, so maybe you step on up to Sub-Zero.

That's a start. What else you need?

---

Edit: Speed Queen is made in Ripon. Seriously. :yes:
 
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The thicker the doors in the frig are, the smaller containers that the actual shelves inside the box will hold.

We bought a Bravo washer/dryer a few years ago. Avoid the front loaders, the wide rubber gasket that keeps water from dripping out the door cannot drain all of its water out afterwards, so it mildews and stinks greatly. The Bravo is a top loader with no spindle, just a large yawning hole. Huge loads of clothing, sheets, etc., all come out clean, just like magic.

Is there a scratch-and-dent store near you? We saved 1/3 the price on our new W/D set that way, and no, I didn't pay $200 each for "stands" to make them chin-high on my wife. Who cares if there's a dent on the side of the washer when only the front and top show? It's definitely worth $300 to me. Yep, washers alone now easily top $1000 . . . I almost needed dental surgery to replace my bottom teeth!

Craigslist is always an option. Somebody out there is tired of stinky washing machines and sore shins, so they will make you a good deal. I suggest skipping it and get a top loader.
 
SCCutler said:
I agree with Bryan.

Washer/dryer, you want the very, very best, find a dealer that sells Speed Queen. They are designed and engineered for commercial use only, last frickin' forever.
Click to expand...

+1,000,000

Best (and maybe last) washing machine you'll ever buy. You need to get one quickly though. At the end of the year the regulations will change on how much water commercial washing machines can use.
 
My washer and dryer came from a yard sale, I believe I have $75 in the set. Been going strong for years now.

I have a sub zero fridge.
 
We have the Samsung standard side by side. Well built with a lot of nice features.

We also have the LG front loading washer/dryer set. I believe it does a better job of getting things cleaner and uses a lot less water than a top loader. The only negative was mentioned above. You need to leave the door open. We don't have the odor issue but our laundry room is a bit narrow and the open doors are a problem.


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I'd get the cheapest stuff you can buy. For the most part it's all built the same (unless you spent gobs of money) and the difference is just in the finishes. None of it is that terrific in quality, but most of these appliance are fairly simple and sufficiently durable to last a long time.
 
steingar said:
I'd get the cheapest stuff you can buy. For the most part it's all built the same (unless you spent gobs of money) and the difference is just in the finishes. None of it is that terrific in quality, but most of these appliance are fairly simple and sufficiently durable to last a long time.
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Exactly. The clever marketing types have had their way with appliances, they are now ego connected and you are supposed to believe buying a certain type enhances your lifestyle. The stuff is just big toasters.:D
 
steingar said:
I'd get the cheapest stuff you can buy. For the most part it's all built the same (unless you spent gobs of money) and the difference is just in the finishes. None of it is that terrific in quality
Yeah, most of the consumer grade stuff is IMHO cheap Chinese junk. A few years back we bought a near top line Whirlpool oven, it died after two years. The repair guy says they all have the same computer inside, cheapest to most expensive. ($250 for the new computer) Next time, I buy the least expensive one.
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In the next few weeks, Home Depot usually holds their Red, White, Blue sale. We bought a 4 piece Samsung kitchen appliance package for around $2500 (including extended warranty, taxes and delivery), which was a 25% savings if bought seperately. Granted it was the lower package they offer, but they offer more than one deal. And we also got interest free financing for 24 months on the Home Depot card.
 
Get a top load washer. It seems like they were out of style for awhile but now they're coming back. Used to have a front loader and that seal in the front gets moldy and stinky and there isn't a good way to clean it other than replacing it. I thought it might have been just the one I bought, but talking to my parents and friends they all seem to have the same issue.

I don't know if it works or not, but I've seen the "no smudge" stainless steel advertised. If it does work, I wish I would have gotten it. I went with regular stainless appliances and you'd think we were eating bacon for every meal and then giving the fridge door a high five afterwards with the amount of fingerprints it collects.. :lol:
 
steingar said:
For the most part it's all built the same (unless you spent gobs of money) .
Click to expand...

Wrong, and wrong.

Speed Queens are commercial quality washers and have commercial transmissions (the same transmission that they put in laundromat washers). It has pre-soak, pre-wash, and second rinse options plus other nice features.

I paid $600 for mine a few years ago. My daughter just bought one last week and paid $700. Sure, there's stuff that's a little cheaper but much of it is junk.

We made the mistake of buying a GE high efficiency machine a mere year before. Paid over $500 for that PoS and it was a horrible mistake. It didn't come close to getting the clothes clean if using the normal cycle and it took 90 minutes to do a load of laundry if you used a cycle that would (somewhat) adequately clean clothes.

And the biggest freakin' idiot part of the design. If you did anything to it when it was in the middle of a cycle, including simply opening the door, it would shut down, pump all the water out, start over and start refilling the machine with water.

But, hey, it didn't use much water...well, unless you touched something during operation.

I felt guilty selling the thing on Craig's List. But I sold it after we bought our Speed Queen.

And I'll second (or third or fourth as the case may be) the recommedation for a Samsung refrigerator. We have one similar to the one that iMooniac pictured except that our's has two bottom drawers. Each one is individually programmable and can be a freezer, soft freezer, super cooler (28*) or refrigerator. Having that flexibility is a great feature depending on what you need the most space for at the time. One side typically goes back and forth from frig to freezer and the other side is always a super cooler (28*)...i.e. the beer drawer! :goofy:

The bottom line though, Troy, don't listen to the peanut gallery here...go to Consumer Reports or to some other reliable source and do some research.
 
In the PA house, we had all LG and loved them. We are now a GE household and love them as well. Buy a new appliance - the energy savings alone pays for itself after a few years.

Don't get a side-by-side fridge. There's no room to store things. We have a french door fridge with bottom slide-out freezer and love it. Get a higher end washer - it really will wash your clothes better. New top loaders are good, and the door open on the front loaders is annoying. That said, we have front loaders and it's nice to be able to stack things on the washer and dryer easily.

Front mount controls are convenient on a washer/dryer, but kids will come up and push the buttons. Guess how I know. ;)
 
JB1842 said:
In the next few weeks, Home Depot usually holds their Red, White, Blue sale.
Click to expand...

We will likely be shopping that sale as it's about time to purchase appliances for the new home we're building. I'm thinking going either LG or Samsung.
 
Refrigerator - don't get in door ice dispenser...it sucks up a lot of fridge space and makes the remaining space awkwardly shaped. We lost a top of the line LG fridge in under 8 years, GIGO. They are all the same parts inside that will fail too soon - get a reasonably priced warranty from Square Trade.
 
I just got a Samsung French door. I love it. You will love it. Especially those handles! My only regret is that I should have gotten the 4-door.
 
I've started looking for a new fridge, but finding a decent one that is counter depth is a PITA. Our kitchen is small and I'm really tired of the fridge sticking out into the walkway between the laundry room and the kitchen.

We've had our Bosch washer/dryer for about 11 years now, I love them. I had to replace the brushes on the motor about 5 years ago. I do have to clean out the drain at the bottom of it from time to time, usually when I miss a coin while cleaning out the pockets of my jeans. Other than that, its been trouble free. They are the smaller sized machines, so I can't do the blankets, but they fit perfectly in the niche.
 
I recently moved into an apartment with all new GE appliances. They all suck. I have a thermometer in the fridge and the temp varies by 10 degrees for no reason.
 
Bill Jennings said:
We will likely be shopping that sale as it's about time to purchase appliances for the new home we're building. I'm thinking going either LG or Samsung.
Click to expand...

I'm a fan of Samsung. I've never had any problems with any Samsung product I've owned.
 
I also believe it's all the same, except possibly commercial grade stuff. If just go with the cheapest most basic thing that meets your needs.

Wouldn't be afraid of craigslist or yard sales either.
 
It's rather unlikely I would buy anything but Samsung. Nothing Samsung has made has ever let me down and the washer/dryer I bought about 4 years ago are still working like the day I bought them.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
The front loading washer / dryers are popular but I am ready to switch back to the top loader.

Cleans fine but you have to leave the washer door open all the time otherwise residual water causes mildew and the aroma is horrific. The smell gets into towels and clothes.

I pass through out laundry room in the dark frequently and kick that GD door since we have to leave it open between loads.

I am not 100% sure why they have this issue and top loaders don't but Apparently it is pretty common

http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Mold-Smell-in-Front-Loader-Washing-Machine

http://blogs.babycenter.com/tips_an...e-smelly-mold-from-your-front-loading-washer/
Click to expand...
It can happen with top loaders too. I have a Maytag that refuses to die. I learned recently that the require occasional "cleaning" - silly concept, I know.

Run bleach through the unit in the fabric softener, liquid detergent and bleach compartments, run a complete wash cycle on HOT and that will take care of it.
 
kgruber said:
GE did it 20 years ago.......I'm looking at one right now.
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My in-laws have one with a fold-down door to the main drink compartment in the refrigerator door - I'd love one like that, but nobody seems to do that any more. It's even better than the split door in that it gives you a shelf to pour your drink on.

ClimbnSink said:
Old stuff broken? Or a chick driving you to consume? Just say no, or grab whatever craigslist has close by.
Click to expand...

Bought a house. Moving in in August. Need those three appliances, the rest are included. And I'd much prefer someone else break their back delivering and installing it, so no craigslist for me!

Clark1961 said:
really bad idea...go with samsung - best temperature control I've ever had so food stays fresh longer
Click to expand...

I've been having trouble finding any reviews or test results of the Samsungs I've been looking at. Nothing on Consumer Reports, reviewed.com, or even consumer reviews on various sites. Maybe they're brand-new models?

SixPapaCharlie said:
The front loading washer / dryers are popular but I am ready to switch back to the top loader.

Cleans fine but you have to leave the washer door open all the time otherwise residual water causes mildew and the aroma is horrific. The smell gets into towels and clothes.
Click to expand...

One of the killer features I like is a Maytag that has a fan that blows air through the washer to keep it dry so you don't need to leave the door open. It also has an "overnight wash-dry" feature that uses this fan and spins to both wash and then dry a partial load of clothes. I'm just wondering if there are other killer features for washers/dryers that people like.

SCCutler said:
Washer/dryer, you want the very, very best, find a dealer that sells Speed Queen. They are designed and engineered for commercial use only, last frickin' forever. Not cheap, but no more costly than a lot of the trendy stuff (like what we bought, sad to say). Buy a set, you'll have 'em for 20 years.
Click to expand...

Hmm... Interesting. I like that idea. My parents had their original set of Maytags for 35 years - And they bought them used! Never needed anything other than a belt replacement.

Speaking of which - There's some that are direct-drive now. How easy is it to burn out the motors on the direct-drive ones?

Refrigerator, geez they got expensive. You buying for a premanent home, or to use until the next place?
Click to expand...

See above - Bought a house. :)

The delta in price is less than once it was, so maybe you step on up to Sub-Zero.

Edit: Speed Queen is made in Ripon. Seriously. :yes:
Click to expand...

And if I got Speed Queen and Sub-Zero, I'd be buying all made-in-Wisconsin stuff! :thumbsup:

Hank S said:
Is there a scratch-and-dent store near you? We saved 1/3 the price on our new W/D set that way, and no, I didn't pay $200 each for "stands" to make them chin-high on my wife.
Click to expand...

That's something I don't understand. The drawer/stands for these things are in the $250-$450 range. It's a freaking drawer, not an airplane part! :mad:

I think we may put a counter above them (the laundry/mud room is fairly small), so we are looking towards front-loaders with the controls on the front. I'll definitely be looking at the scratch-and-dent store.

masloki said:
Refrigerator - don't get in door ice dispenser...it sucks up a lot of fridge space and makes the remaining space awkwardly shaped.
Click to expand...

Every model I've looked at has the ice dispenser. But, that's one thing I like about the LG over the Samsung - the entire ice maker/dispenser is contained in the door and there's no weirdly-shaped stuff or big box in the fridge itself, the shelves on the left-hand door are just somewhat smaller than on the right.

I like the door-splitting mechanism on the Samsung a lot better, though.
 
We recently bought a new fridge. Was going to go French Door, didn't. Was going to go Samsung, didn't. We are very happy with the value and features/operation of the unit we bought and it's quieter than the reviews would have you believe. Plenty space Only squawk I have is the "light" button is unlit so you can use it in the dark (Duh...C'mon people). And it took longer than the manual says it should to get the brand new (plastic) taste out of the water & ice.
 
Surprised no one is mentioning the sonic cleaning washers. Again- We have a Maytag W/D set that was in the house when we bought it that just keeps working and working.....Ugly as hell décor - we want an upgraded look after changing the Fridge and now the floor tile is done.
 
I am more of a minimalist when it comes to appliances. I got the contractor's choice GE stove and dishwasher, simple Whirlpool refrigerator, washer and dryer 22 years ago and I haven't done a thing to any of them as far as maintenance goes. How can a washer cause so much debate? It swishes your clothes around in soapy water then rinses and spins them. :D

The SF condo has one of those front-loading washers. Other tenants (it is joint use) complain about some smell but I have not noticed it.
 
Everskyward said:
I am more of a minimalist when it comes to appliances. I got the contractor's choice GE stove and dishwasher, simple Whirlpool refrigerator, washer and dryer 22 years ago and I haven't done a thing to any of them as far as maintenance goes. How can a washer cause so much debate? It swishes your clothes around in soapy water then rinses and spins them. :D

The SF condo has one of those front-loading washers. Other tenants (it is joint use) complain about some smell but I have not noticed it.
Click to expand...

It is a triumph of marketing that folks be so passionate about appliances. I applaud those manipulators of our minds. So very clever they are.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
I've been having trouble finding any reviews or test results of the Samsungs I've been looking at. Nothing on Consumer Reports, reviewed.com, or even consumer reviews on various sites. Maybe they're brand-new models?



One of the killer features I like is a Maytag that has a fan that blows air through the washer to keep it dry so you don't need to leave the door open. It also has an "overnight wash-dry" feature that uses this fan and spins to both wash and then dry a partial load of clothes. I'm just wondering if there are other killer features for washers/dryers that people like.
Click to expand...

I bought a Samsung front loading washer and dryer in 2006, and love it. The washer has worked great, no problems, no repairs. It gets clothes very clean. Plus, you can get them in colors (not a fan of white). Mine are dark blue. I never had an issue with mold or smell. I read somewhere that Maytags seem to have that mold issue.

A friend of mine has a washer/dryer combo. It washes, and then dries. It sounds good, but it's awful. You can't stop it and take something out, and it doesn't get the clothes dry, but leaves them damp, so you still have to hang them out. Plus, it takes eight hours for the cycle! One load of laundry takes eight hours to wash and dry, it's ridiculous.
 
For what it's worth, a person with whom I used to work had been an appliance repair person in a previous life.

She said that you should buy an appliance with the fewest "bells & whistles" possible. Buy a dryer with an "on-off" switch as it's only possible setting, for example.

Her reasoning was - the fewer features, the less there was to break, and when something did break, the appliances with the fewest features were easier and cheaper to fix than their fancier counterparts.
 
Good point- when we bought our dearly-departed house in 1992, we bought a brand new Kenmore range, nice electronic controls (made by Whirlpool, I think). Worked great until around 15 years, when oven temp stopped being accurate, by around 100* low.

Sensor was good, turns out it needed an electronic controller, made of Unobtanium. I was on the verge of buying a Robershaw manual thermostat (knob operated) to kludge on, but then found (on ebay) a buy who claimed he could fix the controllers for around a C-note. He did, and it worked great, but if not, the entire range would gave been useless for this one piece of equipment.
 
That's sort of like saying don't buy any plane more advanced than a Piper Cub. Holds merit for some, but it depends on what you're trying to do.
 
bluee said:
A friend of mine has a washer/dryer combo. It washes, and then dries. It sounds good, but it's awful. You can't stop it and take something out, and it doesn't get the clothes dry, but leaves them damp, so you still have to hang them out. Plus, it takes eight hours for the cycle! One load of laundry takes eight hours to wash and dry, it's ridiculous.
Click to expand...

The feature I'm talking about isn't meant to be used on a full load, as it won't be able to dry. It's meant for those situations where you're about to go to bed and then realize that outfit you wanted to wear tomorrow isn't clean. You put the partial load in, and it washes, does the spin-dry, and then blows dry air and rotates the drum at dryer speeds for the whole night. Enough to dry a few things, not even close on a single load... But you don't have to wait up for the washer to be done, stick something in the dryer, and then iron it in the morning because it sat in a heap on the bottom of the dryer all night.

Dunno if it's worth it, but I do like the idea of the fan to keep it from getting smelly with the door closed anyway.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
In the PA house, we had all LG and loved them. We are now a GE household and love them as well. Buy a new appliance - the energy savings alone pays for itself after a few years.

Don't get a side-by-side fridge. There's no room to store things. We have a french door fridge with bottom slide-out freezer and love it. Get a higher end washer - it really will wash your clothes better. New top loaders are good, and the door open on the front loaders is annoying. That said, we have front loaders and it's nice to be able to stack things on the washer and dryer easily.

Front mount controls are convenient on a washer/dryer, but kids will come up and push the buttons. Guess how I know. ;)
Click to expand...

Amen. We have both, our old side by side and a new Kenmore french door with bottom slide-out freezer. Both are about the same capacity (specifications), but there is no comparison in what you can put in them. And the ice maker is in the left door of the new one and does not eat a lot of internal space. Unlike the ice maker in the side by side where the ice bin eats a bunch of space.

Funny story on the Kenmore. We had an LG that our daughter and son-in-law had and couldn't take with them when the moved a number of years ago. We had a Sears service contract on it and the last time it failed it was the heating system for defrost that burned up. Not repairable. Sears gave us credit for it since it wasn't repairable. More credit than what our daughter had paid for it new. My wife used that credit and a significant extra amount to get the new Kenmore. Very happy with the new one, but it sure eats air and water filters. The lights are on for the second time in about as many years to replace them. And they aren't cheap.
 
I haven't seen anyone post about dishwashers yet.

Anything? We area about due to replace our 15+ year old GE with the rusted racks.
 
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