Good Looking, Efficient and Effective Washer!
Pros:
Cleans well, good build quality, relatively quiet except in high spin stage of washing
Cons:
Main knob a little flimsy feeling for an otherwise solid machine.
The Bottom Line:
Does what it is supposed to and does it well, while looking beautiful. Buy it!
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
Bought the washer at Lowe's as a pair with the dryer. Overall the washer has performed very well. No maintenance issues to date. Seems to clean the clothes well.
I have read that some users complain about moldy smell. I have been very careful from day 1 to leave the washer door open when not in use which I think is the main key to keeping it odor free. I also periodically run an empty machine with only water and bleach. So far so good. Not even a hint of an off odor.
I decided not to foot the bill for the additional washer/dryer stands. I know some folks may find these great, but I just don't see the need.
Also, this may be obvious, but be sure to only use "HE" detergent. An average load takes 50 minutes.
A certain amount of noise is generated when it kicks into 1000 rpm spin mode. Sounds like a small jet engine winding up. To get an idea what I mean, think about the sound when you are sitting on a plane at the gate and the engine starts and begins to accelerate. By no means do I mean to imply that this is really loud or annoying. In my mind it is acceptable for any machine that spins so fast to make some noise. Besides, it helps to drown out the kids noises fighting, so that's a plus. The noise is more of a smooth noise. I like that is doesn't make loud noises and start bouncing around like my old top loader did.
I know it is a small feature, but I like the heavy duty door hinge on this model. Seems very substantial. Some other brands, and even lower end front washers from Whirlpool made in Mexico, seem to have a little less quality.This particular model is made in Germany, by the way.
One other consideration. All washers in the US must now meet very strict energy requirements. As such, the front loaders are well suited for energy savings. The top loaders, however, in order to achieve these savings, have lost cleaning performance. Therefore, the new top loader of today doesn't clean as well as the top loader of 10 years ago. Why do I mention top loaders? Because even they they may be cheaper in price than front loaders, there is a significant compromise in cleaning performance.
As a guy I like the cool buttons and lights and sometimes find myself watching the clothes spin around and do their thing in the washer through the clear glass door. I am much more inclined to want to do the laundry! This machine is much more entertaining than my old top loader. Sometimes I am even tempted to pop the top on a cool brew, pull up a chair in front of the machine, watch and relax.
Please see my review of the matching Whirlpool Duet Dryer
