front load washer/dryer

mrsmikey

We are in the market for a new washer and dryer, and I've always thought my next set would be front load.  But they all have such mixed reviews I'm having trouble deciding.  They seem so finiky.  I thought the main difference was just that you used a HE detergent, but it looks like there's alot more to it.  Like they have to be perfectly level, and on a cement floor, and you have to leave the door open and wipe the seals dry or they'll stink.  Do all of you do these things?  Just seems like alot of trouble to me. 

And, do you have to have them on the ground floor?  We have a 2 story house with a basement, but the washer and dryer are on the main floor, not the basement.  So I'm not even sure if I can get a front load. 

Aren't there good options for top load washers that use less water and are more efficient?

papagena

We have a front loader (a Kenmore, I believe) that came with our house. For the most part, we love it, but it is on cement floor, & is level (we stacked the washer and dryer, so for that reason we made sure it was perfectly level).  We don't wipe it dry, however.  Within the last year & 1/2 or so, the barrel developed a leak, so now we have a catch basin underneath that we have to wet vac out periodically.  That part sucks (litterally), but I don't know if that is inherent in the machine, or just a fun fluke with ours.

empressjenn

We got the cheapest front-loader at Sears about 3 years ago and have had no problems. We live on the 4th floor of our condo building and it works great. We've had no mold/mildew issues and no leaking issues either. Our clothes are lasting longer due to not having an agitator twisting them and also there is less lint in our dryer. We have no complaints and will purchase another front loader when we move. It is amazing how much you can fit in that thing!

Lady Galadriel

We rent a house and had to get a washer/dryer set. I love our front loaders )lg tromm). The house is on stilts, but the washer is level. We bought them at sears and paid for the 5yr maintaince warrenty just incase. I leave the door open and dh has run the clean cycle on it once or twice in the last yrish. For detergent we use CC now and adore it.

Temp615295562501060

We have a front load washer/dryer and I really don't have any complaints. I do leave the washer door open and also pull out the dispenser compartment when the washer isn't being used to avoid mold/mildew, but to me the extra couple of steps are worth it!

katslep

We have a front loader.  It's on the 2nd floor and it just on our tiled floor.  We don't wipe it down in between uses, but we do leave the door open to air it out.  I never heard that you were actually supposed to be doing this!  Yae for our common sense! 

Jen&Joe06

We have front loaders (frigidare affinity). We have not experiened any of the problems that you mentioned (have had them for almost 2 years). We don't have to leave the doors open nor do we have to wipe the insides down. They never ever stink.  Ours are on a cement floor right now because they are in our unfinished basement. Leveling was not an issue either.

I have friends who have front loaders on their main floor and have not experienced any of the problems that you have mentioned.

jay.otter

We have a Frigidaire washer that was rated a Best Buy in Consumer Reports. I love it! We got it while it was on sale, plus it had a rebate from Frigidaire. Because it's Energy Star (best tier), some utility companies and cities offer additional rebates (mine did not though). We live on a second floor apartment, and have no problems with the washer. I don't wipe it down, but I do leave the door cracked. If it was in a garage or something, I'd probably wipe it down. DH and I noticed a big difference in the cleanliness of our clothes. Before this washer, we were using a small top loader/dryer combo.

eriness`

Our front loaders, both maytag, are on the second floor of our house.  They do have to be level, but when they installed it, they did that.  We always leave the door open after washing so that it doesn't mold, but we never wipe the washer at all. 

TeamK07

We have a Whirpool Duet HE front loader and love it.  We have it on the first floor (main floor) of our house in a room with tile flooring.  We've had no problems with it getting off balance.  The HE deterget is easy to find and actaully isn't too much more expensive than the normal kind b/c you use much less of it for each cycle.  After the wash is done we leave the door open and pull the deterget tray open to air dry.  We read if you don't do this that there can be a mold/mildew problem.  Also, every few months or so I wipe the inside ring of the washer and detergent tray with bleach to clean it.

photo_nut

Actually all dryers have to be perfectly level and should be on a ground or basement floor. Washers and dryers should not be above ground level for flooding and leaking issues and because a lot of houses can't take that kind of weight above the ground level (doesn't stop people from doing it, but it really shouldn't be done) That is why they vibrate the whole house when they are above the ground floor.

However, your house my be built with extra support under that area or it might just have a crawl space with wouldn't be effected by the weight or vibrations or flooding. My mom has a front loader on the main level, but there is only crawl space underneath, so it's fine. 

My mom has had a front loader since they first came out and it has never stunk and she doesn't leave the door open. We have one in the house I just moved into, and I don't have any problems with stink or mold issues. I don't find it anymore of a problem than the top loader we have, in fact, like pp said, my clothes come out cleaner and seems to be in better shape because there is no agitator to stretch them out.