Interesting DD Kenmore Set

Hydralique -

These look like 1993 or 1995 models, and are about as good as they got on the plastic top models.

There always was a 2-speed, three cycle washer model that capped-off the BOL to MOL models which sported these plastic panels. The consoles were all made out of the same molds, but color changed, as well as knob color and style, as they stepped up in the line.

These panels first debuted in 1974 models, and featured very easy access to controls which required removal of two screws and no moving of the machine to provide access to everything electrical in the panel (many previous models had to be scooted out to the middle of the floor to remove the rear console access panel). The ultra BOL single cycle models were the most plain, but improved models gained some nicer accents as they went higher in the line.

Beginning in 1981, the near MOL models got the first walnut brown panels, but back then they had a woodgrain insert for most of the length of the console, next to the control bezel. Typically the best of these were 500 series (the exact middle of the line). Most of these washers had either no filter, or manual water fall only, and very few models had porcelain tops --- these were selling features of better models in the 1970s and 1980s, but by the 90s lint filters started going away, and few and only TOL models had porcelain tops, so the distinction with these models got fairly blurry by the time the panels finally dissappeared in the very late 1990s.

In 1985 the 500 series dryers had two versions with automatic termination, for the first time I think except the 1975 All American II dryer. There was a version of an auto term. dryer like the one in your picture each year after that.

Gordon


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Post# 702107 9/8/2013 at 19:05 (3,875 days old) by hydralique (Los Angeles)
Checkrate/Likes Last week I went through a house a friend was looking at and spied this matched set of DD Kenmores. Now, I like DD Kenpools quite a lot but can't keep up with all the model permutations. What struck me about the washer is that it's a 24" model with a plastic console which usually means a rather low-end machine but this one clearly was better than that. The matching dryer also seemed pretty full-featured. I took these crappy cellphone pics for posterity though I have no idea if they're rare or not. Both have white cabinets but somehow the cellphone flash made the dryer look much brighter.

Post# 702108 , Reply# 1 9/8/2013 at 19:06 (3,875 days old) by hydralique (Los Angeles)
Checkrate/Likes *Washer Console* Close up of console

Post# 702110 , Reply# 2 9/8/2013 at 19:07 (3,875 days old) by hydralique (Los Angeles)
Checkrate/Likes *Dryer Console . . .* Normally I don't like these plastic consoles but this pair really looked handsome.

Post# 702122 , Reply# 3 9/8/2013 at 19:32 (3,875 days old) by Kenmoreguy64 (Charlotte, NC)
Checkrate/Likes 2 Hydralique - These look like 1993 or 1995 models, and are about as good as they got on the plastic top models. There always was a 2-speed, three cycle washer model that capped-off the BOL to MOL models which sported these plastic panels. The consoles were all made out of the same molds, but color changed, as well as knob color and style, as they stepped up in the line. These panels first debuted in 1974 models, and featured very easy access to controls which required removal of two screws and no moving of the machine to provide access to everything electrical in the panel (many previous models had to be scooted out to the middle of the floor to remove the rear console access panel). The ultra BOL single cycle models were the most plain, but improved models gained some nicer accents as they went higher in the line. Beginning in 1981, the near MOL models got the first walnut brown panels, but back then they had a woodgrain insert for most of the length of the console, next to the control bezel. Typically the best of these were 500 series (the exact middle of the line). Most of these washers had either no filter, or manual water fall only, and very few models had porcelain tops --- these were selling features of better models in the 1970s and 1980s, but by the 90s lint filters started going away, and few and only TOL models had porcelain tops, so the distinction with these models got fairly blurry by the time the panels finally dissappeared in the very late 1990s. In 1985 the 500 series dryers had two versions with automatic termination, for the first time I think except the 1975 All American II dryer. There was a version of an auto term. dryer like the one in your picture each year after that. Gordon

Post# 702128 , Reply# 4 9/8/2013 at 19:44 (3,875 days old) by hydralique (Los Angeles)
Checkrate/Likes *Gordon . . .* Thanks for your comments! I've always had a soft spot for the 24" models, and in fact have a later one as a backup to the daily driver Design 2000 Whirly. Now that I've read your assessment of these I believe the reason I found them more attractive than most of the plastic console models I've seen is that they have no fake woodgrain; I really dislike fake woodgrain on most appliances (with the exception of garage door Lady Ks). Unfortunately my own 24" machine has the later console with the woodgrain top, I wish it were like this one instead, LOL.