Maytag A206 capacity.

When WP brought out their first AWs with an 18 gallon capacity tub they rated then at 9 pounds and shortly there after they came out with a smaller 16 gallon tub machines that they claimed were 8 pound capacity. I always thought that these were fairly realistic claims. Later WP-KM claimed these same 18 Gal tubs would hold 10, 12 and 14 pounds of clothing.

When Norge brought out the frist really big TL AW around 1964 they claimed it held 15 pounds of clothing, later they claimed 16, 18 and even 20 pounds for the same tub size washer.

GEs FF perforated basket washers that came out in 1961 had a claimed capacity of 12 pounds and they went on to claim 14 and 16 pounds from the same washer.

I tend to believe that the first claims these makers made were the most realistic and Maytag [ to their credit ] stayed out of this nonsense. From my limited testing a MT 16 gallon washer without a load senser agitator can wash 6-9 pounds of cotton clothing.

Bill I would suggest that you watch the turnover in your A206 and then weigh the loads when dry and let us know how much they weigh. I bought an old baby scale that I have used to weigh laundry and have found the results very interesting.


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Post# 764078 6/16/2014 at 19:27 (3,600 days old) by scoots (Chattanooga TN)
Checkrate/Likes Does anybody know off the top of their head what the maximum capacity of a Maytag A206 is in pounds? (This is the Maytag small tub configuration). I've flipped through a few books and I can't find it. Thanks

Post# 764080 , Reply# 1 6/16/2014 at 19:32 (3,600 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)
Checkrate/Likes most standard tub machines were rated around 12lbs......sometimes with a machine like a Maytag, you want to slightly underload for better rollover, probably more closer to 10lbs

Post# 764084 , Reply# 2 6/16/2014 at 20:38 (3,599 days old) by Kenmore71 (Minneapolis, MN)
Checkrate/Likes Maytag NEVER rated their machines in "pounds of clothes". That's why you can't find anything. Maytag's line was always "drop the clothes in evenly and loosely until you reach the top ring of holes in the tub. Martin's suggestion is spot-on. I would never load a standard-capacity Maytag (16 gallon tub) with more than 10 lbs of clothes.

Post# 764098 , Reply# 3 6/16/2014 at 21:35 (3,599 days old) by scoots (Chattanooga TN)
Checkrate/Likes *Thanks for the answers guys...* Glad to know I wasn't missing something in the Maytag literature. My question would now be why Maytag didn't publish a number. Martin suggested throttling back to 10 pounds per load. I gather this was less than other brands and that would invite negative comparisons?

Post# 764109 , Reply# 4 6/16/2014 at 22:11 (3,599 days old) by Kenmore71 (Minneapolis, MN)
Checkrate/Likes Ask John L. (combo52) for his take on this. This has been discussed here MANY time before.

Post# 764121 , Reply# 5 6/16/2014 at 23:02 (3,599 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)
Checkrate/Likes *Automatic Washer capacity In pounds* When WP brought out their first AWs with an 18 gallon capacity tub they rated then at 9 pounds and shortly there after they came out with a smaller 16 gallon tub machines that they claimed were 8 pound capacity. I always thought that these were fairly realistic claims. Later WP-KM claimed these same 18 Gal tubs would hold 10, 12 and 14 pounds of clothing. When Norge brought out the frist really big TL AW around 1964 they claimed it held 15 pounds of clothing, later they claimed 16, 18 and even 20 pounds for the same tub size washer. GEs FF perforated basket washers that came out in 1961 had a claimed capacity of 12 pounds and they went on to claim 14 and 16 pounds from the same washer. I tend to believe that the first claims these makers made were the most realistic and Maytag [ to their credit ] stayed out of this nonsense. From my limited testing a MT 16 gallon washer without a load senser agitator can wash 6-9 pounds of cotton clothing. Bill I would suggest that you watch the turnover in your A206 and then weigh the loads when dry and let us know how much they weigh. I bought an old baby scale that I have used to weigh laundry and have found the results very interesting.

Post# 764122 , Reply# 6 6/16/2014 at 23:13 (3,599 days old) by wayupnorth (On a lake between Bangor and Bar Harbor, Maine)
Checkrate/Likes I dont know anyone that could be bothered to weigh a load of wash, unless you had an old Westinghouse. You put it in and not pack it in there and it comes out clean. All I know is my Maytag LA 511 uses "approximately" 40 gallons of water per cycle on Ex Large. Nowhere in the literature of this 30 year old machine does it give any pound capacity.