Thread Number: 28257
so I strolled through Lowes... opinions.... |
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Post# 432206 , Reply# 2   4/30/2010 at 23:36 (5,081 days old) by laundromat (Hilo, Hawaii)   |   | |
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The Speed Queens are a very good high quality machine line but,their capacity is questionable (3.2 cu ft.) and for the price they want you to pay,$1600,they should be at least as big in capacity as the L.G., Frigidaire and Whirlpool models (3.5 to 4.4 cu ft.). Their spin speed is also questionable (1000 rpm). The L.G., Frigidaire and Whirlpools spin from 1100 to 1400 rpms.and are still less expensive than SQ. The L.G.s come with a limited 10 year warranty on their drive motor and 2 years on the electronic control board.
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Post# 432215 , Reply# 3   5/1/2010 at 00:16 (5,081 days old) by Volvoguy87 (Cincinnati, OH)   |   | |
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Like the title says, you can buy machines that will work fast, well, or are cheap to buy. Pick any 2 you want. I would gladly pay more (and even sacrifice some capacity) for machines that consistently perform well and are exceptionally durable. If I get a good value for the money I'll spend more. Personally, I'd vote for an older model Orbital or Helical drive Maytag. Cheap, reliable, simple, and effective.
Often the best deal is not the cheapest (at least for new stuff), Dave |
Post# 432251 , Reply# 5   5/1/2010 at 07:07 (5,080 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay)   |   | |
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One of the things I liked so much about my Duet HT that retained the first generation styling is that it had a knob with a pointer that clicked into position. Yeah, it had a lot of buttons but you didn't have to use those so much.
My current Affinity has a knob that you can turn and turn and it never points to anything; the cycle lights will illuminate as you turn it, but it doesn't point to anything and it doesn't click solidly into place. I understand your concerns in this regard. I don't think you have a lot of options, and I don't know if it's wise to buy a used/reconditioned early Duet HT, but they are good and capable machines and I wish I still had mine. I would steer clear of Electrolux. They made my Affinity, which has proven to be incapable of rinsing and generally inferior to my Duet in all respects, and I can't wait for it to give me a reason to replace it. |
Post# 432280 , Reply# 6   5/1/2010 at 11:47 (5,080 days old) by yogitunes (New Jersey)   |   | |
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AMEN Ralph!.....I'm with you....I have the Frigidaire Gallery with the square door.....worthless to clean and rinse properly....I'd rather have the machine with out the digital readout, at least this one you can adjust the water level...and I know this ONE. my sister has one, and I adjusted hers, and TWO I took a screwdriver into SEARS and "shocked" the salesperson when I popped the top to see if I could make adjustments....I should have done this before I got my set....live and learn.....like the Speed Queen FL you can't adjust the water level...but in the TL you can....go figure
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Post# 432294 , Reply# 7   5/1/2010 at 14:20 (5,080 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay)   |   | |
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Hey Martin, good to see your post! Sorry I've been out of contact . . . you know my drill (or maybe you should ;-P)
IMO there is a reason why the Affinities are among the lowest priced of the more top end FL's on the market. You get what you pay for. I can't say it enough. Steer clear of Frigidaire/Electrolux front loaders. |
Post# 432322 , Reply# 8   5/1/2010 at 18:48 (5,080 days old) by yogitunes (New Jersey)   |   | |
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We live and learn...the hard way...as always "if I knew then, what I know now"....but thanks to this site, and great advise, we should try our best to make the right decision, at least with appliances....NEXT TIME!....but just the same, I should have stayed with my mothers GE V-12 from the start, would have saved a load of money, but I'm just a fool, you could have wrapped xmas lights around a machine and I would have bought it...just for the flashing lights....
but otherwise Ralph, doing OK after 1 surgery, and then an infection, another in about 2 weeks, we manage, 5 days of chastity is the real killer, once was bad enough, and to live it again, shoot me!....hope all is well with you these days... |
Post# 432421 , Reply# 9   5/2/2010 at 03:44 (5,079 days old) by Spankomatic (Ukiah,CA)   |   | |
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None of the washers on the market today thrill me. They all look pretty much the same with different names on them. The front loaders today don't splash when they wash like my 2004 Maytag Neptune does. Friends of mine just bought top of the line LG front loader. Pretty much the same thing as the Kenmore HET3 I had and the Whirlpool duet I use in Ukiah. Never liked either machine. Speed Queens are hard to find in my area. Sears,Lowes,Home Depot just don't have them in the stores. I can only hope the selection will be better when it comes time to purchase a new washer.
Jim |
Post# 432934 , Reply# 10   5/4/2010 at 01:56 (5,077 days old) by StrongEnough78 (California)   |   | |
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Post# 432938 , Reply# 11   5/4/2010 at 02:31 (5,077 days old) by Volvoguy87 (Cincinnati, OH)   |   | |
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Spin speed is nice, but drum diameter is also essential. A slower spinning bigger diameter drum can match or exceed the G-forces of a smaller faster drum. Also, extraction isn't the only consideration in a machine, how well does it clean? The best extractor is worthless if it won't clean.
Spankomatic, Speed Queens aren't sold at Big Box stores. They are sold through dealers who know their products and can provide the after-sale support that is so lacking from their competition. Certainly not as convenient for purchasing as Big Boxes, but well worth the effort nevertheless. Cheers, Dave |
Post# 432953 , Reply# 12   5/4/2010 at 06:34 (5,077 days old) by mrb627 (Buford, GA)   |   | |
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Post# 433011 , Reply# 13   5/4/2010 at 10:14 (5,077 days old) by suburbanmd (Maryland, USA)   |   | |
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are proportional to the drum diameter, but are proportional to the square of the RPM. So RPM makes a much bigger difference. |
Post# 433043 , Reply# 14   5/4/2010 at 12:21 (5,077 days old) by laundromat (Hilo, Hawaii)   |   | |
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I now have two of these and they both work great. I just got a Whirlpool Duet Sport model and it sounded like it had some baring issues. I removed the back panel and found out the pulley was scraping against it causing the loud noise and had to adjust it using a rubber mallet to hammer it out far enough so it no longer came in contact with the pulley.I now have to repaint the body. This unit was on a slab of concrete outside a house with no protection against the elements.Still works o.k. and I was able to increase the water level.the Affinity's water level is sufficient but could be a tiny bit,maybe 4 gallons,increased.
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