I wondered if...

times and conditions have changed, not always for the better, and in a hard-to-sell market for just anyone, only a select few, like ourselves, would recognize the benerfits of a FL Westy, great low-wear washing, several rinses, less water and detergent......I had two of these tall tumblers, loved them....

for instance, in High School, Consumer Economics class, I did a report on the FL Westy, and all its advantages, plus brochures, and saving resources plus clothing....and got the biggest red "F" the teacher could put across a page....

the teacher, like many Consumers, read Consumer Reports, and hailed it as the Bible....and as she stated to me, any intelligent person would read this, and note that Maytag's Dependable TL is the one to choose, and my info was unfounded....and stated that what would any 16 year old know about washing machines, when CR intelligent personnel is there to advice on the best purchase, and we would never see a time of water or detergent savings......this was around 1980.....

I was handed a CR magazine, and told to re-write my report, although I felt I was right......the problem is how many teachers like this are informing students of stuff like this?...CR can be used as advice, and info, but not the Holy Grail!...

CR gave these Flers at the time and bad grade for dependability.....not for low-wear on clothing, or energy/heat/detergent savings in the long run.....

even in the 70's, SQ solid tubs got a bad rap from CR, mainly for capacity, water use, sand removal....it could have been the worst washer ever made/sold according to CR....but I wouldn't have any other than a solid tub....IMHO

really though, the person to ask is not CR, but any Service Technician, for aything you are about to purchase, they will truely tell you the good and bad of anything you ever buy.....

any given area can change thoughts, but in my general area, we have two dedicated SQ/Maytag dealers, we are mainly BlueCollar and Farmers, according to them, SQ outsold Maytag for people who wanted a HeavyDuty Kick-Ass washing machine that would handle such loads....your mileage for your area may vary...

back then, manufacturers gave the people what they wanted, today these low water mchines are pushed on us, and no one is listening to our complaints!...


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Post# 655710 1/25/2013 at 02:06 (4,108 days old) by alr2903 (TN)
Checkrate/Likes The Westinghouse FL machine of the 1970's, like eddy1210's taller tumbler would meet the requirements of energy star. When we discuss modern FL machines, they do not, to my knowledge wind up to 1000 rpms between wash and the rinses but pulse. So i am confused, the older westinghouses did spin at i think right at 500 rpm. Is it the added capacity of the new machines. How far base are the 70's Fl machines from energy star ratings. Is it the small capcity of the Westy vs. the huge capacity of the new ubersized machines. Does the 3 belt westy machines really waste that much water. I guess i long for a Pearl Bailey Westinghouse, i just like them. Opinions? Anybody have one? thanks alr

Post# 655746 , Reply# 1 1/25/2013 at 09:01 (4,107 days old) by DaveAmKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)
Checkrate/Likes Only if energy ratings were as critical & a certification program like Energy Star would have had to have been formed or even any like ones had existed would the Westinghouse front-loader have been acknowledged in that sort of capacity (no pun intended) in any era... Truth is, there seemed to be no race among its other competitors to build any comparable machines as much for them to have done away w/ the front loader & just work on building more water efficient top loaders... There seemed to have been not as much of a critical factor, except recognizing how important saving energy resources was for our planet & suggesting the best methods, while meeting the demands of our modern conditions... And washers still selling the conveniences & advantages of a top loading machine, while only a few recognizing the need to make 'em more efficient in water usage vs. maintaining usable washing capacity & cleaning ability that the best detergents were unable to do (they had to deal w/ phosphates!)...! -- Dave

Post# 655749 , Reply# 2 1/25/2013 at 09:36 (4,107 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)
Checkrate/Likes times and conditions have changed, not always for the better, and in a hard-to-sell market for just anyone, only a select few, like ourselves, would recognize the benerfits of a FL Westy, great low-wear washing, several rinses, less water and detergent......I had two of these tall tumblers, loved them.... for instance, in High School, Consumer Economics class, I did a report on the FL Westy, and all its advantages, plus brochures, and saving resources plus clothing....and got the biggest red "F" the teacher could put across a page.... the teacher, like many Consumers, read Consumer Reports, and hailed it as the Bible....and as she stated to me, any intelligent person would read this, and note that Maytag's Dependable TL is the one to choose, and my info was unfounded....and stated that what would any 16 year old know about washing machines, when CR intelligent personnel is there to advice on the best purchase, and we would never see a time of water or detergent savings......this was around 1980..... I was handed a CR magazine, and told to re-write my report, although I felt I was right......the problem is how many teachers like this are informing students of stuff like this?...CR can be used as advice, and info, but not the Holy Grail!... CR gave these Flers at the time and bad grade for dependability.....not for low-wear on clothing, or energy/heat/detergent savings in the long run..... even in the 70's, SQ solid tubs got a bad rap from CR, mainly for capacity, water use, sand removal....it could have been the worst washer ever made/sold according to CR....but I wouldn't have any other than a solid tub....IMHO really though, the person to ask is not CR, but any Service Technician, for aything you are about to purchase, they will truely tell you the good and bad of anything you ever buy..... any given area can change thoughts, but in my general area, we have two dedicated SQ/Maytag dealers, we are mainly BlueCollar and Farmers, according to them, SQ outsold Maytag for people who wanted a HeavyDuty Kick-Ass washing machine that would handle such loads....your mileage for your area may vary... back then, manufacturers gave the people what they wanted, today these low water mchines are pushed on us, and no one is listening to our complaints!...

Post# 655755 , Reply# 3 1/25/2013 at 10:56 (4,107 days old) by RevvinKevin (Tinseltown - Shakey Town - La-La Land)
Checkrate/Likes *Modern FL machines, do not... wind up to 1000 rpms between* ALR...... I know this is the wrong forum to touch on "modern" but since you brought it up..... How modern are we talking here? I have an early Frigidaire "round door" FL (1998), a Maytag Neptune FL (2001), a Frigidaire "square door" FL (2005?), an LG FL (2005) and a KM Elite FL (2009). ALL of them ramp up to their regular max rpm, or very close to it during spins between the washes / rinses. Granted the LG, does do a "pulse" spin 3 or 4 times to increasingly higher rpm's before reaching it's spin speed, but it does get there each time. This increasing speed pulse thing extracts a lot of the water before reaching speed because I suspect the LG is rather sensative to excess water flinging around, or "caught" between the inner and outer tub while spinning. My 3 cents worth Kevin

Post# 655756 , Reply# 4 1/25/2013 at 10:57 (4,107 days old) by moparwash (Pittsburgh,PA )
Checkrate/Likes *CR...* Following CR has its devotees...when I worked at an electronics store that has since gone out of business two women in matching flannel told me that they use it as their guide for buying everything as they choose their new alarm clock

Post# 655795 , Reply# 5 1/25/2013 at 15:20 (4,107 days old) by joefuss1984 (Little Rock, AR)
Checkrate/Likes Yogi, I agreed with much of what you just stated. I used to feel that if consumer reports said something was the "best rated" then it must be so. What I am realizing now is that Consumer Reports only has the test product for a short amount of time compared to the home user which will keep a product nearly until it dies. I do realize the CR relies on consumer survey's for some of their reliability data, however, I am learning (after joining this site) to use my noggin a little more and apply my own personal experiences, the data that is out and about, and other person's knowledge and experiences to gather a full picture. It is amazing what we can learn if we try to keep an open mind sometime. And your teacher deserves an "F" for being a closed minded individual. :-p

Post# 655829 , Reply# 6 1/25/2013 at 17:45 (4,107 days old) by imperial70 (MA USA)
Checkrate/Likes *two women in matching flannel...* LOL! Great euphemism. :-) And I also agree, that teacher should have gotten an F for Fraud! Even if you were wrong (and I am not saying you are) if you wrote up a report based on the facts you knew at the time and presented them, then an F is not the grade.