Thread Number: 60029  /  Tag: Vintage Automatic Washers
Should I pick up this Kenmore set? (advice for newbie)
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Post# 826788   6/6/2015 at 01:11 (3,218 days old) by amyofescobar (oregon)        

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Hi there, I am very much a noob, and a youngin to boot (25yrs old). I got our lovely and pristine coppertone dishwasher through this site, you guys are the bomb!

Anyways, I'm in the Portland, OR area and I saw these guys. I really want to stop using the laundromat. They seem well taken care of. $175 for both.

I'm pretty tight on budget, of course. There is a 10 year old wash/dryer set right next store that is for sale for only $100. Good condition. But I'm wondering if I should go for vintage because of quality. Questions:
-Does anyone know anything about these models?
-Do vintage washers need more TLC than ones made 10 years ago?
-I doubt I'll be able to test these guys before I buy, what should I look for when I go to see them?
-What capacity are these? Hope it's not too small.

Anyways, I just thought they looked taken care of and pretty darn cute. I wonder how long they would last...


CLICK HERE TO GO TO amyofescobar's LINK on Portland Craigslist


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Post# 826793 , Reply# 1   6/6/2015 at 05:28 (3,218 days old) by goatfarmer (South Bend, home of Champions)        

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That's a direct drive Kenmore washer. pretty much bulletproof mechanically. The dryer is the style they used mechanically for a lot of years. They should last a long time.


Post# 826807 , Reply# 2   6/6/2015 at 08:38 (3,218 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)        

yogitunes's profile picture
for better washing and capacity, not to mention roll over, I would switch out that straight vane agitator for a dual action....

either one can add a softener dispenser if you would like....


Post# 826812 , Reply# 3   6/6/2015 at 09:42 (3,218 days old) by fan-of-fans (Florida)        

Those are BOL Sears machines by Whirlpool. These appear to be Kenmore maybe early 90s, later they had brown consoles and were Galaxy. That was in the late 90s/early 00s. These are good machines. My parents have basically the same dryer but with a fancier console, no problems in 10 years.

Post# 826815 , Reply# 4   6/6/2015 at 10:29 (3,218 days old) by mayken4now (Panama City, Florida)        

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get it

Post# 826827 , Reply# 5   6/6/2015 at 12:48 (3,218 days old) by amyofescobar (oregon)        

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Yogitunes, how difficult would that switch out be for the agitator?

Post# 826832 , Reply# 6   6/6/2015 at 13:47 (3,218 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)        

dadoes's profile picture
 
This is a low-end model that likely is one-speed if that is of any concern to your usage.  The delicate cycle, if it has one (possibly it doesn't), would run at high-speed with intermittent agitation for a gentler action.


Post# 826834 , Reply# 7   6/6/2015 at 14:08 (3,218 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)        

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easier than you would think.......remove the cap, remove bolt, lift old one out....

slide new one in, replace bolt, some may have a shield to be placed on top of the dogs, and pop either a cap or dispenser on top....

their so plentiful, you can find used ones almost anywhere....you just may have to put a set of dogs in there, as they will wear out over time and the top part wont function as it should....but again, easier than you think......check out youtube for simple videos....


something like this is what you will be looking for......I prefer the spirals that tilt downward, this is called a 'Plus' version.....there is also a 'standard', and a 'Triple' in that the spiral will bounce up and down to help push the load down as well.......and a dispenser would fit on top if you prefer....


CLICK HERE TO GO TO Yogitunes's LINK on eBay


Post# 826843 , Reply# 8   6/6/2015 at 15:06 (3,218 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)        

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and this is the dispenser that would fit on top.....

CLICK HERE TO GO TO Yogitunes's LINK on eBay


Post# 826844 , Reply# 9   6/6/2015 at 15:08 (3,218 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)        

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this style with built in dispenser will fit too!

CLICK HERE TO GO TO Yogitunes's LINK on eBay


Post# 826847 , Reply# 10   6/6/2015 at 15:16 (3,218 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)        

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and this video will give you an idea of how to remove your old one, and install the new one, as well as replace the dogs......this guy is using a whole kit, but not always necessary, usually all you need to replace is the dogs...

cleaning and lubrication is at your option....







Post# 826859 , Reply# 11   6/6/2015 at 18:26 (3,217 days old) by coldspot66 (Plymouth, Mass)        

If this is a large capacity washer, these agitators shown are for super capacity washers. Clothing may get caught under the base if you use a super agitator in a narrow tub machine. There is a large capacity dual action agitator with a raised bottom skirt made for the large capacity machine.


Post# 826866 , Reply# 12   6/6/2015 at 19:25 (3,217 days old) by TwinTubber (Toronto)        
Direct Drives SUCK!!!

Avoid this machine at all costs.

Post# 826869 , Reply# 13   6/6/2015 at 19:53 (3,217 days old) by amyofescobar (oregon)        

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Ouch... Really? Is DD that bad? Hey, what about these two, $60 for both.


CLICK HERE TO GO TO amyofescobar's LINK on Portland Craigslist


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Post# 826874 , Reply# 14   6/6/2015 at 20:46 (3,217 days old) by TwinTubber (Toronto)        
Yep! They ceratainly are!!!

Whirlpool Direct Drive machines are bar far one of the WORST washing machines ever made.
A terrible agitator design and very violent agitation for the clothing.
Absolutely pathetic filtration ability.
Extremely poor rinsing, beyond unbelievable how poor it truly is.
Very, very noisy transmission.
These are very cheap and poorly made machines designed to fail within 7 years of "average" use.
This new post is a much better deal! A genuine Maytag will NEVER let you down.
And many on here would agree that the Maytag is by far the better machine of your two choices.
The dryer is essentially the same as the Kenmore one, but a much better model with more features that you may find come in handy.
I suggest you grab them while you can and let the amazing and wonderful experts on here guide you through anything you need to help you settle in with your "new" machines.
And best of luck to you!!!


Post# 826878 , Reply# 15   6/6/2015 at 21:10 (3,217 days old) by amyofescobar (oregon)        

amyofescobar's profile picture
I'm confused. Some folks said they were good, but now you're saying they're horrible.

Sniffles, looks like the nice maytag has been taken :( welll... How's bout these? (Im trying to pick some up during the weekend while I'm borrowing a friends truck)


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Post# 826881 , Reply# 16   6/6/2015 at 21:52 (3,217 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)        

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one man's opinion.....

direct drive machines have been proven to be sturdy machines......most errors are mostly from the user, not the machine...


Post# 826884 , Reply# 17   6/6/2015 at 22:18 (3,217 days old) by amyofescobar (oregon)        

amyofescobar's profile picture
Yogi tunes, do they not drain as well/not clean as well?

Post# 826885 , Reply# 18   6/6/2015 at 22:29 (3,217 days old) by wayupnorth (On a lake between Bangor and Bar Harbor, Maine)        

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Too bad Amy you misssd out on that Maytag but grab that set if you can. My 32 year old washer is the exact same model as that, that dryer is newer but the same model, neither having a penny spent on repairs in all this time. Too bad Speed Queen is the only one left making laundry that lasts and washes the way you want, not how it wants to like these Maytags will.

Post# 826889 , Reply# 19   6/6/2015 at 23:03 (3,217 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)        

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Amy, Whirlpool produced many millions of the direct-drive design over the course of 30+ years.  They wouldn't have endured on the market for that long and in such numbers if they were bad machines.  They're easy to repair, parts are as yet available and largely inexpensive.  My parents had a 1994 (KitchenAid) model that ran for 18 years with a few minor repairs (motor coupler, agitator dogs, lid switch) until the timer broke.  A rebuilt/replacement timer could been had for $70 but I had a 12-years-old refurbished Kenmore on standby that they took instead.  I also had a KitchenAid for some years. My grandmother had a 1984 Whirlpool model that had no repairs for the duration her use (14 years), which was sold when I swapped my KitchenAid to her.


Post# 826890 , Reply# 20   6/6/2015 at 23:32 (3,217 days old) by askolover (South of Nash Vegas, TN)        
either/or

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I grew up with Maytags so I'm a little partial, but both companies made good reliable machines.

Post# 826896 , Reply# 21   6/7/2015 at 00:52 (3,217 days old) by appnut (TX)        

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I'd go for the Maytags in reply #15.  Far more flexible and not so rough on clothing.  I had a direct drive  Kenmore.  Hated it. 


Post# 826904 , Reply# 22   6/7/2015 at 04:12 (3,217 days old) by washdaddy (Baltimore)        

those Maytags in reply #15 are a nice set...the washer is a single speed machine....(for the delicate cycle it does agitate at normal speed but it agitates for a bit then soaks for a bit, then agitates a bit more then soaks a bit more)

 

The Kenmores- though a little bit harder on clothes, that can be compensated for by not overloading the machine. Those machines can last a while. My mother has a Whirlpool direct drive that's over 25 yrs old and still going strong with not a single repair to it. There were a hell of a lot of those machines sold and many are still running strong.


Post# 826906 , Reply# 23   6/7/2015 at 05:20 (3,217 days old) by TwinTubber (Toronto)        
I guess some people don't READ!

I listed several reasons for why these were NOT good machines.
Sure, they may last a while in many cases, and they sold 30 million +
Blah, Blah, Blah.....
They do NOT rinse well, have terrible filtration, are noisy and very rough on the clothing.
Just cause something lasts doesn't mean it's a good PERFORMER!
That was the key to my comments.
Having sensitive skin myself, I can attest to the absolute FACT that the DD machines do not rinse well at all and leave lots of lint floating on top of the wash load since the useless filter is at the bottom of the tub.
I have used TONS of these horrible washers and I wouldn't take one brand new in a box. It would go straight to the dump-IN THE BOX AND ALL!
I seriously wouldn't even give my worst enemy one of those pieces of absolute garbage.
Oh, and I HATE dual-action agitators. "Forcing" clothes to the bottom of the tub causes more tangling and twisting as well as creating absolutely no water currents in the upper part of the wash tub. Thus also why the lint simply floats on the top of the wash water as it can't get pulled down to the filter due to the poorly designed agitiator.
Manufacturers who take the time to design, and create a good and functional all-vaned agitator that does the job is superior to a company that creates a "gimmicky" agitator that does more damage to the clothes than clean them.


Post# 826910 , Reply# 24   6/7/2015 at 06:43 (3,217 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)        

yogitunes's profile picture
both machines will work out fine for you, the maytag is just a bigger capacity...if that is a factor for you.....

on the Maytag, the lint filter is inside the agitator, and usually works best on higher water levels.......but all in all, if your separating clothes properly, with the right detergent, cycle and water temp, leaving those filters out wont cause an issue for any machine......I never use them....

and you want to slightly underload a Maytag for best washing performance.....

I have a DirectDrive, and installed the larger base Kitchen Aid agitator in it, and I use it at HIGH speed.....and have never had an issue.....

if you were closer, I would say come take one of mine and try it for yourself.....but that would be like putting my money where my mouth is....

best advice ever is to talk to a mechanic who works on any appliance or car, and find out the true ins and outs of any machine, versus some johnny come lately....

as I suppose every member here who has a direct drive, ALL have bad issues with them?...

your mileage may vary....


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Post# 826940 , Reply# 25   6/7/2015 at 11:10 (3,217 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie)        

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Amy-- Welcome to the storm of opposing opinions that deluge anyone foolish enough to ask "which is the better washer", LOL. If it's any help, a good friend has the same early 1990s Kenmore set and it has been very reliable, doing a fine job of cleaning with the straight vane agitator already in the machine.

Let us know which ones you get! We love follow-up.


Post# 826947 , Reply# 26   6/7/2015 at 13:11 (3,217 days old) by TwinTubber (Toronto)        

This post has been removed by the webmaster.



Post# 826950 , Reply# 27   6/7/2015 at 13:26 (3,217 days old) by appnut (TX)        

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Scott, you know how much I hated my Lady Shredmore.  Rinsing and shredding are my complaints.  That's why I was quietly directing her toward the Maytag.  I an understand why anyone would one to quit going to the Laundromat.  But a one speed, one cycle, one water level wash, even in that situation, is to plane jane for me. 


Post# 826958 , Reply# 28   6/7/2015 at 14:07 (3,217 days old) by goatfarmer (South Bend, home of Champions)        

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No need to get upset, Scott. You stated your opinion, and others have stated theirs. Let it go!

 

I'm also a Maytag fan, but if I needed a decent reliable washer, I wouldn't turn down a DD Whirlpool design.

 


Post# 826963 , Reply# 29   6/7/2015 at 14:50 (3,217 days old) by TwinTubber (Toronto)        
First of all....

I want to apologize to amyofescobar. I did not mean to interrupt nor take over your post.
I wish you all the best in your search as it can be really confusing searching for something in the vintage world and unsure what you really want/need.
Aside from that, my comments about DD's stand.
@appnut-"But a one speed, one cycle, one water level wash, even in that situation, is to plane jane for me."
I completely agree and would rather go to the Laundromat if that's all I had.
@goatfarmer-"No need to get upset, Scott. You stated your opinion, and others have stated theirs. Let it go!"
I wouldn't have even bothered to comment at all.
But this line:"
"best advice ever is to talk to a mechanic who works on any appliance or car, and find out the true ins and outs of any machine, versus some johnny come lately...."
That crossed a line with me.
And I'm considering leaving this site for GOOD because of it.
I don't need that kind of arrogant attitude projected at me.
Again, amyofescobar, I apologize for this and it usually doesn't happen here at AW.org.
Happy hunting to you as I know it can be a lot of fun.
And best of luck in whatever you find and learn to love and appreciate.


Post# 826982 , Reply# 30   6/7/2015 at 18:14 (3,216 days old) by bvf ()        
another opinion

I just looked at the identical set and the man used them in a rental for 15 years ad they are still working..they are plastic but photo well…I was thinking of buying them just for the fun of it…could this be that one out of three products are good to keep up moral amonstg buyers…..now I'm thinking i may pass on these also.. but in a way they look kind of vintage ..i thought at first they were early 80s…mk in arizona


Post# 827006 , Reply# 31   6/7/2015 at 20:50 (3,216 days old) by jeb (Mansfield Ohiio)        
Direct drive

I think I should put in my 2 cents worth. I have a direct drive whirlpool that I have had for 15 yrs and never had the problems listed. I raised 2 kids with this machine and can honestly say I have never had any clothing ruined by it. I also work at 2 museums and washed lace curtain from the Victorian room and ruff, heavy wool homespun from the log cabin without a problem. I never had problems with lint or rinsing. If I used bleach,I would selected the optional second rinse but otherwise every thing seemed fine. Right now I am washing several table clothes that were used at an outdoor even this weekend where we let kids churn butter and cooked over an open fire. The table clothes were covered in greasy butter and black in some places were the iron pots were set on them. After a 30 minute soak in borax and laundry soap, then run through the normal cycle all came out clean and fine (if maybe a little twisted). The filter seemed to get rid of soot and small bits of food left on them, but (as the saying goes), " individual results may vary ". Jeff

Post# 827017 , Reply# 32   6/8/2015 at 01:56 (3,216 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay)        
BOL vs BOL

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The Maytag washer in reply 15 may be BOL, but it offers more options and cycle choices than the BOL Kenmore.   It doesn't appear that you can even select water temperature or load size on the Kenmore.

 

At $30 for the set, those Maytags are a real steal.  The Kenmores, OTOH, seem overpriced for their age.

 

Too bad you missed out on that first Maytag you posted.  It's by far the best of the bunch for build quality, provides more options than the other two, long stroke agitation, and speed selection for wash and spin.

 

The $30 Maytags would be my next choice if they're in proper working order. 

 

Regardless of which set you end up with, people here can provide help for both makes if anything needs fixing.


Post# 827088 , Reply# 33   6/8/2015 at 18:31 (3,215 days old) by sears9000 (Pensacola, Florida.)        
May I offer some advice?

First welcome to A.W.ORG. It is true that the Kenmore set is bottom of the line set. Now the lower end of Kenmore/Whirlpool washers usually don't have a lint filter in them at all. But the dryer does have one, so it should catch the lint for you. Although I'm partial to Kenmore because that's what I grew up with, the 2nd Maytag set would be a good choice. They were built very well, and they have a manual lint filter in the agitator that you clean. you should have many years of good service with them. Here's my advice for all washers new or old, front or top loading. 1. A friendly reminder, don't overload the machine. The clothes need to be able to move around the tub so they won't bind up near the agitator which could damage your clothes, not get clean as they should be, and could cause the soap to not rinse completely out. Plus this could damage the machine. 2. Be generous with the water if possible. I.E, if you have a medium load, set it to large. As I said, the more the clothes can move around, the cleaner they will be. 3. Cut back a little bit on your soap. Especially with sensitive skin like my wife and I have, it helps. You need just enough to clean your clothes. Besides, to much soap could cause your machine to not perform as it should.
Amy, I'm not telling you what to do, I just want to give you some good advice to help you. Oh yes, when you get your machine, I would suggest that you fill it with hot water, pour in a cup of bleach, and run it on a complete cycle to kill any germs that might be there. I wish you the best in getting a laundry set, and may you enjoy them.


Post# 1107539 , Reply# 34   2/10/2021 at 22:45 (1,141 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
Actually...

I disagree. It's all about the design and functionality of the whirlpool family of direct drives. The key is having the right water level, temp, and speed combinations as well as the detergent and additives. I have had good luck with direct drives even when using the "shredder" speed. The high-speed agitation will surely cause a whirlpool in the tub which is what I look for. The Maytag direct drives do a good job. I just wish they'd fill up with more water. They're the ones in my college dorm which are free of charge, and have a mechanical timer along with load size and fabric selections which go by temperature.

Post# 1107540 , Reply# 35   2/10/2021 at 22:47 (1,141 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
At least

the Maytags were direct drive from 2007-2010.


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