Thread Number: 91869  /  Tag: Vintage Automatic Washers
Most Maddening Washer Commerical
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Post# 1163985   11/15/2022 at 17:25 (498 days old) by chetlaham (United States)        

chetlaham's profile picture
Anyone ever feel this way about a commercial?

I came across this commercial by chance again. My emotions are now running high lol. I have to say there is LOTs to unpack here in 29 seconds. First off, if GE had taken every new idea out out of every old washing machine they wouldn't have trashed their reputation trying to reinvent (or rather cheapen) the wheel to the point of screwing the user. The whole commercial is tacky and cringe, the music more appropriate action cartoon, the wash action is depicted as a spin drain in the opposite direction of how this washer normally spins, the sounds are not that of an actual washer, the actors appear fooled and responding to the water being flung out of the basket.

There are no new ideas in that washer- Whirlpool created the dual action agitator 15 years prior, the model T design was already used by Hitachi in the 70s, Plastic tubs in WCI, ect.

The spin cycle is not quiet, at least not when the drain pump is running.

Are they seriously saying that model T is superior to the perfected and proven designs behind it? That are light years ahead in reliability, durability, clean-ability, serviceability, loading, capacity, energy efficiency, clothing care, customer service, looks, sound, feel, and literally any other category?


Its not one good idea after another. And it is certainly NOT the best washer ever made by GE.







What gets me is not that advertising is supposed to know the anatomically correct operation of a clothes washer, but rather how the best of the best can be depicted as obsolete while the worst of the worst can be presented, with outright lies, as the exact opposite in every category in a manner that comes across as showing great veracity to the average consumer. When in reality the whole commercial was born, written and produced out of Freudian compensation.

Forgive me, but placing the model T ahead of any other washer pushes the right buttons for me lol.





Post# 1163987 , Reply# 1   11/15/2022 at 17:40 (498 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
I remember that dad

combo52's profile picture
And it was extremely accurate, and it was truly the best top loading automatic washer GE ever built and sold when it came to cleaning performance good balance good spin performance excellent removal of sand and lint was superior to the washer that came before it.

The unfortunate thing they didn’t emphasize durability and they sourced to many of the parts out so the machines were not as durable as the previous machines but the performance was excellent.

We kept one of these T model washers that we’re going to have in our museum because it was such a significant improvement compared to the washers that came before it, from GE at least.

John L


Post# 1163992 , Reply# 2   11/15/2022 at 18:29 (498 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)        

maytag85's profile picture
I’d argue the best washers ever made are the 1966 to 2006 Maytags, literally would run for decades other than a set of belts or pump.

Post# 1163993 , Reply# 3   11/15/2022 at 18:43 (498 days old) by chetlaham (United States)        

chetlaham's profile picture
Having used one (actually two) the performance can not come close to a DD, BD or even a Maytag. The machine was also very rough tons of lint in the dryer. The suspension was simply to undampened- it worked well until it didn't- resonating while having the tub violently bang into the cabinet.

Whirlpool doesn't have to line up products, they just show a person using one of their machines and the rest speaks for itself.


Post# 1163994 , Reply# 4   11/15/2022 at 18:47 (498 days old) by chetlaham (United States)        

chetlaham's profile picture
Sean, we can agree here. The best suspension, clothing care, durability, reliability, longevity, quiet by design and rinsing hands down 1966-2006 Maytags. No other washers come close IMO.



Post# 1163995 , Reply# 5   11/15/2022 at 18:56 (498 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
Reply number 2

combo52's profile picture
Sean you have a little idea what you’re talking about, may tags are not hard on pump belts most Maytags go to the grave with the original pump belt and water pump those were two of the parts least likely to fail on a Maytag.

Normal parts that failed on Maytag‘s were timers lid switches inlet valve like most washing machines and the thing that finally kills a Maytag is one of the top bearing in the transmission seizes up or the damper falls apart.

John L


Post# 1164013 , Reply# 6   11/15/2022 at 22:35 (498 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
GE washer!

What pissed me off was the machine would shake during agitation. I had the 2000 version with the push to start button and indicator lights after my 1993 filter-flo with the minibasket. The filter-flo was the best ever.

Post# 1164016 , Reply# 7   11/15/2022 at 23:13 (498 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)        

maytag85's profile picture
“Sean you have little idea what you are talking about, Maytags are not hard on pump belts most Maytags go to the grave with the original pump belt and water pump those were two of the parts least likely to fail on a Maytag”

Are you sure? Most belts on Maytags were replaced since they either started squealing after many years of use or simply broke and k can see that being rare on a Maytag but probably did happen with a few out there. I can see pumps didn’t fail all that often on Maytags but some were probably replaced since the seals failed causing a leak or the bearings would bind up from lack of lubrication but Dan mentioned you could bring them back to life by adding a few drips of oil to the pump bearing

“Normal parts that failed on Maytag’s were timers, lid switches, inlet valve like most washers and the thing that finally kills a Maytag is one of the top bearing in the transmission seizes up or the damper falls apart”

Huh, my 1973 Maytag A606 is all original and everything worked perfectly fine on it until the hot water inlet stuck open due to hard water deposits. The Maytag A806 I picked up from waterwitch earlier this summer is all original and works perfectly fine despite a few cosmetic defects. Supposedly the damper pads needed to be replaced but were there when I got it home earlier this summer, added some a little grease to the damper pads to be sure there’s some lubrication so they won’t come undone.

One trick you can do if the bearing in the transmission seizes up is to flip the machine upside down, let it sit awhile and if the the main transmission pulley moves freely then you successfully fixed the machine and that’s what YouTube user tallboyyyy did to his 1978 Maytag A408 a few months back and has been working fine ever since.


Post# 1164017 , Reply# 8   11/15/2022 at 23:42 (498 days old) by chetlaham (United States)        

chetlaham's profile picture
@GELaundryforEver: Yes indeed! The inner and outer tub would vigorously shake back and forth while the suspension rod sockets would loudly groan and the entire frame would just squeal. The noises were thee most awful. Rapid fire squeak groan squeak groan squeak groan squeak groan squeak groan squeak groan squeak groan squeak groan with some other nail on chalk board self destructing noises poking through on top of it for the whole duration of the agitation and it felt like you're ears had been violated in more than one way.

It was also that shacking that would often break the tub straps, resulting in the tub banging against the cabinet during spin.

The whole concept of suspending a short stroke tub brake transmission driven agitator with an instant spin cycle engagement low slip rapid acceleration clutch on 4 springs with thin rods is simply not practical.

Every other washer that mimics this system compensates for it by snubbering the tub and/or gearing the cycle so the tub does not oscillate or shack back and forth to such extremes during wash and spin ie a ramped spin and weak/no brake so the inner tub moves and not the outer tub.

Overall a very bad choice made worse by aggressive cheapening.


Post# 1164019 , Reply# 9   11/16/2022 at 03:26 (497 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
GE laundry

I'd rather hear the loud spin cycle of the filter-flo than the stupid squealing during agitation. The sawing noise was annoying! Granted it did clean well. Mine had the gentle power agitator. GE should've revived their filter-flo or at least improved on it. I blame Jack Welsh!

Post# 1164020 , Reply# 10   11/16/2022 at 03:33 (497 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
research and development

If anybody had the most research and development under their belt, it's whirlpool who spent 12 years on the direct drive system.

Post# 1164023 , Reply# 11   11/16/2022 at 05:34 (497 days old) by angus (Fairfield, CT.)        

I definitely agree with the durability comment. I had one of those from 1997-2000 and while it performed well enough, it felt much flimsier than its Filter Flo predecessor, and I didn't notice that it's performance was that much better then the unit it replaced. I ended up with on-going suspension issues that were "repaired" under warranty and finally resulted in GE actually buying the washer back from me.

The design ideas were good, but I wonder if GE didn't rush this to market before it conquered the durability issue order to remain competitive. They might have been late to the party to redesign their laundry equipment and I recall that CR (I know, I know) commented on the last generation of the Filter Flo washers that they were "dated and no longer keeping pace with the competition" when compared with Whirlpool, Maytag, etc..
But then I'm no expert.


Post# 1164038 , Reply# 12   11/16/2022 at 10:23 (497 days old) by jamiel (Detroit, Michigan and Palm Springs, CA)        

jamiel's profile picture
I worked for GE during the 1989-1992 timeframe, and remember in 1992 they were actively soliciting employees to adopt one of the new generation washers for use testing. Never knew anyone who did it, but definitely development was going on. The Filter Flo era was ending.

Post# 1164042 , Reply# 13   11/16/2022 at 11:45 (497 days old) by johnb300m (Chicago)        

johnb300m's profile picture
Lol sounds like you never met any advertising, marketing people. They care ZILCH about any what you just mentioned.
The entire goal is to sell the product (doesn’t even matter what it is) for the highest price, at the lowest cost, quickly.
It’s all glitz and emotion. Tech and specs do not sell commodities.


Post# 1164056 , Reply# 14   11/16/2022 at 16:03 (497 days old) by chetlaham (United States)        

chetlaham's profile picture
@Angus: There is no way GE could have resolved the durability issues without a major redesign of all the major components like transmission, seals, clutch, timer, basket drive, drive block, air bell, agitator, suspension, cabinet, ect, ect ect. Over all it was a very bad re-iteration of the 70s Hitachi that should have never been applied and utilized the way it was.


@GeLaundry4ever: Jack Welsh is definitely to blame. Ripping apart GE dishwashers I can confidently make the claim GE appliances were deliberately built to fail after the mid 90s.

GE worked by mainly selling to builders, landlords, institutions and property owners. Once GE had won their reputation it was merely taking advantage of it after the fact to squeeze what ever money that would out of their loyal base without regard to GE's future.

One of the mega rental properties around me switched from blaming the tenants in the 2000s when GE's began dropping like flies to Whirlpool and Frigidaire products in the late 2000s.

And, regarding that "gentle power agitator"- there was nothing gentle about it. On full loads the clothes would sit as clothes in the center were beaten over and over the ones behind them stood stationary for 10 minutes.


Post# 1164065 , Reply# 15   11/16/2022 at 20:00 (497 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
GE post filter-flo development

Sow what was the development like for the GE post filter-flo washers?

Post# 1164205 , Reply# 16   11/18/2022 at 11:14 (495 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
GE agitation arc

I bet GE had an aggressive 90 degree agitation arc. It was very abusive. Their motors had a high pitch whirr to them It was annoying. The only thing close they were to the filter-flo sound was the drain pump when the water went through the drain pipe.

Post# 1164275 , Reply# 17   11/18/2022 at 23:57 (495 days old) by chetlaham (United States)        

chetlaham's profile picture
I think the short stroke had something to do with cost cutting. Fast stroke meant smaller transmission and smaller gears. IIRC.


The transmission on model Ts is scary small.


Post# 1164318 , Reply# 18   11/19/2022 at 16:05 (494 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
GE transmissions

I bet they used thin oil to lubricate the tiny gears. The filter-flo oil was very thick and the 100 spm worked the best. The post filter-flos that followed had very thin oil and therefore had to use a 154 spm to compensate. Shame on GE. I bet the motors looked and sounded different too.

Post# 1164360 , Reply# 19   11/19/2022 at 22:03 (494 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
transmission knocking during agitation

The most insulting thing was it was labeled "quiet by design", yet you could hear the transmission knocking during agitation. This is so stupid! I have never heard my filter-flo do that, EVER!!!!

Post# 1164609 , Reply# 20   11/22/2022 at 23:51 (491 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
GE research and development

So what was the research and development like when GE created this washer? I bet Whirlpool did more research and development than GE ever did.

Post# 1164617 , Reply# 21   11/23/2022 at 02:33 (491 days old) by chetlaham (United States)        

chetlaham's profile picture
The post filter flo was merely a decoy. GE had built up its reputation by that point. In 1995 they made the decision to squeeze what ever money they could out of their appliance division and bail into the sunset.

Post# 1164633 , Reply# 22   11/23/2022 at 09:12 (490 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
ever since then

Ever since then, GE washers and dryers have gone downhill. There's no research and development. It's shameful that Whirlpool had taken a dozen years of research and development. I bet Whirlpool had gotten bigger than GE at that point. I'm surprised that my GE pair lasted for 17 years.

Post# 1164812 , Reply# 23   11/25/2022 at 06:48 (488 days old) by chetlaham (United States)        

chetlaham's profile picture
From what I've read GE appliances is now owned by Haier. Establish brand, squeeze every dime out of brand, then sell off brand. It tends to be a common thing in the business world.

Post# 1164824 , Reply# 24   11/25/2022 at 09:54 (488 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
getting worse

In my opinion, GE washers and dryers only seem to be getting worse. What a shame!

Post# 1164836 , Reply# 25   11/25/2022 at 12:00 (488 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)        

dadoes's profile picture
 
Haier bought GE appliance division six years ago.


Post# 1164875 , Reply# 26   11/25/2022 at 18:37 (488 days old) by Pierreandreply4 (St-Bruno de montarville (province of quebec) canada)        
A little something i found on youtube

pierreandreply4's profile picture





Post# 1164879 , Reply# 27   11/25/2022 at 20:47 (488 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
Video on reply 26

combo52's profile picture
There are so many mistakes and in accuracies in this it’s ridiculous the guy has no idea what he’s talking about for the most part there are some pretty pictures of it may be worth watching just for that.

Post# 1164940 , Reply# 28   11/26/2022 at 13:55 (487 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
watching

What is worth watching?

Post# 1169838 , Reply# 29   1/18/2023 at 12:35 (434 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
Whirlpool being pissed...

I have a feeling that Whirlpool was pissed off at GE for copyright infringement.

Post# 1169879 , Reply# 30   1/19/2023 at 11:07 (433 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
whirlpool vs. GE

I truly believe that Whirlpool found out about GE's copycat and proceeded to sue them. They should've told GE to "stay in your lane!"

Post# 1169880 , Reply# 31   1/19/2023 at 11:10 (433 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
GE sounds

Don't forget about the loud clunking sound that GE makes when going into spin when changing to fast speed, even when everything set to normal/fast. Whirlpool should be offended at what GE did!

Post# 1169881 , Reply# 32   1/19/2023 at 11:17 (433 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
Reply 30 and 31

combo52's profile picture
Jerome do you just make this stuff up? I don’t think there was any lawsuit related to rinsing or noises between whirlpool and GE involving top loading washers.

Please cite evidence of a lawsuit involving these things.

John


Post# 1169885 , Reply# 33   1/19/2023 at 12:17 (433 days old) by luxflairguy (Wilmington NC)        

This post has been removed by the member who posted it.



Post# 1169886 , Reply# 34   1/19/2023 at 12:23 (433 days old) by luxflairguy (Wilmington NC)        
Show us the facts!

Repeating what John just said: Prove to us that all you've been saying is TRUE! Show us the facts or shut up!

Post# 1169892 , Reply# 35   1/19/2023 at 13:38 (433 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
whirlpool suing GE

Here it is!

CLICK HERE TO GO TO GELaundry4ever's LINK


Post# 1169894 , Reply# 36   1/19/2023 at 13:49 (433 days old) by luxflairguy (Wilmington NC)        

Jerome! The article is from 1997! How is it relevant today? Please explain !

Post# 1169895 , Reply# 37   1/19/2023 at 14:00 (433 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
Trust me...

I've stood right next to both on separate occasions and the sounds that the Whirlpool and GE made were VERY similar - nearly a carbon copy! To me, GE copied nearly everything that the whirlpool did. From agitation, to the spin cycle doing that clunking noise during the start of spin.

Post# 1169896 , Reply# 38   1/19/2023 at 14:06 (433 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
whirlpool washer

Here's the whirlpool.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO GELaundry4ever's LINK


Post# 1169898 , Reply# 39   1/19/2023 at 14:10 (433 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
GE washer

Here's the GE washer. Notice that the whirlpool and GE sound nearly identical during operation. Tell me I'm wrong!

Post# 1169900 , Reply# 40   1/19/2023 at 14:20 (433 days old) by luxflairguy (Wilmington NC)        

You are all talk and talk and complaint after complaint! We've heard it all O.K>? I'm blocking you so I don't have to waste my time reading your continuing drivel!

Post# 1169912 , Reply# 41   1/19/2023 at 18:52 (433 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
GE washer

Here's the GE. Notice how the whirlpool and GE sound VERY similar to each other. What was GE thinking?

CLICK HERE TO GO TO GELaundry4ever's LINK


Post# 1169917 , Reply# 42   1/19/2023 at 21:43 (433 days old) by speedqueen (Metro-Detroit)        

speedqueen's profile picture
I really don't believe there is such a thing as a signature sound to be patented on a washing machine.

Post# 1169918 , Reply# 43   1/19/2023 at 21:48 (433 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
Whirlpool copied by GE

The thing that gets Chetlaham and myself is the fact that GE copied Whirlpool back in 1995 and later through nearly everything, including the agitation action. I'm sorry, but Whirlpool has a better sounding washer than GE.

Post# 1169947 , Reply# 44   1/20/2023 at 06:52 (432 days old) by potatochips ( )        

That article you posted is about this particular lawsuit where WP sued GE because GE infringed on the dual action agitator which was patented. I posted about this patent debacle almost ten years ago. Why didn't Maytag get sued? Because the Load Sensor agi, albeit a dual action, had a completely different mechanism than WP and its DA agi.

There is no such thing as a washer lawsuit that was launched because they "sounded" the same. They are a washing machine. Not a song.


Post# 1169978 , Reply# 45   1/20/2023 at 19:33 (432 days old) by panasonicvac (Northern Utah)        

panasonicvac's profile picture
I've heard LOTS of pumps in washing machines that sound almost EXACTLY the same.

Post# 1169987 , Reply# 46   1/20/2023 at 21:56 (432 days old) by neptunebob (Pittsburgh, PA)        
I remember when that commercial came out..

neptunebob's profile picture
It usually aired on Sunday mornings when political shows like This Week and Face the Nation were on. The people who watched those shows were policymakers who probably did not even know how to turn on a washing machine. They probably saw when shopping that it was cheaper than the others and bought it for their "help"

Post# 1200769 , Reply# 47   3/4/2024 at 19:04 by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
GE thugs and criminals

The thugs and criminals at GE don't give a damn about the customer. All they care about is their pockets. The GE I had after the filter-flow shook its entire cabinet. That was so stupid! I remember in early 2004, the suspension straps did a rhythmic knock in sync with the agitator. Their washers and dryers still sound like stupid crap!



This post was last edited 03/04/2024 at 19:36
Post# 1200790 , Reply# 48   3/4/2024 at 23:18 by tolivac (greenville nc)        

Its pick on GE month!

Post# 1200812 , Reply# 49   3/5/2024 at 05:24 by chetlaham (United States)        

chetlaham's profile picture

There is nothing which radicalizes more than a post FF washer. The loss of freedom, the loss of consumer choice, the loss of dignity.

 

Given the pent up madness I think we could all use a vent! 


Post# 1201057 , Reply# 50   3/7/2024 at 15:28 by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
GE anger

Yes, I am still angry at GE for what they did. All of this could've been avoided if Jack Welch would've just minded his own business and let a CEO who knows about quality take over. They're still touting that their washers are the best in the world. That's a lie! This is what happens when people Jack Welch ruin the appliance business. The ball was ABSOLUTELY set in motion! I am still angry about this!



This post was last edited 03/07/2024 at 17:46
Post# 1201196 , Reply# 51   3/9/2024 at 19:50 by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
matching dryer

Oh, I forgot to mention, the matching GE dryer to the post filter-flo started groaning the longer it ran. GE washers and dryers are truly stupid crap! Yes, GE deserves to be picked on especially after what they did! Screw GE!

Post# 1201198 , Reply# 52   3/9/2024 at 20:13 by chetlaham (United States)        

chetlaham's profile picture

Oh, I remember that thing. Cooked clothes on the cottons setting, shut off damp on the PP press to the point you had to reset the cycle numerous times. GE used a convoluted thermostatic control system which demonstrated no benefit- just taking out one of the heaters through most of the cycle.  Than again maybe the dryer can't handle 5,600 watts of heat right behind the clothes. My Whirlpool dryer handles those 5,600 watts very well and cycles it normally too without overheating or setting fires.  

 

Its funny how they never really redesigned the dryers when they were the biggest danger, LOL. 


Post# 1201387 , Reply# 53   3/12/2024 at 13:48 by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
GE washer and dryer

Whenever my dad used our post filter-flo set, he'd use optimum dry on the cottons high temp on the dryer and extra heavy cottons on the washer and normal/fast. Both the washer and dryer sounded cheap when they ran. Oh, their dishwashers that matched them vibrated their motors so much so that you can hear and feel the vibrations throughout the kitchen and house. I'll never forget that, ever.

Post# 1201399 , Reply# 54   3/12/2024 at 18:29 by CircleW (NE Cincinnati OH area)        

The dryers were redesigned somewhat a few years prior to the discontinuation of the Filter-Flo washers. When the new washers were introduced, they just changed the control panel and top to match.

Post# 1201443 , Reply# 55   3/13/2024 at 18:16 by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)        
to chetlaham

Check out the post I just created in the deluxe form concerning an angering commercial and presentation. I am still angry about this! This is part 2!


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