If you were in the market today for a front loading washer and dryer, what brand would you pick?

Bosch.
I bought one, second hand, 18 years ago.
Still running.
Mind you, I do laundry, approximately, three times per month.
So that might be 17 years divided by a number that makes up for the difference between my laundries and that of an average household.
So yeah, maybe not that impressive then….

Are you set on a front load washer? I have had many friends that have had problems with a front loads, mostly with mold issues.

@chyna HE washers in general seem to be prone to that; my parents have that problem with their top-load HE washer.

To me the brands kind of all seem the same. They all crap out after 5 years. I see similar complaints on a number of the top models from Samsung, LG, Electrolux, etc.

NO Samsung. NO LG. These are both Korean companies—Apparently getting replacements parts to North America is pretty difficult.

Probably General Electric, but their appliance division is now owned by Haier (a Chinese company) but the appliances are still made in the USA.

The only appliance maker with US or Canadian ownership is Whirlpool.

Well, my Privileg has been working for over a decade now with no problems.
So I would probably go for another one of those.

re: mold issues – You need to leave to door open when not in use. Reported mold issues I have seen have been related to this. They should not hide this fact in the fine print.

We’ve had LG front loaders for years and never had any issues. I just had to purchase a replacement dryer – this one. But only because our gas company destroyed everyone’s appliances with a screw up (overloaded low-pressure gas lines with high pressure). Gas company paid for it. The equivalent washer (this is the newer model) has been great.

Since 1985, and three houses, I’ve had two Kenmore washers, and I’m on my third Kenmore dryer (as of a couple of years ago). I don’t remember who makes the Kenmore brand, maybe Whirlpool? But they last well and are workhorses.

@canidmajor I had Kenmore and loved it, but the only place here we could get them was from Sears and all the Sears stores have closed. My Kenmore lasted about 15 years.

I just checked, @chyna, and I was right. Kenmore appliances are made by Whirlpool.

Thanks all, we have a 17 year old set of May tag Neptune and have had quite a few issues with mold on the washer seal was one, and corrected it by leaving the door open when not in use.

Mrs Squeeky is going over consumer reports about different brands, but I want some real people views on what they like.
Our set is still working, and we are torn about waiting till they crap totally out,or replacing them now.
See that old they are not worth anything,and don’t like throwing out something that still works,but every couple of months have to take the dryer apart and hit the drum bushing with penetrating oil because they start to squeal really loud.
The washer we have to turn the water taps off when not in use because the drum fills with water, but works ok for washing.

Sears Kenmore. They’re bulletproof, I was told, by a knowledgeable appliance repairman.

I don’t like front loader washers so I’m probably of little help!!! The one thing that I can tell you is STAY AWAY from Samsung because they have been known to burst into flames!!! A good friend of mine has one & it’s a great washer as far as cleaning clothes; but, she’s constantly watching it out of fear that it might catch fire!!!

Samsung for eleven years; we leave the door open on washer. It got funky smelling once we used a a couple of Tide Washing Machine Cleaners. All good.
Dryer has been giving a fault code but I need the vent pipe cleaned.

Figure $1100 USD each.

@LadyMarissa They can always consider sending it to Hyderabad, for repairs. ~

@canidmajor I did not know that. But guess what? I do have a whirlpool now!

Honestly, stay away from front loaders. They’re more expensive than top loaders and you get zero benefit over a top loading He washer. They are also much less reliable. I purchased a top loading whirlpool He after my 1991 whirlpool agitator style died. I have been happy with it and it was a third of the cost of a front loader with the same capacity. It also actually does a decent job of cleaning my heavily soiled clothes.

You can put something on top of them, like extra shelving.
They are perfect for optimal space usage.

A few of my inlaws have Samsung and they wash well, but it is back breaking for me to reach all the way in the machine to get my clothes out. Just for that I wouldn’t buy one. For some reason the drum on their machine is very deep. I have a 14 year old front load LG and it’s a love hate. I washed delicates well, but I have to deal with keeping the mold away like most front loafers and I would really love to be able to soak the really sweaty dirty clothes like the old days. My LG does have a sanitizing cycle that gets rid of the mold.

I was thinking I might try whirlpool next time, but I have a kitchen full of whirlpool appliance that are terrible. I cannot believe how bad they are.

Basically, I don’t have good advice what to buy, I can just say, pretend you are remove clothes when you go shopping to make sure you can comfortable reach in all the way.

I have Whirlpool
And front loaders don’t unravel the fibers in you clothes like top loaders, so don’t listen to that pitch about top loaders.Your tee shirts and towels will last longer with front loaders. Compare the dryer filter with a front loader vs a top loader.

@josie I feel my dryer filter in my front loader doesn’t catch as much lint, because it’s inadequate. It’s not a basket it’s a straight screen, and the only time I’ve had problems with my vent pipe getting full of lint fast was with my front loader.

When I search on Amazon, it is almost all front loaders.

@josie that was true for agitator type washers, not the case with H.E. top loaders.

I’m a short person, 5’2 and have a hard time reaching down to the bottom of the tub on my top loader. I got a step stool. Problem solved.

Hahaha, @chyna, I have a little child’s stool. (I’m barely 5 feet…)

Great point that reaching down to the bottom of top loaders can be very difficult too. Doing laundry can be back breaking.

I think washers are bigger now, which makes it more difficult. When I bought my LG I bought the extra large to be able to wash king size comforters. I don’t know if they still come in two sizes? I recently saw a Bosch washer and dryer that was smaller than what I’m accustomed to seeing.

Anyone have any experience with Electrolux washer and dryers?
They are made in Sweden.

@JLeslie, I take my comforters to be either dry cleaned, or to the laundromat where the machines are bigger and set at a better height.
Mostly I just cover them, so they don’t require cleaning more than once a year.

@SQUEEKY2 Mexico

‘Frigidaire, which is owned by Sweden’s Electrolux, produces dishwashers for both brands at their Kinston, North Carolina, plant. Another factory in Anderson, South Carolina, builds 15— to 18-cubic foot top-freezer refrigerators and premium wine coolers. But all other refrigerators are built in Juarez, Mexico. Frigidaire’s freezers are built in St. Cloud, Minnesota, along with some of Electrolux built-in premium refrigeration products, though the company recently relocated washer and dryer production from Webster City, Iowa, to Juarez.’

@canidmajor Yeah, I only wash my king side comforter about once or twice a year. I do wash the queen size more often, because it is the guest room, and if you come to stay with me every piece of linen on the bed has been washed. It makes sense to just do it at the laundromat if you live in a place that you feel comfortable going to the laundromat. So much easier, you can do 5 loads at once that day and just get it all done.