In what can only be described as a one-two punch of home-ownership havoc, our washer officially died right on the heels of the big plumbing debacle that we detailed for you guys yesterday. Yup, remember when we mentioned that we hoped it would be a simple and inexpensive fix here? Well, the appliance gods must have been softly giggling as we typed that.
The repair guy took one look at the corroded interior of our old machine (rusted bolts, a broken belt, etc) and said “I could attempt to band-aid this for $200, but I don’t think it would run for very long – honestly, I wouldn’t put another dollar into this machine.” And that was coming from the man who would be taking said money… so… not a good sign. But we definitely appreciated his honesty.
And that’s how we suddenly found ourselves digging back into our “emergency fund” just days after writing a plumbing check to go laundry appliance shopping. We briefly considered trying to get something secondhand (from the ReStore, Craigslist, etc) but we decided that to spend once on something for the long haul would be more settling than getting another “in the meantime” fix and hoping it held out. So after checking out a few online appliance outlets, as well as some mainstream big box stores to see what was on the market, we hit the streets to check things out in person.
We had actually been looking forward to the eventual laundry appliance hunt, because we knew someday we’d get to upgrade these guys (the repairman guessed our washer was over twenty years old, so that’s a pretty good run!) but it was certainly nothing we expected to be embarking on so close to our little plumbing snafu.
When we moved in, we’d daydream about getting what I affectionately call “mac daddy appliances” someday (both in the kitchen and the laundry area) all of which would be pretty and sparkly and have all of the features we’d ever wanted (like projecting laser shows on the ceiling and making us waffles). Okay, maybe those last two are a stretch, but this sudden rush to get a working washer while our laundry piled up wasn’t the scenario we originally pictured ourselves shopping under (“what do you mean I can’t wait for a Presidents Day sale???”).
Luckily John’s parents welcomed us into their laundry room to do a couple of loads to tide us over while we researched and price-compared (and you better believe I asked John to do those loads so that if something broke he would be the one answering for it). Thankfully, we were able to catch up to our quickly-growing piles, and nothing broke on our watch.
We have sort of a new appliance mantra in this house, which is essentially that this time around we don’t want to just chase a deal. We want to do more research, be open to spending a bit more than before, and really think about the features we’ll enjoy and use, because we plan to be here for decades.
We got one of the best deals of our life on our last washer/dryer purchase because we selected the most heavily discounted models on the showroom floor (they were the same brand as our first set, which we liked, so it seemed like a no-brainer). But while we don’t regret the savings (nearly 50% off!), or the quality of them (they worked great for us), we did sacrifice some features in those heavily-discounted models that we ended up missing over time – like a digital display that showed the amount of time left in the cycle, for example. A little thing, yes, but something in retrospect that we would’ve paid extra for – especially since we had it in our first home’s washer & dryer, so we knew what we were missing.
After a ton of discussion and research, we narrowed our search criteria to the following:
- A Top-Loading washer. We liked our last two front-loaders a lot, but with our existing set-up we’ve both enjoyed not bending over as much. And we didn’t like having to keep up with mildew maintenance on our two previous front-loaders (we’d take time to wipe it down, leave the door open to air it out, and occasionally run Affresh tablets through it) which we understand is a persistent problem in front loaders. Plus, top-loaders now come in high efficiency versions which minimize front-loaders’ previous advantages of load size, spin speed, and water usage.
- Whirlpool or Maytag. Both brands are made by the same folks who made our last two washers & dryers, which worked really well for us (Whirlpool Corp). We also heard from lots of you that brands like GE and LG can be expensive to repair (and boy did we have repair costs on the brain!) while many of you agreed that Whirlpool/Maytag did you right (like on this comment thread for example). Plus, we liked our last two Whirlpool Duets and the top loading washer in this house that we’re replacing is a Maytag (that thing lasted 20+ years, so it definitely was reassuring).
- The ability to silence the buzzer. Again, it’s a little detail, but our current dryer doesn’t let us disable the crazy loud and annoying buzzer that shouts at us three times as a cycle comes to an end. So we couldn’t run it during Clara’s nap for fear that it would jolt her awake since it’s just down the hall from her door.
- A digital display. Mainly for the cycle time countdown mentioned above. What can I say, we’re divas for the
are-we-there-yethow-much-longer details. - A dryer with steam. We just heard good things about that throughout our research and it sounded like a feature we might actually enjoy and use.
Our search first lead us to this model (here’s the washer & the dryer) because it’s a Whirlpool and actually very similar to what we used at John’s parents house (they’ve had theirs around a year and have really enjoyed them so far). They each earned a 4.5 star review on Home Depot’s website too, so that was reassuring.
We narrowed our shopping zone down to Home Depot and Lowe’s, since we’ve had success there in our previous appliance hunts (prices from other vendors like Best Buy, HH Gregg, and sites like Whirlpool Outlet didn’t get as low as theirs for the same models) and both of our previous laundry sets were from Lowe’s.
The sale prices shown above and below are from both stores who each had them marked down 10% below MSRP and were running a 10%-off-all appliances promotion, which could be stacked. They also both were offering free delivery and haul away, and would honor 5% off if we used our store credit card (the Lowe’s card does it automatically, and if you ask Home Depot to do it at the register they should be able to manually apply that in the interest of “price matching” their competition).
Initially we were torn between the Whirlpool above and this extremely similar model from Maytag (here’s the washer & the dryer).
After hunting for some reason or review that would sway us towards one or the other (they both were very highly rated, had similar capacities, similar Energy Star ratings, and identical price tags), this third option appeared to us at Home Depot (here’s the washer & the dryer). It was just a slight step-down from the ones above (the washer capacity is .3 cubic feet less – oh the sacrifice!) and the front is designed differently (no gray trim, and no window into the dryer). But the price tag promised to save us over $130 between the pair and their online review boasted a nearly 5 star rating – which was better than the other two we had been weighing!
Home Depot carried it in stock (the display price of $724 was before the 10% off promotion was applied) but Lowe’s didn’t. They offered to special order it for us, but they’d only be able to apply one of the 10% discounts. We showed them the printout that Home Depot had given us that showed $651 as the final price (before the additional 5% credit card discount was applied at checkout) and they said they’d price match it. But ultimately we gave our sale to Home Depot, since they were the ones to show us this option first, as well as having it in stock (truth be told, we liked that salesperson better there too, so we wanted him to get the credit).
In case all of those words make your brain hurt and you like images and arrows, here’s a cost breakdown (mostly because John takes great pleasure in making them).
We’re glad that we weren’t forced to pay full price due to being under the gun and needing to replace them rightthissecond instead of waiting for a special holiday sale, but it also felt good to take the time and make a detailed list of what we really wanted this time (and check out a bunch of reviews) instead of jumping on the “this one’s the cheapest” bandwagon. Honestly, even if these were less discounted, the features and reviews probably would have tipped the scales in their favor.
They’re set for delivery a little later today (WAHOOOOOO!) so we should have an update for you next week once they’re here and we’ve taken them for a spin.
We also have some plans for the floor under them in the laundry nook (there are actually small scraps of old carpet hiding under the ones we have now). So just cross your fingers that we don’t peel back those carpet scraps under the old washer and dryer to find a giant hole/huge leak/live animal/other debacle lurking. Don’t they say these things happen in threes? Le yipes.
Psst- None of the links in this post are affiliate links. Also, your hair looks pretty and I like your smile.
Mrs. Money says
This sentence made my day: “Psst- None of the links in this post are affiliate links. Also, your hair looks pretty and I like your smile.” :)
Mary | Lemon Grove Blog says
Appliance hunting is so much more enjoyable when it’s not sprung on you – don’t you hate that! We’ve got a similar ticking time bomb in our basement – hoping we don’t have to replace that bad boy any time soon :)
Lisa says
Sorry to hear your washer broke down, but it sounds like you’ll love your new set. As a Mum of 2 boys that play hockey, I love love love my steam feature!!
Elisa says
We have a top loader HE washer too, less then 5 years old. Can’t even remember who makes it. Hah. But really, you’ll love it when you begin cloth diapering again!
Victoria says
Don’t know if it was a consideration but we have had so much more luck keeping our cloth diapers clean in a top loader than in a front one! The water saving features on te front loader meant that I was always tossing in a wet bag filled with water to make sure there was enough in there. Great picks!
YoungHouseLove says
So glad to hear that!
xo
s
kwithme says
I feel your pain. Here is our most recent house rebellion.
Oct 2013 – Nov 20,2013 – washer has a leak in the seal. requires 4 visits to fix (5 weeks) because the wrong part was ordered.
Jan 10 – Microwave + Vacuum die within hours of each other
Jan 24 – garage door opener breaks (rail breaks in half) thanks subzero temps
Jan 28 – hubs car battery dead, fortunately just needs a jump (car is 3 years old)
Jan 29 – my van battery dead, actually dead, so we got to replace that.
So, our emergency house fund is depleted. And we are hoping that is the last of it. I feel like all I have done is wait for service people for the last 3 months.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh no, hope it’s the end of the bad-news train!
xo
s
Pamela says
We have had the Maytag Bravo set for 2 years and absolutely love them. We bought the washer on clearance because it had a ding on the front and was $200 off, but when they delivered the set, they couldn’t find the floor model that had the ding in it, so we received a brand new washer in the box less the ding but still at the discounted price. I love the set and I enjoy doing the laundry!!!!
YoungHouseLove says
So lucky!
xo
s
Ashley says
We really want to move to a stacking washer and dryer set, because we have very little storage space, but I also hate hate front-loading washers, because we also cloth diaper. I know other people use FL washers and cloth diaper, but those things just do not use enough water for me to feel like they’re getting clean (I’ve used my step mom’s when we visit them). So there’s another good reason to get a top loader! Do you know if your new one has a way to use more water than what the washer would automatically use? We have a newer washer that I’m pretty sure weighs the loads to determine how much water to use, but it wasn’t enough for washing diapers. We figured out if we used the “bulky/comforter” setting it fills up the tub. Otherwise the diapers still smell like poop. There are lots of other tricks I’ve seen online (some of involve a garden hose!), but I’m sure you two thought about that when shopping.
We had to buy a new dishwasher with a newborn in the house and two days before Christmas and houseguests, so just be glad it broke before Bean arrived!
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, I’m not sure if ours has a way to tell it how much water to use, but someone who has had the same one for eight months (she commented a little earlier on this morning) said it’s awesome for her cloth diapers so I’m hoping we have the same luck!
xo
s
Mary says
We had to upgrade last year due to our washer going out as well. We bought these in the bigger size(880 series) and love them! Enjoy.
YoungHouseLove says
So glad to hear that!
xo
s
Stephanie says
Did y’all eliminate your blog roll? I always come to you first and then click over to a few others from your blogroll. I guess now I’ll have to remember them for myself :)
YoungHouseLove says
So sorry Stephanie! Here’s that info for ya: https://www.younghouselove.com/2014/01/and-then-our-house-rebelled/#comment-2365656
xo
s
Linda says
Oh, when it rains, it pours, and I would have been with Sherry thinking I was hexing everything. I’m glad you decided to go with features that you know you’ll find useful in the future, and so glad that the appliances didn’t wait until you were bringing Barnacle home. Now, talk about having to shop fast then!!!
Also, I have to say I’m glad you took out the blog roll. I too found some good blogs that way, but I do think a lot of us would take it as a YHL seal of approval/recommendation for those blogs (not your intent or purpose, I realize).
Emily says
You are going to LOVE the Bravos XL! It sings to you when the door or lid open!
We spent 8 years using crappy apartment building washers and dryers. Eight, long years. We bought a house that didn’t come with a set and I was so excited to go out and buy what I wanted! I had used enough machines to know that I was not messing with another downy ball or hard to open lint trap. I was not dealing with front load washers that I didn’t like. I wanted setting options and I never wanted to see a laundromat wash my king size comforter again. Basically, I wanted expensive. We moved in 6 weeks before black friday and had already done all the research on what price point we should expect for the models we wanted based on last year’s black friday pricing.
Then, one day we were hanging around Home Depot when I saw that they had floor models on sale with an extra sale on top of it. They were trying to clear our the floor models to bring in the next year’s models for the holiday sales. It was in amazing shape, not even a slight wiggle in the dryer door. We bought it and I have never been happier to do laundry. Seriously, the thing sings to you when you open the door! It is my favorite part. Washes great, dries great. I am in love with my Bravos XL set.
Also, check with your electric company to see if there are rebates available. Ours (in PA) is giving us a $50 rebate on the set b/c we bought the energy efficient models.
YoungHouseLove says
Such a great tip! Also, I’m now so excited to be sung to when I open the door.
xo
s
Jean (notsupermum) says
Ooh, that’s not good having so many domestic disasters in one go, but hopefully that’ll be the end of them.
Strangely enough, top loading appliances are very rare in the UK and usually very expensive. Bizarre, right? Oh and by the way, love that you are planning on an update on the appliances after you’ve ‘taken them for a spin’….I like that!
YoungHouseLove says
So interesting! I never knew that. Love hearing about those differences from country to country!
xo
s
blaze says
I’ve occasionally bough UK decorating magazines and the washer/dryer seem to be installed in the kitchen under the counter top which would make front loading a requirement. Maybe because most people can only use this option with their existing set up, even if you have a separate laundry area where you have the option of top loading, it’s such a small segment of the market that manufacturers/retailers don’t find it cost effective to offer many of those models?
YoungHouseLove says
That’s an interesting theory!
xo
s
Debbie C says
Thanks as usual for sharing your research with us! We’re in a condo now and without our own laundry machines, and so I. CAN’T. WAIT. to get our own once we move! Will def consider these when the time comes. Hope all goes well with the install (no issues). :)
Amanda says
Appliance shopping is NEVER fun in my book – so much money, so many choices … But four years ago, we had to shell out for our first washer and dryer. I chose a front loader and have not regretted it for one second. I have to admit to being baffled by all the references to the smell and so on??? Mine has not smelled even once, and I was deployed for a year to Afghanistan which meant my husband was using it unsupervised! Maybe it’s because I leave the door ajar between loads or the fact that I use some borax as an additive to every load (it has disinfecting properties). This I do know – we run some STINKY stuff through it on a regular basis. Anyway, I am with you when it comes to maybe spending a little more upfront, if you have to replace an appliance, and doing your homework, too – even if it means borrowing the in-laws machine for a few days while you hunt! Enjoy your new set!
Jessaca says
In hindsight do you think you would have had money at the ready to replace your old appliances? Perhaps you should move your kitchen appliance up in priority? Just curious how you’re feeling about your old appliances now having gone through the surprise.
YoungHouseLove says
With the nature of our jobs (essentially we’re both freelancers, so income can take a dive at any moment) we have always been suckers for having a big emergency fund (we saved up before John came on full time and Clara was born just so we’d feel nice and secure). So if we suddenly had to replace our kitchen appliances we could do that, but we’d rather not do that pre-emptively (they all work well for now – *she says as she knocks on wood*) so we’d rather wait and keep saving in the hopes of getting something nicer down the road if we can.
xo
s
Dana Leigh says
When it rain’s it pores, huh? I’m glad that you got a deal when you needed it, yay! I recently had to do the research on a washer too and I was set on getting the traditional agitator one. But after two Whirlpools that didn’t have warm water, I threw up my hands and forced myself to embrace the high efficiency top loader (for the small foot print) so I ended up getting the top loading LG with the controls up front. Love it! (But I was disappointed to find out at the time that Home Depot does not allow returns on appliances, luckily I had purchased the two lemons at Lowes). Hope that set treats well! Can’t wait to see the finished washer closet!
kwithme says
I kind of scanned your reasoning for top loader. While we have a front loader, one of the things that we did not even comprehend would be a plus, is both of my kids 8 and 12 can do their own laundry. The 12 year old could use a top loader but the 8 year old is too short. I realize your kid(s) are a lot younger but that is a big (unseen) plus.
YoungHouseLove says
That is a nice perk! Growing up my brother and I had to do our own laundry and we had a top loader, so I’m not sure how we did that. Will have to ask my mom if there was a stool involved (we’re a short family, so I’m sure there was, haha!).
xo
s
schmei says
Ability to silence the dang buzzer is something I would shell out serious cash for. It’s the one thing I haaate about the otherwise-great dryer that came with our house. We have to be all strategic about laundry timing and toddler naps. And if you can’t do laundry during naps, WHEN DO YOU DO IT? Also, WHY is it so loud? The neighbors three doors down do not care if my undies are dry.
Whew. Pet peeve.
Anyway, thanks for sharing all this research. Fingers crossed we don’t need it any time too soon but I suspect this will come in handy some day. Here’s hoping February is cheaper/less plumbing intensive for you guys!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, we feel the same way! WHY ARE YOU SHOUTING AT US, WASHER?! Haha!
xo
s
Leah says
Yes! I can silence my dryer, and it’s amazing. I’m a dorm parent in a dormitory at a boarding school, and the dryer shares a wall with a student room. I’d feel so awful if they had to listen to our buzzing dryer.
Rachel says
We can silence our buzzers which is nice but since we don’t have kids yet it’s not as much of a priority for us. But I would kill for the display that shows how much time is left that you mentioned! My parent’s have those but we got cheaper models that don’t and oh how I miss that!!
blaze says
I have no idea if our machines can be silenced – they beep three times, kind of like a microwave when they are done. Ours are next to the kitchen in a 2 storey house so disturbing people isn’t an issue.
My absolute favorite feature didn’t even make you list of requirements. We have a delay start on the washer. I can load it before bed and set it to run at 4am. In the morning I find freshly washed clothing and move it to the dryer. The dry cycle is done and folded before 7am when the electricity prices go up again. Our electricity is billed at 3 different rates for peak hours, off peak (7pm-7am) and a midrange. The idea is to give you an incentive to choose when you run your power hog equipment (stove, dryer). If you insist on running your dryer while everyone is also cooking dinner or running their furnace or AC on high, then you’re going to pay more for it. Our monthly billing breaks our useage costs into many kilowatt hrs we used at each rate so we can see if there is room for improvement. I can even go online and see our daily useage graphed out along with the temperature that day (extreme weather, hot or cold, generally corresponds to higher electricity costs for the day. Making sure I run the drying only during the cheaper hours is easy when I can schedule the wash for the wee hours.
YoungHouseLove says
So smart!
xo
s
Wendy says
Even if you don’t have a turn off button on your dryer you can easily undo the buzzer wire yourself. You can google your dryer brand – you will be disconnecting a wire in the top console but it is very easy. Just make sure to unplug the dryer first!
YoungHouseLove says
So smart!
xo
s
Terri says
I have the bravo washer and hate it. It’s almost 2 years old and it’s been repaired twice. The clothes don’t come out clean. I hope for your sake I got a lemon! I want my old washer back with the non locking lid real old school. They’re hard to find.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh no Terri, I’m so sorry! We will definitely keep you guys posted! We hear the newer top-loader models are very different from the ones from a few years ago (better at staying balanced, different type of agitator) so we hope ours works out, but you never know!
xo
s
Kates says
When the husband and I bought our new house it didn’t come with a washer and dryer which was both exciting and frustrating. We bought something very similar to yours but from Lowes (we don’t have a Home Depot in our new town sniffle sniffle) but we love it. I can’t tell you how much more fun it is to do laundry with a shiny new appliance. Now I wish it would be the same with our dishwasher.
Carly S says
Oh the joys of homeownership! Our thermostat broke on the coldest day of the year (luckily in the ON position!), our toilet stopped working and our car wouldn’t start because of the cold (we’re talking -38 Celsius up here in Canada). We were calling everyone we knew and begging for a ride to Home Depot!
sara bell says
The end of that post cracked me up! :) thanks. We replaced in the fall and went with top-load too. We are very happy with that decision.
Clover says
Aw, thanks for noticing my new hair, that put a smile on my face!
Vicky says
In over 3 years following your blog, I’ve never felt compelled to comment until now. I’m so so sorry for being a Debbie downer…but we bought that washer & dryer set in June 2010 when we bought our home and while the dryer is good, I loathe the washer. We actually just talked about this at a MOPS meeting and every single one of us have the same problems that boil down to the clothes not being clean and the detergent not getting rinsed completely. And the unbalanced load alarm. OMG. Almost every single load becomes unbalanced at some point and the things I specifically bought that washer to launder (bathroom rugs, comforter, towels & jeans) are a nightmare.
We also cloth diapered my daughter and let me tell you, that was a *process*. I could not allow even the smallest particle of solid waste to remain on the diapers because the washer did not get it out. I spent so much time cleaning diapers before they went in the washer I may as well have hand washed them.
I realize that this is not probably helpful to you because you’ve ordered your set and you are looking forward to having them. When this machine craps out, I will go back to a heavy duty, basic, central agitator, uses-a-crap-load-of-water, old school machine. I hope you have better luck with your set, especially since you’ve said you intend to cloth diaper your baby boy.
Vicky
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much for the feedback Vicky! We completely value it and will definitely keep an eye out for that! Apparently the newer models (you mentioned yours was from 2010) are configured a lot differently (they have a different type of agitator, more anti-off-balance technology, etc) and the ratings/reviews on this year’s brand/model were so great that we have high hopes. Of course we’ll share the real deal though, so if we get them and hate them we’ll tell you guys all about it!
xo
s
Sarah W. says
I’m enjoying seeing how your process changes now that you’re in your long term home. We’re also financially at a point where our decisions are much less about what’s the most affordable, and more about long term value and enjoyment. It’s a good place to be!
Erin @ The Impatient Gardener says
Oh man, when it rains it pours. Isn’t that how it always happens? The universe appears to conspire against you to have everything break at the same time (or you run out of shampoo, conditioner, deoderant, shaving cream, moisturizer, hairspray and five other things all at the same time—why is that?). The good news is that you’re getting something you like though and I’m sure it will come in handy with a new baby and more laundry. I hope you like them. As much as I’d like an excuse to get rid of our front loader, I hope we don’t have to replace it for a LONG time.
Maggie says
they do say they happen in 3’s but here’s hoping the third is something so tiny, you scoff at it! if it makes you feel any better, i’m having one of those weeks too. eeps
ps. your hair looks pretty too and I’m sure I’d love whatever dangly earring you’re wearing right now, Sherry :)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I am wearing some big ol’ dangly earrings. You know me so well!
xo
s
Stephanie says
Hooray for a new washer and dryer, although bummer on the timing. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that two is the limit for your home repairs. Last summer we had to replace our heat pump (ouch) and redo the plumbing for our kitchen sink (double ouch). The third disaster never happened (whew!), so see? It’s a real thing :)
YoungHouseLove says
You have NO IDEA how nice that is to hear. Thanks Stephanie!
xo
s
robyns says
I got all the way to the end and you took me down memory lane with “your hair is pretty and I like your smile”…..I had a coworker that every time we spoke on the phone we would sign off with, Me:”your boobs look huge today”, her:”your butt looks really small”. Needless to say, she was not well endowed nor do I have a small trunk for my junk, but we always said that to each other and it brought a smile and a burst of self-esteem to our day! thanks for reminding me!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha!
xo
s
Katie T. says
Awesome! Also, the psst was my fave! Not so bad yourselves, Petersiks!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, thanks girl. Winky face.
xo
s
Caroline says
We also have the Maytag Bravos in dark slate gray and love them!! They were floor models and after selling our old set for $200 and the MSRP on the new ones being $725 (a year ago december) we whiddled the price down to $450 each (floor model discount and military discount)! I’m ashamed to say I didn’t do ANY research- just caught a break I guess! But they are TOUGH and have served us well with 8 months of cloth diapers AND moving! (And our laundry is upstairs in our new house!) After being stranded in the snowpocalypse in Atlanta I was never happier to do a load of laundry! It’s been quite a dramatic couple of days, but I always check in on YHL!!
YoungHouseLove says
THAT’S AMAZING! And you got them in slate gray! That’s so awesome. I’m really glad to hear that you’ve loved them (especially with cloth diapers). Wahoo!
xo
s
Marti hopson says
SOOOO happy to hear someone turn away from the front loader washers! How refreshing! ( or affreshing) … We bought our first front loader 5 years ago, and I’ve wrestled with the smell every since. It’s amazing what one can find if one googles ” bad smell front loading washer” and I encourage everyone to search through this first. Our Sears model has very poor design and lots of places where slime can hide. With 2 kids, and a now finished cloth diaper ing stint and dogs and cats and living in the country…. It is never really ‘ clean’. I did not know about the newer top loading models, but that will be our next purchase…. Hopefully it will be 20 years down the road. Until then we will have to deal with smelly laundry.
Steph says
God do I feel your pain Petersiks. I haven’t owned my home two years yet and I have replaced the dishwasher, both the washer and the dryer, and the water heater. All appliances die in my house. The washer and the water heater broke within a month of each other, both flooding my basement. And the diswasher was within weeks of buying the house. There was also no fridge when I moved in. I told my roommates that if (more like when…) the stove breaks, we’re using the microwave. I quit.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh Steph, I’m so sorry! I hope those appliances stop giving up the ghost and cooperating in 2014!
xo
s
Dana Leigh says
When it rain’s it pores, huh? I’m glad that you got a deal when you needed it, yay! I recently had to do the research on a washer too and I was set on getting the traditional agitator one. But after two Whirlpools that didn’t have warm water, I threw up my hands and forced myself to embrace the high efficiency top loader (for the small foot print) so I ended up getting the top loading LG – based on reviews – with the controls up front. Love it! (But I was disappointed to find out at the time that Home Depot does not allow returns on appliances, luckily I had purchased the two lemons at Lowes). Hope that set treats you well! Can’t wait to see the finished washer closet!
Heather says
Hahaha! I love it. A few weeks ago I mentioned that Andy and I were in store and he straight up predicted that front loaders were on the way out in favor of top loaders again. You actually put down some of the exact ones we saw that he predicted people would love. We had a top loader, but it broke and so now we have our first front loader ever (given to us). It’s super nice, but I think when we buy a new set I’m going top loader again. I don’t know why, I just like them more.
Jill says
Thanks for all the details. I think our pair is on its last leg and have started putting away funds for its replacement.
When we put this set in, we noticed floor damage under the washer. After pulling up vinyl and rotted sub-flooring, we ended up having to replace rotted floor joists. The flip side was putting in a new tile floor and a not worrying about finding our appliances in the crawl space.
Once again, we were incredibly grateful to my dad for coming up multiple weekends to help us repair the space. My dad rocks!
Stephanie B. says
I’m actually having a great hair day, so thanks for noticing! Yours looks great, too! ;)
Congrats on the new appliances, Petersiks!
ashley @ sunnysideshlee.com says
bahahaha to your “PS”. Love it! Enjoy the new appliance toys!
Jean says
With a new baby on the way, you absolutely need to be able to reliably and easily do lots of laundry!
YoungHouseLove says
I was just thinking that too. Like maybe the universe actually timed this right, and in hindsight I’ll say “yeah, it wasn’t the house trying to kick us when we’re down” – someday…
xo
s
Dawn S says
Good choice! We had great experience getting ALL our appliances for our home (bought as a bare-bones foreclosure) 3 years ago and have loved them all. We went with all Maytag, including a Bravos washer & dryer and love them both! Grewt workhorse machines for the demands of my family (2 little boys…need I say more?)
YoungHouseLove says
So happy to hear that Dawn!
xo
s
Kristen says
Hopefully the washer and dryer count as two things so your three things are all set ;) I have never heard of steam in a dryer. Or maybe I have and my brain is cloudy because there are only 6 more hours until the weekend.
Also, loved the pssst comment and parks and rec reference :)
Jenna @ Wife in Progress says
John & Sherry,
Thank you for featuring me on your Forum Foursome today! The suggestions I get from the forum are always so invaluable!
Jenna @ Wife in Progress
YoungHouseLove says
Of course Jenna! We love you guys for helping each other out over there.
xo
s
Emily says
You’ve already had your 3rd catastrophe. The dryer, the washer, and the toilet. I think you’re safe (*says as she knocks on wood)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, never thought about that! I hope so!
xo
s
Bethany says
You didn’t mention it in your pricing breakdown, but what are your thoughts on the extended warranty plans? I never know if it makes sense to buy them – would love to hear your two cents! :)
YoungHouseLove says
We’ve read in a few places (consumer reports, money magazine, etc) that they’re not typically worth it for the average homeowner, so were happy ours came with a free 1-year warranty and hope we don’t regret that choice of not paying extra for a longer one!
xo
s
Emily says
Unrelated to washers/dryers – we bought a grill at Lowes and I put the warranty on it b/c my cheaper grill only lasted two years before it rusted out – even with a cover and being on the porch. Two years into my 3 year warranty, one of the fire tubes cracked and the technician noticed it had started to rust. Without any hassle, Lowes gave me every penny back for my purchase except the warranty cost. They didn’t prorate the cost of the grill, they gave me full purchase price including tax. We used it to buy a new grill and again bought the warranty! We thought for grills – worth every penny to get it!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so nice!
xo
s
Starr @ The Kiefer Cottage says
We still have the 20+ year old washer my dad gave us. My husband has repaired it several times for next to nothing–we plan on keeping it until it breaks into a million pieces. When that happens, top loader all the way. I think you made a good choice!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s awesome Starr!
xo
s
denise says
We have a Maytag Bravos set that is very similar to those (I think ours may be the 850 series?). We got them on Black Friday three years ago. I tell my husband about once a month that every time I go to do laundry they make me happy all over again! I love them so much and feel very confident that they are one of our best large purchases. :)
We haven’t had any mildew issues at all. I run the “clean washer” cycle with bleach every time the light comes on. I’ve only used the Affresh tablets once or twice and I think bleach does just as good a job. I love all the options for the different cycles, temps, spin speeds, etc. And the steam feature on the dryer gets used nearly every day – my husband uses it to fluff up his wrinkle-free work shirts and pants.
I hope you love them as much as we do and have great luck with them!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so great to hear Denise!
xo
s
Jenny Sullivan says
(Try reaching into that washer before they deliver it: people of small stature may need a stepstool or a “grabber” to completely unload it. Also, comforters cannot be washed in a top loader. You can accessorize the front loaders with pedestals that have drawers but they are about $220 each.)
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tips Jenny!
xo
s
Jennifer I says
I really like my top loader LG, love the capcity and how dry the loads come out, making me run my antiquated dryer much less — but you have to leave the door open on a top loader in between washes or it will start to smell. My tip!
YoungHouseLove says
Great tips everyone! Thanks for sharing!
xo
s
Jess says
So glad you guys just spent the money now and got what you wanted-makes the most sense in the long run. I appreciate the work you put into looking at different options…helps cut down on the work I’ll have to eventually do! Where are Clara’s boots from?
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Jess! Those are from Old Navy last year (we got them really big and they worked last year with thick socks and this year with thin ones – which is sort of a shoe miracle for a fast-grower like our girl!).
xo
s
Noelle says
I noticed you have pictures from Home Depot and it reminded me of a money saving tidbit I share with everyone I possibly can- Lowes gives all military, former and current, 10% off regular, sale, and clearance prices. I didn’t know that when we bought A TON of stuff for our first house including all appliances, but you bet we buy everything we can there now. My husband just whips out his old military ID and we get 10% off just like that. They even do the discount with coupons- its like an employee discount. It applies to everything except 3rd party installation services (like on our water softener install, but it did apply to the softener itself).
Just in case anyone else didn’t know about it, make sure you bring an old ID or proof of service! Lowe’s thanks you for it!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s a great tip Noelle! Thanks for sharing. And to your husband for his service!
xo
s