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.
Amy says
I have the same set (Maytag Bravos, but with the window on the dryer & the gray trim)–& while I’ve been happy with them, one CAUTION: the dryer SHRINKS EVERYTHING! Don’t use the “normal” setting or your jeans will be total high-waters. For the first six months after purchase I was convinced that everyone in our household had grown two inches & put on ten pounds. Just always use the LOW or even EXTRA LOW setting.
Also, the “sanitize” setting is great & gets really, really hot–this is awesome for “thrifters” who buy the occasional used stuffed animal or throw pillow.
Good luck!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tips Amy!
xo
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Casey says
LOLLLLL….. “Also, your hair looks pretty and I like your smile.”
This happened to us exactly a year ago and we were in the same position… just not really in the mood to replace them right then. We ended up getting Whirlpools too, and they’ve been great so far. Hope you love them!
Paige B says
I am also a fan of the HE top loaders. I do still like to leave our lid open to air dry though bc I still could detect that sour smell if the lid had been closed for a day or so. Since it’s on top though the open lid doesn’t get in the way. Happy laundering!
Sally says
Ah. Thanks for blogging about the not-so-fun parts of homeownership.
This and your leaky post relate to costs I didn’t really know about until purchasing a home: (1)you have to take time off work to meet repairmen, (2)even the little repairs take at least $50, so they add up, (3)you’ll be researching things on the fly when something breaks, and (4)try as you might, picking the most effective and/or most cost efficient solution is never clear-cut…you just have to decide and go with it.
So, I appreciate you sharing your philosophy on making these decisions and how it changes over time.
May you have a weekend free of unexpected maintenance challenges!
Nawel says
My husband and I spent the extra money to get a dryer with a steamer so that we could save time not having to iron our clothes. Word to the wise, we’ve only used it once. That’s it. We have a front loader washer/dryer (can’t remember the brand) but we paid extra for the steam feature and to be honest, it’s just not worth it. We thought you’d pop in a blouse, hit steam and 30 seconds later, it’s done. No. It practically re-wets the entire shirt, and then steam dries it, but it took like 5-8 minutes. I could have ironed 3 outfits in that same time. But maybe different brands steam differently, so definitely research how much time your prospective dryer will take. Good luck!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip Nawel! I will definitely play around with ours and report back! By the time I break out the ironing board and the iron and let it warm up it takes a little while, so I was hoping to offset that for some items, but we’ll have to see how it goes!
xo
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Penny Smith says
If they are anything like the cabrio, they’ll do great! We bought our cabrio off Craigslist after an emergency breakdown ourselves, when we didn’t have a ton to spend, they were a “lemon” of a year model, were 2 years old, and yet we have had them for over 3 years!! At $350 for the pair, I am a true believer in this brand and will get cabrio in the future!! (I thought I (bold I) scored, then my friend had a appliance breakdown too and got a BLACK high end cabrio set for $200 for BOTH!! Seller just needed rid of them in a move. She SO scored!!) Washer/dryers seem to be an appliance pairing that people in our area end up with an extra set in a move often.. I doubt I’ll ever buy them new again! Doesn’t cabrio have tiered models too-like a lesser priced model that still has a digital timer but not the windows??
YoungHouseLove says
That’s awesome, Penny! Yes, I think you’re right, both Maytag Bravos and Whirlpool Cabrio have tiered models, so some have a lot more features than others.
xo
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mp says
I bought a well-recommended GE top loader four and a half years ago, when the 13-year-old washer died. I chose it mainly because I live in a fairly remote small town in central Virginia, and the only warrantied repair people you can get are local merchants. Haven’t had a single problem and I’ve worked that horse to exhaustion. I bought a matching GE dryer last month after a major electrical breakdown. I want to eventually get a huge set for the basement, because going to the laundromat to wash comforters is almost always a bad experience, but that’s way in the future when a lot of current debts are paid. For that, I’ll likely go with Whirlpool, since a local merchant sells and repairs it.
YoungHouseLove says
Smart!
xo
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Jane says
We have this Maytag washer and bought it a year ago. It replaced a front loader of 7 years .I absolutely love my Maytag top loader.Highly recommend this washing machine.Enjoy!
YoungHouseLove says
So glad!
xo
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Tara says
I find it really weird that y’all didn’t take your washer & dryer with you every time you move. We bought ours 5-6 years ago & have dragged them from Texas to Arizona to Two places in Hawaii. Is it a regional thing?
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, totally a regional thing! We’ve never heard of anyone taking any appliance with them when they move here (other than a countertop microwave). Especially when you sell a house as “turn key” and “move in ready” all of the appliances convey in our area. Even with fixer uppers they usually just leave them, as was the case in all three of the fixer uppers we have bought.
xo
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Becky says
I know your dryer was going to need to be replaced soon too, but I’m wondering if it’s more cost efficient to replace both at one time and that’s why you bought both vs. waiting on the dryer.
Also, does your new washer have the pole/agitator in the middle? Ours is old and has it and contributes to knocking our washer off kilter and I’ve heard that they now sell top loaders without it.
YoungHouseLove says
I definitely think it could have gone either way with the cost of the dryer (if better sales were running when it died later, we’d save more, but if they weren’t stacking those two 10% off discounts we’d save less). It does feel nice to have them both checked off all at once though, and changing both of them out meant we could deal with the floor when it was fully accessible, which was convenient. As for the agitator, ours has a very small one – just at the base of the bowl. It’s designed to be more gentle on clothes and help keep it more balanced and also to avoid monopolizing the middle of the washing bowl (so there’s more room). We hear good things, so we hope we like it!
xo
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Cindy says
I’m with you on the front loader decision. We have one, and I never want another for the same reasons. We will definitely go with a top loader next go around. Oh, and thanks, I was pretty pleased with how my hair turned out today! Thanks so much for sharing your life with all of us out in blogland. I seldom comment, but I read your blog everyday and enjoy your posts so much.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, thanks Cindy!
xo
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Jakki says
It’s never fun when waging machines die! Always bad timing too.
I have to ask- how come you don’t take them from house to house with you? I’m from Australia and we all take them with us.
My friend is from Zimbabwe and they even take the ovens when they move! The done thing apparently! Lol
YoungHouseLove says
So funny! It’s completely regional I think. We’ve never heard of anyone taking any appliance with them when they move here (other than a countertop microwave). Especially when you sell a house as “turn key” and “move in ready”, all of the appliances convey around here. Even with fixer-uppers they usually stay – that was also the case in all three of the fixer-uppers we’ve bought.
xo
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Jakki says
Ah ok! I’ve also noticed yours dryers are ‘installed’ with vents or something? (From some comments made) and I guess that makes it a bit harder too. Ours here are super lightweight and just plug into the powerpoint- that’s it- done. We do need an external door or a window open while in use though
YoungHouseLove says
Wow, that’s so easy! Ours are all plumbed in and vented in, so they seem pretty “built-in” in a lot of cases.
xo
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Kathleen says
Holy hot wash! I am completely out of touch with the latest in washers and dryers. I knew about the high efficiencies, but your top loading washer with some electronic functions? I am coveting it. Congrats on getting a great deal. May your towels be fluffy, dry, and cling free!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha! Thanks Kathleen!
xo
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Yvette says
I love the way you approached this big purchase even as your laundry pile mounted:) I regularly shop at both Home Depot and Lowes-in my town they are about a block apart! I give them plenty of my dollars and am not anti big box or mass market retailers. Did you not consider shopping at an independent appliance store? Somewhere where they service and sell? I have had excellent experience with my dealer matching big box prices and the attention you get from the home town store can’t be beat. Anyhow, happy laundry.
YoungHouseLove says
That’s a good question! We didn’t know independent stores would typically price match, so that’s nice to know for the future (for example when we get our kitchen appliances). We have a lot of local stores that we love supporting and blogging about regularly (a decorating outlet, small fabric shop, various thrift stores, etc) as well as promoting small businesses like a local dry waller or electrician that we love, so a great local appliance shop would be awesome to find.
xo
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Julianne says
It’ll be so nice to have a new washer and dryer! Nothin’ like it…
So sorry you’re experiencing the old/new home reno issues. I can’t even begin to tell you everything we’ve found with our beast. Thankfully, with blogs like your’s, we’ve mustered the courage to take on the majority of the stuff ourselves. It’s been an adventure, for sure. Not one of our appliances were working, so we had to dish out for everything new right from the get-go. Not fun, but really enjoyed playing with all new toys. Fingers crossed that there’s no 3rd issue for ya, but hopeful that you are really enjoying your fresh, new washer and dryer! :O)
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Julianne!
xo
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Shelly says
I’ve never left a comment before but check in on your blog fairly often, (okay, daily!) and couldn’t resist sharing my washing machine just quit on me too! Freezing here in Indiana so I was hoping it was a frozen pipes problem but no such luck! So here I am with laundry for my family of 5 piling up, soaking wet clothes to hand wring out and a trip to the in-laws to do the laundry planned as soon as the hubby is home. Repairman came today, washer needs $200 worth of parts and no sooner did I tell him order away did I start regretting it! Wondering how much I’ll spend trying to save! Congrats on your new appliances! I’m jealous, and by the way-as I’m typing this and my youngest is napping, the insanely loud dryer buzzer that you can’t shut off just summoned me(and probably my neighbors too!)-ugh:( love your blog, thanks for the inspiration!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh no! I hope it holds up for you forever and is totally worth it! Good luck Shelly!
xo
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Angela N says
Your new washer and dryer look so nice! I am sure you will love them! Where do you do your research to find out about appliances? We are doing a kitchen remodel and I need to buy everything. I want to start doing research.
YoungHouseLove says
We looked at online reviews from actual consumers (on sites like homedepot.com, lowes.com, amazon.com, etc) and also looked up sites that compare or review appliances (appliancereview.com) as well as consulting things like Consumer Reports (John’s parents have a subscription). It seems to help, just because there’s usually a group consensus about certain items (either hundreds of people saying it’s awesome or saying “ahh, don’t buy this!”) so it’s nice to check those out.
xo
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elizabeth says
I love my Maytag Bravos set!! We have had ours for almost 3 years and I still love them as much as the first day!! We came from a very small set – similar to what you had so I was amazed at how much the bigger capacity really cut down on my loads. I am still not sure how it all works with the HE feature- half the time I look in and there is no water in there at all…but then my clothes always come out clean!! LOL
Enjoy and remember to buy HE detergent now :)
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Elizabeth! I totally would forget, so that’s a good tip.
xo
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shells says
OMG- you’re my laundry doppelganger- you have the exact same washer and dryer as us!! (can’t be sure on the dryer, but the door is identical). Here’s hoping my washer takes the cue and dies too! (can’t justify replacing just because it’s ugly)
YoungHouseLove says
Woot!
xo
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amanda says
Am I going batty or did that blog roll link disappear from the homepage?
YoungHouseLove says
So sorry, we clicked a button to turn that off last night (we’ve received a few complaints about it not being updated, linking to blogs that were inactive or that people didn’t like, etc). It has always been a challenge to keep that current, so we just disabled it for the time being. We noticed a lot of other blogs seem to have been phasing them out as well, so we’ll have to see where we end up :)
xo
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Michelle says
Great post and comments! I’m starting to search for a new w/d set and this was very helpful. I have upstairs laundry too; did you give any special consideration to certain features or models that would be best for second-level use/safety/damage prevention?
YoungHouseLove says
We tried to research that a bit and the general consensus seemed to be that newer washers/dryers are generally better at balancing themselves so that’s ideal for upstairs. We figured since we had an old top loader set (it wobbled like crazy sometimes) this set will hopefully be a lot better on that front. We hear they now turn themselves off if they go off balance, so we’ll have to see how it goes…
xo
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Amy says
My husband bought me the whirlpool and I absolutely love it. AND he did great price point wise! They were 2013 flood models with a few scuffs (nothing a little compound cant take right out) and Lowes through in extra 10% off and I still received no interest for 6 months (always awesome bc I use card to get my extra discounts and then just pay it right off with no full with added interest). We did go ahead and get the 5 yr warrenty and the total came out to $1700.00. Which is still high but considering what the new 2014 model was close to $2500.00 for set…. Wish I could post a picture! They are grey and the hubby even picked out a cute rug that says “laundry” on it to place in front of the set. OH LOVE U GUYS YALL R AWESOME !!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so cute Amy! Hubby of the year!
xo
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Katie says
You may have commented on this and I didn’t see it but why didn’t you move your washer and dryer? We are getting ready to sell our house and was curious if selling with the washer and dryer is standard protocol? Thanks….just curious!
YoungHouseLove says
It’s completely regional I think. We’ve never heard of anyone taking any appliances with them when they move here (other than a countertop microwave). Especially when you sell a house as “turn key” and “move in ready”, all of the appliances convey around here. Even with fixer-uppers they usually stay – that was also the case in all three of the fixer-uppers we’ve bought. But we hear in other areas (ex: Texas, Europe) everyone moves with them.
xo
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Krissy says
Thanks for the compliment! You’re so cute :P
I let Nathan do all the research when we bought our washer and dryer. The previous renters all had Nathan’s grandmother do their laundry over at her house, and since I didn’t consider her my slave, I would have to make weekly “laundry visits” and spend an day of the weekend doing laundry at their house – which wasn’t an issue while I was there enjoying conversation, but bringing laundry back and forth in the snow/rain was really a pain. I have a Kenmore set, top-load washer. No fancy glass doors, no digital display… but they are dependable! And they were affordable :)
YoungHouseLove says
We heard good things about Kenmore too!
xo
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Amanda says
Since I’m sick in bed surrounded by cough drop wrappers and Kleenex, the compliment at the end of your post made me smile and actually LOL. Thanks for the sweetness! (long time reader, first time commenter)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, you look good to me Amanda! Feel better!
xo
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Melissa says
We had a very similar situation happen to us when we moved in to out new home … except we DID decide to go the second hand route (BIG mistake!) Needless to say, we now have the Bravo’s and LOVE them! Something to look forward to .. they sing you a cute little song when they are all done ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Ahh, I love the song! I love the song!
xo
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Elisabeth says
We love our Maytag Bravos…5 years and still going strong without any maintenance needed! Good choice :)
YoungHouseLove says
So happy to hear that Elisabeth!
xo
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Emily @ Life on Food says
I think that is a great deal considering you were a bit pressed to make a purchase. I hope you enjoy them. Our house didn’t come with a washer. Having a new one that is all fresh and clean. It still makes me happy 4 months later.
Heather MacFeather says
I really hope this is the end of the debacles for a while. My parent’s dryer made the same annoying buzzer noises and it interfered with my naps too (I love naps) so I took the panel off and disconnected the wire leading to the buzzer. I was 19 and that was my first foray into DIY.
I wish I knew/paid more attention to older posts so I could have told you about that little nap-saving tidbit.
Enjoy the new machine and happy laundering.
YoungHouseLove says
So smart!
xo
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Sydney B says
I am in love with my 1994 maytag set that I bought at a yard sale for $100 six years ago. The washer runs like a champ. And I will mourn it when it’s gone:( plus we have a sticker collection on the front so that will make it doubly sad.
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so cute!
xo
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Tricia S. says
My son has an HE top loader with a hand wash setting. As a knitter, I am incredibly jealous! Will you be able to take advantage of any rebates on the pair because of their Energy Star rating?
YoungHouseLove says
I wish! They used to do that years ago but it seems like there are none in our area these days.
xo
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Penni McNamara says
For what it’s worth…we just bought a new washing machine 2 weeks ago. Our other one lasted 7 years. The repair guy said that’s about standard now. 7-10 years. I told him he was crazy and that we had the same washer my entire life growing up. He said they don’t make them that way anymore. In the end we bought a middle-grade washer since we know we will likely be replacing it so soon. Kind of made me bummed out to think they don’t build anything to last long anymore. Best of luck with your purchase. And yes, things come in threes. In one month we had to replace our furnace (ouch!), a kitchen faucet and washing machine. :) I feel your pain.
YoungHouseLove says
That is sad! They need to make them like they used to! I wonder if it’s all the newfangled perks? Here’s hoping yours (and ours) beat the odds!
xo
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Wendy says
Thank you for the comment at the end of the post–today was a long day after the snow acoplyse. I needed to smile!
YoungHouseLove says
You guys just all look so good today, I couldn’t help myself ;)
xo
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Tina says
I just had my Maytag Bravos set delivered a couple of weeks ago and LOVE it so far. The washer is awesome (and I may or may not have watched an entire cycle through the glass top) and the dryer has to be the most efficient dryer I’ve ever owned (I’m talking a FULL load of towels dry in about 40 minutes!) Love, love, love them. I’m sure you’ll be happy with your decision!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so exciting to hear, you have no idea!
xo
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Torey says
I’m going to sound like a broken record here, but most home warranties cover appliances (no matter how old). We had our over 20 year furnace replaced by our home warranty company, and we have had repairs done to our over 20 year old fridge and our water heater (probably not as old). We have been told that the repairman will fix it if possible or the home warranty company will replace your unit with a comparable one. Pretty sure you can also upgrade if it is determined that the appliance needs to be replaced (they’ll pay for a portion for the comparable appliance and you can pay difference). We pay about $600 a year for our warranty but it is a great piece of mind in a house with 20+ year old appliances (our wall oven is actually original to the house and is 50 years old). I’d actually recommend a home warranty to people that even have new appliances since the newer ones are so poorly made and most don’t even last 10 years.
YoungHouseLove says
Love that tip, thanks Torey!
xo
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Olivia says
We went though 2 major renovations. The first time around we had whirlpool gold appliances (kitchen) they were fine, no problems. The second time we had whirlpool for ikea appliances with the 5 year warranty. We had to fight with whirlpool to replace our completely malfunctioned cooktop (repaired 4 times and only ONE burner functional… for weeks on end!) and the refrigerator replaced (not cooling properly, food spoiling, entire family with food poisoning!) We had to threaten them with a law suit to get them replaced. It was dreadful. Whirlpool eventually issued checks. I always warn people off their appliances. We were big whirlpool fans, but not anymore (food poisoning tend to make people bitter).
Also front loaders have to have the door left open all the time. Or you will have mildew problems. It’s a sealed drum. If you leave it closed there is no where for the evaporating water to go. We’ve had no problems with our LG front loader and dryer for 5 years. (I feel like I just cursed myself…)
YoungHouseLove says
Oh man! We heard from someone else that Whirlpool washers & dryers are more dependable than their kitchen appliances (I think they’ve made washers and dryers for decades but only recently started doing other appliances like kitchen stuff?) so maybe that was it? I didn’t even know Ikea sold them for the kitchen! So sorry they were so bad!
xo
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Lindsay C says
Thanks for sharing your hard work in researching these washers/dryers. This is the second time I find myself looking to buy a new washer and dryer at the same time as you…both times you were very helpful!
I was wondering what the appeal is for a steam cycle? I was leaning towards the LG top loader before your post but it lacks a steam cycle. Wondering what I’d be missing out on.
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
It’s actually steam in the dryer that we wanted to have (apparently you can steam out wrinkles in things like dress shirts, etc – instead of ironing). I can’t wait to try it out!
xo
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Graham Sullivan says
Hi Guys. Love love love your blog. I check in just about every day but have never had a reason to comment. I thought today would be a great day, well because I am from Newton, IA. I little unknown town unless you know Maytags history. Fred L Maytag was from Newton. Up until 2006 when Whirpool purchased Maytag they were made in my growing hometown. When they were bought out, all that changed. Our little one company town nearly went under. It’s taken us 7 years to say we will be fine. But for that reason I would never look at a Maytag again. My father in law was a Maytager as we call them here and yes we still have our Maytag washer and dryer. Even though they are old, really old. I will keep them until they kick the bucket. Why? because before Whirpool bought Maytag they were the best place to buy a washer and dryer. The Maytag family didn’t care about making money they cared about making the best washer and dryer and treating their employees with respect. I truly hope these machines work great for you. And my intention was not to make you think you had purchased a poor appliance. Just to shed some light on why your previous washer ran for so long. And why this one won’t ever be the same. It’s sad really because I believe Maytag was probably the only appliance company that built their appliances to last. Not to get more money when they were shot in two years. Pretty much everyone in Newton would probably say. I wouldn’t touch a maytag appliance with a ten foot poll….
YoungHouseLove says
Oh man, what a sad story Graham! Thanks for sharing, I truly never had heard that. The fact that our old washer ran so long was so comforting to us – we loved that thing for the eight months of service it gave us. We’re crossing our fingers that the new ones last for us, but it’s sad to hear they’re no longer based in Newton where there are clearly some amazing people!
xo
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Caryl says
Speed Queen was also good, based in Ripon, WI, but Maytag was the Cadillac of washers. Too bad my second Maytag wasn’t a true Maytag design, like my first. I’m still mourning my 1982 Maytag, replaced because I didn’t want to repair the first and didn’t realize the new ones weren’t the same!
Rita Crane says
I found this post to be so helpful, espcially since we are need of a washer and dryer now! Thanks for the post. You guys are the absolute best!
YoungHouseLove says
Glad to help Rita! Good luck!
xo
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Skittle says
Oh, how I wish I could convince my husband to let me buy a new set. Our old ones were a set he bought for $50 from someone in 1996 that were already old THEN! Now, I give him credit for keeping them running all this time, but I sooo want something NEW and with FEATURES. Not so, my husband. So somehow we wound up with a “free” newer set (that’s a story in itself), but when it came time to take out the old washer, we had a leak in the 45 year old pipe. In the efforts to fix it, picture water shooting out like a fire hydrant from my laundry room wall & flooding 3 rooms. Not cool. But alas, the motor that runs the timer part of the dryer doesn’t work. So it will dry clothes, it will just dry them forever. Oy. Think I was able to convince him to let me buy a new one? NO WAY DUDE! He has a part on the way to fix that. I’m now convinced I’ll never own a new set as long as he knows how to fix things. Sometimes, I wish that was a knowledge I could remove from his brain. And I don’t know about things coming in threes. In our case, it seems to be in 15’s this month. All during the washer/dryer debacle, we’ve had a tire shredded because of emergency brake issues, another car that stopped working literally the day after we bought it, I’ve ripped off 2 car door handles with my obviously massive strength, and one vehicle will sometimes only drive in reverse. I just keep waiting for the ceiling to fall on me in my sleep or something. And all I wanted was a new washer & dryer. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Oh man, I hope you get those someday Skittle- it’s going to be awesome when that moment comes!
xo
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nicole says
I just have a semi random question. Do all washers and dryers in America come as a set or can you still by them individually?In Australia they are mostly seperate and I only have a washer. I suppose this may be because the sun wants to kill everything here and things dry very quickly on the line haha
YoungHouseLove says
Here they seem to be sold individually for the most part, but most people buy a matching set when they’re upgrading (come to think of it, I don’t know anyone without a dryer, although some people line dry as well (we sun dried diapers in a windowsill sometimes – it was awesome and even bleached them back to pure white inside).
xo
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Julie says
My front loading washer needs mildew maintenance? I don’t know why I never thought of that… what else in my house needs upkeep I’m not even aware of… yikes. Thanks for the tip and I just ordered your book! :)
Emily B. says
We have a Maytag Bravos too! I’ve always had refurbished Maytags, but I wanted something new. Just so happened our local appliance store had a new one that was a scratch & dent, but still covered under the full warranty. Pretty much stole it! We moved into a new house back in September and it appeared that the original front loading washer was leaking. There was no way I wanted to deal with that in a 2nd floor laundry room. Asked the previous owner about it and he said, yeah it leaks, but you need to jiggle this and do that and … yeah. We sold the sucker on Craiglist to someone who had hopes of fixing it. Hope you love your Bravos too!
YoungHouseLove says
So glad to hear you love your Maytag. And yikes about that leak you found with the old washer!
xo
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Teresa says
We purchased a BOSCH front loader washer/dryer about 4 years ago and really love it but had I had known that mildew was going to be an issuer around the rubber seal I probably would have stayed with a top loader.
BTW…remember when our parents/grandparents would buy an appliance and it would last 30 years or better? Why cant they still make them like that! My grandmother died in 2001 and her 70’s avocado fridge was still running like the day it was made.
YoungHouseLove says
Isn’t that amazing?! They don’t make them like they used to!
xo
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Kimkay says
Congrats… I recently got our first front loader, takes some getting used to.
Definately thought about washing diapers (which I haven’t done in about 17 years) but still I thought it would be tricky getting them in the washer. Also, not so sure about the mold issue and hope I don’t encounter it. I leave the door open all the time but have been lazy about wiping the seal. Maybe I should look into the tablets and that preventative measure.
It’s kind of satisfying to get set up with new machines.
PS- used my clothesline today.
YoungHouseLove says
Sun dried diapers are the best! We loved doing that to get them all fresh and white inside again!
xo
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stef says
I feel your pain-we moved into a new house last year after redoing our old house from top to bottom over 8 years including more than one fridge and 3 washers(the second to last was a bravos and it worked great till one day it started making a rattling noise and then broke and we found out it was that bearing problem and it was going to be around 300 to fix so we bought a new Samsung front loader instead)The last fridge we bought 2 months before we moved-We bought a house that needed to be converted from 2 apartments back into a single family house and the first night the fridge on the level we were staying in went and the one in the other unit was small and disgusting so we had to buy a new one.Then I go to do laundry a few days later and the washer leaks all over the floor.Back to the store to but new washer and dryer.The oven was so gross that we decided to just buy that too instead of trying to clean it since we were going to redo the kitchen and replace anyway.So the first week we spent 4 grand we didn’t we would be spending right away!That was just the beginning of a very long year of renovations that still are not done which is why I follow your site to get inspiration.We are basically done with the main level and just getting to the painting in our new master bedroom and laundry room upstairs.
YoungHouseLove says
Woah, that’s a lot of updating, but it must feel so good! Congrats on being done with the main level!
xo
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Jasmin M says
Hey guys, im probably not the first but wanted you to know that i opened my new issue of BHG mag and i couldnt nominate you faster for the fave blogger award! Hope you win!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Jasmin, that’s so sweet of you!
xo
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Kirsten Oliphant says
Oh, man. We are having that kind of week!
Hot water heater? BUST.
Dryer? BUST.
The hot water heater is sort of working but apparently needs to be replaced, so we are waiting and doing the dryer first. We have a Sears outlet near us, and we are sort of in that situation of just getting what we can. But I love that we can get a name-brand for hundreds of dollars less because it has a scuff or something.
What is it with all of the things breaking? Ugh. Emergency fund indeed! Thanks for the reminder about the buzzer–our current one can’t be turned off either, so I am going to be SURE the next one can. Especially because we have a deal with the power company where power is free 10pm-6am, so we are always doing laundry after the kids are asleep. No buzzers!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh man, sorry about your week Kirsten! Good luck with your hunt!
xo
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JoAnne A. says
OMG, I have the same old washing machine. I knew it was old, but I didn’t think more than a decade! After last week’s mishap and in addition to your Chris Traeger GIF…
JoAnne A. says
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HnYkJe1mVmM/Tq4Dd3-ABcI/AAAAAAAAB1Q/xLsEcNnOYq4/s1600/tumblr_lt6mefUkr41qhtd0co1_500.gif
YoungHouseLove says
Bahahahahah!
xo
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