My washer was delivered and set up in my utility room (with a concrete floor), and the first time I used it, it vibrated like crazy. Another crew came out (1 lost day of work), and they found that the first crew hadn't leveled the machine... at all!

After the second crew leveled it properly, the vibration was even worse; it sounded like the tub was hitting against the side of the machine. I called the store, they sent a repair guy out (2 lost days of work), and he found that one of the four shock absorbers underneath the tub wasn't locking in properly and was very loose (kind of like when the shocks on your car wear out). Since it was a warranty issue, he called Whirlpool Tech Support for authorization to replace the bad shock and was basically told that, as long as the machine wasn't walking around, it wasn't a problem. He said his hands were tied, since he couldn't do the warranty repair without the authorization.

Once he left, I immediately called Whirlpool, and after putting up with all of the guy's snotty attitude I could stand (like asking me more than once, "Well, what do you want ME to do about it?"), I demanded he arrange to send someone out to replace the shock. This was on a Tuesday; I told him I wouldn't be available the next day (Wednesday) and asked him to set it up for Thursday. He set it up for Wednesday anyway. After another phone call late Wednesday, I managed to reschedule for Thursday.

The guy came out on Thursday (3 missed days or work) and replaced the shock. He also found that a strip of foam rubber that's supposed to keep a plastic cover inside the machine from hitting against the side was positioned about an inch or so higher than it should have been, so he moved that too.

I haven't had any trouble with my Duet since then, and I've been very happy with it. It still vibrates more than my old top-load washer, but way less than it did when it was first delivered.

My Duet's performance has made up for all the aggravation, so I would heartily recommend it, but based on my experience and after reading the other reviews, I would recommend the following if you buy one:

1. Watch the installation carefully from start to finish, and make sure the machine is leveled properly before the delivery guys leave.

2. Because it vibrates more than a top-load washer, only install the Duet on a concrete floor or, at a minimum, on a first floor that's seriously reinforced from underneath; I wouldn't recommend installation on a second floor under ANY circumstances.

3. The Duet is a different animal from a standard top-load washer, so read the Use and Care Guide before using it; if you don't have a Use and Care Guide, it's available in .pdf format at Whirlpool's website.

And 4. Pray that your Duet doesn't require any warranty repairs, because dealing with Whirlpool Customer Service is a nightmare!

Recommended:
Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 1299