Whirlpool Top Loading Washing Machine Washes Better than my Front Loader
Written: Nov 18 '06
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Pros: Washes well; super capacity; good cycle selection; two-tone control panel
Cons: No warm water rinse
The Bottom Line: I would highly recommend this product.
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| mountainhigh's Full Review: Whirlpool LSW9750P Front Load Washer |
Last month my Frigidaire front loader that was only 6 years old dropped its drum and died without notice. It had not been abused or overloaded but always treated with tender loving care yet it still refused to wash another load of clothes.
Looking up pricing to repair it was going to cost at least what I could get a new one for since it not only needed new bracing but new bearings since the drum had dropped. So, I started to research to find another one. Front loading machines had gone up in price since I bought mine plus all of them came with a stand at an optional price of at least $180 dollars. When I bought mine there were only my style of a 2.9 cubic foot one and Maytag’s Neptune.
So, I started looking at top loading machines since the recent attitude of washing machines appeared to be going along the lines of throw aways like so many items. I decided I was not going to spend a lot of money on something that had no intention of giving me my money’s worth. The front loader cost me $100 a year and the matching dryer had been repaired multiple times but at least that was under warranty. Now, they were both not covered and I decided to get rid of the dryer also.
After seeing a front loading machine was going to set me back over $1000, I definitely stopped looking at them citing not only the cost, but I was tired of bending over to load and unload and tired of sitting on the floor to load. I was also tired of my clothes getting twisted all up and tearing. I was told before I bought the front loader that my clothes would last longer since there was no agitator. Well I beg to differ but the clothes actually lasted less time. I was also tired of being stuck with buying only HE detergent that became harder to find and my favorite store was down to one brand only instead of 3.
I decided some features that were a must for my new top loader which were basically: super capacity so I could wash larger blankets; wash water levels; and I was hoping to find warm rinse but only one manufacturer makes that one anymore and no one had that in stock. I was also restricted with a height problem with the lid opened since I have cabinets above the washer and dryer area.
What I Bought
I had left a Whirlpool washer and dryer at my previous home that I had for over 13 years with not a single problem and I read mostly positive experiences from other consumers on the Whirlpool lineup. The machine I bought is model number LSW9750. Although Epinions has the correct picture above and the model number is correct, this is not a front-loading machine as titled in the Epinions title above. This is a top-loading machine.
This is classified as your Ultimate Care 11 which means a flexibility of washing fabric cycles. As pictured, the two-tone rough silver material across the face gives the machine a classier two-tone appeal rather than a plain white machine.
All of the choices of cycles and controls are on dials.
The cycles on this machine are: Normal, Super Wash, Casual/Permanent Press, Delicates, Extra Delicate, Hand Washables, and Extra Rinse.
It does offer a non-adjustable end of cycle signal control that you can turn off or on.
You can adjust the load size of the water level from Low to Super Size.
This machine has the Accuwash Control system. This means it regulates the water temperature for your wash water. For instance, if you choose hot water, it will alter back and forth between warm and hot. If you chose warm water, it will alter between cold and warm. All rinses are cold.
The fabric softener dispenser is located on top of the agitator and removes for easy cleaning. The bleach dispenser is a non-spill proof located on the right side of the machine.
The dimensions are: 36 inches in height, 25.5 inches in depth, and 27 inches in width and the drum capacity is 3.2 cubic feet.
This one did clear my cabinet with 2 inches to spare with a height of 52 inches with the lid raised.
Using It
The first thing I noticed upon usage was I could actually load more in it than my front loader and I could place the laundry basket on top of the dryer which meant no more bending over or sitting on the floor.
I first selected my cycle, put the detergent in and let it start filling, which it will if you don’t touch the lid too hard against the control panel. I did notice it took quite awhile to fill each time to wash and rinse in comparison to my front loader, however, any savings that I ever saved with the lack of water in my front loader were lost due to the smaller dryer that matched the front loader that always left my clothes damp and wrinkled. So it appears to be a trade-off. To me a dryer pulls more electricity than a washer so savings on a dryer far outweighs that of a washer so that would make this set win for energy efficiency at my house.
After the wash was completed, I noticed that my clothes were not tangled and that really pleased me.
I tried using the extra rinse and kept checking in on it expecting to see a lot of extra detergent but it was clear so I really don’t need to use that on most loads. I remember how the sales people would sale you on the idea of a front loader that you could wash your first load without detergent because your clothes were loaded with it from washing from a top loader. That may have been true with the older top loading washing machines, but it is not true with this one.
I am extremely pleased so far with my new washer and my back appreciates it also. I do not miss my front loader like I thought I would. It was a good experience but I don’t need that large expense in my life anymore.
This one has a one year warranty and I did buy the extended warranty through the store since it was a reasonable price.
If you are looking for a simple good washing machine, you should give this one your attention.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 400
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Epinions.com ID:
mountainhigh
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Location: Beautiful Pacific Northwest
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