Biggest paper weight in history!
Written: Feb 12 '06
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Pros: small size,
uses little water and detergent,
washed the clothes well,
Looks nice enough.
Cons: Small capacity,
shakes,
doesn't dry,
can't open after it starts,
it breaks,
can't be repaired.
The Bottom Line: Don't buy this machine. It's expensive, unreliable and the company doesn't stand behind their product. Repair men do not like it and don't like working on it.
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| castelpi's Full Review: Equator EZ 3600 CEE Front Load All-in-One Washer /... |
What a nightmare! This has to be the single most useless appliance I have ever owned - and I have owned a lot. Like others who wrote about this machine, I was attracted to it by the promise of energy efficiency, low water consumption and, of course, the size. My husband and I recently downsized and moved to an apartment. We were not prepared to go to a laundromat at this point in our lives so the small size was a huge factor in choosing it. Too bad. I should have done my homework. If I had read the other reviews of this machine, I would have thought twice about buying it.
I can start with the Pros: it is small and fits into a small linen closet in the bathroom.
It is true that it uses little water and little detergent.
It seemed to wash the clothes well.
Looks nice enough.
The cons - and there are many...
The small capacity is just too small. It just wasn't possible for us to do the little laundry we had in one load. To get all the laundry done, it was necessary to divide it into about three loads. Bedsheets? forget it. I had to do the top, then the bottom, then the pillow cases. You get the point.
The shaking really is a problem. We were lucky that the machine fit so snuggly into the closet that it didn't rock across the floor as some have experienced but I fear that the cracks that appeared in my wall were a result of the force of the machine vibrating against the walls of the closet.
It simply does not dry the clothes. Period. If you want to
dry clothes with it, then you really need to dry one item at a time. Forget trying to dry sheets! They come out a wadded up mess.
The most annoying thing about this machine, for me, was that there was no way to override the door lock mechanism. If you turn the machine off mid-cycle or you want to add something to the wash- forget it. Even after the machine finishes its cycle, you still need to wait about a full 2 minutes to open the door. Very frustrating. Since it only uses about a cup of water to do the laundry, why you can't open the door is not clear to me. It isn't like the water is going to spill all over.
Finally, the biggest problem for us has been that it broke. About eight months into using it (it was out of warranty because we bought it during a renovation project and didn't begin to use it until about a year later so it was out of warranty when we began using it). We called Equator and were given the names of three appliance repair companies in the area. We called the nearest. They came, decided the problem was a faulty thermostat, ordered a new one and replaced it ($400). The machine worked again but only for a few months then it broke down again. We called the service men again and again they came. This time they diagnosed the problem as "maybe the motor or the computer". Requiring more confidence in a diagnosis than this, since it is going to cost me a bundle, I wrote to Equator to ask for their opinion. This was last June. Equator kindly (after some prodding on our part) offered to have "the service people *they* use to come to fix the machine. 7 visits later the machine still doesn't work and we still have no washer. They have replaced just about everything. We finally called the Equator rep and told her that we were not interested in having the repair man come anymore, he has told us he cannot fix it (he also said that this is not unusual for this machine). We asked the representative what we should do now. The machine is not repairable and ceased to work after 8 months of use. We were told that that was our problem and that Equator had done everything they could. Oh, she suggested we go to the store where we bought it to complain! THEY didn't make it.
So, we now own a $950 machine that cannot be repaired and the company that made it doesn't care.
In doing my research to write to the CEO of the company I discovered that the CEO is an South Asian, naturalized citizen. He headquartered his company in Houston, TX. It is true that the machine says it is "made in Italy" but I have been unable to find any address for an Equator factory there. It is a very elusive company and I have my doubts that this machine is made in Italy at all. Equator will not give me the address of the factory in Italy. Oh, and when I called the Houston headquarters to ask for the name of the CEO, I was told that they "were not allowed to give that information"! Since when? So, the whole thing is just too shady for my liking. Maytag and Whirlpool will tell you who the CEO is AND you know where they are located. All I can suggest to you is: RUN, don't walk, away from the idea of purchasing this headache.
We are so frustrated with this experience we are considering what legal avenue to pursue from here.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 950
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Epinions.com ID:
castelpi
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Reviews written: 2
Trusted by: 0 members
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