How I Chose The Kenmore 41142 Washer
Written: Nov 27 '01 (Updated Dec 20 '01)
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Pros: Excellent at extracting water during rinse cycle, energy efficient, normal tub size
Cons: More expensive than top-loaders
The Bottom Line: Highly rated by Consumer Reports, better price than other front-loaders ($575 with rebate), great energy efficiency, great tub-size, smaller footprint
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| ihamconsulting's Full Review: Kenmore 41142 Washer |
If it’s time to buy a washer, you have a load of questions on how to choose the washer that’s right for you. Fortunately, there are many resources available to help you through this process.
Here is a list of resources that helped me figure out which machine was best for me.
1. http://www.consumerreports.org
Puts together a comprehensive annual report on washing machines. Here are the specific issues with information on washers:
a. August 2000 – full-report on washers and dryers
b. January 2001 – update on washers (Kenmore Elite Calypso)
c. August 2001 – full-report on washers and dryers
d. November 2001 – mini-update on the Kenmore Elite HE3t washer
2. http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/appl
Online discussion group on appliances including washers. Lots of expert information on individual machines such as Maytag Neptune, Kenmore HE3t (hettie), Kenmore 4104/4114, Miele W1918, etc. You can learn a lot from this site.
3. http://www.activebuyersguide.com
Has an excellent Web site that recommends a list of washing machines based on your needs and preferences. Gives you a side-by-side comparison of the washers you select. Gives you lots of specific product details on each machine.
4. http://www.energystar.gov
Lists the energy efficiency factors for most washing machines sold in the USA. Tells you the Model Number, Tub Volume, KWH/hour, Modified Energy Factor, and Energy Factor. Only machines with an Energy Factor of 2.5 or greater are given the EnergyStar award. Many gas and electric companies base their rebates on this factor.
Here’s the list of factors that were important to me:
· Energy efficient washer (low water and electricity consumption)
· Excellent performance (cleans clothes well, rinses well)
· Good reliability history
· Cannot be a full-sized washer and dryer due to space constraints
· Good value – meaning not too expensive, but good efficiency, performance, and reliability
Here’s a list of interesting factors I learned during my research:
1. There are two main types of washers: top-loading machines (TL) and front-loading machines (FL). The majority of the people in the USA use TLs, but FLs rule in Europe. FLs are increasing in popularity in the USA, but most consumers are still buying TLs.
2. Some front-loading (FL) machines come with a built-in water heater. This helps maintain the hot water constant throughout the wash cycle. This feature renders bleach unnecessary. A water heater on a washing machine is essential in Europe because they don’t have a single water heater for the whole house. Instead, Europeans use small just-in-time electric water heaters in the kitchen sink and bathroom, so the washer must have its own water heater. This is a good feature, but only a few machines have their own water heater.
3. Spin speed on a washing machine is important because you want the most water to be extracted out of your clothes. This helps reduce the drying time and conserves energy. The Modified Energy Factor (MEF) takes into consideration the effectiveness of a washing machine in extracting water from your clothes in addition to the other energy factors. The higher the factor, the better the efficiency of the washing machine.
4. Compared to top loading machines (TPs), front loading machines (FLs) are typically more efficient in their consumption of water and electricity, are gentler on clothes because there is no agitator, and cost twice as much on average.
Choosing the right front-loader:
By now you can tell that I’m leaning towards a front-loading machine. It turns out that the space consideration is a big factor in my decision. I currently have a full-size washer and dryer and they take up too much room in my laundry area. It just happens that front-loading machines offer a greater selection of compact and medium size machines.
Even though these machines appear to be highly efficient and great performers, I had to remove them from my list due to their size:
1. Kenmore HE3t and the equivalent Whirlpool – too big
2. Maytag Neptune – dimensions too big
3. Bosch WFK2401 – tub too small
4. Kenmore Elite Calypso and the equivalent Whirlpool – dimensions too big
WASHER COMPARISON CHART
I selected five washing machines that met my needs (GE Profile WPXH214A, Frigidaire FWTR647GH, Asko W660, Miele W1918). I chose the Kenmore 41142 because it’s highly efficient, performs great, and it was on sale ($575 including a $75 rebate and free delivery). Consumer Reports also recommends the Kenmore 41042, which is similar to the Kenmore 41142.
The tub size is 2.7 cu ft, but I'm finding out that it fits the same amount of clothes as my previous full-size top-loader (about 3.2 cu ft). The machine is quiet and it's awesome at extracting water from clothes during the spin cycle (1050 RPM). This helped reduce the drying time.
I'm expecting to see some savings in my water, gas, and electric bills. The gas company already gave me a $75 rebate to start the savings. Too bad the water department and the electric company don't have similar rebates in my area :-)
December 20, 2001 -- Update
Here are some more specifics on this particular machine:
1. There is a switch to turn on/off the end-of-cycle buzzer. This comes in handy if the baby is asleep.
2. There is a dial to control the final spin: normal or fast. The fast spin gets the clothes pretty dry, thus reducing drying time. Fast spin is supposed to be 1050 RPMs according to a brochure, but this speed was not mentioned in my manual.
3. Tub capacity is good. I can fit a thin queen-size comforter or a thick twin-size comforter. However, you cannot get a thick queen-size comforter in there.
4. Wash performance is great. The clothes come out clean.
5. I'm using about 25% to 33% of normal detergent without any problems. You can switch to the low sudsing detergent, but this will cost you about twice as much as normal detergent.
6. Wash time is longer than before. It takes about 20 minutes more than my previous washer, but the drying time is down almost 30 minutes from before. My old washer was leaving too much water in the clothes, so they were taking over an hour to dry. Overall, it takes less time to wash and dry clothes than with my older washer.
7. Water level is automatically controlled by the machine depending on how much clothes you put in.
8. This machine has a heavy duty wash cycle, regular wash cycle, a light wash cycle, and a special delicate/hand-wash cycle. The hand-wash cycle comes in handy for those delicate items (spin speed is automatically reduced to 600 RPMs or something like that for the delicate setting).
9. There are several combinations for water temperature during the wash and rinse cycles. Even if you select cold, the washer automatically regulates the temperature to a minimum of 70 degrees, which is the ideal temperature for detergent to work right.
10. The machine is very quiet. My laundry area is inside the house, so you can wash while the baby takes a nap or use the 9-hour delay start to start washing early in the morning.
11. The controls are in the front of the machine, so you can use the top as a folding area or as a temporary holding place while you transfer your loads.
12. Finally, the washer is stackable, so you can put the dryer on top and save even more space if you have a small laundry area.
I'm very happy with this machine. No problems at all. The machine was delivered, installed, and in perfect working order so far.
I should also mention that another factor in my decision (besides price) for not selecting the European models (Asko and Miele) was the fact that there were no matching gas dryers. Most of the European models only have matching electric dryers. In California, we have an electricity crisis, so I go with gas appliances whenever possible.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 649
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ihamconsulting
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Reviews written: 2
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