I love my Calypso!
Written: Oct 01 '02 (Updated Jan 05 '05)
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Pros: Wow! Super capacity, super cleaning, uses less water
Cons: Condensation on inside of lid
The Bottom Line: Awesome machine. Conserves energy, reduces water usage, gentle on your clothes.
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| Sewsalot's Full Review: Whirlpool Calypso GVW9959K Top Load Washer |
Last year, I bought a brand-new Whirlpool and loved it. When we moved this summer, I had to leave it behind. I went into Lowe's in our new town, intending to replace it with the same model. However, the Calypso caught my eye! I am a gadget junkie, and this is a sleek machine. The touch panel gives it an elite look. That's all fine and dandy, but how does it clean, you ask?
Like a dream. I can shove as much stuff in there as I want and it still comes out clean. As another reviewer mentioned, occasionally I do experience some detergent residue on dark clothing, but I have found that to be because I put too much detergent in. When I use the right amount of detergent, I don't have that problem. That's a great money-saver: you can use less than half the detergent that you would use in a regular machine, and wash more clothes with it!
My favorite function of the machine is the automatic water level. Unlike other machines, you do not have to guess whether you have a small, medium, or large load - the machine figures it out for itself and adds just the right amount of water. With two small children and one athletic husband, I do a lot of laundry, and this machine has helped me to save money on my water bill by reducing the amount of water needed to wash our clothing.
The bucket can hold way more items of clothing than any other washer I've had in the past. I think it's about double the load of a regular washer. My previous Whirlpool had a super-capacity bucket, and I can fit twice as much in my Calypso. I can even wash my bulkiest king-size comforter!
One of the other features that I use often is extended spin. This is great for bulky items that need a little extra spin to get more water out. It also helps to reduce drying time on regular items by removing extra water.
As advertised, it truly is gentle on your most delicate items. With no agitator bar in the center to cause damage, my delicates come out looking beautiful. I can wash my thinnest linen blouse or silk items in my Calypso with no worries.
If you can afford it, I say go for it. You won't be disappointed. My dad, the money-saver of the family, took one look at the machine and said he wanted one. Despite the high sticker price, he recognized immediately the savings he could experience by using this energy-conserving machine.
The only annoying thing I've experienced is that water condenses on the inside of the lid, so that when you open the lid, the water drips down on the clothes that just spun out. Not a big deal, just a little annoyance. I can live with it considering all the great benefits I get by using the Calypso.
I also have the Calypso dryer - look for my review on that as well.
UPDATE: January 5, 2005
I have now had my Calypso for over 2 years. Last month, it quit working. Fortunately, I had purchased an extended warranty plan when the 1-year warranty ran out, and was able to call and get a repair person to come the next day. One of the motherboards had shorted out inside the touch panel. The repair person told me that I was lucky to have that extended warranty, because I would have had to pay almost $400 for that repair including labor. So the moral of the story is the more expensive the machine, the more expensive the parts/repair.
I also realized I was using the wrong type of detergent in my Calypso, which was causing the detergent residue. I switched to high-efficiency detergent as recommended in the manual, and everything is fine now. (I use Seventh Generation lavender scented HE detergent - I love the scent of lavender, but hate scented clothing, and this works great because the lavender scent makes my house smell good, but it doesn't stay in the clothing. I have to special-order it from my local cooperative health foods store, but you can buy it online as well.)
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 900
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Epinions.com ID:
Sewsalot
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Location: Florida Panhandle
Reviews written: 10
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me:
I'm a gadget junkie and an excellent researcher!
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