Ecosmart GWL11 Confusion
Written: Dec 30 '03
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Pros: Energy efficient and intelligent.
Cons: No control of rinse temperature, restricted control of other settings to maintain energy efficiency.
The Bottom Line: A great energy efficient machine that washes well and reduces drying time by 1/3rd. If you want control of every part of your wash/rinse cycle this is not for you.
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| jfalls1's Full Review: Fisher and Paykel GWL11 Top Load Washer |
This is an e-mail that was sent almost 3 weeks ago to Fisher & Paykel in New Zealand after getting a poor reply from the US department. I have still not gotten a replay.
I am interested in more information and have some concerns about the Ecosmart GWL11 washer I just purchased. One interest and concern is about water temperature. In the manual "The Ecosmart is designed for installations that have both hot and cold water. To ensure optimum performance even in very cold weather, the cold water temperature is controlled to 60ºF". Our water temperature during the winter comes in between 38 and 42 F. When I measure the wash cycle of the GWL11 it varies between 56 (cold wash) – 74 ( hot wash) depending on what temp the wash was started with. When I measure the rinse cycle it is always the temp of the tap water about 42 F. Is the machine I have not working correctly? As the manual says "The Ecosmart is designed for installations that have both hot and cold water. To ensure optimum performance even in very cold weather, the cold water temperature is controlled to 60ºF". So if the optimum temp for wash is 60F is that not true for the rinse as well? Or will the soap wash out just as well at 42F?
Another concern I have is that the times I have had to reach into the machine to adjust a large load I have noticed that my hand has been cut. This last time I discovered that the plastic edge that caps the drum is unfinished, has many burs and in general a sharp edge.
A different challenge I have run into is that with a 3 and a 5 year old we occasionally have diapers that leak at night and at times they are sick. We sleep in a king size bed. The bed mattress cover is large. So I wash it on delicate as the manual suggest for bulk things but not for the spin cycle but for the agitation. But washing it on delicate does not allow me to use hot water which I believe would clean the urine out better and disinfect better if they are sick. What I have resorted to is starting on regular with hot and shifting to delicate after the tub is full. Any other washer I would not have to spend my time with this I would just be able to set the washer on hot and delicate.
I have been fascinated by this washer and do appreciate its economy and intelligence, I just wish it gave a choose between economy and ever thing else – Like rinse temperature settings and more.
Can you all pass on the information about washing temperature and detergents you have used to design this machine. And was it you all the included "Tide" detergent with this machine and thus your recommendation of detergent?
Sincerely hopeful for a full conversational letter back rather than the blunt “look at your manual” return that I got from Fisher & Paykel American customer service department.
I do thoroughly enjoy this machine!
Hopeful,
P.S. Just got a return call form the distributor I purchased from. He stated that all the machines he has been able to check since I mentioned the hand cutting I was receiving from the plastic edge cap on the top of the drum, also had sharp burred edges. He suggested that I take a file and bevel that edge.
The review writing process for epinions.com dose not give the option of unknown on certain fields, one of which is DURABILITY. Being that I have only had this machine for about 2 months I do not know how durable it is. The agitator is built much lighter than any other top loader I have seen. This machine seems to uses resistance on the agitator to sense water depth and load weight. Since it is that smart, the agitator is probably built well enough for the forces applied to it, at least in the short run.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 599.00
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Epinions.com ID:
jfalls1
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Reviews written: 1
Trusted by: 0 members
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