Whirlpool Calypso GVW9959K Top Load Washer

Pros: When it worked, I thought it did a superior job of cleaning clothes.
Cons: Too expensive to buy and repair. The bugs are not worked out on this machine.

After 2 1/2 years, my Calypso began sucking things like socks and dye sheets through the pump. It actually sucked a set of sheets so completely that we couldn't pull them out. The items were getting pulled through the crack between the tub wall and the wash plate's outer rim. After 2 service calls from a non authorized appliance technician and $333, it was still doing the same thing. I talked to Whirlpool, who denied of ever hearing of such a problem (yeah, right) and arranged for an authorized tech to come out. He estimated repairs to be $500. Forget it. I am hoping to recover some of the $333 from the tech who was obviously not qualified to work on this machine. Other than that, I am screwed. Whirlpool isn't interested in my problem...so I bought a Maytag.

Pros: When it works, it can handle large items/loads
Cons: Money pit of washers, ruined clothes

Let me keep this short. All of the "one-star" reviews are real. Read them. Google Calypso washer and you see more complaint web sites than those for purchasing. And when it does break - and it will - Sears' service is abysmal. I must assume that they cannot make replacement parts fast enough with two week long response times. They even required me to pay in advance for the part they should have brought the first visit. I've kicked mine to the curb after less than two years of ownership and trouble - and I'll be money ahead once rid of this beast.

Pros: Can't say after this experience !
Cons: Black spots, Broken Motor Just seems I can't get a straight answer.

As I found this site do to problems with rinsing and LD errors - "long drain" or "lid open - as tech would explain".

Right know my Calypso gets stuck in a Rinse and Fill cycle and won't stop. It never really cleaned well and always saw the dark spots on sheets and stuff and never really figured it out. Me and my wife thought it was the kids or blamed each other. I guess it's because of the flaws mentioned. Bad motor and parts and not emptying tank after cycles.

Any way repair man was here twice and ordered what he said was the upgraded motor and drain assembly. Which he seemed to know the problem once I showed him this website.

So a I guess I would join in on the suit because I see some people are on there 3 motor assemblies !


Pass This Machine up !

Pros: Uses limited water
programable wash cycles
extracts water well on the spin cycle
Cons: Does not wash or rinse well
leaves bleached spots
items lodge under tub.
leaks
Unreliable

A Sears repair tech is coming in tomorrow to repair our Calypso again. This is the eighth service call since we purchased the machine in 2004. To be fair to Sears Service, they have responded reasonably well, despite the fact that some of the repair technicians were bewildered by the machine's technology. I downloaded a repair manual from the internet and keep it on hand to help these poor guys out. After numerous complaints to Customer Service, Sears originally offered to credit us $400 towards the purchase another machine from their store. That buyout would hardly cover the original $900 CDN purchase price plus the cost of the $160 first extended warranty. It probably seemed like a good deal to them.
I can't believe that Sears actually offered to extend our warranty again this year for an additional three years.

Pros: HAVEN'T FOUND ONE YET
Cons: DOESN'T CLEAN, RUINS CLOTHES, MOTOR/PUMP NEEDS REPLACED, NOISY.

I bought this piece of junk from American TV and Appliance for $800.00 on October 4th 2005. In just four short months I have had it repaired twice. Today the repair man came to let me know that it needs a new motor/pump. With the new part he still promised to see me again. His words were "this is the biggest piece of crap, there are whirlpool dealers in this town that won't sell this junk." I am so mad and disappointed that I listened to the salesperson telling me what a great machine this is. I have copied some of these reviews and I am now going to go to American and demand that they give me a refund... Wish me luck, I think I'll need it. Buyer beware. DO NOT BUY THIS PIECE OF CRAP, JUNK JUNK JUNK...............

Pros: None.
Cons: Doesn't clean. (See review)

I had long been annoyed by the lint problem with this machine. And don't even dream of forgetting a receipt in your pocket. It will be evenly distributed over the entire load and will require multiple washings to remove. Also grease spots are hard to remove and require special pre-treatment.

Next, was the vomit problem. Unless one scrapes clean every fleck of vomit off clothes and sheets it will remain on the clothes and in the washer UGGGHHH...

WORST OF ALL...one of my kids had a small poop accident. Nothing big but some of it stuck to the underpants. I washed the load and then another load. After pulling out the second load I discovered a crumb of poop. Then I discovered another crumb of poop in the dryer. THIS IS WAY TOO DISGUSTING FOR ME. I HATE CALYPSO!!! IF I COULD GIVE THIS MACHINE NEGATIVE STARS I WOULD.

Finally, it is hard to clean. It develops these big icky clots of hair and lint that need to be pulled out by hand.

Pros: -color-you get to practice your mechanic skills
Cons: -poor drain design-breaks easy

We thought we were getting a top of the line machine - the price certainly suggests it.  Within 6 months, we noticed clothes being torne a bit...over time, it got worse.  We are constantly battling "ld" errors where the bits of clothing clog the drain tubes - more money and time I want to admit battling "ld" errors.  Shame on whirlpool for releasing something like this - we do regular washing for a family of 3. If you like to throw away money and time, this is the machine for you!

Pros: Shiny and bright lights
Cons: Does not clean, bleach spotting, does not rinse, Does not have a good soak cycle.

Our Washer is a year old and I hate it . I don't know how you save water because you have to soak, soak, wash rinse and rinse. Then you might have to do it all again. I have to put the bleach in a pitcher of water and get the washer going and then pour it in. If I do it the other way, using the dispenser, it drips all over the next load. They tell you that you will use less soap, well certain types of soaps suds more and then because it does not rinse well, the drain clogs with soap and spills everywhere. So I use All and more of it because the washer does not get things clean. I always use the second rinse cycle. Could use another rinse cycle. You know the washer is a lemon, when you put white curtains in a hand-wash cycle and they come out more streaked with dust than when they went in. Simply moves the dust and dirt around, not out. Old fashioned, more water and a agitator washer is the way to go.

Pros: NONE
Cons: STAINS CLOTHES, DOESN'T GET CLOTHES WET OR CLEAN, WRINKLES CLOTHES IRONING DOESN'T TAKE OUT

Even on saturated soak, clothes come out with big dry spots!! How can they get clean if they don't even get wet!!??? Clothes are dirtier when they come out than when they went in...I have pulled clothes out that didn't have stains before I put them in and have stains when they come out!! DO NOT BUY THIS WASHER!!

Pros: Looks great, easy to use, functions well
Cons: Doesn't get the clothes clean, and sometimes they have a funky smell

We have owned this washer for a couple of years now. We get the "LD" signal sometimes (long drain), but when we move it away from the wall a little, the problem goes away. The drain hose apparently gets restricted very easily. The machine looks great and seems to function OK. The problem is that it just doesn't get your clothes very clean. And sometimes they come out with a funky smell to them. The hair and lent is also not removed very well. The machine saves water by recirculating the same water over the clothes repeatedly. If you wash clothes with dirty water, it is obvious to me that you will end up with dirty clothes. We regret buying the machine. A clothes washer that doesn't get your clothes clean isn't worth anything, much less the price we paid.

Pros: Large capacity
Cons: Poor performance; expensive repairs; short life.

When we bought the Calypso washer we were told it'd be ok to use our powdered laundry detergent but to reduce the amount. We just recently got two mailings from Whirlpool (with a copy of the owners manual and detergent coupons) stating that the machine would work satisfyingly only with HE detergent. This after getting a repairperson in and complaining about the poor cleaning ability of the machine. It works well if your clothes don't get dirty; works poorly if you're trying to get even the tiniest bit of grime out of your clothes. Granted, the HE detergent does work better--but not better enough.

Now we've got an annoying squeal sound coming out of the washer. I don't think we'll spend any more money on this unit and will donate it to the nearest landfill. On to a front loader and not one from Whirlpool. (Oddly enough, the technician confirmed that people were complaining about the poor cleaning ability of the machine AND he told us that it really doesn't use that much less water than a traditional machine--much to our dismay).

Pros: it was ok for 5 years
Cons: now it self destructs

i liked my machine for the first few years now it's ruining my tableclothes, clothes and towels! suddenly my laundry is coming out of the washer with brown streaks and they smell stale immediately after the wash cycle. i've never left damp clothes in the machine so there shouldn't be mildew or mold, it's very frustrating.

Pros: Looks nice
Cons: Bad, untested and flawed design.

This review relates to the Kenmore Elite washer with Calypso wash motion, essentially the same machine as the Whirlpool.
Ours lasted about 5 months before the first signs of trouble, the occasional FL, SD and OB error codes, halting part way through cycles, and worst of all, dumping bucket-loads of water all over the floor.
Our washer also occasionally leaves streaks on clothes. If the bleach dispenser is used, subsequent loads sometimes have bleached spots on dark colored clothes, presumably from residue in the bleach dispenser.
There are several class action lawsuits underway regarding this washer, avoid buying it!
See http://www.calypsoclassaction.com/forums.htm, http://www.alexanderlaw.com/calypso/ and http://www.sheller.com/Practice.asp?PracticeID=142
I will be calling Sears to get a refund or exchange it for another brand.

Pros: None
Cons: Smells, breaks down and very expensive

We now have joined the crowds with our broken Calypso. $600 to repair the computer board.

It smells like mildew and I have been wondering where all the strange stains on our clothes have been coming from, now I know.

Run far, far away from this expensive, worthless washer!

Pros: Good innovation and idea.
Cons: Waste of your $$$ (I will break down).

I purchased the Kenmore elite claypso on 10/2002 and this was the biggest mistake I made. I even did the research through CR and it was highly rated. The concept was actually innovting but the issues are listed below:
1. Started to see black grease marks in clothing in 2002.
2. Notice some load did not was , it was still dry after the load completed.
3. Started to see 2004 issues with clothes still soaking wet after the loads.
4. Present (3/28/05), the washer failed to wash, it would not drain all the water.

I went on the web and found there are a bunch of class action law suit all over the country and I am not in this alone. I will try to demand my $$$ ($900 plus tax) back from Sears and get a tradition washer that is reliable.