OFF TOPIC - stand mixers

Sheena,

In July I replaced my washer and dryer with two new machines ( I must add, the various discounts I got helped). The old traditional ones weren't dead yet, but I could see Florida rust coming through. Anyway, I bought the Whirlpool Caprio washer and dryer combo. It uses very little water..sounds like a spaceship taking off, but I love it to death. I find it hard to believe there is an elf in there weighing the clothes, determining what it needs etc...........but in 5 months, I have yet to be disappointed.

Gill

I forgot the trusted kettle - can't remember when I bought it but it was one of the early ones to simply have the circulare base with a thingie in the middle, the kettle before that had to be aligned corrected and inserted into a section. I couldn't count how often that is used per day.

You must be talking front loaders - I never understood the top loaders here - was just arguing at the condo meeting recently that we should replace the washers with front loaders. Ironically Halifax/Dartmouth water bills are to take a large jump next year - because - get this - we have been so good about conserving we are not using enough !!!!!

One of the reasons I'm inclined to side with the Occupiers - big business stinks and thinks it's there only to rip us off - one way or the other !

No..it is a top loader, but with the same technology as the front loader. No big spindle thingy in the middle. I looked at front loaders, but decided I didn't need to spend a couple of hundred bucks each for the stands they sit on. If there was no stand, then it is quite a bend down to put the clothes in it.

Looking ahead another 10 year when I will be mid-80s, I decided the very modern top-loader was the way to go.

Gill

Gill,

Good to hear. I think those Whirlpool models are the ones which are the update of the IIRC Senseo first high efficiency ones we got at the old house. No big agitator - had a short, fat hub - but worked fabulously. I could so tell the difference that the clothes were cleaner, and there was less lint. Of course the dryer in that house was about 25 years old & took forever, the washer likely only 20, maybe less - but it was leaking lub stuff, noisy, etc and the repair guy said it wouldn't be worth fixing it. For us - great decision.

There are sensors around the basket which essentially weigh whats in there, and I believe also some for noting the load level so that the machine can adjust the water. We were very happy with ours. Now we have the front loader set, and it doesn't do as well adjusting the water level - unless you use the quick wash which is designed for a partial load. But, on the whole the front loader uses less water than traditional top loaders. When they were installed and a tech came for some check-up - he told me to fill the heck out of it - the machine works best that way.

Either way - certainly at the old house, the machines did work better, faster and used less energy.

Ellice

We have the same kind of "modern" top-loader- no spindle in the middle - and are loving it. Very quiet, almost no lint, and a clock that tells you when to come back and switch loads! However, when we bought it, we realized there are very few top-loaders left, and almost no dryers with fold-down doors. All the front-load washers are hinged on the left, and the dryers are hinged on the right....which is exactly backwards from our laundry-area setup. (We work right to left, washer on right, dryer on left). So the next thing to break is going to be a pain to replace, if even fewer models are available then.

(Or can you change the hinges, like you can on a refrigerator?)

sue

I don't know those. My younger daughter bought a front loader and dryer and her boyfriend built platforms to place them on, far more cheaply than they are sold.

I just know I love the way the front loaders wash in the UK, gentle on the clothes, very effecient water-wise.

A couple years ago DM got one of the new Cabrio Whirlpool toploaders, It's fine but we have noticed the towels get worn out a lot faster. We end up washing almost everything but towels and sheets and jeans on the delicate cycle. Another drawback, DM used to use Ivory Snow for her clothes because of her sensitive skin but it doesn't come in HE. I've read one can use a smaller amount but haven't tried. Instead I do an extra rinse for anything that includes her clothes or sheets. Don't want to gum up the works. Also since the dryer is ancient, I can do a big load and end up splitting the load for the dryer. Especially now that the cold water is freeeeezing.

Nancy

ote:

Friend has a 40 year old fridge. Coldspot by Sears. I STILL have a

You can change the hinges. We have this Maytag drying center - which they no longer make. It's essentially a front loading "normal" type dryer on the bottom - but quite large to accommodate the front loader washer. On top it has an armoire cabinet with 5 removable racks (mesh inside a hard frame), over which is a hanging bar, and to the right space for a couple of long hanging things even when the rack(s) are in, plus a couple hooks on each door. There's a compartment to the R side of the lower tumbler dryer door - which holds an inverted bottle of water, and a holder which takes a fabric softener sheet. So, you can hang things and it will steam into the upper, plus the bar swings - so that does a wrinkle referesh/remove & the softener sheet can be used to circulate steam thru & help with odor removal & scenting. The racks are awesome for sweaters or drying anything that should lay flat. Evidently when Maytag/Whirlpool/Kitchenaid merged they decided to stop making this unit. But, it's been awesome for us. The dryer is a bit lower than the front loading washer, but the whole thing is huge & has been really well used - and fortunately works well.

Ellice

I can't say with respect to how they are on the towels. But, if they're under warranty - I'd ask for a service call, as this doesn't really sound right. The models we had were pretty good on the clothes, and I had not problem with the clothes getting damaged. Much less wear & lint than the prior traditional agitator set. Not doubting you.

Definitely don't try the lesser amount of soap. The HE stuff is a different kind of concentration & the surfactant/sudsing is less. Believe me, I've seen what I thought was going to be a comic suds overflow when I was out of HE detergent ages ago. Also, it may not rinse well.

We've been using the Method Free stuff that comes in a pump bottle. It works very well, and is quite gentle - get it on sale at Target or Loews, or just at Wegmans. I've also found a refill pack for the pump bottle. IIRC the smallish bottle - 25 loads is around $6-$7, the 50 load is $11 or so - depending. I've also used the Costco house brand environmentally friendly HE no anything added - it's pretty good. For a while I was using the All Free super concentrated little bottle. Tried 7th generation - not as good on the cleaning. Also the ECOS citrus stuff - similar to 7th Gen, not great.

Ellice