Appliances and why I despise them! (long sorry)

More specifically washers and dryers. What kind do you have and how do you like them?

Back when BF and I moved into the trailer we needed all new appliances minus the fridge because we already had one. So we got a cheapo electric stove (I hate it I wanted a propane or gas one but that was a no along with my concession to go for a flat top electric stove...) We also needed a washer and dryer and being the nice people we are we went to my moms best friends husband at Lowes. We had a little bit of cushion to get something decent but BF is a cheapskate...well not really but it was him and his brother against my proxy during the trip (I stayed home with the kitties so they werent home alone in the new house) We ended up getting a GE washer and dryer, just the basic kind under the impression they were going to last a really long time. Well after we found out that the dryer and stove were on the same breaker we replaced it and the wiring and then low and behold our dryer blew up. The repair people came replaced the dryer and the guy basically said just so you know dont expect these to last more than a year or two longer, we have had nothing but problems with these units. Awesome right??!??!? (major sarcasm) Go figure this now hits the 2 year mark since the dryer has been replaced....it blew up again. Because of electrical issues...AGAIN!

We recently had the electric from the garage taken off the farm and put onto the house. When they rewired the garage they found out that we had a bad box on the outside of the house, replaced. The wire prongy thingers were bad, they got replaced, and to top it off there was one thing sending power into the ground going nowhere just pushing power out AND our house because of the issues was not getting enough power to begin with so everything was pulling power harder than it should have been basically causing out bill to sky rocket (no wonder I was so confused by our bill being so high when we dont use that much stuff) Well now that it all got fixed the same thing happened to the dryer, it was used to running on less power and when it got what it was actually supposed to have it blew the motor up. Another awesome moment.....Of course I found out about the dryer being broken when I had to do laundry so for 4 days I ended up with crunchy clothes....I HATE crunchy clothes with a passion.

Our washer was already a piece of junk to begin with and was having issues draining and the brackets that actually suspend the basket were constantly breaking and always needed replaced. I hate appliances with a passion right now. We have a washer and dryer we are renting till Thursday and then our new set that we got will be delivered Friday.


We were going to get the front loaders (Samsung) that were on sale at Lowes but Im a little phobic about front loaders, the seals leaking and then the washer having all the water plus clothes potentially putting too much pressure on the door and then bam you get water and clothes everywhere. I couldnt bring myself to get those they just gave me the willies. Right now we are using Whirlpool Cabrios and I like them, they are quiet, energy effecient, and pretty. So we ended up buying a later model of the kind we are renting. I like the pull out door on the dryer rather than the swinging door because our house isnt exactly level so the swinging doors never stay open and Im constantly getting mad at it. The washer doesnt have one of those pole type agitators so its easier on my blankets that Im obsessive about washing...who wants to sleep on people smelling blankets..not me.


Basically does anyone else have appliance horror stories they want to share? And if anyone has a Whirlpool Cabrio set how do you like it (its the set without the glass top and has the pull out and down dryer door)?

We literally got our washer and dryer for $100 used off of Kijiji. They even delivered to us. The washer is a really old Kenmore and although it is noisy, it still works great and is going strong. It's been over a year since WE got them. The dryer is only a couple years old and works perfectly. Guess we lucked out.

Oh lucky you. Haha we seriously got so jipped. It kind of makes me mad that we got jipped my someone who I consider family. When we were browsing and getting info about the different brands and types we were looking for we told 2 different appliance workers about the ge set we had and they said about how they have had so many problems with them and the reason they were so cheap was because of all the returns the company had on them and the fact that they weren't selling very good. I feel so jipped in general. My mom still has the darn washer and dryer from the 80s and it works great. We did take extra precaution and got the extra 4 yr warrenty also just in case. We are also going to install a surge protector onto the actual breaker box to help protect the washer and dryer since they have an actual computer board in them. When the dryer blew up the first time I told bf we should have gone bankrupt and bought the million dollar sets in the first place which is why we got a better set now. The only difference between what we are renting and what we bought is no glass top (woo hoo no paw prints to clean off...gigi likes to watch the clothes wash) and the dryer door doesn't swing open which I wanted.



The only appliance I'm looking forward to replacing is my fridge. I really really want a double door fridge with the freezer pull out on the bottom. I like our fridge but it doesn't have a lot of space which really hinders grocery shopping because I have to consider space and we don't have a lot.

Our washer is at least 25 years old....a Maytag. Other than some hose issues from time to time, we've had no major problems *knocking on wood!* Our dryer is about 20 years old....a Whirlpool; we replaced it when our old dryer caught fire. I know we're due for new ones and when we do, we will get the front loaders, probably Samsung. Our DS and his wife bought them and they love them. They're really careful about the seal in the washer and, so far, they've had no problems. The washer is very efficient with water....and because the washer is so good, it takes a lot less time to dry clothes.

I love to hang clothes outside on a clothesline...crawling into a freshly laundered bed at night, the smell is just wonderful after the sheets have been drying outside all day! I can't carry heavy baskets of laundry anymore, though, since I blew the fourth disc in my lower back. But I miss that smell. A lot cheaper on the electricity, too. A lot of places these days, though, don't allow an outside clothesline, which is really stupid, IMO.

I'd like to replace our fridge. It's about 18 years old now...a Maytag, with the textured exterior. There's nothing really wrong with it, but I'm sure that there are more energy efficient fridges on the market now. I clean the seal annually and grease it with Vaseline to keep it tight. I'd like to have the four door fridge....the two top doors for the the fridge, a short drawer for juice and soda and the like, and then the freezer on the bottom. They're a little on the pricey side right now, though. I would not buy a GE refrigerator. Our last one was a GE and when we moved it out, the flooring beneath it had been burned a little. When they brought the new fridge in, one of the guys said, "Oh, you must have had a GE fridge! Your flooring is marked. That's standard with the motors on GE." Not too long after that, we did have the flooring replaced in the kitchen.

Our stove is about four years old. We had to replace it after I broke the glass in the oven door, but it was probably about 18 years old at the time, so it was no big deal....we got it used from my parents when they bought a new stove. Our new one is a GE Profile with a double oven, a bridge burner, and a dough proofer and I wouldn't give that up for anything on this earth. It also has convection, which is truly a time-saver on busy weeknights when I'm trying to get dinner on the table fast. And that double oven comes in very handy when I'm doing a lot of baking or when we have larger dinners. That is stainless.

Our dishwasher is probably about 5 years old; it's a Whirlpool. I don't know about that; one of the silverware containers broke and I haven't tried to see if I could get a new one. It cleans very well though. I love to cook, hate to do dishes (really hate to do dishes), so I can't live without a dishwasher. It's is stainless, too.

And that's probably way more info than you wanted!

I appreciate the info Winchester...Im still on the fence about a dishwasher, I HATE dishes with a passion, there are some moments where I deliberately ignore my sink because I want to pretend I dont have to wash dishes. We were thinking about getting a movable dishwasher...the kind that isnt actually installed, because if we do buy a house or build one we dont want to leave any appliances here....but if we bought a house or built one we would probably build into the budget all new appliances because we we take that plunge I want EXACTLY what I have pictured in my head...Plus we know that we have the option to sell our appliance to the land lord to stay with the trailer.

We really debated long and hard about the front loader Samsung set, both for $1158 (they were on sale) which seemed pretty awesome but we listened to the one guys speel about maintenance with the seals and stuff and then I did some in store googling specifically I wanted to read the bad reviews, the problems people had with them and after reading all that and listening to the sale guy...I was not sold on it.

I was adament though that we were getting an energy efficient washer and dryer...Which reminds me I need to call PP&L about the rebate thing I read about with appliances. I was also adament that because of me washing blankets and comforters, I refused to get a washer with one of those agitator poles. After washing my comforters with the set we rented, there was no way I could go back to having to stuff my blankets in the washer around that stupid pole, and wash twice in the delicate cycle (so water didnt slosh around) and then doing an extra spin cycle to get all the water out. I was amazed that I could wash my comforter on one cycle and it came out with no sopping wet spots on it.

This spring, Im going to be doing some major landscaping around the house, I have such great ideas for getting flowers put in...so I want a clothes line installed, we actually have a spot where one was but they took it down so we might just get the dooberwally thingermabobber that goes in the hole in the ground and wala I have a clothes line. LOL.......Now if I could find something where I didnt have to wash dishes all would be well in my little bubble of a world....



Out of curiosity...Anyone hear about Maytag going bankrupt or out of business????? I gotta google that now that my Lowes conversations are popping back into my head.

My mom got a Kenmore front-loader washer (and matching dryer, but it's fine), and the washer has been nothing but trouble. Sears has re-built it twice (she got the extended warranty, thankfully), I think if it needs a third re-build they'll replace it. I do like front-loaders but they seem to be high maintenance. I have the washer/dryer that came with the house, and they still run. The washer is making noises though, so I'll probably need a new one soon. Ugh.

I did have to replace my fridge. The one with the house was a Sub-Zero built-in from the 70s. It stopped working so I got a Kenmore bottom-freezer model. It only has one door on top (not a French door type) but I really like it. It cost a lot more than a regular fridge, though. My electric bill went down more than $20 a month as soon as the old fridge was gone!

Could have warned you that in the last 10 years or so that GE have went to complete garbage. It's probably where they're getting their parts. But their quality has seriously went down.

Now, my kitchen is all GE except the dishwasher. Put in by the previous owner in the 90s.

I'm not even sure what our washer and dryer are, they're an old set that was given to us. While they are older one advantage of that is that my FIL can fix them if anything goes wrong.

I got a GE front load washer and dryer. My friend bought kenmore. We both bought 2 years ago. We have both had to replace the seals in the front load washers. Mine was 2 days before warranty was up. It would have cost me $325 to replace the seal. My friend paided $ 280 for hers to be replaced. I don't know that I would ever buy another front load washer. You have to leave the doors open when not in use mould issues. you also have to clean out the door seal. I wipe mine with bleach. You need to run special cleaners to prevent mould build-up. You also have to be careful nothing is in the way of the door when closing the slightest thing tears the seal.

When I moved into this large mobile home it was filled with all GE appliances, the fridge, dishwasher, stove, microwave, washer and dryer. I haven't had any problems with them at all and if I did, all I have to do is call the office and they will send our maintenance guys to fix it or call the store where they bought it and send them.

I'm totally covered

Wow I'mn surprised to hear about all the potential problems with front loading washers! My BF is from England, and from what I've gathered, front loaders are the norm there and have been for quite some time.

That said, we have Maytag washer and dryer that came with the house. I don't know how old they are, but the realtor claimed the dryer was only a few months old. I guess. They're both HUGE, or at least big compared to our small stacked set in the apartment. They both work really well, but I have no idea how efficient they are really. I just love that I can do a good size load and it dries fast because there's room for the clothes to actually move and tumble around!

Now, we do have a problem with the washer, but figured out that it is a pipe problem, not the washer. I discovered a puddle coming from under the washer, then it didn't happen for a few loads, and then it leaked again. So then we finally just stared at the back of it during a cycle and saw that the drain pipe overflowed, I guess there's clothes fuzz blocking it or something? So... I don't know what to do about that. I tried putting the snake thingy down it today actually but I don't think i did it right cos it wasn't going past the U bend part. I don't know. BF will have to try it. I am just happy though that it's not the washer.

Fridge is Whirlpool, came with the house, side by side, I don't like the style too much, but like I said, it came with the house so hooray! It is very noiusy though, it has an ice maker hookup, but no ice maker installed, but it makes really loud banging noises like it's trying to make ice. And it spits out small ice chunks from the little hose bit and they land on our ice cube trays. I have no idea how or why.

Stove/oven is Magic Chef? It too came with the house. It's a flat cooktop, I don't like it, and I can't believe I haven't touched it or put anything on it while it's still hot yet. Yet. I do make a point to not use it as counterspace though, I don't want to get in the habit of that and then forget one day and burn the house down. The oven works well, heats up fast, but I don't know how to use the timer on it yet. I try every once in a while, but I just can't get it to work right, so I use the microwave timer. Someday down the road we'd like to switch to a gas stove. We have gas in the house so it shouldn't be a big deal, but it is low on the ever-growing list of house things to do.

The dishwasher is an old Kitchen Aid. We don't use it. We first thought it didn't work cos the home inspector said it didn't work, but then someone tried it after we moved in and it seemed to turn on. So... maybe it does work. However, I don't like dishwashers and I really don't mind doing dishes. I find it relaxing somehow. So these-- -- are my dishwashers.

I've had the GE Harmony washer and dryer for about six years with no issues -- I wanted a top loading machine without an agitator since I wanted to wash my comforter, etc, and did not want a front loader. I love my set. That said, when I got my condo I had an electrician inspect the wiring...electrical systems not up to code can, I've learned, fry anything.

Got an Amana bottom freezer fridge about five years ago (yes, replacing a lot of appliances). They didn't have the French door fridges at the mid-price point back then.

The stove is original - a Kenmore - old but plugging along. Dishwasher is Kenmore (prior owner worked for Sears) - seems to be working just fine.

I believe the GE profile series is rated highly, but you never know when you might get a lemon. Good luck with your shopping.

We've had a GE washer and dryer for about a year and so far, so good. I love how quiet they are. We have a Jenn-Aire range and I'm not crazy about having a downdraft fan system. It's good in theory but not practical as I am always spilling food in the vent. What a mess to clean up! It's a good brand; I just wish I had a solid surface cooktop. And a range with a hood, like everyone else's.

I don't like microwaves and only just bought one about two years ago, after 20+ years in this house. DH uses it to make popcorn and I use it to melt chocolate. (I melt minature candy bars and make chocolate dipped strawberries.) I have to admit, it is kind of handy, and a lot faster than a double boiler. But let the record show, I still hate microwaves!

We bought ours just about this time last year. Got a pair of front loading Samsung at a super sale - the pair for $898. We absolutely love them. We were told after we bought that the washer collects water around the seal, and if you ignore it mold may develop. We just make sure to wipe down the door seal after washing, and we leave the door ajar for an hour or so. We've had no problems whatsoever. And the benefit is that it uses much less water (our water is metered) and must less detergent (we use Tide HE liquid), so it is really a money saver too. And the clothes have never been cleaner.

At the same time, we also bought a Samsung french door refrigerator that was on sale at nearly half price. I absolutely love it too!

If you are looking for appliance bargains, this is the time. Now through Black Friday is the best time of the year to shop for appliances.

Originally Posted by Dusty's Mom

At the same time, we also bought a Samsung french door refrigerator that was on sale at nearly half price. I absolutely love it too!

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I am green with jealousy over your French door fridge! That has been on my "Oh, please!" list now for a few years. And yes, Samsung.

Funny thing about appliances. They last forever for some people, and no time at all for others.

Too bad you weren't around over the last year. We bought a new LG front-loading washer and matching dryer a year ago and gave away our Kenmore washer and dryer. They were nothing special, but they were 10 years old and had had no problems with either. Well, that's not true; I had to repair the timer on the washer (did it with epoxy) and the knob on the dryer.

The washer and dryer (also Kenmore) that we have in our house up in Arkansas are now 30 years old. I had trouble with the washer early on breaking a wire underneath. I replaced the wire with a heavier one, and it's still working.

One important thing for dryers is to be sure the vent is very short, or very clean. Our new dryer has never dried as well as I'd like. I've cleaned the vent repeatedly, but it's almost 20 feet long, and that's just too much. The dryer in Arkansas has a vent hose less than 18 inches long, and it works great. I have just disconnected our dryer here and ran a short hose up to the top of the dryer and put a knee-hi stocking (nylon) over the end for a secondary filter and let it blow warm air into the house. Now it dries great.

We also bought a new refrigerator (you can find the thread about it somewhere here) and we really like it. We also gave the old one (which worked fine, but was kind of small) away to a young couple who had just moved to the area with not much to their names.