MarilynneS,
Tell all.....I am in the timeframe yet to purchase the extended warranty on the washer/dryer purchased from Sears. I never purchase the extended warranties but this time I decided to put serious thought to it. Not as great of an offer/warranty as they say?

Thanks for all information.

I have learned a lot from this thread. Just purchased a top load washer without agitator. It is HE which takes less detergent and water. I knew I am to use HE detergent but who knew there is HE softener.

Okay, I have to tell.....immediately after the folks installed the appliances I washed a load of clothes. With the prior washer I could, and like, to partially fill before I put clothes in it. It also was a manual turn, nothing computerized. So, I do the same thing with this new washer. Push the power button. No water. Push the start button. No water. Close lid. Aaahhh, water. I walk away to let it fill. Drats, the lid locked. No clothes in it. I pushed buttons to no avail. I cannot find the book and not sure if one was left. First load washed...no clothes. Geez, didn't think I would ever need a Course 101 on use of washer.
Located the book in the box they brought that had a hose in it. All is well.

These new ones are not simple. We curse ours out all the time. My dad won't even do laundry because he can't figure it out.

Here is a lady that is a service dog trainer, Donna Hill. She uses her own two dogs at home to make videos for people like me that train their own dogs. You can see how dogs can get the objects out of the dryer here, as well as a couple of fun bloopers at the end. Her dogs are about 40-45 pounds. A taller dog would have an easier time, especially with smaller things that were in the back.

http://youtu.be/BgS82Mm6U1Y

Very cute videos! Thanks for posting, Juli!

I stayed with my sis last Dec and although I am just a bit taller than her, I am no match to the depth of their washer, and neither is she, so she has a reaching tool hanging by the wall which we used to grab the smaller items at the bottom of the washing machine. I forgot what model she has, it is a top loader with no agitator in the middle, and it is also in their basement. My mother when she was still alive lived with her and is never allowed to go to the basement as she got older, to avoid fall injuries.

At home I use also a top loader but it has an agitator in the middle. But our machines are upstairs so it is a good convenience for me.

OK .. the 'dirty' on Sears and the EXTENDED WARRANTY ..
SO .. I buy the washer dryer, stackable as we live in a one level home .. the 'deal' with the ext warranty was .. IF I have had NO service calls in 3 Years, I call on the date the ex warranty is UP, and, the amount I paid out will be credited to the next purchase of an EX Warranty .. sounds good to me ..
Jan. 16/16, I called .. oh they were so happy I have had no problems .. so .. I mention that I was TOLD that what I had paid out for the EX Warranty in 2013 will be placed against what I choose as a warranty now .. as in .. 1 yr, 2 yr etc ...
Well .. no no no Mrs. Stephenson .. you MISUNDERSTOOD .. I am now getting TWITCHY and, breathing heavy
You will get IN STORE COUPONS ! $150. for the washer/ $150. for the dryer ..
GAG ME !!!!!!!!!!!!
So, I need/ want an explanation .. I have been lied to, I want a supervisor, HELL, I want the PRESIDENT of the company !!!
After endless baffle gab, they BROKE me
SO .. I now have $300. in cooupns that have to be used on something worth at least $600.00, and, used ALL AT ONCE!!

ALWAYS ask the sales person to read you the FINE PRINT

~M~

I have had 2 different sets of front loaders and I LOVE them. My first set, when I divorced and moved to an apartment with no washer/dryer hook ups, I gave to my parents. When I remarried and moved I bought a set of front loaders again. Loved them! When my Mom died and Dad moved in with my sister, I gave my 2nd set to friends and i got my first set back!

I have never had a problem with leaking. WAY BACK years and years ago, the old front washers did have trouble. If you have trouble check that you do not have a string or other object on the seal. Front loaders are more gentle on your clothes, take less water and soap, because they spin your clothes drier, the clothes dry faster.

I had a contractor convert a small main floor bedroom to laundry room. Because I was adding plumbing etc, I had the floor built higher across the whole back wall, it served as a platform.

There used to be a tax credit for replacing your old top loading washer with front loader, I do not know if that is still true. We noticed a drop in our electrical bill when we replaced the top loader set with front loader.

Best of luck! You've had LOTS of opinions and info to consider!

psychw2

Hey Psy .. good to see ya

~M~

I'd always had top loading machines until six years ago when our last ones went kaput and we needed to replace them. We went with Samsung front load washer and dryer with pedestals and I absolutely love them! We got a really super deal on the pair late in the year when new models were coming out and my husband convinced them to throw in the pedestals at very little extra charge. I'm 5' 4 1/2 inches tall and these are the perfect height for me with the pedestals and require no bending. They are large capacity machines which I am thrilled about because it allows me to launder king size bedspreads, blankets and comforters with ease and all three of our bedrooms have king size beds and I truly love the fact that they don't have the agitator mechanism that used to sometimes tear up delicate fabrics! They do make smaller capacity front load machines though for those who don't want the large ones. My husband did a lot of research before we made our purchase, reading pro's and con's of many different brands. He's the technical and mechanical one in the family and wanted to be sure we got something that didn't have a lot of issues ... and six years later, these machines are still going strong without any problems whatsoever! I'm not sure what models they are but the washer has the VRT (Vibration reduction technology) which is wonderful; it adjusts to load size and does not wobble and get off-balance with heavy loads like every other washer I've had in the past! Last year we purchased our retirement home where we will be moving in May and there's a real nice Maytag set (front loader washer and dryer on pedestals) in the laundry room at that house but we are switching them out before we move in. We'll bring that set here for when we put this house up for sale and take my Samsung's down to our new house. Our best friends just replaced their washer and dryer in December and they went with the Samsung top loader washer. She got a great deal at Lowes on scratch and dent machines but you can't see any dents or scratches anywhere. She said there was a small scratch on the washer but it's on the back by the wall so it doesn't matter.

My oldest sister and her husband moved about a year ago and they got the LG brand front load washer and dryer and she loves them. My youngest sister has (I think Maytag) front load washer and dryer with the steam option and she loves hers.

I've never had odor problems with my washer but I leave the door open until the interior has dried because I read something a long time ago about that they seal so solidly if you don't let them dry out they will begin to smell. I read something about cleaning the front door gasket thingy out and did it once but I'm lazy and never bothered again ... so far, I haven't had any issues with odors.

I am going to have to fire up my regular computer where being online and looking things up is a bit easier than this little tablet, then look up some of the issues everyone brought up.

I will also look at vibration reduction technology. It's going to be in a room between my bedroom and living room, and it is a small house. That might be worth spending more on.

I am not fond of having a nasty smell problem... Will go back and carefully note the issues everyone had or did not have with this!!!!

I am still waiting on to hear back from the contractors. Both are really busy, which is good. And they both know I am not in a huge hurry. I will most likely have the guy that did the work changing my garage into my Mom's rooms do the job. I have known him since he was born. His family were my next door neighbors growing up. And, he had great suggestions on some other things.

Do any of you have well water? I do. I have a softener, but still have a layer of white mineral/lime/calcium on top of ice cubes. That is after going thru softener and a Brita Filter. I hope that won't cause any issues with the new style washers.

Do you have a used appliance place nearby? One that does repairs? If so go in and talk to the people there. They work on them all the time and can tell you what to look for.

That's a good idea, and one I never would have thought of.

I have well water. I have scale, lime whatever you want to call it..... it's endemic to FL, no matter where you live in the state or if you have city water or well water. I don't see any stuff on the top of ice cubes but we do the crushed ice through the door. No problems with my washer with the water & I do NOT have a water softener. Don't look at my shower tiles though! They need a good scrubbing with full strength vinegar.
My washer has anti vibration properties. Are you on a slab? I am. I actually leave the door to the laundry room open when doing laundry simply because for my whole life washing machines have made noise & it's so weird to me still, 3 years later, to not be able to hear the washing machine! Even with the door open, I rarely hear a peep out of it but I can pass by & see the lights on it & know it's working. Isn't that silly???