Help! Need washing machine recommendations ASAP! Loved my Fisher & Paykel

Long story short (I hope):
17 yr. old Fisher & Paykel washer died mid-cycle (full of water) yesterday.
Determined it is probably control board which F&P does not have for this old model.

Shopping:
Prefer top loader HE (high efficiency) model. Looking for a reliable brand/model.
Wanted to stick with F&P, but not sure after reading some negative reviews of newer machines (now manufactured in Thailand instead of New Zealand).
Checked Consumer Reports and not sure I trust their recommendations (one of the LG recommended models has many reviews referring to it as junk.)
Checked Best Buy & Amazon for customer reviews.
So many mixed reviews and many repair nightmares on some of the models/brands I looked into.

Has anyone purchased a machine in the last year or so that they would recommend?

 

I have had the LG Front Load HE washer/dryer for 5 years. I'm very happy with it. You do have to ensure you dry out he rubber seal or you get a musty smell in the washer. I run a tub clean about once a month and dry the seal when laundry complete.

 

I bought a LG front loading steam washer and dryer set in Jan. so far works great and is quiet. I got it from best buy and also got their 3 year protection plan. So far no issues.

 

We had the 1st generation MAytag front loader (at the same time, my mom got the F&P front loader) Ours was a lemon (literally - there was a class action suit) We couldn't deal and just got rid of it after a year. Replaced with a Whirlpool front loader and it works great - never have any musty smell from the gasket or anything and we've had it around 6 years now, I think.

If I were going to buy today, I'd look at that new Samsung that has a sink feature, even though I love my front loader. Main reason is that I do not have a utility sink in my laundry room and I miss it, and also we love our Samsung fridge. Though they're probably not even manufactured by same company ;-)

 

I have a subscription to Consumer Reports' website, and they just uploaded new washer machine ratings. Here are the Top 5:

Samsung WF56H9110CW $1450
LG WM9000HVA $1800
LG WM8500HVA $1450
Kenmore Elite 41072 $1000
Maytag Maxima MHW8100DC $1400

Not sure if those prices are necessarily accurate, but those are the most highly recommended machines according to CR.

 

Sorry, those were the front loaders. Here are their top loaders:

Whirlpool WTW4850BW $580
GE GTWN5650FWS $650
Fisher & Paykel WashSmart WA4127G1 $800
Amana NTW4755EW $500
Maytag Centennial MVWC415EW $400

Sorry for the mistake on that one...at least now you have all the info, right?

 

For front loading washers, people in the industry acknowledge LG as the leader. However these days, many competitors have caught up quiet quickly.

As mentioned above, make sure that after washing the load, you leave the door open for a few hours to ensure no musty smell. The rubber seal does make a complete seal so that's where the mustiness can build.

I have had them since they were first introduced. As I have moved, we are on our third set and my wife still likes them a lot.

For top load, you don't have to worry so much about the musty smells and you also have a larger capacity, but with the new top loaders without agitators, I'm not so sure you would get a better clean than a front load or older agitator style washers.

If you're looking for front loads, you don't necessarily have to buy the high end. From what I know, similar to cars, the high end ones are just mid level models with bells and whistles that probably most people will use a couple times. So I'd recommend going with the mid level models regardless of what brand you buy.

 

Our house came with a Maytag Neptune, front load and my wife despises it. About 9 years old now. I know, not top load, but just throwing it out there.

Maytag is not the same company it used to be. Previous house we bought a Maytag fridge. Loudest fridge we have ever had and I was quite happy to include that in the sale.

 

We had a Whirlpool Duet front loader for 11 years that decided to self-destruct one day. The replacement parts to fix it would cost more than a new washing machine. As luck would have it, every store that sold washers had a front load LG on sale that weekend. We've had it for 4 years and no complaints.

I would stick with a less-expensive unit unless you know you're going to use all those extra fancy settings and cycles. Expect it to last 10 years. Anything past 10 years is a bonus.

 

I knew I could count on VMBers thanks for the feedback! I know I am limiting myself by not including front load options. My reasons for excluding: can't add items after wash starts & I do not want to stoop to get laundry in & out (I am tall). Maybe I need to go to my local appliance store & take one for a spin (pun intended)

 

We got the stand/drawer for our LG front load washer and dryer; that would help with the height concern.

 

You have a few minutes to add clothes to wash when first running cycle, but you have to put it on pause. However once the water is fully added, it won't let you.

And yes, the pedestals do help out quite a bit for the height.

 

What is your budget? I went to Sears last week expecting to sent around $1600 on a fridge but I cannot stop thinking about these $3600 ones that I saw.

 

I purchased a samsung combo 7+ years ago.

First/only repair was to the dryer. Awesome equipment. Quiet.

Problem was replacement parts were tougher to come by. We paid a premium for repairs. Just like new again.

Kenmore...will they be around in the next 5+ years???

 

We had issues with our Neptune's - we thought they were one of, or top of the line at the time, but had issues with water retention (have the same mustiness/water retention issue with our Bosch dishwasher) and I manually replaced a circuit board in the dryer, which would've cost hundreds more if a tech had come to look at it (thanks YouTube!)

That said, I feel like the mustiness issue runs across the board - we have a Kitchenaid dishwasher and Whirlpool w&d, and I feel like we have to leave the doors ajar after all uses to make sure they dry out and don't mold or become musty?!?

 

You can do a rinse with vinegar to help with the "mustiness"

 

The new front loaders have a anti-"mustiness" cycle.

I've heard a lot of complaints about those Neptunes.

We wipe the gasket with a paper towel and leave the door open on our front loader to ensure it dries before we close the door.

 

I replaced my washer a year ago. My previous machine, a Norge, was 22 years old and the tub was rusting away. But it had served us well and required only one repair, a water pump replacement, which I did myself.

If you want the most reliable washer that cleans your clothes best get a top loader with a stainless steel tub and a standard agitator. Avoid the ones with the “energy star” designation. Instead of an agitator, they use a system that sprays high pressure micro streams of water into the tub to clean and rinse the clothes. There is more to go wrong with them and they are much more prone to service problems and will only save you a minimal amount of energy and water usage. I estimated the savings for my household would have been about $7/yr.

I purchased a GE model GTWN2800DWW. It has a stainless steel 3.8 cubic ft. capacity tub with all the features I could want. I does an excellent job of cleaning the clothes. It is also extremely quiet. Here the laundry appliances are right outside my bedroom door and when the washer is running I can’t hear even hear it.

At the time I purchased it the MSRP was $650. I bought it from the Home Depot for $526 which included free delivery, set up and removal of the old machine.

 

Thanks Sam D. I appreciate the details. Well, I pulled the trigger and bought a Speed Queen which was installed today. I never thought I would be excited about being able to do laundry! Hopefully it lasts a lifetime and I never have to do this again!

 

We bought a Whirlpool HE a few years ago. It lasted about 2 years and shit the bed. Warranty had already expired and the cost of the new motor was more expensive than a regular washer. So we ended up buying a standard agitator washer that was heavily discounted at Lowes. Never going HE again.