Front loading energy efficient washing machines- anyone own one?

My washing machine is acting stupid and probably on it's way out. I may check the hose to see if there is something blocking it because the soapy water will not drain out once the wash cycle ends. This occured a few days ago. I stopped and started it again (dial controlled, not electronic) and it finally did go to the rinse cycle but the soapy water didn't drain, rinsed in soapy water and bypassed the spin cycle. wtf? I spent an hour scooping out all the water from the tub and squeezing excess water out of soaking towels. Ugh.

Anyways this washer is 20-25 years old and I've had good use out of it. No point in calling a repair guy, will probably charge too much, parts etc, not worth it. If there is a blockage in the hose or something simple then I will keep it. My neighbour plans on coming over soon to check it out.

I am considering a energy efficient front loader but they are expensive. The cheapest I have seen is around $900.00 Canadian ($961.00 US)

I was told you do save money on electricity and water compared to a regular machine.

Does anyone have one of these washers and you find a difference in your water and electrical bill?

The only place I have looked is Sears. They sell mainly Kenmore. My cousin who lives in Calgary bought Kenmore and has experienced a few problems, unless she got a crappy one.

So what should I look for in a machine? Any particular brands better than others? I don't need anything fancy.

Thanks!

I don't have one, but I have used a few of them. My dad has one and he likes it. If he ever experiences a problem with it, he just unplugs it for a few minutes and then plugs it back in, then it's good as new. He said he thinks it saves him some money on electricity.

I've never seen the energy bill, so I have no idea, but I must say I hate front loading machines because every time I start the machine, there's always one sock, or one shirt I forget to put in.

Thanks Luxotika and aplsmash!

I'm like that also. I usually forget to add that extra pair of socks and I suppose with a front loader it's not like you can open the door and throw them in, lol. Tidal wave of water coming out, yikes!

We have mainly front loading Washing Machines in England, but my Mother in Law own a Top Loader which she prefers, i always add more water to my machine through the soap dispenser drawer because the machines nowadays are water saving/energy ones which i cant stand, i must invest in a Miele or Bosch as they let loads of water into the machine.

We have em and I don't think my parents paid that much for it! Prob half that. I have no idea about the bills and honestly I barely know how to use a washer and dryer, I don't wash my own clothes. I've washed my bf's a few times but he just throws everything in together, so that's easy and it's like 1 or 2 loads. I would look around and compare prices, they are pretty fast and quiet too.

Update...

It looks like my machine is dead. My neighbour checked the hose for blockages and there were none.

I plan on shopping this week for a new one. My old machine is an Inglis. I know there are Kenmore, Inglis, Whirlpool, GE and Maytag washers. Not sure what I will buy yet. The top loaders are cheaper by $200-400.00.

Any advice is appreciated!

I have seen such nice ones at Lowes and Home Depot (hardwear stores if you did know ) but they are so freakin expensive. I would love one!!

they make some really really great energy efficient top loaders as well!!! so check your star rating! the calypso (which is very pricey so i have no idea why i am mentioning it) not only saves on energy but water as well.

if you do get a star rated appliance, be sure to check with your electric company to see if they give cash back incentives!!! we got a $200 check from PG&E.

GOOD LUCK!!!!

i also wanted to mention that many department stores have clearance houses for their big appliances. they are all display appliances or appliances that have cosmetic dents from shipping. they all carry the same warranties and you can get them for sometimes 50% cheaper!

Thanks Jessica Ann and brewgrl!

I forgot about the rebates from electric companies. I do believe I heard about rebates through hydro when you buy EE appliances. I will look into that.

I have heard of some front loaders that are energy efficient and I will look into dept store brands that are display models or have dents in them.

Thanks for all your help! Any more advice, keep it coming!

I have one and its great. It uses 14 gallons/ use instead of 45 gallons. The spin is incredible and the clothes come out almost dry and the delicate cycle is great because its doesn't have an agitator.

Originally Posted by Christie ann /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have one and its great. It uses 14 gallons/ use instead of 45 gallons. The spin is incredible and the clothes come out almost dry and the delicate cycle is great because its doesn't have an agitator. Mine too! My apartment came with a front loading washing machine and dryer. I absolutely love it!

i have both a front dryer and washer. I love the way they look, however if I had to do it again I would get the top load for my washer. It takes forever to wash, and I hate that you can't open it if you forget something or if you want things to soak overnight.

go for the top load, save yourself the $$$. I know that they have great prices at Leon's, so you should try there too!

yes they are nice!

my boyfriend and i recently got the new LG energy efficient washer and dryer... it's amazing the options these machines come with, i never need to get anything dry cleaned ever again because the washer has a "steam" option which uses no water at all and it only takes 20 minutes. personally i love it, i'm usually a huge bargain shopper but with something like this that you use so often and only buy once every 10+ years or so it's worth the investment. as far as the electric bill it makes a bit of a difference but you dont really notice it all add up until a good majority of your appliances are energy efficient (we're slowly getting there).

don't know if you have a Brandsmart in your area but they're usually worth checking out since they'll bargain with you on pricing.

best of luck

Thanks everyone!

Update... My neighbour discovered the pump wasn't working properly on my washer. He bought a replacement for it. My washer worked for two days and then it died.

I decided to buy a new one. I'm a little short of cash right now and decided I want to save longer to buy a decent one. Going to a laundromat sucks big time, lol. Luckily one of my relatives stepped in and offered to buy me one as Christmas present! Woohoo! We headed to Sears and I ended up buying a Kenmore front loader. There was a Whirlpool I was interested in but it cost more and I didn't want to overspend her budget. Hydro offers a $100.00 rebate on certain EE washers so that helped. It will be delivered early next week. Yay!

I'm in the market for one myself. My parents gave us their old set which is a front-loader, but it doesn't work right (the cycle never finishes on its own, we have to manually turn it off). I prefer top-loaders since you can put forgotten items in after you start the wash, but if front-loaders are a lot more energy efficient I guess it would be better to get one of those.

This thread is a bit old, but anyway. I'm kind of looking into one of these right now, but I currently have a front loader and hate it. What if you forget a sock?! It has to wait until the next load, so frustrating. Anyway, before I buy something new I think I'm going to try fixing what I have (yea, lofty idea - I know). Any thoughts on this online store - PartSelect.com? I'm nervous buying stuff online. Honestly, I'd rather chuck the whole thing down the stairs and get something new, but I'm not in a position to throw my $ around. 

I bit the bullet and bought a new washer and opted for for ol' faithful - the top loader. I LOVE IT!!

I did a bit of research and front loaders seem to break more often so I'd end up spending as much money on repairs as I might have saved in energy bills. Worth it for me /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />