Which brand should you choose? It depends.
Feb 03 '09
The Bottom Line With new brands hitting the market seemingly every day, it can be hard to figure out which brand to choose. Let me help you find what's right for you.
There are many brands of front-loaders from which to choose. There are brands familiar to most Americans, like Whirlpool, GE, and Kenmore. There are premium brands from Europe, like Bosch, Electrolux, and Miele. There are even brands from companies that were previously known primarily for electronics, like Samsung and LG. With so many choices, how do you pick one that will be right for you?
To make this easier, I'll make an alphabetical list, and describe the general characteristics of each brand, along with some of the features of each brand's most popular models.
NOTE: Most front-load washers are not suitable for second floor installation. Most washers can be stacked with dryers or set on pedestals (stacking kits may need to be purchased separately; pedestals must be purchased separately). If the laundry room's layout or the ergonomics dictate one setup or the other, be aware that this may add to the purchase price. Many pedestals offer storage drawers, which may be an added convenience.
AMANA: Amana is an "opening price point" brand owned by Whirlpool Corporation. Amana was once a premium American brand, but Maytag's acquisition of Amana turned it into a budget-conscious brand, and Whirlpool has made that Amana's niche. Controls are basic, performance is acceptable, and appearance is conservative American styling. Amana front-loaders are popular with younger customers who are buying their first laundry set. The washers exhibit smaller sizes (3.5 cu ft) and fewer cycle options. These also fall into the lower price range ($750 for the washer).
BOSCH: (Not stackable) Bosch is a German brand famous for premium power tools and premium appliances that look good and run quietly. These are no different. They are handsome machines, some available in striking duo-tone colors, and are quieter than many front-loaders on the market due to increased sound insulation. People who purchase Bosch laundry tend to already own other Bosch appliances, and enjoy their appearance and performance. Higher-end models offer steam. These washers start around $950 and go up to around $1400. Bosch appliances tend to have quirks that take getting used to. These quirks aren't necessarily bad, but they're something that either become part of your new routine or bother the heck out of you. If you haven't owned and loved a Bosch dishwasher, I would recommend choosing another brand.
ELECTROLUX: (Suitable for second floor) This brand is famous in America for vacuum cleaners, but has been known in Europe for premium appliances for decades. In fact, Electrolux is the leading manufacturer of premium appliances in Europe. Electrolux washers are the largest in the industry at 4.7 cu ft, and offer the shortest cycle time at 18 minutes (only for very small loads). These washers also have lighting inside, so you can easily see if you've got any laundry left in the drum (or if you just want to watch your laundry spin in style). Controls are a dial and a digital screen, so if you find computers intimidating, you may want to reconsider. These are also the only washers in the industry with a reversible door (dryers are almost universally reversible). Washing performance is excellent, and spin cycles are very quiet. If you want large capacity, European styling, premium performance, and/or need the washer to open from left to right, Electrolux would be a great choice.
FRIGIDAIRE: Frigidaire is an old brand that is now owned by Electrolux. Frigidaire makes washers that fall in the 3.5 cu ft range, with straightforward controls and simple styling. One of their laundry sets is a Consumer Reports Best Buy (Kenmore and GE versions of this set are also available at Sears and Home Depot, respectively). For those who desire sanitization, the higher-end Frigidaire offers a water heating element. Frigidaire washers flirt with the $1000 mark, but most fall fairly well short of it. For the budget-conscious customer, Frigidaire's offerings are worth serious consideration.
GE: General Electric is an American company that has two distinct tiers: GE and GE Profile. GE is a mid-range product with mediocre quality and mediocre performance. GE Profile looks nicer (with a distinctive "Vick's cough drop" door and brushed stainless steel trim), performs better, and offers many premium features, like a link between the washer and dryer so they communicate with each other, and a pedestal that stores and dispenses your laundry chemicals automatically. If your budget for a washer is less than $1000, I suggest choosing a different brand, as the quality and performance are barely acceptable. If you want a premium washer with premium features, the GE Profile may be a suitable choice, though the hinges on the doors are not as durable or reliable as they should be.
KENMORE: Sears carries the Kenmore line as its own exclusive brand, and Kenmore is the country's most popular appliance brand (1 out of every 3 homes has Kenmore appliances). The majority of the Kenmore laundry line is manufactured by Whirlpool Corporation, with the exceptions being the opening price point front-loader (manufactured by Frigidaire, and equivalent to the Frigidaire CR Best Buy) and the rear-controlled front-loaders (manufactured by LG, and similar to LG-branded rear-controlled front-loader). Kenmore's "traditional" front-load line, higher than the HE2 series, is of large capacity (4.0-4.4 cu ft), and offers options like steam and sanitizing water heating elements. Controls are simple and uncluttered. Wash performance is excellent. Reliability for the HE2 line (and equivalent Whirlpool Duet Sport line) has been spotty, and wash performance is acceptable. The opening price point washer (regular price $629) performs admirably for a machine so inexpensive, though it offers much less capacity and no sanitizing. The rear-controlled washer has acceptable wash performance, though the controls are a tad cluttered (regular price of about $1000). The Kenmore line offers the widest variety of laundry solutions and prices, from $600-$1700. Kenmore tends to be popular with people for whom traditional appearance and excellent performance are paramount. If your budget is driving the decision, choose the opening price point set. If you don't like the set-up of traditional front-loaders, try the rear-controlled set. If your budget allows for a bit more leeway, the HE3 is a very good machine. If you want more capacity and steam, try the HE5. I cannot honestly recommend the HE2 line.
LG: LG is an old Korean company (originally GoldStar) that purchased brands like Zenith, and while customer copy uses "Life's Good" as the name, LG actually stands for "Lucky GoldStar." Their appliances combine performance with innovation (they introduced the Internet refrigerator) and have a strong focus on stylish design. LG made its mark in the American laundry market by introducing steam to the washing machine, which has since become a feature in almost every premium front-loader. Washing performance is acceptable, component durability is slightly better than average, and ease-of-use depends on how heavily featured a model is chosen (some have digital screens for some of the controls). Capacity runs from 3.5 - 4.5 cu ft, so there are sizes for all needs. The price range runs from about $750 - $1700. If you're a techno-gadget junkie, you'll love LG.
MAYTAG: This stalwart of the laundry industry spent its last years as an independent company building substandard garbage. After Whirlpool Corporation purchased Maytag and Amana, the mission was to turn Maytag into the workhorse brand and restore the brand to its former status as an American icon of reliability. Maytag's Performance series is the equivalent of the Whirlpool Duet and Kenmore HE3 & HE5 series, and are listed at the same price, for the same features, as Whirlpool's Duet models. The price range for Maytag washers is around $900-$1000 for its Epic line, and $1200-$1700 for the Performance line. The Epic line is decent, but perhaps a little more costly than other machines that do just as well. The Performance series has excellent washing performance, and excellent ease-of-use. The Performance 9000 model offers steam for sanitization and stain-fighting. If you want a washer that offers the best performance and intuitive controls, and your budget allows it, Maytag would be a good choice for you.
MIELE: Miele is a brand from Europe that most Americans aren't familiar with. Their appliances are high-end premium, with exceptionally quiet operation and excellent performance. They have conservative European styling and high-quality components. Features unheard of among other manufacturers, like software that can be updated by connecting to a computer, are available. Prices are higher than most other brands available in America, running between $1600 and $2500. If name brands make a big difference for you, you enjoy the finer things in life, and the price isn't an issue, a Miele would be a sound investment.
SAMSUNG: (Suitable for second floor) Famous for its high-quality electronics, Samsung has, in a very short time, established itself as a standard bearer in the appliance market. Its laundry leads the way, with excellent cleaning, superior ease-of-use even with its digital displays, and quality construction. Most of Samsung's laundry line offers an exclusive sanitizing feature called "Silver Care," by which cold water runs over silver plates, carrying with it silver ions. Silver, being a natural antimicrobial agent, kills the bacteria in the laundry without using additional energy or bleach. Some models offer water heating elements, others offer steam and Silver Care together. Repair rates are not available for Samsung yet, as they are a new brand, but based on all available information, they should be among the lower rates for repairs. Styling is modern, with a sloped front and doors that have flared handles that protrude from the edge rather than sitting within the window space. Prices range from $950-$1500, with excellent performance at all levels.
WHIRLPOOL: Whirlpool is an American company that has been around for almost 100 years. It is America's largest manufacturer of laundry appliances (though not American-made) and the world's largest appliance manufacturer. Whirlpool Corporation manufactures laundry for many brands: Whirlpool, Roper, Whirlpool Estate, Inglis by Whirlpool, Maytag, Amana, and most of Sears' Kenmore laundry line. Whirlpool also manufactures KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, and various brands of appliances in other countries. Whirlpool began as a laundry company, and continues to lead the industry in market share in laundry. Their washers mirror the Kenmore line (or vice versa), with the Whirlpool Duet Sport line being the equivalent of the Kenmore HE2 line, and the Whirlpool Duet following the Kenmore HE3 and HE5 (depending on model). Some models offer water heating elements for sanitizing. Others offer steam for stain treatment and sanitizing. The Duet Sport line is not as reliable as the Duet line, and should be avoided. The Duet line has a slightly more stylized appearance, but controls are similarly simple and straightforward, and washing performance is excellent. Prices for Whirlpool Duets range from $1200-$1700, depending on which features you choose. If you prefer the Whirlpool brand, its appearance, or it's on a better sale than the Maytag or Kenmore offerings, a Whirlpool Duet would make a fine addition to your laundry room.
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Epinions.com ID:
randis4927
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Location: Massachusetts
Reviews written: 12
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
Appliance salesman for America's largest appliance retailer. Previously sold Sleep Number beds at Select Comfort.
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