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Related: Culture Forums, Support Forumswhat's going on with new laundry dryers now?
We recently had to buy a new dryer. It doesn't dry the towels and bath mats for a much longer time even on the highest setting. I have a home helper come to clean and do laundry for us. She is here for 4 hours but it is now up to 5 because of the dryer, which slows down the entire process of wash/dry. It's a Whirlpool appliance.
The store sent someone out to measure the heat and he said it was normal. The dryer vents got thoroughly cleaned out.
Hubby has heard that dryers are taking longer due to environmental issues.
Is this true?
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)It would get warm, but never hot.
Diamond_Dog
(31,979 posts)Heavy weight? That might make a difference. Maybe try putting fewer heavy items in per load?
Although the dryer should compensate for that and have a sensor that stops the dryer only when the stuff inside is dry.
CTyankee
(63,903 posts)but very soft.
No such luck with a sensor. I save the towels for last in the wash/dry process. Things I don't want to look wrinkled, such as shirts and pants, are lighter of course and perma press. If they get in with the towels they are wrinkled in the dryer so I separate them out.
The new towels are delightful to use because they are so soft. But I'm not buying any more of them.
Wingus Dingus
(8,052 posts)I had enough buildup of lint to really hinder the drying time. I see you've had that done, so I don't know, except for overloading?
BComplex
(8,037 posts)My 3 year old washing machine makes so much noise you can't hear yourself think. When I bought it, I actually bought another one first, and it was so loud I made Lowe's come back and pick it up and exchange it! They don't use any water, so they don't clean the clothes. They lock you out until the washer is completely still, so you can't add anything to the water as it's washing.
The national consumer watchdogs are making "rules" based on however the Chinese government is supporting their industries in deciding to make things.
Diamond_Dog
(31,979 posts)Yep, my old one died 2 days before Thanksgiving!
The new Maytag is so quiet you dont even know when its on. It has a Quick cycle that washes and dries in one hour and does a great job.
The only thing I dont like about it is that the door is really sensitive. If I lean up against the counter and put any pressure at all on the door of the thing, it starts a cycle. And its so quiet you dont realize youve started a wash cycle until its half done and all thats inside is a couple coffee cups and spoons. But, thats on me, I guess.
bamagal62
(3,255 posts)I always feel like the clothes don't really get clean. And, if you leave them in the wash for longer than about
3 hours, they spoil and you have to wash them again. And, don't get me started on these awful front loaders. The only thing I do like about the new washers is the sanitize setting.
Wingus Dingus
(8,052 posts)laundry room and front loaders have too much depth) and it pretty much shit the bed this year, leaked oil out of the transmission all over the belt so that the belt slipped and squealed loudly with every wash. We took it apart, degreased the belt, put it back together, and it works now without squealing but since there's no oil left in the transmission gears or clutch or whatever, it's on borrowed time...piece of junk.
Before that was a new GE washer that lasted two years and then randomly turned itself on like a zombie one day, no water or clothes in it, no one touched it--just started churning in wash mode by itself. Could not use control panel or buttons to stop it, had to unplug it to get it to quit. Immediately got rid of it (what if we hadn't been home? Couldn't trust a machine that switches itself on randomly) and bought the aforementioned Whirlpool... Having very bad luck with these machines.
samnsara
(17,619 posts)..doesn't even have a DRY cycle..it just pops the door open to 'air dry'. Re-thinkig this purchase...
QED
(2,747 posts)I was surprised that the normal cycle takes so long. I pre-rinse and just use the quick cycle so it's just an hour. Sometimes I'll use just the lower rack to wash the dogs' dishes.
I thought it weird that the door popped open near the end and thought something was wrong. Then I saw the little label inside that said this was how it worked.
Big year for appliance replacement here....also washer, dryer, and fridge.
we can do it
(12,182 posts)Were all electric/solar and never thought anything but gas dryers were worthwhile previously. (We had been mostly line/rack drying a few years before moving out of Ohio)
CTyankee
(63,903 posts)and put on hangers to dry (on plastic hangers on the shower curtain rail. Folded and mixed in with other items gets them a bit wrinkled, defeating the purpose of permanent press.
we can do it
(12,182 posts)Plus keeps house cooler in summer.
CTyankee
(63,903 posts)it physically. I'm in very good shape but my arthritic back won't let me carry heavy baskets of clothes anywhere.
we can do it
(12,182 posts)I only take a couple items at a time and hang them up.
CTyankee
(63,903 posts)And perhaps another owner who is younger could do it.
My house was built in 1941 and it's a prewar gem. For some people. I thought nothing of going up and down stairs when we bought it about 30 years ago. We still do because the bedrooms and office are
upstairs.
However, accommodations for age and disability (my hubby's spinal stenosis causing him to use a walker to get around) have been made. I'm in great shape but despite my morning routine exercise, two flights of stairs is hard to climb, even without a heavy basket of clothes. Hence, a home health aide from an agency which bonds her. We pay her well and give her $$$ for Christmas. I couldn't do without her!
we can do it
(12,182 posts)QED
(2,747 posts)It's still rather warm here so they dry within an hour outside. When the weather cools, I hand them from the shower rod. Too many of my knit shirts shrink in length in the dryer.
mn9driver
(4,423 posts)They are essentially commercial machines, and boy do they work. The washer never goes out of balance and you can hardly tell it is spinning. The dryer is very quiet. Ive had both of these machines for almost ten years and have never had a problem with them.
CTyankee
(63,903 posts)Tetrachloride
(7,834 posts)CurtEastPoint
(18,639 posts)CTyankee
(63,903 posts)It may be a gas dryer.
Sibelius Fan
(24,396 posts)They still work great. I have a local handyman who is adept at fixing these things. He charges me $20-30 for a repair. I buy parts thru amazon (good luck getting them thru Sears).
CTyankee
(63,903 posts)Sibelius Fan
(24,396 posts)The repair guy from Sears (who I used before finding my handyman) told me they were made in Germany. He could tell because the wires are pink and white. He told me to hang onto them as long as possible as the new machines were all crap. That was nine years ago.
BTW - Kenmore appliances used to be made by Whirlpool. Theyre now made by Frigidaire.
csziggy
(34,136 posts)My Kenmore refrigerator and freezer (separate units) are now sold under the Whirlpool brand name. At the time I bought them, they were branded Frigidaire. Whatever the brand name they are actually made by a company named Wood in Canada.
I have a "Kenmore" sewing machine that was actually made by Singer.
For years, Sears farmed out their appliance production to other companies and just slapped their Kenmore name on them. There are sources on the internet that will tell you who actually made the product if you have to serial number.
BComplex
(8,037 posts)I loved them!
sinkingfeeling
(51,445 posts)KitchenAid washer and dryer in stead of selling them with the house.
CTyankee
(63,903 posts)QED
(2,747 posts)It had been two weeks since we disconnected the old set to replace the flooring so I had a lot of laundry to do!
Most of my laundry is bedding - just sheets for me but at least two loads of dogs' laundry. I use blankets in their kennels. My old washer had a bedding setting, this one has a heavy duty or bulk items. Hm...which to use? I tried both. I had an issue with the washer not draining and had to use the "Drain and Spin" setting twice, no luck. So I took one of the blankets out and did it with just one and that worked. Pain in the butt - I'll work with it.
As for the dryer - 20 minutes and the machine said it was done. Nope - still slightly damp. I used the timed dry for 20 minutes and that worked.
I need to get to know these units better - that was just the first day of use. I wish I bought Speed Queen because of the dogs' bedding but they were about $800 more.
jmowreader
(50,555 posts)You bought a dryer from a Trump-supporting business. It found out youre a Democrat and is taking revenge.
My Electrolux, which was bought the day Trump went to the Whirlpool factory (this is no joke, it really was), gets the clothes bone dry every time.
CTyankee
(63,903 posts)Pas-de-Calais
(9,904 posts)Used Consumer Reports for most of our large item buys. LG was rated high with reasonable price.
We got them. Theyre great
mnhtnbb
(31,383 posts)for my new house, not high end. I hang everything but sheets and towels to dry and designed my laundry room to accommodate that. I have a closet type rod that runs the length of the wall over the side by side W&D and a drying rack that has its own permanent space next to the cabinets on the opposite wall.
So far, I'm happy with both machines.
CTyankee
(63,903 posts)basement caused by a broken hot water tank. The flooded basement freaked me out. It was made worse by the fact that it was OUR fault it happened: the hot water tank was way past its usefulness. We shudda known better, bad on us.
Who knows how old your hot water tank is right at this moment?
hunter
(38,310 posts)I'll be very sad when our thirty year old gas dryer can't be repaired.
It has two knobs -- temps and time. You turn them and it just works.
CTyankee
(63,903 posts)It doesn't make much sense: if your dryer doesn't dry you have to run it longer and that doesn't seem like very much of a solution.