Honest opinions about how to buy Appliances and Lighting.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Free Machine?

I want to sell you a machine for nothing...Free( new mantra: volume not profit)
Further, according to the government you will use this machine 8 times a week every week all year...Before you sign, there is a door number 2




Behind door number 2 is the $700 machine. Hold on for a moment. This machine will save $200-300 annually(average life 15 years). It will use less cleaning agents and will have 40-70% more capacity than our free model. This machine is gentler in its operation with less wear and tear on the material placed inside...


What do you think of the free machine now? Well congratulations you just opted for:












Whirlpool Washer


A front load washing machine(versus a top load).

The features listed are all factual. As I walk through stores and read industry reports, 60-70% of all washers sold are still inefficient top load machines including some very expensive pieces.

As front loaders become more popular, their average price is dropping(and increasing with more features like steam, etc). The breakeven after considering operating costs can be less than a year, so be careful when a complete stranger offers you something for nothing.

But, seriously, if you are considering a washer or even a dryer, be informed on operating costs as well as initial price

10 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:08 AM

    fantastic news! i'm forwarding to my husband now! have you seen that hilarious LG commercial where the girl is trying to kill her top loading washing machine? it is hilarious.
    PS: your post will be live tomorrow!

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  2. LG may not be the right brand for such a commercial....

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  3. Please Steve, do tell - is LG not so wonderful? I've had my LG washer for 2 years and the only problem has been odd error codes requiring the machine to be unplugged for a few minutes. My 4 month old LG dryer is another story. It just had a major repair. Three days for the repairman, 7 days for the part to arrive, and 3 more days to get the part installed.

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  4. Jo, have we serviced the units?

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  5. Steve, I wish I had bought them at Yale. They were purchased at BestBuy along with an extended warranty.

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  6. Steve,
    Any thoughts on the Boston Going Green Expo this weekend at the Bayside Expo Center? Jo

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  7. Ji: An extended warranty from a company without techical support, I would not expect a great service experience...If you have problems, send me an email

    Erika: I will blog about repair records shortly...

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  8. Jo: I am out of town...unforunately..Could be interesting

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  9. You also have to add in the price of replacement cost, and repair costs. Front-loading machines have a less than stellar track record on repairs(with maybe one or two exceptions), where as top loaders, with a few exceptions (namely more recent models) have had excellent track records. If you take a washing machine that has needed MAYBE $200 in parts over 35-40 years...you haven't replaced your set 4-5 times. And...though it may use more water, that's 4-5 washers not in a landfill, and that much cost for packaging, and shipping, etc., that doesn't get used. Water isn't the only environmental impact.

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  10. True Wesley...but only partially. Front loaders like any first adopter products had their issues. The Maytag Neptune in particular was awful, and the parts are more expensive due to the direct drive motor and circuitry...Todays front loader is better than the first release

    The difference in energy, water useage and capacity is compelling. Average front loader is almost twice bigger yet using less than half the energy and a third of the water....Also it spins out at 3 times the rate of a top, so it dries much faster as well

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