Ok you lab lover/owners out there. I am going to invest some of my tax money into buying a New Washer and Dryer. I have not bought a new one in 19 years. (good old kenmore) but they are both warn out and not very energy efficant. So can anyone suggest the best one's!!!! Front loader? Top Loader? and what brand and size works best for all our dog blankets/whelping fleece. TIA. Not worried about spending the money if the product is worth it.

I have 2 month old Maytag front loading machines. I am not impressed at all. If I could do it over I would get the great big top loading machines.

Try Electrolux - a bit pricey - but amazingly good. Samsung next best.

Electrolux has the longest wash cycles of all the machines. Thats what we were told. Very long cycle times. They take forever.

I have the electrolux set and I absolutely love it!! It is very energy efficient and super quiet. I would never go back to a top load machine.

I purchased last year, the Kenmore front loader set. I was really excited about the sanitation feature and it does work great. Love the set except for the dryer's door now will not stay shut through the whole drying process when I am drying blankets for the dogs

I will not invest in a front load washer. I have one from LG, I don't like so much it's performance and it takes for ever, around 1hr for each load.

Went back to Kenmore top loader, biggest capacity standard top-loading washer 3 or 4 years ago. Can do two 36-inch bolster beds. If the really really thick whelping fleece, has to be in pieces, not just one Lab-size whelping box piece. For the sherpa rolls from JB Wholesale, I do a couple 6 ft x 30 inch pieces, plus smaller "warming box" or Cavalier pieces in it. It's not a sexy washer, but it works better than the pretty front loaders for me. Have not tried the new Electrolux. Friends and family have their top loaders of various brands, with lighter duty, in constant repair. May mine keep on chugging as it has been doing! I make sure to get the extra rinse feature for getting out the bleach or vinegar smell. I have various speeds, levels, etc. I went for the dials instead of the touch pads this time for longevity.

Whirlpool duet front loads here. Granted, I do at least 4 loads a day between children and dog/puppy beds. We have had lots of expensive repairs on both the dryer and washer and they are only 3 years old. I love them when they are working well, but have hauled 8+ hampers full to the laudry mat too many times. Might be fine for smaller families, but although they hold large loads, they really aren't built for high usage.

I believe Whirlpool is the only one still made in the USA.

I was very disappointed in the quality of my GE & Maytag appliances that were made in China.

Has anyone tried the Bosch? I have a Bosch dishwasher and so far it's pretty good.

Kenmore front loader the big one. I love it and it handles dog beds great.

I have the Bosch Nexxt 500 washer and dryer. I absolutely love them, and would not go back to a top loading machine again.

I will warn you, however, that dog hair covered items come out of the wash with some dog hair remaining. I think that since the washers use so much less water than top loaders that they don't do as good a job at removing the hair. I vacuum my crate pads before I put them in the wash and it works just fine.

BTW, Bosch is made in New Bern, NC - part of the reason I bought them, as most machines are now made overseas.

I replaced my 20 year old maytag washer and dryer a couple years ago with similar style top loading maytags - I admit I didn't do my research as I had been very happy with my old maytags - unfortunately the new ones are only a fraction of the quality of the old ones and doubt they will last more then 5 or 6 years. Lesson learned on my part.

My appliance repairwoman was here to fix a squeal in my Whirlpool top load washer (second minor repair in about 14 years) and she said she fixes FEWER Whirlpool than anything. Also that Maytag is not what it used to be. Said that she bet the lonely Maytag repairman has a new BMW!

I have a pair of Maytags that are going on 20 years. I've service on the dryer once n all that time and the service man said to keep them together with Duct tape if I have to they just don't make them like the oldies any more. Whirlpool bought Maytag some years ago.

That being said, I too have a Bosh dishwasher and when I do have to replace the washer and dryer, I'll look at the Bosch. Built in the USA is a MAJOR consideration!

Also,

Bosch is owned by Stanley. I had a Kenmore dryer for almost 25 years. We bought three washers in that time. The last Kenmore washer I bought was totally worthless. It lasted just over two years being repaired four times, and the clothes were never really clean. It is by far the worst purchase I have ever made. They were good years ago but I will never own another one. I have my first front loader set and I love it.

My first Maytags lasted over 30 years. I am now on my second pair and have had them for 16 years so far.

I have Kenmore washer and dryer. The dryer is now 15yrs old. The washer is 4yrs old. I probably could have repaired the pump in the washing machine but for the money I would spend on repair I opted to add a few more bucks and buy new. Love the washing machine as I can fit 4 24x36 crate pads that I buy from Paws N' Tails. My dryer is still doing a good job drying, but I'm just now having issues with continuous cycles and no shut-off. Thinking I will replace it later this year.

Kenmore appliances and vaccuums have been VERY good to me over the years.

Whirlpool made Kenmore appliances for years. Now that Whirlpool bought Maytag and makes almost everything out there, LG makes the new Kenmore stuff.

Very good. Samsung is better -

I have a Bosch front loader washer and dryer, now about 3 years old. I replaced my Maytag which was always breaking. I love it. You can set the wash cycle to however long you want it to be and it does a very good job.

The only negative for the washer is that you really have to leave the washer door open or you will get mold on the rubber of the door. And the dryer is not so easy to clean the filter, once a month I am using my computer vac to actually get into the space and clean the filter area.

I would purchase the same washer and dryer again!

Bonnie

Bosch stainless steel front loader set here and they're great! Sometimes I think they never get a rest between kids and dogs. I agree with Bonnie's comments on the dryer lint trap but other than that - excellent!

Friend and I both bought Bosch front loaders last year. Hers has already been donated to a homeless shelter and mine is going to my daughter-in-law. We both had front seals replaced twice. The wash cycles auto adjust to the load so a 56 minute wash can take 90 minutes if the machine thinks it should!?? Whelping box pads are a nightmare. Hate the dryer too. My husband's shirts come out looking like I wrung them out by hand.

Somebody was advertising a front loader that washes and dries in 40 minutes. If I find the make, I'm switching.

Don't buy a GE frontloader . I bought the really large capacity so I could put in big quilts and if heaven forbid the waterproof liners on the dog beds broke those as well. They fit but for most loads, even just jeans and regular clothes the washer won't spin as it has a hard time balancing the load. I have literally spent 3 hours "babysitting" a load to get it to spin. It takes over an hour for one load of laundry and you can't soak anything. My dog towels are no longer bright white.
Then the motor broke just before the warranty expired, had it replaced and the repairman said he does them all the time. We have tried to load it the way your supposed to only to find the washload still soaking wet and it won't spin.When it does work it does spin them pretty dry.

As for energy savings since we bought it our bill has gone up $35 a month, and at the rate it keeps turning the water pump on and off it will blow the waterpump motor soon too.
I miss my old top loading Kenmore, it was over 25 years old.

So, maybe just a trip to the neighbor's pond to do the wash as it sounds like they all have "issues"! Do we have DNA tests to weed out the faults we can't live with and the ones we can?

I also have the Kenmore HE3 washer and the HE4 dryer. After having top loaders all my life I would never go back to a top loader. Less water, less detergent and will wash loads at least twice as large as my old top loader. Spins the clothes so dry that it only takes 1/2 the time to dry them.

I love my front loader LG washer & Dryer. You can set the wash cycle from 20 minutes on up! You can get a simple rinse & spin for 14 minutes. I thought the cycles were really long, too...until I learned what all the settings were.

I have the LG front loader and the dryer. I love them. The sanitary cycle is terrific if you have the need.

I have the Kenmore Elite HE 3 front load and gas dryer......I love them !!! I would never go back to a top loader.......it holds a ton laundry....spins it really dry so that the drying time is minimal. I have had them for about 5 years.....never a problem.

I have the Samsung front loaders for the past 18 mo. and I'm really happy with them. I purchased several new appliances in less than 2 years, this was my best purchase of all.

Samsung is rallying in many of their appliances and LCD televisions. Consumer Reports rates them highly. I've become a Samsung fan.

I was told to be cautious of Whirlpool and Bosch front loaders by the appliance dealer I worked with for all of my 7 new appliances. The dealer did not steer me wrong in his advice or price. The machines make laundry less of a chore.