Consumer Reports takes washers for a spin Washington Post (blog)

07.01.10

Considerable on my list of post-recession (and I mean the real recession, not the statistical one that allegedly is finished) snug harbor a comfortable improvements is to install a stacked, front-loading washer and dryer combo upstairs near my bedrooms. But, as I've written before, clash and vibration (not to mention flood risk) still worry me. My concerns are hardly unfounded, according to the hardly-released February issue of Consumer Reports. They tested 68 washer models--and found a few problems. According to Consumer Reports, the LG WM2010C-exemplar front-loading washer, at $600, moved several inches during their test. The machine's SpinSense option, which is supposed to cure reduce or eliminate vibration, did keep the machine in place, but then it extracted about 20 percent less water during the whirling cycle. They found the Frigidaire FTW3014K top-loader, a $500 machine with "Sound Silencer Plus" technology to be "melodious noisy" and a mediocre performer. Consumer Reports found that their reliability survey showed that 8 percent of front-loader problems were caused by mold or mildew. They said LG and Maytag front-loaders were "degree more susceptible than most brands surveyed." Their "Best Buys" included the Frigidaire Gallery GLTF2940F[S] exemplar, a $650 front-loader, and a GE top-loader, model WJRE5500G[WW] priced at $480. The good rumour: The magazine reports that prices are down as much as 33 percent from last year. A subscription is required to the magazine, but you can also find their full account online . How about it? Does your upstairs sound like the Coney Island Cyclone when you wash a cross of towels?

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