No More Aggitation

Well, we found a solution to our washing machine's aggitator problem, and this is it.

My MIL and I have each always wanted a front loading machine, and we kind of ganged up on Howie. It didn't take much convincing, though, because he could see the money savings in the more expensive machine, too.

This washer will wash sleeping bags, pillows and comforters, items we have had to take to the laundromat. We figured, taking those large items to the laundromat cost us at least $20 a visit in quarters, and we took them 2 or 3 times a year (if none of the animals urped on them - then we took them more).

It's a Frigidaire Tumble Care Front Load Washer, model FWT645RH. Epinions has reviews of one of the step down models from this, the FWT449. Frigidaire must have made some changes, for I can't find anything at their site (other than archived PDF's of our washer's documentation) except the GWT series now.

This washer holds a huge amount of laundry AND uses only 1/3 the water of a standard top load washer. We had an extra-capacity top load washer, so this uses less than a 1/3 of what we used to use per load. In a nutshell, we're able to do TWICE the laundry per load as before, and use less than a 1/3 of the water we used to use for ONE load before. That's less detergent, less bleach, and less fabric softener. We're talking savings here, folks. It's also so very quiet!

It also has this nifty dispenser. You can watch the clothes tumble, too, which Howie and I did on its maiden voyage (of course).

I'd seen the commercials for the Maytag's Neptune and Whirlpool's Duet washers and drooled over them in the stores. After all, their marketing is top-notch and the products look more like luxury cars than appliances. But I could never justify spending over $1000 for a washer, not when the Frigidaire was $597 with free delivery to boot.

The things I've read said this washer performs every bit as good as the beautiful, pricey ones. It doesn't have to recoup the cost of major ad campaigns, for one. Sure, it doesn't have their digital displays and touchpad buttons. But I don't want to program my washer, I just want to wash my clothes. I'm quite happy to just turn a few dials like this one and that one rather than tap in my choices and navigate menus.

It might have a smidgen less capacity of those Cadillacs of washers, but it doesn't have the Cadillac price, either. As it is, the new Frigidaire's washloads almost maxes out our dryer's capacity, so I wouldn't want to do more; I'd have a backlog of stuff to dry and that would negate any benefit to me.

I'm thrilled! I've completely caught up on all the laundry now - I'm so excited! The washer will wash - and wash well - a heaping laundry basket of clothes. I'm talking heaping, like all our towels and washcloths. Or five pair of dress pants and five shirts, plus other stuff. I can do laundry in a fraction of the time it used to take.
I must be getting older, because I am way too excited over this machine. But then again, I am all for things that make sense, and the design of these front loading machines just works.