There's a great thread over at GardenWeb by a user whose Bosch washing machine recently self-destructed. This is a great post. I found her casual tone to be refreshing. No screeching and gnashing of teeth, no empty threats of a class-action lawsuit, no claims that her super-premium washer should have lasted long enough to be pass down to her great-granddaughter.
Notice she bought the extended warranty, and will likely be getting a new machine!
*END*
Friday, June 15, 2007
Bosch washer commits hari-kari!
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Cabrio/Oasis f51 error codes
I know a lot of people are having problems with getting the f51 error codes on their Cabrio and Oasis machines. I know this by looking at the traffic coming to this site, and a whole heapin lot of it is a result of Google searches referencing the f51 error code.
Here is a link to a tech sheet outlining the various error codes on these machines. Give this to the "technician" (I use that term loosely) when he tells you he doesn't know what the code means.
So what does it mean? Pfft. Beats the hell outa me. "Dammit, Jim, I'm a doctor, not an overscheduled, undereducated appliance monkey." But knowing A&E Factory Service (service company for Sears and Whirlpool), they don't know either.
Good luck!
*END*
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Stinky washer? Clean it out!
The problem of putrid, stinky mold build-up is not exclusive to front load washing machines. I have to chuckle to myself when I read a tirade on the Internet about the evils of front load washing machines, written by someone who has a blatantly obvious bias against the machines, pointing primarily to the risk of mold.
Unfortunately, if you've got a washing machine, then you've probably got mold.
Mold likes to grow in environments that are moist, warm, and dark. That includes top load washing machines. If you were to disassemble your top load washer, you would be disgusted by what you would find in the tub basket, pump, and drain: mold, detergent residue, and gobs of disgusting lint. If you do not take preventive measures, then your washing machine will be a haven of filth.
So what can you do? Most (not all) professionals recommend ditching the liquid detergent in favor of powder. Also, you can try a cleaning cycle once every month or so. Run an empty load with a hot wash and a half-cup or so of powder dishwashing detergent. The enzymes in the detergent should help break down any nasties accumulating in your washer.
There is also a product called Purewasher, which you can find here. Not sure how well it works, or what it consists of, but if you have a stinky washer, this product may help.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Cabrio & Oasis: ticking time bombs?
I've been reading up on the Kenmore Elite Oasis / Whirlpool Cabrio high-efficiency top load washers. Judging from what I have read, it is difficult to say whether these machines are disasters waiting to happen, a la the Calypso washers that plagued laundry rooms across the country for far too long, or they are decent machines that need just a little tweaking.
In reading the reviews over at epinions.com, what I find most surprising is the fact that there are very few reviews in the middle of the road; people either love it or hate it.
It's no secret that Fisher & Paykel has a hand in these machines. I'm just not sure to what degree. F&P moved their laundry production facilities to Clyde, Ohio, where Whirlpool builds their top load washers. I had heard that F&P was only supplying motors to Whirlpool. But if that's the case, then why in the hell move to Clyde, Ohio. Furthermore, I have read dozens of accounts of an F51 error code, and the cause of this code is evidently a common problem F&P had with their machines.
Curious.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Consumer Reports voodoo
For various reasons, I have never been a big fan of Consumer Reports. While I feel they fill a legitimate niche in media, I’ve always thought their closely watched ranking system was the product more of voodoo than scientific, controlled analysis.
The June issue is a prime example. In ranking washing machines, the top-ranked LG SteamWasher scored 83 points, while a certain Samsung washer scored 77 points. This placed the Samsung washer nine places below the LG in the ranking chart.
The questions arise when you look at the individual categories that are scored and presented in the table. Each machine scored very good or excellent in every category, with the exception of gentleness (LG=”very good”, Samsung=”excellent”). In another category, LG scored better by virtue of the fact that the normal cycle time was five minutes shorter.
I don’t know why Consumer Reports does not give more information regarding their scoring methods, and precisely what aspects of a machine they analyze. In my opinion, they hurt their credibility be being so secretive.
I don’t question their assertion that the LG SteamWasher is the best washer on the market. Rather, I question their method of reaching that conclusion, and the methodology of their ranking system.
While working the sales floor at my first retail job, I always dreaded the Consumer Reports Shopper. She (or he) had the magazine or book in hand when she walked through the door, and consulted it religiously. The problems arose when I would say something that contradicted the magazine (“No, capacity in the dryer is important”), or when I did not have a model on the floor listed in the book (many times, by the time the book hits the shelves, the models have changed). And I just LOVE how the editors tell their readers to “insist on a dryer with a moisture sensor”… as if I would really try and talk her into a model that didn’t have one.
I’m not trying to disparage those who choose to read Consumer Reports. What I am saying is to take what Consumer Reports says with a pound of salt, and include the magazine as just one (small) part of the decision making process. After all, this is the same magazine that rated the Calypso #1 for how many years, and look how that turned out.
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