Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

imidazol97

Relucatantly I need to change the subject to washers and dryers.

Has anyone noticed the recent offering by GE of a washer and dryer in the same box?

My son mentioned this option Saturday.

cdnpinhead

It's interesting peeking in on how the carriage trade deals with life these days.

jmonroe1

imidazol97 said:

Relucatantly I need to change the subject to washers and dryers.

Has anyone noticed the recent offering by GE of a washer and dryer in the same box?

My son mentioned this option Saturday.

————————————————
I seem to remember those things were out years ago and never caught on. I put things like this in the category of a tool that is said to be able to do many things. But in the end they can’t do anything well. I personally try to stay away from thingies like that.

jmonroe

kyfdx

Those are popular in vacation condos, where space is at a premium.

tjc78

That particular model is all the rage on social media right now. From what I understand it takes longer to do a load than a traditional pair and you can’t (obviously) wash and dry a load at one time. To me I’d avoid one at all costs especially at a second home where typically you need to turn around laundry quickly.

At my place at the shore I have bottom barrel old school Amana units that are fast. The washer takes less than half the time of the HE Samsung washer at home.

stickguy

I think they were popular in Europe.

kyfdx

stickguy said:

I think they were popular in Europe.

We had one in St Martin, this year.

mjfloyd1

Daughter now has to make a choice as she has been offered spots in both PA programs in Indianapolis.. I suspect the interviews in Downers Grove and Dayton will be canceled.

Only sticking point is that both programs start when she should be taking her finals at her university.. She will have to take the exams early and get a letter stating that she has met the requirements for her degree. It’s always something.

explorerx4

Gap Year! Just kidding, of course.

dino001

imidazol97 said:

Relucatantly I need to change the subject to washers and dryers.

Has anyone noticed the recent offering by GE of a washer and dryer in the same box?

My son mentioned this option Saturday.

This is fairly common machine in Europe, where people only have space for one, not two in their small apartments' bathrooms or kitchens. I tried one in when staying in a apart-hotel in Edinburgh. The drying took much longer, I guess the shared space and whole washing drum allows only for an undersized heater.

imidazol97

The GE version that's being heavily advertised is ventless. It also talks about low heat high speed air--heat pump. Not for me. I see other driers mentioning "ventless" that aren't washer combinations.

Low temp heat, moisture on gaskets and parts. Hmmm. What could go wrong? Can you say "Neptune" by Whirlpool with all the gasket mold and other mold problems?

dino001

imidazol97 said:

The GE version that's being heavily advertised is ventless. It also talks about low heat high speed air--heat pump. Not for me. I see other driers mentioning "ventless" that aren't washer combinations.

Low temp heat, moisture on gaskets and parts. Hmmm. What could go wrong? Can you say "Neptune" by Whirlpool with all the gasket mold and other mold problems?

I didn't know the whole "ventless" issue, now it makes sense to me why the drying is so poor in these things. It would be expensive to have a washer that would vent during drying cycle. It would need a very well sealed gate that opens during drying cycle. It's not insurmountable engineering problem, but I can see costs going up quickly to do it right, and/or machines failing at rates much higher than traditional. And moisture failures are no joke for a consumer. It's one thing when the motor fails, quite another when you get water all over your place and seeping to your neighbors, too.

jmonroe1

dino001 said:

imidazol97 said:

The GE version that's being heavily advertised is ventless. It also talks about low heat high speed air--heat pump. Not for me. I see other driers mentioning "ventless" that aren't washer combinations.

Low temp heat, moisture on gaskets and parts. Hmmm. What could go wrong? Can you say "Neptune" by Whirlpool with all the gasket mold and other mold problems?

I didn't know the whole "ventless" issue, now it makes sense to me why the drying is so poor in these things. It would be expensive to have a washer that would vent during drying cycle. It would need a very well sealed gate that opens during drying cycle. It's not insurmountable engineering problem, but I can see costs going up quickly to do it right, and/or machines failing at rates much higher than traditional. And moisture failures are no joke for a consumer. It's one thing when the motor fails, quite another when you get water all over your place and seeping to your neighbors, too.

————————————————
On top of all that, when half of the unit fails and becomes pretty expensive to fix, you get to buy another unit all over again.

Whereas, with the separate units you replace only what you need. Unless, you must have matching units. We, were never afflicted with that disease. In fact we’re living with a mismatched pair right now.

jmonroe

qbrozen

How about a space heater discussion? Was thinking 240v electric for the new garage, but after reading a little and looking at prices, I’m now thinking propane. And, no, I don’t want to run a natural gas line. There is also kerosene/diesel, but that’s messier.

Was pondering something like this: Sunnydaze 125,000 BTU Forced Air Propane Heater - Auto-Shutoff for Overheating Protection - Piezo Ignition https://a.co/d/eyiahCr

jmonroe1

qbrozen said:

How about a space heater discussion? Was thinking 240v electric for the new garage, but after reading a little and looking at prices, I’m now thinking propane. And, no, I don’t want to run a natural gas line. There is also kerosene/diesel, but that’s messier.

Was pondering something like this: Sunnydaze 125,000 BTU Forced Air Propane Heater - Auto-Shutoff for Overheating Protection - Piezo Ignition https://a.co/d/eyiahCr

————————————————
My Son bought something like that when we were doing flip #3 (nice size 4 bedroom with a 2 car integral garage). We did a lot of work in that garage on cold days and it worked fine. The only down side other that having to buy propane tanks was it made a good bit of noise. However, it had no problem keeping us warm even when turned down well below the max setting on some pretty cold (well under 20 degree) days and nights.

jmonroe

carnaught

mjfloyd1 said:

Daughter now has to make a choice as she has been offered spots in both PA programs in Indianapolis.. I suspect the interviews in Downers Grove and Dayton will be canceled.

Only sticking point is that both programs start when she should be taking her finals at her university.. She will have to take the exams early and get a letter stating that she has met the requirements for her degree. It’s always something.

Encourage her to go the route of Dermatology, lucrative and less stressful.

carnaught

@jmonroe1, your mismatched washer and dryer are as notable on these forums as @driver100’s lack of a backup camera on his Florida based Mercedes.

oldfarmer50

qbrozen said:

How about a space heater discussion? Was thinking 240v electric for the new garage, but after reading a little and looking at prices, I’m now thinking propane. And, no, I don’t want to run a natural gas line. There is also kerosene/diesel, but that’s messier.

Was pondering something like this: Sunnydaze 125,000 BTU Forced Air Propane Heater - Auto-Shutoff for Overheating Protection - Piezo Ignition https://a.co/d/eyiahCr

I’ve got an old Modine 125,000btu unit that use to heat my old greenhouse. Gas converted to propane. I’d give it to you but the cost of shipping is probably more than it’s worth. It cost me about $500 in 1985 but I think a new one is about $1500 today.




Those construction heaters like you posted don’t really circulate the heat very well
especially in large open areas. I had kerosene heaters like that but the issue of venting was a problem. The ones I used had an O2 sensor and after the unit used up the air it would shut off at inconvenient times. When I use a propane version when I was building the house it built up a lot of moisture.

jmonroe1

carnaught said:

@jmonroe1, your mismatched washer and dryer are as notable on these forums as @driver100’s lack of a backup camera on his Florida based Mercedes.

————————————————
I didn’t realize that. However, when we moved back from SC we no longer have the avocado green dryer with a white washer. We’ve moved up in class since then and now both appliances are white but that still hasn’t improved our sleep.

jmonroe

laurasdada

There's a new Alfa Tonale in the neighborhood, gray. To these eyes, style-wise, nothing notable. Perhaps knowing that it mirrors (for the most part) the Dodge Hornet. Nice enough looking, but nothing to turn a head.

mjfloyd1

carnaught said:

mjfloyd1 said:

Daughter now has to make a choice as she has been offered spots in both PA programs in Indianapolis.. I suspect the interviews in Downers Grove and Dayton will be canceled.

Only sticking point is that both programs start when she should be taking her finals at her university.. She will have to take the exams early and get a letter stating that she has met the requirements for her degree. It’s always something.

Encourage her to go the route of Dermatology, lucrative and less stressful.

I encouraged dentistry but failed.

She is 21 and loves kids so pediatrics is in her future. Gotta do what you like and then work isn’t really work!

I was surprised that she didn’t want dermatology too. The beauty of PA is that you just switch and get on the job training. No 3 + year residency like you and I did.

jmonroe1

mjfloyd1 said:

carnaught said:

mjfloyd1 said:

Daughter now has to make a choice as she has been offered spots in both PA programs in Indianapolis.. I suspect the interviews in Downers Grove and Dayton will be canceled.

Only sticking point is that both programs start when she should be taking her finals at her university.. She will have to take the exams early and get a letter stating that she has met the requirements for her degree. It’s always something.

Encourage her to go the route of Dermatology, lucrative and less stressful.

I encouraged dentistry but failed.

She is 21 and loves kids so pediatrics is in her future. Gotta do what you like and then work isn’t really work!

I was surprised that she didn’t want dermatology too. The beauty of PA is that you just switch and get on the job training. No 3 + year residency like you and I did.

————————————————-
Dentistry. Now that’s where I screwed up. I like working with my hands and causing pain.

jmonroe

driver100

carnaught said:

@jmonroe1, your mismatched washer and dryer are as notable on these forums as @driver100’s lack of a backup camera on his Florida based Mercedes.

@carnaught ....lol. Man, I head back to Florida in 3 weeks, so I am enjoying having a backup camera as much as possible until then.

stickguy

the wife is driving herself nuts reading appliance reviews (her quote "I hate the internet"). spend too much time doing that and you will not want to buy any brand.

Better to use my method. Pick out something that seems OK and is on sale, and don't worry about it.

tjc78

@stickguy said:
the wife is driving herself nuts reading appliance reviews (her quote "I hate the internet"). spend too much time doing that and you will not want to buy any brand.

Better to use my method. Pick out something that seems OK and is on sale, and don't worry about it.

They all suck. Truly.

If I was rolling the dice I’d go with Whirlpool/Kitchen Aid.

We decided to hold off the appliances on our remodel. They are stainless and nothing is wrong with any of them and they look new. They aren’t as modern looking as what is out there today but until they give us trouble we are keeping them.

28firefighter

We’re going with Bosch for everything except the refrigerator as part of our remodel.

ab348

28firefighter said:

We’re going with Bosch for everything except the refrigerator as part of our remodel.

Piker! Too cheap to spend $5K on a refrigerator? Unwilling to spend 5 figures on a battleship commercial-style range?

imidazol97

Reviews aren't helpful because companies can pay to have bad reviews removed as well as have people put up false positive reviews. Companies provide both services.

tjc78

What’s funny is the reviews can vary wildly from site to site.

For example. Before we decided to keep our current Frigidaire set my wife showed interest in the fridge that makes the craft ice. LG makes those. So I priced out a set of LG and it was a little under 4k. Not bad.

Then I looked at reviews and one site says LG fridges are super reliable and another says to avoid like the plague. We had a Kenmore unit in our old home that was an Lg and after ten years it still was fine. So who knows.

28firefighter

We chose to do an LG fridge because it’ll give us more space vs the Bosch. Plus is literally half the price ($1700 vs $3400).

tjc78

@28firefighter said:
We chose to do an LG fridge because it’ll give us more space vs the Bosch. Plus is literally half the price ($1700 vs $3400).

From what I read, it should fine. There was a bad run of compressors but apparently that has worked its way out.

explorerx4

We had LG appliances for 7+ years before we moved. Only problem was that the ice maker got out of sync a couple of times. Fixed using a paperclip.
The microwave was kind of noisy.
We have LG in our new house and so far, so good.
Dishwasher is quiet but takes forever to run the Auto cycle.

kyfdx

My wife only wants a side-by-side. Fortunately, that's the cheapest fridge Bosch makes. (about $2300)

I think the french door Bosch actually has two separate compressors.

tjc78

My wife hates our French door and will only consider a side by side again. I have to say I agree with her

kyfdx

tjc78 said:

My wife hates our French door and will only consider a side by side again. I have to say I agree with her

Probably the only two wives in the country..

driver100

We prefer side by sides, haven't bought anything else. Our Florida Whirlpool is about 5 years old....it's a counter depth side by side and it is fine.


Approx $2300.

ab348

The complaint I hear about side by sides is that gives too much freezer and not enough refrigerator.

Michaell

ab348 said:

The complaint I hear about side by sides is that gives too much freezer and not enough refrigerator.

I would agree with that. Our current house has a side-by-side, and I'm ambivalent about how useful it is.

stickguy

side by sides aren't very good for wide items though. My wife likes the french door style we have now so we are sticking with that.

went back to the appliance store today and reviewed our earlier choices (made on the fly to have something to budget around). Turns out the wife liked them better than the other (mostly more expensive) options. so stayed with them. upgraded to the newer model DW with more goodies. And decided to get the matching Fridge to round it out (went with the counter depth for now but could change that depending on how the design works out.)

Wife was actually surprised she had no problem making a final decision so quickly. But nice to have that out of the way.

Everything is Frigidaire Gallery. Seems like a good middle line with good quality and plenty of upscale features, but not budget busting. Will just hope for the best that they are all reliable, but at least functionally they will be nice (quiet fridge and DW, etc.)

Fridge is the 4 door model (French door top, bottom freezer, and a middle "flex" drawer that can be a fridge or freezer drawer.

slide in gas range since that looks nicer than one with a back. Chimney style vent hood above that.

Also getting a wall mount electric oven and Microwave that will install above that to get the boss the double ovens she wanted. Actually cheaper than doing a cooktop and double wall ovens.

and now we just have to go and design a kitchen around them! Seemed odd to pick all your appliances 1st, but apparently that is the way it goes.

jmonroe1

ab348 said:

The complaint I hear about side by sides is that gives too much freezer and not enough refrigerator.

————————————————
Plus it doesn’t pass the large pizza box test. My personal opinion on this is when you have left over pizza, wrap it in foil like we do. That way it will fit on any shelf of your choosing.

Having said all that we have a French door fridge and have learned to live with it. Although I can see where a side by side fridge has a freezer that is more convenient to use.

jmonroe

tjc78

Our side by side at the shore fits a large pizza box, as did the one in our old house.

stickguy

oh yeah, one more feature the wife liked. the French doors are not symmetrical. Wife seems to think that will be nice to have so you won't have to open both doors very often.

jmonroe1

tjc78 said:

Our side by side at the shore fits a large pizza box, as did the one in our old house.

————————————————
I’ve never had a side by side so I have no first hand knowledge but I’ve heard more that a few folks say it doesn’t pass the large pizza box test.

jmonroe

jmonroe1

stickguy said:

oh yeah, one more feature the wife liked. the French doors are not symmetrical. Wife seems to think that will be nice to have so you won't have to open both doors very often.

————————————————
I’ve notice the two different width doors on the newer French door styles today. That wouldn’t help in our house because things get moved around from where they were first put. The one good thing about the ancient top freezer jobs was you opened one door and saw everything.

jmonroe

stickguy

jmonroe1 said:

tjc78 said:

Our side by side at the shore fits a large pizza box, as did the one in our old house.

————————————————
I’ve never had a side by side so I have no first hand knowledge but I’ve heard more that a few folks say it doesn’t pass the large pizza box test.

jmonroe

it was a major flaw. Though now I recall (so 50/50 it was real!) that some brand came out with a zig zag style where the top fridge part was wider, and bottom freezer was wider. but still side by side doors.

stickguy

hey, I found it!

jmonroe1

stickguy said:

hey, I found it!

————————————————
That gizmo looks worse than a mis-matched washer/dryer pair.

jmonroe

driver100

It's a little weird!
I don't like reaching down and looking around...usually I am on my knees, looking in a freezer on the bottom.
The ones on top are awkward.
Side by sides make it easy to look into the fridge or freezer, and you can buy smaller pizzas or cut the box in half. Often they can be wedged in on an angle....or find other things to eat.

jmonroe1

driver100 said:

Often they can be wedged in on an angle....

————————————————
Isn’t that why they make kitchen hammers?

jmonroe

driver100

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:

Often they can be wedged in on an angle....

————————————————
Isn’t that why they make kitchen hammers?

jmonroe

Where can I buy one of those?

Actually, just easier to jam the box in until it does fit!

btw....I think I told you the really good Odd Job Guy thinks he solved the front door that catches on the bottom.
He put a wedge behind the lower hinge, and that raises the door and puts it on a better angle so it is now straight.
It does rub a bit on the frame....the opposite side in the lower portion....he said if it swells in the winter or is a problem he can sand that down.

Your welcome....put that idea into your tool box.