Hi there,

I guess I'll throw in my 2c worth :)

We sell all FL machines, (every brand). I personally own the Duet laundry pair. (The 9400 series)

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Here's some info regarding the Duet Steam Washer:

1) Steam will destroy 99.99% of any bacteria on clothing. What is this good for? Well, kitchen towels contain the worst bacteria known to man (no joke). Normal Sanitize cycles may not be able to get rid of "all" bacteria (Quite a bit, but not all). Bath Towels are 2nd filthiest on the list. Pet bedding is terribly ridden with bacteria..Then there's our bedding: We have bed mites & dust mites & a host of other bacteria all over OUR bed sheets & pillowcases....I could go on. But, it's gross to think about it.

2) Steam in the washer also gives the ability to open up clothing fibers more, for much better cleaning of set-in stains. Due to the much higher temperatures steam has (over 212 degrees)

Steam Dryer:

The Steam DRYER offers the ability to get rid of wrinkles much better, and also allows a touch-up or "QUICK REFRESH" of articles of clothing. Meaning, you can take a shirt (for example) ....maybe you go out to a nice restaurant, bar, club, but didn't really get that shirt or shirt & pants too dirty....A Simple "quick refresh" cycle, gets the clothing rid of odors, wrinkles, and maybe a tiny stain..etc, without using much water at all.

They really are nice features to have....

Now, do you NEED to have Steam machines? Maybe, maybe not....I guess it really is a personal decision. Some folks are really touchy about bacteria, and get scared about that stuff. Most guys just shrug it off as a part of life... LOL :)

But, I do have a cat, and animals are not the cleanest things on the Planet...Yeah, it would be nice if I had a steam machine, but, my Duet STILL offers a built-in water heater, and I can still feel good about that. Because my machine does sanitize. So, that's good!

BUT, no matter what the choice, the Whirlpool Duet, or Duet Steam pair, is a great pair of machines, and have a proven track record. Everyone that I work with all have the Duet pairs. We sell them, we stand behind them, they certainly handle ANY job we throw at them, and they have VERY LITTLE service issues....And who wants to go to the laundromat to wash a stupid comforter! The Duet can handle a KING-SIZE comforter, with the sheets & pillowcases....NO SWEAT!

Side Note:
I'd stay away from LG. We sell them as well....They're not a bad product, and I rarely talk bad about a product, but their service STINKS! In our NY, NJ, CT area, there is hardly any service at all...And has been this way since they came to the US.

Conclusion:
Any Duet, or Maytag Epic would be a great choice for your son. They are both the same machines, all made by Whirlpool. Meaning, Maytag no longer has the problems they once had, and FYI: The Maytag machines come in at a little better price point, but, Maytag does not offer steam machines. But, they're still great!

Take care!

Hi Laney-thank you so much for taking the time to fill me in. I guess that I started searching on the internet for groups who wanted to discuss washers and dryers, because I wanted my son to avoid getting a machine with lots of repair woes. I read some posts on another board about service issues with door latches, mother boards and other things on the Whirlpool FL machines. He loves these Whirlpool Duets and really wants them- and I just wanted to make sure that he wasn't spending $2,500 on two appliances that he would have trouble with in two or three years, potentially.

I am so happy to read that you say the Duet series has very little service issues! That makes me very happy.

Now my son must decide whether to pay more (and possible have more to go wrong with more bells and whistles) for the Whirlpool Duet 9500 series; or to go with the Whirlpool Duet 9400 series and do without the steam dryer.
I am the one who was pushing him to get the steam dryer-because I know my son has lots of problems with keeping his work shirts nice. (He doesn't iron them!) I don't like to iron either-and it just seemed like a wonderful idea to keep the wrinkling down on dress shirts.

BTW-He had three cats. He isn't one of those who looses sleep worrying about bacteria. He doesn't like to pre-treat clothes so the steam features might be nice. It's good to know that the 9500 series or 9400 will serve him well in your opinion. I'm releived to hear that their rate of repair is very low. Great!!

I was in the position of needing only a washer. I considered a washer with steam but ended up buying the Duet Sport (no steam). I got it yesterday. In the end, I decided that I would NOT purchase the steam because a sales person told me that the steam feature in the washer is really for stain removal rather than wrinkle control. He also said it was part of a cycle, not a "cycle" in its own right (not sure if he was correct in that). Those comments steered me away from the steam in the washer. I decided to save a few hundred $$ and get the "regular" duet washer sport. It has the internal water heater for really hot "sanitary" cycles. When I need to get a new dryer, I will probably get a dryer with steam for the very reasons you are mentioning - a way to quickly freshen nice work clothes without doing a full cycle in the washer.
In terms of service... I buy my appliances from a local store that has people on their payroll who do the servicing. Two stores that I try to avoid are Sears and Home Depot. I've had HD sales people tell me very honestly that it's up to the customer to deal with the manufacturer once the appliance leaves the store. I've had Sears sales people tell me they would "be there for me" if anything went wrong and when it did, I was given an 800 number and left to fend for myself. When I call my local appliance store and talk to the salesman or shop, they promptly visit my house, look at the machine and do what it takes to solve the problem. So for me, it's not just about getting the extended warranty, it's finding out how that warranty is carried out.
Good luck!

Thanks for answering, janbanks. I hope that you love your duet! And thank you for the advice on where to buy. I think that you made a good choice on getting the lower priced model. Sometimes, that is the best buy AND the best choice. Tried and true is good, most of the time!

My husband is not in favor of our son getting the extended warranty on these units. His thinking is: that the extended warranty will be hundreds of dollars. He is probably right. Funny thing is: most everyone here agree that extended warranty is a good thing to invest in. Hmmm........

HI Donnaroe,

No problem, always try to help when I can....

The Duet has many forms:

9400 series (no steam)
9500 (Entry level with steam)
9600 (High End model with steam)...More cycles than 9500

My Duet machine is going on 4 yrs old, I have the equivalent of the 9400 machine, but with a different model #. NO PROBLEMS, no issues, and handles anything I throw at it!

.....Just a suggestion for you, or your son......

You only get the efficiency from the Front Load "WASHER". He could save a bunch of money by getting a FL washer, and a standard Whirlpool dryer for around $399. Which is what many people do. The efficiency ratings only come from the FL washer. A dryer is never rated "Energy Star" because dryers can not be made to be efficient.

A standard dryer is the SAME capacity, same motor, same belt, as a FL (matching pair).

Because the FL washers spin over 1000 RPM's, this is where your "dryer efficiency" comes from. Clothes come out of the Front Load washer much drier than in a top-load machine....

But, then again, some folks want the pair to match.

Again, just a thought!

I want to second what Laney said about the dryer. I have a Roper dryer going on 10 years. Large capacity and works really well. I think we paid about $200 for it. Pairs of washers and dryers look nice but is it really worth the extra money? My Roper and Duet Sport are the same size and color (white) so they look matching. [I have to admit, however, that I really want that steam dryer once the Roper quits. I'm hoping they come down in price]
Regarding the extended warranty. Before Sunday, I had never bought one. However, this time around I did buy it -it was only $129.00 for five years. I thought that was acceptable. It's going to be a test case for me.

Thank you, Laney and Janbanks. He is now mulling over getting the 9400 series non steam Duet washer in white with the blue teardrop trim and the 9500 series Duet steam dryer in white. They will be a little less expensive than the 9500 series Duet steam washer and dryer. I'll let you know what he ends up with. Thanks again, nice people!