Depends on what Kenmore model number you have (and who made it).

We have the LG w/d and love them.

No matter what you buy, make sure there is an appliance service person in your area that works on them.

Five years is a short life, and it may be somethign that can be repaired easily -- it may be something more. But whatever it would cost, if you are already unhappy with the size and can swing buying a new one, wouldn't is make more sense to put the money towards a new one and not into a repair that will cause you to keep something you aren't happy with? If you loved the washer, had no other problems with it or simply couldn't afford to replace now, I'd say repair. Sounds like replace might be better for you.

Thank you!

I think I'm going to humor my husband by letting him try to fix it, but I stopped by Sears today (it's a tiny outlet; the only other "big" store within an hour from me is Home Depot) and looked at the LG. Not that looks are necesarily meaningful, but I think I've convinced myself to buy the LG.

My friend, whose whole family is allergic to nearly everything, swears by her SteamWasher, and gave me enough info that I'm ready to go ahead and buy it now.

I have a perfectly functional large-capacity dryer, and I am not planning to replace it - unless there are compelling reasons to do otherwise.

> I have a perfectly functional large-capacity dryer, and I am not planning to replace it - unless there are compelling reasons to do otherwise.

until you realize what the matching dryer would look like next to the washer

Except for appearance, which seems to not be an issue for you, the only thing I would consider would be whether or not the dryer's drum can accept a full load from the washer. The largest of the FL's have a huge capacity.

IÂm guessing from your description that you have the Kenmore front loader made by Frigidaire that has been on the market for about 10 years now. If so, itÂs the same machine that I haveÂand I love it! I realize that these machines are notorious for blowing up at about the 5-year mark, but performance-wise, I think it might be better than some of the current machines. For one, it uses more water than the newer front loaders. For two, it actually spins when itÂs supposed to spin! For three, it has simple mechanical controls that arenÂt apt to fail. And finally, itÂs considerably less expensive than most of the others (I guess "you get what you pay for" applies here). If it were me, I would ditch the repair cost and hassle and just get another of the same machine, but thatÂs just my opinion. I bought mine for less than $500 and hope that when the inevitable happens that they are still making them so I can get another.

Buzzley, how would I find out if my Kenmore was made by Frigidaire? I will say, though, that the owner's manual that he's pulled up online has a mention of Frigidaire in the Energy Star efficiency statement. I don't want another of these machines, though, because the load capacity is so small. It's awfully frustrating, and is probably our primary reason for considering a larger capacity washer in the first place (well, before our current washer broke down).

I asked my husband what's his financial breaking point, where the cost of repair would exceed what he's willing to spend, given that we were already discussing replacement. He said $200; the part he thinks we need is $165 (from Sears) plus tax, S&H. I'm not sure how I feel about this, really. We've got so many other home improvement projects going on, that a $1200-1500 purchase isn't something we need right now. OTOH, clean clothes are nice; getting laundry done more quickly is as much so.

Totally agree that a mismatched W&D will look silly, but I'm still willing to see if my dryer will a load from a large capacity washer.

Thanks for the replies. :)

> how would I find out if my Kenmore was made by Frigidaire?
by the model number as I have asked about in a previous question

Model # is 417.43052200, according to inside of washer door.

It's a Frigidaire. Each manufacturer has an identifying numeric prefix; 417 is Frigidaire. From what I've heard, repair costs and difficulty for this machine often exceed its price, so a replacment would probably be the better choice. If capacity is an issue, then no, a replacment with the same machine certainly wouldn't be for you.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

Thanks for the info. I'm going to go to Home Depot to see what they have, and if there are any particularly good incentives. I'm rather limited here, unless I opt for a mail order item.

Thanks for the good info; I appreciate it!

I don't find that mismatched pairs are a serious problem.

Thanks, dadoes. I'm really not very concerned about whether or not they match; I'd only consider a 'matching' dryer if the capacity of my current dryer won't handle the larger washer loads. And, I'd opt for a white LG anyway - so that it'll match my current dryer, or a new one down the road. ;)

Our Home Depot had quite a few versions of the Tromm washers. I'll do a search here to see if paying extra for the SteamFresh option is worth the money.

Appreciate the picture!

I thought I'd post a quick (and hopefully, interim) update: my husband took apart the washer, and indeed, one of the "arms" that helps to spin the washer was cracked. He debated purchasing the part (~$250) but I said no way, not if we're going to replace it anyway, so - in order to buy us some time, he took it to a friend and had them weld the arm together. "Good as new," he has proclaimed, although the washer is still dismantled.

No matter; next time a good sale presents itself, I think we'll end up buying the Tromm anyway. And we'll need it - our laundry situation is so bad right now, that it's going to take quite a long time to catch up.

Sears is running a 15% off/free delivery sale today and tomorrow and they will have a different sale for the July 4th weekend. Other places have had 10% on the LG. The salesman said that one would be big on the Kenmore brands.

I was second guessing our recent LG purchase and talked to 2 or 3 people at the dog park yesterday who have them. Everyone is happy. My dryer is working, but I bought the matching pair. Mine are in a space off the front hall behind the dining room and kitchen. The dryer won't be easily seen, but it will be seen. If it were in a garage or basement, I wouldn't -- unless I was really convinced the steam feature was going to keep my clothes looking better.

Dadoes, if that is one of your Calypsos, we don't' have the same model. Mine is significantly different across that control panel -- the shape is different, the top door is differnt.

I believe that Dadoes washer is now a unique collector's item...one of Maytag's TL washers that tumble the clothes with two wash plates.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

Well, I'm awfully confused. When I go to Sears' website, I see the 15% off sale, with the LG brand marker under the sale ad. However, their exclusion disclaimer states that LG is NOT part of the sale, and indeed, while other appliances (in the front loading washer area, at least) have their sale prices listed, LG does not.

What's so hard about a little accuracy in advertising?

off-topic to lascatx -- joe-in-philly is correct. The washer is a Maytag Neptune TL that I bought (new) last month, mostly for it now being a unique collectible. The dryer is a Fisher & Paykel. I do have a matching F&P washer. Both Calypso washers are in my garage (I have one Calypso dryer).

In case anyone reads through this thread and wonders if the weld (on the Kenmore 417) has held up to use, the answer is that it only held up for about 10 loads, and then broke again. We're on our way to buy a new washer in a few minutes.

Sorry that happened to you. That turned out to be a good bit more than a couple of trips to the laundromat (if you can even find one anymore, maybe not as bad as having to take everythign tothe cleaners. At least this should be a good weekend for appliance shopping. We went out last weekend and there were good sales. What I am seeing htis weekend looks the same or better.

The Frigidair Affinity gets very good reviews and can be found for around $1000 for the pair -- if they are large enough for you. The non-steam, simpler LG front loader is reasonably priced too -- and I think a little larger that the Affinity in the washer and a fair bit larger inthe dryer. Good luck.

I just got the delivery confirmation for mine tomorrow!

You're right; the sales were very good this weekend. That definitely worked in our favor.

So, the funny thing is - we tried another load (my husband wondered if it would repeat) and, well, the problem was gone. No sounds, the drum is fine (it's not wiggling), and the load ran great... we can't figure it out. In fact, we've done about 5 loads this weekend - the sound hasn't been replicated.

Fortunately (for me), I'd already gone out and purchased the replacement. I chose the LG front-loading steam washer (non-stackable), model # WM0742HWA, which was marked down at my Home Depot to $899 (for the white color; it's $300 more on the website), and the matching dryer, model # DLG0452W. With the lower prices, extra 10% off of both, plus $50 off for a new account (whatever - we can pay it off when the bill comes), their incentives ($75 HD gift card, $35 off for the Energy Star rated washer, and free delivery, and plus tax and the gas dryer kit, I paid about $1577 for both. I'd have loved to have the color machines, but I'm going to paint the laundry room instead. ;)

We figure even though the older one is apparently working after all, it may just be a matter of time before it fails again. Likely, we'll freecycle it with the caveat that we just don't know how much longer it will last.

Here is a link that might be useful: Our new LG SteamWasher

I think you're wise to go ahead and replace now. I talked nicely to mine and bought an extended service plan thinking we could keep it running while we planned to rework the laundry room nd create space for stacking the W&D. When it died unexpectedly, we had to nix that plan and find a model that would fit in the space we had. I think it's going to work out fine, but it's stressful when the timing and the choices aren't of your own making.

Hope you love the LG. I've heard very good things about them from my friends.

Just a brief comment: No matter how short you are, a HE toploader shouldn't be a problem to unload. The huge capacity (my Maytag Bravos MTW6700 is 4.6 cu ft) is because the tub is much wider, not deeper. Because there's no agitator, it's much easier for me (5'4") to unload than a conventional washer. I cannot use a front loader because of back issues.