The washing machine, along with the refrigerator and stove,
is one of the most important appliances in a household.
It goes without saying that having a reliable one is pretty important.
In this video, you'll learn about how we
measure reliability, the most reliable front load washer brands and models,
some common problems for front loads and if you should buy an extended warranty.
We try to curate our appliance selection to
offer the most reliable models and brands, especially when it comes to laundry.
After all, we just don't sell them,
but we're also responsible for repair and service after the sale.
We calculate reliability by measuring
the percentage of appliances needing repair to the amount of appliances we sell.
Last year, we logged 37,061 service calls.
Here's our reliability percentages based
on every brand with at least 300 units sold.
Whirlpool has been in the top three brands
for the five years we've been measuring reliability.
However, a good percentage of Whirlpool
sales are builder-related, which requires less service compared to other brands.
Samsung is the top selling appliance brand in the U.S..
Now, we always have comments of people who don't like Samsung, in fact, they hate it.
Their product is reliable, but the real issue is service availability.
It could be nonexistent in certain areas.
So make sure you know who you'll be fixing your appliances before they break.
LG has always been reliable.
They typically have the most technology
and are the shallowest and easiest to fit in stacked or in tighter spaces,
the no offering larger five cubic foot machines with auto dispensers.
The dispenser is on the top, like Maytag, which may cause service issues unlike
the ones located in the bottom, like GE, Whirlpool and Miele.
Will be interesting to monitor their reliability numbers next year.
GE's front load washers feature
Microban antimicrobial coatings on their door gaskets,
dispensers and hoses to prevent mold and mildew buildup, as well as a fan to dry
residual moisture. Combined with a 32oz automatic detergent.
It's a recipe for a reliable machine.
And auto dispense will dispense the right amount of detergent at the right time.
Most people use too much and that extra
foam ends up in the machine for expensive service call down the road.
Now 17% isn't exactly reliable.
The numbers suggest it's because of the location of the automatic dispenser.
Their sister company, Whirlpool, is built similarly,
but as a bottom-mounted dispenser, and is significantly more reliable.
When making a purchase for any appliance, you'll probably be pitched, and
pushed to an extended warranty at some point.
Never buy an extended warranty from a company that doesn't have its own repair service.
warranty repairs pay much less to independent repair companies.
So you'll be placed in a really low priority.
Front load washers are generally reliable but are expensive to fix.
First, make sure extended warranty is backed
with service and then you can decide whether it's worth it.
For once, it's not all bad news.
Samsung, LG, Whirlpool and GE are all
below the industry average of 9.7% for an appliance.
So you can be comfortable with any of these brands.
In terms of features,
LG is the shallowest and easiest to stack. Samsung's second easiest to stack,
although you have to check in your area whether it can be serviced.
Whirlpool is the most reliable, while GE has the best features.
But for reliability, you can buy any of them.