One day, my wife decided to get this humongous blanket. It was so big that it wouldn't fit in our regular top load washer. It was one of those blankets that you had to wash every two weeks and it was getting to be a hassle to go to the laundromat so we bit the bullet and decided to get a large front loader. When we got our old washer I didn't think we needed to spend a whole lot of money on it so we just got a middle of the line GE. This time, I thought, what the heck, let's just get the top of the line one so we wouldn't have any buyer's remorse about not getting the best. And there was quite a big difference in cost, $500 for our old washer 3 years ago to $1400 for this one.
I researched all the washers carefully and read a lot of reviews and decided to go for a front loader, which is supposed to wash better because the clothes are tossed over and around instead of just being swirled around, and it's supposed to save water. And based on the reviews, I thought Samsung came out ahead in terms of quality. Mind you, the difference is not that much. There is no brand which is terrible in quality from what I read of online reviews, all are quite good, I just liked Samsung better. It's also somewhat subjective as I just liked the way it looked.
What I like about it.
1) Silvercare. I really like that fact that the laundry can be sanitized with silver ions instead of using heat because heat does terrible things to clothes. Especially families with kids, you've got mud and dirt and underwear, and adult clothes mixed with children's clothes. This was a very important selling point to me.
2) 4.5 cu. ft. capacity. I wanted to get the biggest size possible. This was one of the reasons which I didn't go one level down, even though the next level down was 4.3 cu.ft., which was just a little smaller. But as I said, I didn't want any second thoughts in the future, so I just got the biggest one.
3) Bells and whistles. This washer has a lot of features and functions: steam clean, bedding, quick wash, delay start, etc. in addition to the regular cycles. To be honest, I'm not using 90% of them now. I don't wear any fancy clothes and my laundry loads are either towels, every day clothing or underwear. What I do like is that I can customize the function. I chose "normal" but found that it didn't spin them enough so I increased the spin level by one. I also use the "hand wash" function, but found I needed to increase the spin level by one too. There are like 20 functions and you can customize them all to some degree.
4) Yeah, I like watching the clothes go around and it's relaxing. This is my first front loader ever. I wonder if I'll ever get tired of watch clothes go around.
5) I forget what they call this, but the washer resets itself if the clothes get bunched up. And that's one thing I disliked about my toploader. Sometimes the clothes would get all bunched up on one side and the toploader will throw itself out of whack and make a lot of noise. This one can reset itself.
Cons:
None really so far, but a few comments.
1) Water saver, it uses less water than your regular top loader. I just can't get used to the idea that clothes can be thoroughly washed without them being completely soaked and when you watch through the glass window you'll see that the water never fills up the drum; the clothes do get wet, they just don't get immersed totally in water. In fact, you never see a water line through the window. Other reviewers in other forums have made the same comment.
2) Noise. I thought this would be whisper quiet, but it isn't quieter than my toploader. It has to do with the fact that the clothes tumble around and that's what makes the noise. My old GE which agitated (the drum would rotate as well as go side to side) was just as quiet during the wash cycle. It has vibration reduction but again, it doesn't noticeably vibrate less than my GE. However, both this Samsung and my 3 year old GE are much noticeably quieter than my last last washer from more than 10 years before, which demonstrates that technology has increased a lot; and also if you have a washer more than 10 years old you should seriously look at a new one!
3) Capacity. It may have a 4.5 cu.ft. capacity but it's a lot harder to load more in a front loader because you're trying to load stuff in sideways whereas with a top loader you just fill it to the top. Fill the little things like socks first and big things like towels at the top. I feel that even though my old washer was a 3.3 cu.ft, this one doesn't wash 36% more clothing.
Overall.
For the value minded, is this functionally 2.8X better than my old top loader? ($1400 vs. $500). I would say no. It's got more functions but I think that most people can make do with a middle of the line washer.
However, getting a new washer nowadays is a lot more about function. It's visceral, it's emotional, it's subjective. For 2.8X the money, you get a washer that subjectively looks a lot better ($500 washers don't come in 4 different colors, and just don't have the same oomph.) You get this because of the features, the looks and the fulfillment that you've arrived (in the laundry room). Laundry doesn't become a chore anymore, it's an appointment with the latest technology from Samsung. You don't merely wash your clothes, you clean them, you sanitize them. And that's what the extra $900 is all about. But me, I don't have to justify anything, she who must be obeyed had spoken.
Finally, and this was what sold me - our last last washer lasted almost 10 years. Washers last for a long time. I didn't want to buy something cheap and then kick myself for the next 9 years wishing I bought something else. If this last 10 years, a difference of a few hundred dollars is negligible and this is a machine you'll use every week. This few hundred dollar difference pales in comparison to getting a washer repairman out. The last time I called it was $140 for the guy to come out and then parts and labor, so spend what you need to spend (within reason) and get the washer you want and the one with the better reputation.
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Samsung WF448AA 27" Front-Load Washer with 4.5 cu. ft. Capacity, 14 Wash Cycles, 8 Options, 5 Temperature Settings, Steam Washing, SilverCare/VRT Technology, LCD Display and Diamond Drum DesignProduct Description: Washer Capacity: 4.5 Cu. Ft.. VRT Vibration Reduction: Yes. Direct Drive Motor: Yes. Steam Washing Technology: Yes. Deep Steam Cycle: Yes. Steam Care Option: Yes. SilverCare: Yes. Diamond Drum: Yes. Water Temperature Setting: Yes. Wash Cycles: 14. Wash Options: 8. Deep Steam: Yes. Heavy Duty: Yes. Normal: Yes. Whites: Yes. Perm Press: Yes. Sanitize: Yes (NSF Certified). Towels: Yes. Bedding: Yes. Delicates: Yes. Hand Wash: Yes. Wool: Yes. Quick Wash: Yes. Rinse and Spin: Yes. Spin Only: Yes. SteamCare: Yes. SilverCare: Yes. Delay Start: Up to 24 Hours. My Cycle: Yes. Pre Wash: Yes. Extra Wash: Yes. Extra Rinse: Yes. Extra Spin: Yes. Temperature Settings: 5. Extra Hot / Cold: Yes. Hot / Cold: Yes. Warm / Warm: Yes. Warm / Cold: Yes. Cold / Cold: Yes. Extra High: Yes. High: Yes. Medium: Yes. Low: Yes. No Spin: Yes. Heavy: Yes. Normal: Yes. Light: Yes. Prewash: Yes. Main: Yes. Softner: Yes. Bleach: Yes. Maximum Spin Speed: 1,300 RPM. Internal Water Heater: Yes. Child Lock: Yes. Washer Drum Light: Yes. End of Cycle Signal: Yes. Controls Language: English, French, Spanish. Optional Pedestal: Yes. Optional Stacking Kit: Yes. Electrical: 120 Volt; 60 Hz; 15 AMP Fuse or Circuit Breaker. Door Trim: Chrome. Display Type: 2 1/2" Large LCD. Display Color (LED): Red. Center Soft Touch Dial: Yes. Parts and Labor: One (1) Year Parts and Labor. Control Board Parts: Two (2) Years Control Board Parts. Width: 27". Depth: 32". Depth Stacked: 36". Height: 39". Net Weight: 238 Lbs.. Shipping Weight: 251 Lbs.. Welcome to SAMSUNG. For over 70 years, SAMSUNG has been dedicated to making a better world through diverse businesses that today span advanced technology, semiconductors, skyscraper and plant construction, petrochemicals, fashion, medicine, finance, hotels, and more. Their flagship company, SAMSUNG Electronics, leads the global market in high-tech electronics manufacturing and digital media. Through innovative, reliable products and services; talented people; a responsible approa...
Buy cheap Samsung WF448AA 27" Front-Load Washer with 4.5 cu. ft. Capacity, 14 Wash Cycles, 8 Options, 5 Temperature Settings, Steam Washing, SilverCare/VRT Technology, LCD Display and Diamond Drum Design now
Overall, a very well-built machine.Spin cycle does not vibrate excessively, and mine is located in a second-floor closet!If you're looking for a good top-loader, this is a fine model from Maytag.
