14 replies to this topic

[edwardh1]

The sunday best buy flyer is full on LG ads for washers and dryers. I never heard of them. Who makes them? what about parts availability.

They also push a washer dryer combo machine that "needs no venting" --how is that possible??.


Are you still a fan of front load gibsons -when comparing whirlpool maytag and Gibson?

[Mad Mac]

LG stands for "Lucky Goldstar", originate in Korea. I believe Sears/A&E are the contract servicers for these, but parts may be an issue.

The "no vent" dryer works by condensing the moisture rather than exhausting it to outside, never used one so can't comment on its effectiveness. This concept is common in Eurpoean-made dryers.

All the front loaders you mention have issues - Friggidaire/Gibson have been experiencing bearing problems, Maytag has been a disaster from day one, and I am starting to hear reports of electronics issues with the Whirlpool units.

Just my $.02, you understand - any of the other lads care to comment?

[The Seven]

I have about 10 years experinence each of using
a) one front-load horizontal-axis washer (previously in Asia)
b) one top-load horizontal-axis washer (previously in Asia); and
c) one top-load (agitator) washer (presently in Canada).

My comments:
(1) In terms of washing performance, © is the worst. (b) is slight better than (a) because there is no door rubbing with the clothes.
(2)In term of reliability, (a) is the worst because there is only one-side bearing support and also door gasket problem. (b) has bearing supports on both sides which is the most mechanically robust. © is also good because of its simpler construction.
(3) In term of purchased price; (b) is the most expensive and © is the least.
(4) In term of overall, the (b) could be the most economical in long-term run.

If I knew these comments and (b) were available and popular in Canada ten years ago, I would have got (b).

Even now, there is only one such make of (b) available in USA and there is no wholesale/retail agent in Canada.

If my present washer breaks, I would get a new (b). My dream may not be realised in the next few years because my present © is still very strong after 10 years of trouble-free service.

[The Seven]

[user=27]edwardh1[/user] wrote:

Are you still a fan of front load gibsons -when comparing whirlpool maytag and Gibson?

The LG as well as these washers belong to front-load horizontal-axis" type with one-side bearing support. They are subjected to a very large canteliver force on these bearings due to the short distance between the two bearings on one-side. Drum with a larger depth will give a larger canteliver force and leads a higher failure rate to bearings.

It is preferable to avoid the following as well:
a) Drive motor using "brushes and commutators": These brushes would need replacement after several years of service. Some washers ( the present Asko) use such drive motors. The new models of Asko in Sweden use induction motors.
b) Too much cosmetic electronic control: "Water and electronics do not mix" as said by Samurai.

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

[user=27]edwardh1[/user] wrote:

Are you still a fan of front load gibsons -when comparing whirlpool maytag and Gibson?

We have an older Gibson (friggidaire) front loader, about 7 years old.  We're a family of 5 and it's used every day, sometimes twice a day.  Not a single problem.  But apparently those hack engineers at Electrolux couldn't leave a good thing alone and they made a change to the drum spin bearing about 5 years ago.  Since then, there have been horror stories about drum bearing failure. 

So, given the present day choice of Whirlpool, Maytag, and Gibson front loaders, I take the Whirlpool Duet in a fartbleep.  But after our Gibson suffers some failure that I don't feel like fooling with, my next washer will be a Staber. 

[The Seven]

[user=1]Samurai Appliance Repair Man[/user] wrote:

So, given the present day choice of Whirlpool, Maytag, and Gibson front loaders, I take the Whirlpool Duet in a fartbleep.  But after our Gibson suffers some failure that I don't feel like fooling with, my next washer will be Staber. 

The "top-load horizontal-axis washer" in Asia and Europe has a round drum which is different from the hexagonal drum of Staber.

Has anyone used both of these washers?
Where could one see Staber phyically in Canada?

[edwardh1]

who makes the front loaders in Laundromats?

Are they all made by one company? - seems they wouldbe/have been already the testing ground for front loader reliability????????

[billybob]

I have an LG washer dryer front loader.  RUN and RUN fast NOBODY will come and fix it for me.  There is only 3 places in the seatlle area that will even look at it but, I have to bring it to them.  what a hassle. IT should be gl not lg for good luck if it breaks!

[jagrider91]

I think LG is a good product and easy to fix and they take care of customers

[Keinokuorma]

[user=7]The Seven[/user] wrote:

It is preferable to avoid the following as well:
a) Drive motor using "brushes and commutators": These brushes would need replacement after several years of service. Some washers ( the present Asko) use such drive motors. The new models of Asko in Sweden use induction motors.

Old post, but must put in my response.

The "brushed" motors are generally quite reliable, and don't require very complicated control circuitry. also the brush changing process can be made easy. True, the wearing of the brushes is a little unpredictable.

LG uses synchro servo motors in the newer machines, while the design has no transmission (except perhaps a friction coupling) the motor style requires a more complicated control unit.

Induction motors, although perhaps the most reliable design, also require inverter style controllers to perform effectively at various speeds.

I believe the new Asko motor is actually a permanently magnetized synchro motor, very similar to the LG one but smaller and still uses belt drive.

[Scottthewolf]

I would not take an LG product if it was given to me as a gift or even if I won it on the Price is Right! 

 I think they are overengineered and overpriced.   To much electronics to go wrong. 

As far as the condensing dryers that need no venting, FORGET ABOUT IT!   These condensing dryers take twice the amount of time to dry as conventional dryers and not very efficient.  I have a few customers that have them and they all say NEVER AGAIN!

Wascomat, Speed Queen and Milner make most of the front load washers used in laundrymats, and those all need the rear bearings replaced when they get older.  Most of these bearing jobs require 2 people to do, need a special tool and some of them can turn into 4 or 5 hour jobs.

[Crouching Tiger]

If I were to buy a frontloader (although I would not) it would be the base model LG.  I have found that most problems are predictable in the washer and the dryer is very similar inside to the Whirlpool - they were probably based on the same platform.  However I do agree that there are way to many electronics on most frontloaders, where most of the cycles are never used by the customer.  The logic inside the controls are overkill and are becoming more of a problem.  I just like the direct drive LG and around here they seem pretty reliable.  They also have an external access door for the pump cleanout which mirror European designs which is also helpful.  To comment on the washer/dryer combo, the average cylce from start to finish is about 4 hours, this is hardly practical for anybody even the old lady that lives on the 15th floor with one of these rammed in a closet full of junk.  On a side note I just bought the new direct drive Maytag Centennial top load washer and dryer made by Whirlpool, they designed it with the timer in the middle of the console like the old Maytags of the 60s.

[WayneSB]

The impression I get about LG is that they make some nifty appliances that look nice, but don't seem to hold up. My company refuses to sell them because of the service issues we've heard about. In fact, I had a woman today call for help on her LG and I had to turn her away. I told her that we weren't an LG dealer and that my tech working on a brand he's had no training on would be a disservice to her. I told her that she should call Home Depot's service department and get help. Shame the HD in our area doesn't have a service department.

I kinda feel bad for her, but it seems silly to me to buy a machine from a place that can't help you get service when it breaks. All machines break. Every last one of them will break at some point. Why not spend the extra $10 and buy it from someone who will help you fix it when the time comes?

That's something that's baffled me since before I got intot he business. If my local Toyota dealership didn't do repairs, I'd be driving a Honda right now.

[jagrider91]

lg pays 84 a service call i will fix it

[RegUS_PatOff]

I bought the top-of-the-line LG washer & dryer WM2688 & DLG8388 and they're working great.

One reason I bought them is because I found all of the LG service manuals on-line and downloaded ALL of them. ( washer , dryer , fridge , dishwasher , A/C's, de-humid , microwave , ect. 

They seem to be easy to repair, and parts can be ordered from

http://www3.sears.com/


I also have the videos & training manuals PDF (no longer on-line) email me.