Your 10 year old Maytag is not one of the last forever models. They go back
at least 15 years. Perhaps you would have liked it but we didn't. At the
time everyone was raving about how Maytag washers lasted forever. Well if
you design a washing machine that barely agitates, it must be pretty easy to
make it last forever. We sold it after a couple of years and bought a
Kenmore that had a dual agitator. That stayed when we sold the last house.

We don't own any fancy stainless steel appliances. Ours are all white.

If you really want the most reliable cheap washer available now buy a Roper.
It is a low end Whirlpool. Your neighbors will hear it washing but it will
last forever. Landlords often buy them. They also buy low end GE
dishwashers that last forever. They sound like a grinder going full blast in
your kitchen.

Whatever makes you happy.

As for priorities, we spent extra on a front load washer and Asko dishwasher
to save water and we paid extra for pressure flush toilets whereas our
neighbors have to flush twice using the builder standard toilets. I suppose
the extra money could have gone to museums but our employers like to see
money coming out of our paychecks to go to the United Way so that is how we
donate all our charitable giving. I like the idea of using less water than
anyone else in our neighborhood. That is a priority for me.

By the way the Asko died and was replaced with a Maytag dishwasher that died
and then a 2 drawer model from Fisher Penkal. It uses a tiny amount of
water and a great match if there is only 2 people in the household. You can
use 1 drawer at a time.

Your grandmother sounds like my 90 year old father. He always believed in
buying the minimal to get by. I pay extra to save water and energy.


"Ted Mittelstaedt" wrote in message
...

"Art" wrote in message
link.net...

"3rd eye" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 16 Feb 2006 22:55:45 GMT, "Art"
wrote:

My Maytag dishwasher and front loader washing machine, and my Asko
dishwasher all broke after the warranty was over but before an extended
warranty from Lowes would have ended had I bought one. On expensive
appliances like a $1600 refrigerator, and a $1200 dishwasher, if some
one
will sell me an additional 4 years coverage for $99 I'll take it
considering
that typical repairs these days are around $300.

I'm sure you've got some beautiful appliances in your home.
If you feel the need to spend $1200 on a dishwasher, $1500-$2000 on a
washer dryer, by all means get the extended warranty.

For me, I've got a maytag washer that I'd guess to be about 40 years
old. Bought it used about 25 years ago. $25.00.
It's noisy, not pretty, & doesn't have bells & whistles but does a
fine job of washing my clothes.

The little woman wanted it gone but I prevailed.
May well be the best value I've ever gotten out of a buck.

I didn't get an extended warranty on it though.


I had one of those famous never break Maytag washers. I sold it afew
years
after buying it new. I didn't think it cleaned clothes worth a darn.
The
rinse cycle was so short I couldn't see how it could possibly get the
soap
out. I used to run it thru an additional rinse every time I used it
until
I
happily got rid of it. Lasting forever is not the only thing to look for
in
an appliance.


When my wife and I bought our first house about 10 years ago we bought
brand new a Maytag washer and dryer set. The total for both was about
$800.
We did not get an extended warranty. Neither appliance has broken down.
And both work exactly the same as when new. And the rinse cycle is not
too short, I believe it's adjustable although I hardly ever use it. (I
use
the
dishwasher much more)

I think the point he was trying to make is that it takes a certain amount
of
money to manufacture an appliance that works well and is reliable. But
beyond that, additional money does not make the appliance work better or
last longer. All it does is make the appliance more expensive, thus a lot
fewer people buy it. I suppose this gives the people that do buy it a
sense that they are special since they are buying a product that few other
people own. If that is worth $500 per appliance for you, well all I can
say is your helping to keep the economy going, but my grandmother (now
dead) who was very educated, knew Latin, and came from Eastern
old money, would have said that sort of thing was ostentatious, and
the $500 would have been better spend on keeping the local art museum
funded.

Ted