Rant Warning Rant Warning

Appliances require care and feeding, generally in direct proportion to their complexity. One upon a time, the typical Maytag top-loading washer had a timer driving a layered switch with an eccentric series of contacts activating a series of soleboid valves and relays that operated a motor, a pump, and a transmission. Perhaps half-a-dozen assemblies operating without any sort of software at all. No silliness such as weight sensors, dryness sensors, dirt sensors nor much of anything else along those lines other than *perhaps* a door/lid switch so that the system shut down when the top was opened.. Oh, and it would use up to forty (40) gallons of water for a single load. Big ones used more. They could be overloaded, they could get unbalanced and much more, And, they would leave between one (1) and three (3) of water behind for the dryer to work with.

Now, they have more computing power than the original Space Shuttle, use between four (4) and eight (8) gallons of water to do more clothing, and leave only a very few ounces of water behind after spinning. And they do not care about balance much.

There is a price to be paid for all this efficiency, however. They need to be level. Really level. With a proper level, level. Fore and aft, starboard and port. That also means with the feet each bearing properly. This does not happen much. I know of two such washers that were installed properly initially. One in this house, by Best Buy, bless them! Their installer took a full 10 minutes with the level to get it 'just so' (and did not take a tip!), and the other at our summer house. I redid both the kids' machines after so-called 'professional' installation. They need to have the sump cleaned regularly, every quarter in the typical house, every week if small kids are involved with Lego pieces, coins, marbles and such. They need to use the proper detergent, and in the proper quantities. NO, more detergent will NOT make it cleaner. NO, fabric softener does NOT help clothing last longer, nor is it good for the machine. Just a lot more lint in the sump. Yes, they DO like really hot water once in a while to remove scum. Add a bit of ammonia to help.

Dishwashers have similar foibles, but with different emphases.

There is no reason whatsoever that a well maintained modern appliance should not last 30+ years with scrupulous maintenance. Well until the original purchaser is either tired of it, or has moved out or worse. My general contention is that if an appliance makes it through its first two years, then it is not a lemon. Excepting that generation of LG appliances that rust badly, of course.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA