Samsung a washing machine explosion recall

[Tom Raymond]

That's right, the company that brought us the self-immolating cell phone also has a line of exploding washing machines.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/samsung-cpsc-r ... d=43291726

[Nolan Kienitz]

My wife and I had one for just a tad over a year. We continually logged trouble calls and fought with the extended warranty company as they finally told us we didn't know how to "wash clothes".

Ours had the struts installed and replaced twice and yet it would still take near 6-7 hours to wash a load of clothes (the load was: one set of king size sheets: top and bottom and two pillow cases). The damn thing could not figure out how to spin out the clothes, level out and get ready to complete and let us dry them.

In our house it is just my wife and I and two rescue dogs and it would take me upwards of two days to do laundry. No kids, no grandkids visiting, etc., etc..

Finally I wrote a letter and sent it certified to the CEOs of Home Depot (place we bought the unit), Warranty Company and Samsung. Within 3 days I got calls from each of the representatives from the locations and the extended warranty company sent me a check in full for the washer with tax, etc..

So ... we got rid of ours before the 'blow up" step happened.

We went back to a very traditional top loader with an agitator: Speed Queen. Not cheap, but made in USA, solid as can be and works without fail.

[Jim Katen]

My local small-town, family-owned appliance shop and go-to guru for all things appliance tells me that they refuse to sell Samsung and LG products at all. The appliances tend to be trouble prone and getting service and parts - at least in my area - is close to impossible.

BTW, Nolan, they tell me that the Speed Queen top loader with agitator is their favorite.

Personally, I like my 1981 Kenmore washer that I've completely rebuilt from the inside out. Works perfectly and never explodes. Of course, Mrs. Jim is pressing for a fancy new washer . . . Now I have some ammo. "See, Woman. These newfangled things can kill!"

[Chad Fabry]

I have LG front loaders. Lately they've been honing my skills with a Fluke multimeter. Victory is still mine.

[kurt]

LG front loaders here too. 5 pair, one set each apartment. Flawless function, zero problems. Samsung refrigerators and ranges in every apartment. Way better than other appliances.

Recall notices on a single model is useful information for that model. Modern mfg. is about globalized supply chains and all sorts of stuff that can lead any company to produce a lemon.

[Nolan Kienitz]

Biggest hiccup (LG, Samsung, etc.) are their "top loading" washers that do not have an agitator. Therein lies the problem as the electronics can't always figure things out to properly balance, spin, run, etc.. That was the problem with ours that likely could have gone on to the 'exploding' mode.

Front loaders also don't have the typical agitator, but they don't need it and at least the clothes actually get moved in that product design.

The folks who sell the Speed Queen products down here can't keep them in stock and often have to wait on factory manufacture. Locations are allocated a certain number from each build cycle due to such high demand for the SQ product.

[kurt]

I have some old coin op Speed Queens....can't break and more steel than some cars. They weigh about 280 pounds.

The problem with top loaders is the universal joint agitating the tub (and way too much water). The old Maytags that never broke...had the perfect design. It was ingenious. Everything else is garbage. When Maytag changed from that design, it was all downhill.

Front loader technology, with it's adjusting water levels to load size, the extractor spin mode, and the motor mounts make more sense. The LG has a direct drive arrangement...no extraneous moving parts. Mechanically, they're superior.

It's the control modules that aggravate. But, they're getting better.

[Steven Hockstein]

I have simple Whirlpool washer and dryer pair. 20+ years old. The cycle choices are limited. There is "Hot", "Warm" or "Cold." No computers.

The dryer broke a few months ago. I went on you tube and figured out the problem and fixed it for about $15. In the process I found about $25 of change under the dryer. I considered it a sell-funding repair.

They are the modern versions of beating your clothes against a rock and laying them out to dry.

Simple is often better.