42ENGLISH's Full Review: Whirlpool WTW5500S Top Load Washer
I loathe the task of laundering clothes every week. Perhaps it is because it takes so long. Even more, I loathe going to the Laundromat to accomplish the chore. So, when my washing machine’s belt broke for the umpteenth time about a year ago, I went all out on research before I bought a new washing machine. I wasn’t looking for anything special. That is what my friend did. Her front loader, that looks more like an alien invention than a washer, and a price that was sky high. I hear constant complaints about that washer whenever I speak to her. It travels across her laundry room on the spin cycle; the spin cycle is weak and produces wet, soppy clothes; and oh, her back hurts from lifting heavy laundry with knees bent and back distorted.
Yes, I was definitely going for a top loader, practical but good quality. I have always been a Kenmore fan. I had a Kenmore dryer that operated for 25 years with only minimal maintenance. However, my Kenmore washer has been a nightmare for the last five years. So, after reading many, many reviews and shopping at many, many stores, I opted for a Whirlpool, specifically, the Whirlpool WTW5500S 27" Top-Load Washer with 10 Automatic Cycles and SpillGuard Top
About the manufacturer:
Louis, Frederick and Emory Upton never imagined their homegrown washer company would become the world's largest appliance manufacturer. Near the pleasant shores of Lake Michigan in St. Joseph, Michigan, the Upton brothers created the Upton Machine Company in 1911 to produce electric, motor-driven wringer washers. A watershed event took place several years later, when retail giant Sears, Roebuck and Co. began marketing two Upton-manufactured washers under the trade name “Allen.” Shortly after World War II, the company became the world's first to introduce a milestone product that has become a standard today: the top-loading automatic washer. In 1948, another first: the company marketed a Whirlpool brand automatic washer.
Post-war America was flush with pride and prosperity, and the company's business expanded vigorously during the 1950s. Now officially known as the Whirlpool Corporation, the company added automatic dryers, refrigerators, ranges and air conditioners to its product line. Today, Whirlpool Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances.
Specs:
27” Super Capacity Washer w/7 Cycles:
Cotton Cycle, Delicate Cycle, Extra Spin Cycle
Heavy Duty Cycle, Permanent Press Cycle,
Prewash Cycle Quick, Wash Soak Cycle
Extra Rinse Option
4 Temperature Settings
4 Wash/Spin Speeds
4 Water Level Selections
Xtra Roll Action™ Plus agitator
Double Duty Surgilator
Agitator Type Bleach Dispenser
Lint Filter
2 speed 1/2 HP Motor
Standard Sound Package
Direct Drive Wash System
Spreckle Porcelain Basket
3 2 Cubic foot Capacity
18 Top Access Controls
Depth: 25 1/2 in.
Width: 26 7/8 in.
Maximum Height: 42 1/2 in.
Electrical Requirements:
15 OR 20 Ampere, 120 Volts, 60 Hertz (1/second). GROUNDED CIRCUIT IS REQUIRED. A TIME-DELAY FUSE OR CIRCUIT BREAKER AND SEPARATE CIRCUIT IS RECOMMENDED
My Experience:
I must admit that I don’t treat my washer and dryer with care and compassion. They are machines that allow me to wash and dry clothes, a task I do with the vehemence of a teenager grounded to the house for a fortnight. On the other hand, I am a bit neurotic about my clothes being clean. There is nothing worse than the film of fabric softener sticking to your skin on a hot day. I mean, have you ever looked at the condition of the water at the end of your rinse cycle? It can be positively disgusting. That is why the option of an extra rinse cycle gravitated me toward this machine. That extra rinse makes all the difference to the condition of your clothes.
Another feature I like about this machine is the Xtra Roll Action Plus Agitator. Unlike most conventional top-loaders, the wings on the agitator are diagonal, not vertical which allow the agitator to drag the clothes continually from bottom of the wash drum to the top, therefore giving it more cleaning power. Strappy laundry such as bras and delicate tees tend not to get tangled on this type agitator also.
Oh, yes, speaking of teenagers, my 16-year-old has flubbed a couple of times during the last year. Her laundering skills are far from graduate level. You just cannot wash fifteen pairs of jeans in a 7lb average load washer. Always in a hurry to get the job done, the only hint of her actions was a misbalanced spin cycle. The washer fared very well and was undamaged. However, I wouldn’t recommend such a bold venture if you want this washer to last a while.
The Porcelain-on-Steel Wash Basket is scratch, stain, chip, and odor-resistant to last through years of use while helping protect fabrics from snags. This is important to me as teenagers also tend to wash belt buckles and hard objects they have neglected to take out of pockets.
The Delicates Cycle is a plus for me. I used to hand wash all my delicates but this washer is extra gentle on them. The agitation is reduced to a minimum and the spin speed is low enough that delicates do not come out distorted and crumpled.
The operation of this machine could not be more simple. Aside from specific and easy directions in the manual, the controls are self-explanatory and simple to use. The style is conventional but sharp looking, not that it really matters to me. I prefer quality rather than style and this machine has plenty to offer.
I wouldn’t say that this washer is particularly quiet but neither is it too loud. My laundry room is between the kitchen and my bedroom and I find that it does not disturb me. In fact after the wash cycle, I forget I have a load in because the spin cycle is barely noticeable.
Conclusion:
I still loathe doing laundry. However, the Whirlpool WTW5500S 27" Top-Load Washer with 10 Automatic Cycles and SpillGuard Top has made the chore a little easier. I don’t have to hand wash my delicates anymore and with the extra rinse cycle, I can be assured that my laundry is rinsed clean. It is a tough little machine that stands up to the abuse of teenage flubs and over the last year, its performance has exceeded my expectations.
At $399.00, this washer is hardly unaffordable and it certainly is not accompanied by the whines and complaints that my friend has about her “super-duper front loader.” This machine has also been innocent of thievery, unlike my previous one that ate many a sock.
Overall, I would recommend the Whirlpool WTW5500S 27" Top-Load Washer with 10 Automatic Cycles and SpillGuard Top as a moderately priced, good quality machine with the extra options needed to make a difference to the quality of your laundering experience. It cleans my clothes to my neurotic satisfaction. I have had no troubles with it at all and it has stood up to the hardships of the teenage hand. What more could one want?
For more information, go to: http://www.whirlpool.com
Whirlpool WTW5500ST Performance: -10 automatic cycles -Select a Delicate Cycle when cleaning delicate or knit items. A reduced agitation speed and low...More at Cookware.com
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