DH and I are moving into our house soon so we'll be purchasing a washer/dryer soon also!

So I need to know what is the best for it's price? Is there a sertain brand I should look at or stay away from? And do you recamend buying used or no? The most we can spend on each is about $500.

Just any words of wisdom that comes with buying a washer/dryer would really help seeing as we've never bought any before! Thanks ladies!

I actually worked part time last year at Sears selling washers/dryers.

I'll warn you up front, all washers and dryers are now made with nylon parts rather than stainless steel so do not expect them to last longer than 7-8 years without major trouble.

Kenmore, which is a Sears brand only, is actually made by whirlpool. I liked whirlpool before I worked at Sears, and own a Kenmore myself. Maytag was actually bought out last year so their stuff is supposedly getting better and should be ranking higher than L and G, which is still fairly new and has some kinks to workout.

Do you want a front loader or a top loader? Front loader is going to run you more than $500 a piece, and while many people prefer front loaders, top loadesr are pretty efficient these days.

Honestly, I will also say we saw TONS of the new front loaders come back with major problems because of the computer chips in them. They are still working those kinks out as well.

A few questions to ask yourself about what kind of washer/dryer you want is?
How many loads do you do a day? No need to get a huge washer if you aren't going to use it.

Do you want all the bells and whistles on it, like options for second rinse, etc? If not, you can save $ getting a more basic one.

I wanted one that could hold HUGE loads and and have a second rinse, since I use bleach. Other than that, I could care less. I paid $400 a piece for mine and LOVE them.

Good luck and be sure to really look at the washers/dryesr and test out the knobs, and buttons. Some buttons to replace on washers can cost up to $200 for one button so you want something that isn't too loose, etc.

Here's what I have and I haven't had any problems with them. I did however learn that my comforter is in fact too big for the dryer, which melted the stuffing for comforter, but that was my stupidity.

Washer
http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/diy_main/pg_diy.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@1633240443.1177210231@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccihaddkkehihhjcgelceffdfgidgln.0&CNTTYPE=PROD_META&CNTKEY=misc/searchResults.jsp&MID=9876&N=2984+4370&pos=n08

Dryer
http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/diy_main/pg_diy.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@1633240443.1177210231@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccihaddkkehihhjcgelceffdfgidgln.0&CNTTYPE=PROD_META&CNTKEY=misc/searchResults.jsp&MID=9876&N=2984+4370&pos=n08

They're not anything to fancy, but they wash our clothes just fine. I'm not to fond of front loaders because I'll find stuff to throw in after I started it (like a pair of socks), and you can't do that with a front loader.

Good luck!

I actually worked part time last year at Sears selling washers/dryers.

I'll warn you up front, all washers and dryers are now made with nylon parts rather than stainless steel so do not expect them to last longer than 7-8 years without major trouble.

Kenmore, which is a Sears brand only, is actually made by whirlpool. I liked whirlpool before I worked at Sears, and own a Kenmore myself. Maytag was actually bought out last year so their stuff is supposedly getting better and should be ranking higher than L and G, which is still fairly new and has some kinks to workout.

Do you want a front loader or a top loader? Front loader is going to run you more than $500 a piece, and while many people prefer front loaders, top loadesr are pretty efficient these days.

Honestly, I will also say we saw TONS of the new front loaders come back with major problems because of the computer chips in them. They are still working those kinks out as well.

A few questions to ask yourself about what kind of washer/dryer you want is?
How many loads do you do a day? No need to get a huge washer if you aren't going to use it.

Do you want all the bells and whistles on it, like options for second rinse, etc? If not, you can save $ getting a more basic one.

I wanted one that could hold HUGE loads and and have a second rinse, since I use bleach. Other than that, I could care less. I paid $400 a piece for mine and LOVE them.

Good luck and be sure to really look at the washers/dryesr and test out the knobs, and buttons. Some buttons to replace on washers can cost up to $200 for one button so you want something that isn't too loose, etc.

Wow.. I'm gonna PM you next time I'm in the market for one...:wink

We have had a Roper washer and dryer for 10 years and love it. We have never had any problems and it is still going strong. Whenever we need new ones we will get a Roper again. They are also very inexpensive.

We have had a Roper washer and dryer for 10 years and love it. We have never had any problems and it is still going strong. Whenever we need new ones we will get a Roper again. They are also very inexpensive.

Yup I have roper also and I love my set, nothing fancy about them or anything.

I have a whirlpool set, they are the elite series, and got them at Sears. I think the washer was $475 and the dryer about the same. Definitely look and see if Sears is having an appliance sale, it should be coming up soon, I believe in May.

We have the Whirlpool Duet set and I LOVE them. I had a old top loader Whirlpool washer and that thing ran for 13 years before it sprung a leak! That is why we went Whirlpool again. I would HIGHLY sugguest you purchase the extended warranty for any new machine you get, that way if something does go wrong for about $100 at the time of purchase you are totally covered for several years.

My Mother had a stacked-set ... dryer on top (front opening) and I Loved it! Saved so much room in the laundryroom - I want it like that!!

BUT - now she as an all-in-one and I loooove it, too ... they have two, actually - so throw it in, two hours later or so - it's all done: dry and everything! No more *ooops, forgot to put it in the dryer and now it stinks...wash it again*

oh you girls helped a lot! It's just my husband and myself so right now I don't need like a super-duty huge load kind but we do plan on having these as long as they live so I don't want a small load washer and dryer when we have 2-3 kids, ya know? So I think we'll get at least a large load one (do i even know what I'm talking about??). And I just need something that cleans my clothes. I don't need any extra stuff that's only going to help a little with some things. If I could get basic and KNOW it will take care of business and wash and dry my clothes well than I'd be happy. Unless any of you suggest any extra stuff that helps a lot?

I love the sanitation cyle on m front loaders, when the girls are sick and at least twice a month I run all towels and sheets through there. (we wash them more than that though...LOL) I also like the wool cycle and the drying racks in the dryer that I have. The coolest thing for me is the delayed wash cycle. I can throw in a load, set the delay for 10 hours and it will be just finishing up by the time I get home, that way they don't sit in the wash all day and get smelly.

I forgot to tell you in my last post......go check out Lowes and Home Depot, sometimes they sell their floor models for almost half the price, that's how we got our washer but we had to pay full for our dryer because it's gas.