New washing machine

The new washing machine.

We bought a new washing machine yesterday. Not because we wanted to... but because we needed to.

I thought either the washer or the dryer had been moving about in the laundry room. I was never quite sure which. Now I'm pretty sure it was the washer. While we were gone last weekend, daughter Carrie used it for a large blanket they have (because their dryer is on the blink). She said it apparently didn't spin because the blanket was still sopping wet.

When we arrived home I went to work looking up youtube videos and helpful hints from the internets in an attempt to solve the issue. I reset the motor, checked this-that-and-the-other-thing, and finally got to the point where I needed to remove the agitator. Oddly enough, what should have been a difficult task, was actually quite easy. That's because when I pulled it up, half the bottom of the basket came with it.

Yuk... but glad we found it when we did.

So, of course, I googled a parts list and what it might cost just to replace the basket (I already had the thing mostly torn apart). It would have been $200 just for the basket, and most of the other surrounding parts that I would need to replace were no longer available... So, I made the executive decision that it was time for a new washing machine.

I thought I would at least give 'local' a try again. We did that with our oven and... let's just say we either got a lemon or it wasn't worth it. Anyway, there are two places down the street in Waynedale. The place where we got the oven doesn't carry GE appliances, and the place across the street... well, when I stopped in there... there were two pretty young guys in charge of the store, and if I didn't know better they were both stoned out of their mind. Either that or they're just stupid. Needless to say, I was not impressed. So we decided to just go with the big box store. I checked Menards and Lowes, and Lowes seemed to have the best deal at the moment.

Monday night we went and looked at the Lowe's store closest to us, and they didn't have the model we wanted in stock. So yesterday I ordered one online from another Lowe's in town and picked it up in the afternoon. After doing some research we opted for this somewhat simplistic GE 4.2-cu ft High-Efficiency Top-Load Washer (Model # GTW485ASJWS). It had good ratings for a basic model - wasn't the cheapest, but didn't have a bunch of bells and whistles that we didn't need either (more things to go wrong with it). It was also on sale for $200 off at $549. 

So, m'Lady and I picked it up yesterday afternoon in my Ford Escape. We brought it home and were able to sort of slide it down the basement steps. We had it hooked up in no time, and it was almost fun to do laundry (though I doubt that will last). 

We briefly debated whether to go with an agitator or not, as well as digital or not. It seems those without agitators offer a bit more room, but they apparently don't clean quite as well (but they're "gentler" on clothes). We decided we wanted something as close to what we had as we could find. I seriously doubt this machine will last 20 years like the last one (we bought the washer and dryer at Sears when we moved here in 1999), but I figure the fewer bells and whistles there are, the better.

So far the new machine has worked just swell. It's amazing how dry the clothes are just after washing! I'm sure the dryer will now puke out soon...