Our new washer and dryer have arrived!
That also means our old machines are gone. Fortunately, our plan to sell them on Craigslist worked out perfectly (thanks for buying them, Leslie Ann!), even if it left us without appliances for a few days, as you might have noticed in the video house tour.
By selling the old set for $250, we effectively reduced our already-discounted total from $638 down to $388. After adding the wall plug, the stacking kit, and taxes, our final outlay was closer to $460, but we’re still very happy with the overall deal. We know lots of readers also benefited from the sale—whether you managed to get the extra 20% off or took advantage of the advertised base price of $399 per machine—so that makes us even happier.
Delivery and installation by the Lowe’s team went smoothly for the most part, although they forgot the stacking kit (the bracket that secures the dryer on top of the washer), even though we ordered it on the same receipt. One team member had to return to the store to fetch it, which added about 30 minutes to the visit. The installer who stayed behind seemed to use the extra time to rest at our kitchen table while he waited—either that or he’s just a very deep breather.
We selected Whirlpool Duet models that offer a higher capacity than our previous Duet Sports. The control panel is slightly simplified compared with what we had before, but that’s fine by us. As long as our laundry comes out clean and dry, the controls can be straightforward. So far, performance has been good.
There was one hiccup: the washer developed a loud high-pitched whistle whenever the cold water was being pumped in. It was literally whistling while it worked, which was both surprising and a little amusing. We tried adjusting the cold water supply ourselves to no avail, so we called Whirlpool. Their technician came out and confirmed it’s a relatively common issue caused by a faulty supply valve inside the washer. They ordered the replacement part and scheduled a follow-up visit for the repair next week. Since the machines are covered by the manufacturer’s included one-year warranty, the fix will be handled at no extra cost—even though we didn’t buy any extended protection from Lowe’s.
In the meantime, the washer’s whistle has made it difficult to distinguish between the start of a wash cycle and the tea kettle boiling—seriously, the sounds are nearly identical. While the repair is pending, we’re also mentally sketching shelving ideas to build beside the machines and beneath the nearby window for shoes, laundry supplies, and other mudroom-style storage. “Someday” is the operative word, but that doesn’t stop us from planning.
Have any of you experienced appliance delivery wins or horror stories? We’d love to hear them—there’s bound to be a memorable tale that tops ours.
UPDATE: Due to a surprising number of questions about my 5’2” wife’s ability to reach the top controls (I like to call her pocket-sized) and several requests for photographic proof, here you go:
It’s really not a stretch for her. Notice her arm isn’t fully extended and there are no tippy toes involved. Atta girl.
On a related note, I recently received an email from Lowe’s announcing a limited-time 20% off promotion on certain Samsung appliances priced $229 or more. If you’re still shopping for machines, check your local store or their website for details—no coupon code was required in the email I received. I’m passing that along for anyone who might be in the market.
P.S. The repair technicians returned within a week and resolved the annoying whistle issue. Happy, happy laundry days ahead.