Author Topic: Craigslist Washer & Dryer  (Read 9795 times)

teacherman

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Craigslist Washer & Dryer
« on: May 15, 2013, 12:00:47 PM »
Fellow Mustachians,

I'm seeing a lot of washer and dryer sets for sale on Craigslist ranging from $200-$2000. I have no idea what to look for. Can anyone give me some tips? Thanks!

dizzean

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Re: Craigslist Washer & Dryer
« Reply #1 on: May 15, 2013, 12:12:40 PM »
Fellow Mustachians,

I'm seeing a lot of washer and dryer sets for sale on Craigslist ranging from $200-$2000. I have no idea what to look for. Can anyone give me some tips? Thanks!

Get a front loading washer, they are 10 times more efficient.

ScubaAZ

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Re: Craigslist Washer & Dryer
« Reply #2 on: May 15, 2013, 12:51:30 PM »
I found the front load washers to be significantly more expensive (more than I had to pay at the time), so we bought an older but completely refurbished washer dryer set off Craigslist about 6 months ago for about $300 for both.  I have no idea how much laundry you'd have to do to recoup the difference between a front load and an older model (between water and electricity).  In my area, it was $150 for a top load model compared to $600+ for a front load.  The matching dryers were priced accordingly as well.  We mostly looked for a brand we recognized (I can't remember what we actually ended up with), and the opportunity to put it through its paces before we took it home (rather than its unhooked in the garage so you have no way to know it actually works or not). 

Its always a gamble though, sorry I don't have much more advice. Hopefully you'll get someone with more technically knowledge to respond.

Spork

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Re: Craigslist Washer & Dryer
« Reply #3 on: May 15, 2013, 12:56:31 PM »

There is some trade-off for simplicity, too.  I've heard multiple tales of folks that bought highly efficient washers/dryers only to have to replace a motherboard in it every 3-4 years.

Yes, this is anecdotal evidence.  And, to be fair, I've actually got one of those computerized efficient front-loaders.  But I always worry about paying more for complexity of a relatively simple product.

Another Reader

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Re: Craigslist Washer & Dryer
« Reply #4 on: May 15, 2013, 01:37:30 PM »
If you want trouble-free machines that will actually get the clothes clean, go for the old fashioned top loader washer.  Whrlpool and GE make relatively inexpensive and simple machines that you should be able to pick up cheap.  Look for someone that just "upgraded" to fancy new front loaders.  If you give them your phone number, you may get a call in a couple of months asking of they can buy the old ones back....

ruthiegirl

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Re: Craigslist Washer & Dryer
« Reply #5 on: May 15, 2013, 01:41:35 PM »
I have had both top loaders and front loaders and like them equally well.  Anything that washes our clothes decently and does not involve me scrubbing is just fine for me. 

While everyone says the front loaders is more efficient, I did not see a real difference in my water and electricity usage when we went from a top loader to a front.  We are a family of six and do a lot of laundry, so efficiency was very important to me.  I spent a lot on the front loader only to find no real change in the utility bills. 

We recently moved and I bought a $300 set (top loader) off of Craigslist.  They work great and the price was right. 
« Last Edit: May 15, 2013, 01:47:42 PM by ruthiegirl »

Spork

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Re: Craigslist Washer & Dryer
« Reply #6 on: May 15, 2013, 01:56:44 PM »
While everyone says the front loaders is more efficient, I did not see a real difference in my water and electricity usage when we went from a top loader to a front. 

I think we saw about a 20-25 gallons per load difference.  But, to be fair, this might not be "top load to front load" but instead "20 year old to present day" difference.

We're on septic, so the difference is more than "how much does 20 gallons of water cost?"  It's more of how much can the septic system take and keep up.

ruthiegirl

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Re: Craigslist Washer & Dryer
« Reply #7 on: May 15, 2013, 02:09:07 PM »

We're on septic, so the difference is more than "how much does 20 gallons of water cost?"  It's more of how much can the septic system take and keep up.

That is a good point and not something that I have been considering.  We are in a rental with sewer and our water is included in the rent.  Right now, I have very little incentive to spend more on a washer.  We plan to buy a house in a year or two and I might think about it differently when I have to pay for my own water/sewer/septic...

teacherman

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Re: Craigslist Washer & Dryer
« Reply #8 on: May 15, 2013, 02:42:55 PM »
I'm looking at a 2008 top-loading GE set being sold for $300. Does that seem like a good price?

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Re: Craigslist Washer & Dryer
« Reply #9 on: May 15, 2013, 03:01:57 PM »
That's not too far off, as long as they are middle of the line and have not been abused.  Look for the people that are upgrading to the top loaders with the pearl automotive paint.  They probably have new cars in the driveway and newer furniture.  The serial upgraders.

Nords

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Re: Craigslist Washer & Dryer
« Reply #10 on: May 15, 2013, 09:48:26 PM »
I'm looking at a 2008 top-loading GE set being sold for $300. Does that seem like a good price?
That's good enough.  If either one fries a $100 circuit board then you can just throw the machine away and buy another used one off Craigslist.

Unless you're in a rush to buy that set, then I'd recommend going to the Samurai Appliance Repair Guru's website (http://fixitnow.com/subscribe-to-appliantology-the-oracle-of-appliance-enlightenment/), signing up for his newsletter, and getting a free report on brand reliability records.  Better yet, the newsletter will save you hundreds of dollars in future appliance repairs.

Rural

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Re: Craigslist Washer & Dryer
« Reply #11 on: May 16, 2013, 05:47:56 AM »
In my experience, my clothes last longer in a front loader, sans agitator. I save a fortune on my water bill too.

They spin dry at 1,200-2,000 rpm, getting clothes nearly dry, too.

I wouldn't go back to a top loader.

But the last time my top loader developed a problem (four years ago), I googled it and fixed it myself. Hard to do with a front loader, and you can't find one with no onboard computer and mechanical (thus repairable) controls...

As for septic systems, washer runoff is the very definition of grey water. You pretty much need to make your own laundry soap, especially if you water food crops with the grey water, but DIY soap is cheaper anyway. Insert the usual caveat here about checking local codes, etc, but eventually the codes are going to require grey water recycling instead of forbidding it.

Spork

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Re: Craigslist Washer & Dryer
« Reply #12 on: May 16, 2013, 07:28:41 AM »
As for septic systems, washer runoff is the very definition of grey water. You pretty much need to make your own laundry soap, especially if you water food crops with the grey water, but DIY soap is cheaper anyway. Insert the usual caveat here about checking local codes, etc, but eventually the codes are going to require grey water recycling instead of forbidding it.

We did this when we were living in the workshop.  We were trying to sort out a good way to do it when we moved to the house... but the plan we came up with didn't really jive well with it.   I.e., there just wasn't a good place to dump it that wasn't in the way.

Rural

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Re: Craigslist Washer & Dryer
« Reply #13 on: May 16, 2013, 07:56:57 AM »
As for septic systems, washer runoff is the very definition of grey water. You pretty much need to make your own laundry soap, especially if you water food crops with the grey water, but DIY soap is cheaper anyway. Insert the usual caveat here about checking local codes, etc, but eventually the codes are going to require grey water recycling instead of forbidding it.

We did this when we were living in the workshop.  We were trying to sort out a good way to do it when we moved to the house... but the plan we came up with didn't really jive well with it.   I.e., there just wasn't a good place to dump it that wasn't in the way.

We plumbed for it here, but don't have it set up yet (it's on The List along with everything else,and meantime all water goes to the septic). In the short term, though, we'll put it on a drip system to droughtproof trees around the house. Eventually it will serve the garden if we site it downhill from the house, or blueberries if the garden goes uphill as looks likely just now.

Sorry for the thread hijack. Let's see, back on topic... You could always set up a clothes line and spend half as much for a washer only!

Dynasty

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Re: Craigslist Washer & Dryer
« Reply #14 on: May 16, 2013, 08:30:26 AM »

We're on septic, so the difference is more than "how much does 20 gallons of water cost?"  It's more of how much can the septic system take and keep up.

I don't know the legality of it, but depending on how far out in the country you are, you could probably just discharge your washer water (grey water) into a drain field and bypass the septic.

Spork

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Re: Craigslist Washer & Dryer
« Reply #15 on: May 16, 2013, 08:41:53 AM »

We're on septic, so the difference is more than "how much does 20 gallons of water cost?"  It's more of how much can the septic system take and keep up.

I don't know the legality of it, but depending on how far out in the country you are, you could probably just discharge your washer water (grey water) into a drain field and bypass the septic.

It's pretty normal to just dump it on the ground.  Our layout didn't really work for that with this house.  We could have plumbed it out a ways, but didn't want to have the construction crew trenching in the garden or across a driveway.  Our septic is pretty large (sized on potential number of bathrooms, not actual occupants) and our soil is fine, fine, fine beachy sand.  If nothing else, we're watering a nice stand of trees in front of the house.  (Or if you're a pessimist, we're waiting for them to stick their roots into our drain field.)

Forcus

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Re: Craigslist Washer & Dryer
« Reply #16 on: May 16, 2013, 09:21:25 AM »
This isn't explicitly what you were asking but we bought a Whirlpool Duet combo with risers out of a very large house about 6 months ago for about a third of the new price. I do get concerned about circuit boards and the like, but they are nice and VERY quiet. Wife is very happy so far. So I would definitely recommend CL over new (I mean, I can't imagine spending 2k+ for something to wash your clothes). Also I'd look at Consumer Reports to find reviews on new units as they generally also have reliability / durability ratings as well.

iamsoners

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Re: Craigslist Washer & Dryer
« Reply #17 on: May 22, 2013, 10:06:13 AM »
Just wanted to chime in that this was a timely thread for me as well and I'm off to purchase these gems tonight... http://kansascity.craigslist.org/app/3821466173.html

Kenmore is #3 in brand reliability from Consumer Reports so here's hoping they stay good for a while.  Would you all do an actual test load before buying? That seems like it'd take an awkwardly long time

Spork

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Re: Craigslist Washer & Dryer
« Reply #18 on: May 22, 2013, 10:36:04 AM »

I'd just do a quicky to make sure it seemed to work.

btw: Kenmore isn't really a brand... I'm surprised CR would treat it as such.  Sears just rebrands other large manufacturers' products as their own.  There is nothing inherently wrong with them... I've owned several.  (The same is true of "Craftsman".)