RANT: Front loading Washing Machines suck ASS

So about 5 years ago when we moved into our house we bought an energy-efficient, water-saving front loading washing machine. And it was not a bargain. We were happy. It was kind of a pain in the butt to get clothes out at end of cycle because they were all tangled, but we were basking in the eco-friendliness of it all.

About 6 months after my husband started to complain that our clothes smelled "gross." Not a specific assessment by any means. I changed detergent. It helped. Then came the MOLD. Yup, we were not sure for a long time that it was actually mold but it looked like mold, smelled like mold and would not come off like mold. I think we could not bring ourselves to accept that the machine was poorly designed and I could not even think about buying another machine so we just lived with it. We did what was recommended online and by Sears --- buy these tablets that clean the machine and you just run them in hot cycle and by doing just bleach cycles. Nothing helped.

2 weeks ago I mention this to our super duper handyman and he tells me "oh everyone I know with front loader machines has this issue." I took to the world wide web and sure enough there were pages, and pages on Google about Maytag front loaders and mold. There was even a class action lawsuit and a recall.

I took to the phone that same Saturday afternoon and called Maytag only to be told that they had no record of us registering our purchase and that nothing could be done.

My response "So you are saying that I should just put this piece of shit out on the sidewalk?" Yup, I was turning leprechaun green with rage. My husband of French-Canadian descent with a just a wee bit of the Irish in him started battening down the hatches. He knew I was going to BLOW and go Balls to Wall with Maytag so he took a cue from the United States Senate...he offered up an Appliance Stimulus Package - a brand new top loading washer with almost double the capacity. I, like the American public and car companies, went for it in a heart beat. Now I am in full blown lust/love with my washing machine. Yes, I love my Whirpool Cabrio SO much that I think I could hump it except that I do not even want to put the tiniest scratch or dent on it.

So, consumers and friends please head my warning and/or put on your Sherlock Holmes disguise regarding washing machines. If it looks funny or smells funny then your problem is NOT funny. It is MOLD and you should research as quickly as possible as to your options for repair, exchange or money.

If your are going to buy a new washer please Google the crap out of the make/model that you are considering.

The Lowes delivery service came with my new washer the very next day. They asked "what do you want us to do with the old one." I said "Throw it off a giant cliff."