LG - 4.5 Cu. Ft. 14-Cycle Front-Loading Washer - White

This is a long review, fair warning. I wanted to upgrade a set of GE washer/dryer that I've had for a while. These units mostly clean OK, but they are very loud and took forever to wash and dry. I have limited space since the laundry room is so small and by living areas. I started looking into top load washers and dryers and was surprised at almost every unit I looked at had horrible 1 star reviews saying to avoid. I don't know if manufactures leave reviews for competitors but it was incredibly hard to decide based on reviews. Alot of the feedback with toploaders now are that they are "HE" and due to the new design they just don't clean as well or leave stuff soapy. The alternative to this is front loaders since they toss the clothes. I decided I wanted front loader and stackables to save space. I did a ton of research and settled on these units. Even looking at various review sites this unit had some 1 stars saying to avoid. I had to try to decide on SOMETHING with the reviews in mind. I ordered these units online and it selected all of the components needed automatically. I was going to go Lowes but I could get these units quicker and free install so I wouldn't have to deal with lifting them up. Fast forward to the install day and when they arrived I showed them where, and they informed me that I did not order a stacking kit. I figured everything I needed would be included, it added about 4 various kits for line hookups and other stuff. They said they could install them side by side or put them back in the truck and there might be more of a delay since it was black Friday that they got installed. I decided to just have them install them and then get a kit. So if you want to stack them, you must ADD the LG stacking kit! They ran the diagnosis cycle to show it was running ok and it sounded really quiet. I signed the paper work and they left. The next day I ran my FIRST load of clothes. Instantly I had horrible squeaking sounds, it was SO loud I can't even describe it. On the spin cycle I could hear the unit outside from the sidewalk. It was so horrendously loud I had instant regret for buying these units. I couldn't even imagine how people could stand how loud these units were. Everything was balanced fine, no packing screws at the back. I noticed that moving the washer barrel there was a horrible squeaking sound. I feared the 1 star reviews about this unit were right. The dryer had no issues. Eventually the next day I was able to talk to someone on Saturday who setup a swap no questions asked. They came out to swap it on the following Tuesday, I was prepared to give it 1 more chance and if the sound returned I would not keep the units and was going to go back to my old ones. They swapped out the units and stacked them, very friendly and nice service. I played a video I recorded of the units and couldn't believe how they sounded. They took the unit out to the truck and came back in with a huge piece of foam several feet large. Apparently this piece of foam was not removed from behind the barrel of the washer, so the mystery was solved. If you buy this unit ENSURE the installers remove all foam from behind the barrel ensure everything is balanced and no packing screws. It might even be good to shake the barrel back and forth when they deliver to ensure no squeaks. With the new unit and these problems fixed these units are glorious. What a difference when you don't have that stupid piece of foam in it. The units are so quiet and just a dream to have. I can now wash and dry at any time of the day. The wash and dry time is so reduced now. It will autosense the load and know exactly how much time and what water. It just makes life easier not having to deal with 2.5hour dry times like my old units. These units can typically wash in like 35-40 minutes and dry time is 40 minutes or less for clothes with me. Extremely nice units, they are more expensive but when they work they are great. It uses much less water and soap. Everything gets extremely clean and after drying it has a very fresh smell with no need for fabric softener for me. Lots of really great settings for delicate washing/drying.

We purchased this washer approx. 1.5 months ago along with the dryer and find that it's great and meets all our washing needs. The machine is super quiet. It does have what can only be described as a "hissing" sound when the water is being pumped into the clothes but is normal. The spin speed is great. The "Turbo Spin" cycle is fantastic for getting almost all the water from large loads of towels, jeans, etc.. For more delicate clothes I would not recommend the Turbo Spin cycle as it will twist some clothes. When I found the proper cycle for the specific load I had in the machine, this problem was corrected. The "Direct Drive" is fantastic as it makes it more quiet. This machine does adjust itself before spinning as to not have lopsided spinning. The chime at the end of the washing cycle can be turned to high, medium, low or off. I found that low was great. The machine lights up at the end of its washing and chiming to allow you to see the clothes in the tub while taking them out and not forgetting anything in it. I had a Whirlpool washer prior to this one and as with all these washer types, you "should" wipe out the front glass and seal after each use so as to minimize any possible mold that could accumulate. I myself even remove the Soap, Softener, Bleach tray and wipe that out as I learned with my Whirlpool that mold DOES grow eventually if this is not done. This is minor for me, but some may not enjoy doing it. The front door should remain OPEN after use until fully dried out and this machine has a magnetic thing that holds the door very close to the machine verses swinging openly as with our old Whirlpool. I had forgotten how fresh clothes can smell until I got this new one. This machine does have a drain cabinet in the lower bottom left corner which has it's own little hose that pulls out and a filter which should be cleaned out about every 3 to 6 months depending on it's usage. There is always a little water that remains in the soap dispenser which the manual says is normal and that is why I take the extra moment to empty and wipe dry to avoid that mold issue that could develop. It uses very little water yet certainly enough for extremely clean clothes. I love the way the water sprays into the machine from both sides verses just one area as with our old machine. I downloaded the manual before purchasing to "learn" before I chose to buy. The drawback of "Stacking" this washer is that the stacking kit is simply a silver metal bracket. It works but when the washer is on the spin cycle, the dryer WILL shake a bit. This would not be a problem if this machine isn't stacked. The hoses that come with the washer are only 4 feet so if you are not close to your water source you will need to purchase a longer one as we had to do.

I've run about 8 loads of laundry in the past two days to catch up the almost 2-weeks without washing machine. Hot whites. Warm mixed. Cold-water darks. Ferret/pet laundry and... teenage dance clothing. Although it took two tries on the latter -- the TrueSteam won the day! Here's why I give this washing machine an unwavering 5-star rating: #1 - CLEAN, Fresh, Clothing We buy our washing machine to get our clothing clean, right? This thing does it, with well thought-out modes and options to be gentle when you need it, and thorough. The "Normal" wash has done an excellent job on all but the teenage dancewear clothing. For the dancewear with embedded stench (yes -- I inhaled.. with my nose.. what better test to determine if it's truly clean?!), I thought a hot-water wash would do it. Nope. I washed a second time using the "TrueSteam" option which presumably would help "open the pores" of the fabric for a deeper clean.... and.. IT WORKS.. IT REALLY WORKS! #2 - Clear online manuals and concise guides -- very clearly help you understand what modes are for which situations... nice going! #3 - Limited Shimmy/vibration -- our last front-loader (Whirlpool Duet) shimmied.. a LOT. The rooms next to it would shake.. and they said it was functioning "normally". I leveled this per the instructions and although it does vibrate when in high spin mode, the unit does not walk across the tiles (2nd floor laundry closet) and is does not shake like the last unit did. Yay! #4 - The pretty blue tub-light. OK.. this may sound silly, but it's fun to watch! I literally sat there for 20 minutes just watching how it spins and chooses to handle the clothing... and YES.. I was not just procrastinating.. really! (I think) The cats seemed less impressed, and a bit scared watching it. #5 - OK. The silly alert melody .. My wife smiles every time the "I'm done" melody plays... "That's so FUN!" Yeah.. I may disable it at some point, but for now it's a bonus :-) #6 - Wash-speed with Turbo-Mode. WOW WOW WOW. It can do an entire heavy load in under 30 minutes.. under 25 minutes... and it comes out clean and fresh... WOW. Saves time. Saves energy. #7 -- Repair costs -- hopefully I won't need this for a long while, but a local tech said LG washers are less costly to repair due to their more intelligent design (you can replace individual parts, and don't need to replace larger parts which are "attached/combined").. he also said LG's just don't break as much. Cool! So... LOVE LOVE LOVE this. Nothing bad do say. Here's to continued success.

I've had this about a month. I'm not sure I love it yet. It replaced a 13 year old front loader Kenmore HE4 Pros: *larger washer capacity *doesn't vibrate much *Uses less detergent, which is also a con since I've had some sudsing issues adjusting to it. *It is so quiet when it stops running that I had to turn on the load complete signal to know the wash was done *clothes seem to come out very clean Cons: *Doesn't have an extra rinse cycle if it senses extra suds remaining. The old Kenmore would run an extra rinse automatically if it sensed suds. *No way to permanently change the defaults - it defaults to turbo wash, but I don't want turbo wash, so I have to always unselect it. *Can't change the stupid signal tune. *If the soap dispenser drawer is fully pulled out, the machine door will hit it when you open or close the door. I keep the drawer and door open to avoid musty smells, but now I have to be careful not to have the drawer out too far or it will hit the door. *No shelf on the pedestal to rest a laundry basket. My Kenmore had a shelf so I could put the laundry basket below the door when the pedestal is pulled out. I made one myself, but the door is so large that I can't have the basket on my shelf and open and close the machine door. General observance - doesn't seem to use much water at all, yet the clothes seem clean. It just seems odd to use so little water, even for a front loader.

We recently bought an older condo (built in the early 1980s) and our Samsung washer/dryer stackable set would not fit in. In fact, most of the newer laundry units in general would not fit because they must have not anticipated that laundry machines would not change in the future! The only thing that would have fit was the oldish looking stacked white laundry with top loading washing and front loading dryer combos. UGLY! We needed something better. We were seeking something sleek, modern, lots of functionality for different settings, and definitely thinner! Although this unit fit perfectly in the laundry closet - due to the location of the dryer vent for the matching dryer unit, the dryer needed to be pushed out a little upon connecting/installing it - which meant that the washer needed to be pushed out as well. This meant we needed to forgo the closet door - which most people would be upset about, however, because of the cool/modern look to it, we don't mind it at all. In fact, it's a nice compliment to our new flooring! It works great and love all the options although I will be honest in say that we haven't tried them all yet. In fact, we have stuck the basic ones but have used it multiple times already and it works absolutely great! Definitely a big win for us and our new home!

Pros: very quiet wash and spin; uses much less water than top loader but retains option to add garments; no vibration or movement when spinning due to the heavy weight of the machine. The machine has 2 hand holds on both sides to allow it to be moved which is not easy to do pushing from the front. Make sure you lock the adjustable feet locknuts and properly level the machine with a spirit level. LG supply 2 sticky non slip pads for the front adjustable feet to prevent movement which is thoughtful addition. Cons: the hoses supplied by LG do not have 90 degree hose fittings so it is difficult to put the machine close to the back wall. I recommend replacing with stainless steel 90 degree fitting hoses to prevent kinking and save an inch or more on space. This machine is very heavy, trying to get it moved even with the helpful side handholds is difficult from the front. If space is restricted as it is in our condo utility closet, pushing from the front takes a lot of effort as the machine does not slide easily. Also, worth noting when measuring the depth of space you have available, you need to take into account that the door is convex and the glass bows outwards about 2" further than the washer frame, the same for the matching dryer DLEX 4370. which I had not realized when measuring the available space and had to rehang the utility closet doors to prevent touching the machine door.

I would not recommend this machine or LG appliances. Brand new machine delivered setup took 3 hours to complete the first load. Machine was level and set up by Geek Squad so it was installed properly. Machine would not spin out and in trying to do so the front door flexed so far out you could get your hand between the door and the machine. Called Geek Squad to come look at it and it will be going back. I reordered a Samsung set that I'd started with but in the meantime had to keep this piece of junk for two weeks only able to do a third to a half a load at a time. When the machine was able to spin out correctly it sounded like a jackhammer or a machine gun going off. I can't believe a brand new machine would be this broken. I do not trust LG and in fact this experience has made me scared to do laundry until it is gone. No commentary on how the machine controls work - when turning the machine on it seems like you had to spend the dial forever to get to the cycle setting you wanted and the dial does not spin nicely like Samsung's. It was nice you had the option to turn the signal at end of cycle to three different volume levels. There was a nice selection of Cycles to choose from had the machine worked. When the machine filled with water it was very loud. Having now had Samsung machines versus LG machines I have to say that Samsung dial controls spins better and overall is much quieter in performance. If any of you have a brand new LG machine and it is very loud when spinning like a jackhammer or a machine gun as I mentioned, call and get it serviced that is not normal. The door on the front might jiggle slightly but at no point in the spin cycle should it flex out very far from the machine like mine did.

I purchased this washer and matching dryer after moving into a new place as it was the most comparable option to the LG washer/dryer in my last home (and I loved my previous LG washer/dryer). I deeply regret the decision to replace a functional washer/dryer as this new one has been nothing but a problem. The first washer I received had Styrofoam behind the drum so it would make horrible noises when spinning. The tech that came out to diagnose the noises also cracked my laundry pan when moving the machine to access the back panel to be able to remove the Styrofoam. Because I was still within the return period, I had that machine replaced with another of the same model because I didn't want to take chances that the Styrofoam might have caused internal issues or that something else was missed when it was assembled/shipped. While the replacement washer thankfully came without any unwanted 'extras' on the inside; this machine seems to be substantially louder (especially during the spin cycle) than any washer I've had previously. It is loud to the point where the dog (same one who thinks the vacuum cleaner is a fun toy and doesn't mind lightning/thunder, fireworks, etc) is afraid to be near the washer when it is running. I can easily hear this machine when I'm on the main floor (laundry is upstairs) and it shakes so much that even items left on top of the dryer will be thrown off and end up on the floor (I typically use the delicate wash cycle). Only positive is that clothes appear to be getting clean without excess wear/tear.