Recommendations needed on several things, please!

[aimo]

I didn't want to post several threads, so I am combining my requests. I am (hopefully) going to be closing on a new house soon, and I will be needing to purchase a few things. Would greatly appreciate the DBR advice that is usually so generously offered. Some of these have been covered before, but it's been a few years, so I want updates. NOTE: I will NEVER EVER buy anything from Sears again, so no Kenmore.

1- refrigerator. I really would prefer a bottom freezer, though the freezer space seems pretty small. I would actually prefer a single top door instead of French for cost-cutting reasons, which is convenient since they seem to be phasing out these models and are on sale. A guy at The Appliance Center in Durham told me that they no longer carry LG b/c of their poor customer service records, which I had also heard was bad. Have usually gone with GE, but have been told their quality has gone down since they started production overseas. They are supposedly getting ready to re-start a factory in Kentucky?

2- washer/dryer. I thought I wanted a front load, but heard you have to use high-efficiency detergent in them even if they are not high-efficency washers. Mostly looking for a good, realiable, affordable brand here that can save on my water bills. Am moving to the county, so water will cost twice as much. Something that will last long and not die right after the warranty runs out.

3- security system. Have never gone here before. My brother uses ADT for a basic system. I mostly just want something to keep the bad guys away when I am not home. It's a quiet neighborhood with one deputy sheriff right next door, and another right down the road.

4- moving company. Think I'm going with All My Sons. They were voted best in The Independent and they are less than Two Men. I'm only moving about ten minutes away and am only having them move furniture. I have heavy stuff upstairs and my family's backs and knees aren't what they used to be.

Again, would appreciate the input!

[gus]

I didn't want to post several threads, so I am combining my requests. I am (hopefully) going to be closing on a new house soon, and I will be needing to purchase a few things. Would greatly appreciate the DBR advice that is usually so generously offered. Some of these have been covered before, but it's been a few years, so I want updates. NOTE: I will NEVER EVER buy anything from Sears again, so no Kenmore.

1- refrigerator. I really would prefer a bottom freezer, though the freezer space seems pretty small. I would actually prefer a single top door instead of French for cost-cutting reasons, which is convenient since they seem to be phasing out these models and are on sale. A guy at The Appliance Center in Durham told me that they no longer carry LG b/c of their poor customer service records, which I had also heard was bad. Have usually gone with GE, but have been told their quality has gone down since they started production overseas. They are supposedly getting ready to re-start a factory in Kentucky?

2- washer/dryer. I thought I wanted a front load, but heard you have to use high-efficiency detergent in them even if they are not high-efficency washers. Mostly looking for a good, realiable, affordable brand here that can save on my water bills. Am moving to the county, so water will cost twice as much. Something that will last long and not die right after the warranty runs out.

3- security system. Have never gone here before. My brother uses ADT for a basic system. I mostly just want something to keep the bad guys away when I am not home. It's a quiet neighborhood with one deputy sheriff right next door, and another right down the road.

4- moving company. Think I'm going with All My Sons. They were voted best in The Independent and they are less than Two Men. I'm only moving about ten minutes away and am only having them move furniture. I have heavy stuff upstairs and my family's backs and knees aren't what they used to be.

Again, would appreciate the input!

can only comment on #2:

"He" detergent is very easy to find (at least, where I live), and works very well. Don't let that be a deterrent. Front loaders clean very well and are much more efficient. Plus, they're much more space efficient. I have no idea what your water costs would be, but to me it sounds like an easy choice.

[Lid]

I don't know about fridge brands (I have a Kenmore and it's great, although I completely get the desire not to buy at Sears). I am a huge fan of bottom freezers and have had them in our last two houses. Previous house was a single top door, which was fine because we had room for it to swing out. Our current one is French doors up top, and that's nice because it takes up less space when open, but is still roomy.

Second Gus' point about he detergent. Our water bills went WAY down when we got a front loader, and the detergent is not a big deal at all. I think both our washer and dryer are Samsung. No problems so far (knock on wood). Check Consumer Reports, though, if you haven't already.

Security: sounds like you're in Durham? I've heard good things about Alarm Man, although we don't have a system.

Moving company: most of our friends use Trosa and I haven't heard of bad experiences at all.

[bluebutton]

1) fridge: Have you used a bottom freezer before? I thought I wanted one of them too but stayed with a friend who had one, and they and I found it frustrating. Obviously, not everyone feels this way.

2) Washer/dryer: we were on the market for both a few years ago. We went with a top loader because of the way we use the washer -- first, with young children we soak clothes sometimes and that's not possible with a front loader. Also with young kid goo, sometimes more water is better than less water--at least psychologically :) Second, the model we got was one where I could open the top and add clothes. So I could start the cycle, run through the house and add in anything I forgot. Again, not useful for everyone and not even available on ever top loader, but very useful for our household.

I ended up with a Kenmore because of the time frame. I wanted a Speed Queen because they make laundromat machines.

3 & 4, I dunno.

[gus]

1) fridge: Have you used a bottom freezer before? I thought I wanted one of them too but stayed with a friend who had one, and they and I found it frustrating. Obviously, not everyone feels this way.


2) Washer/dryer: we were on the market for both a few years ago. We went with a top loader because of the way we use the washer -- first, with young children we soak clothes sometimes and that's not possible with a front loader. Also with young kid goo, sometimes more water is better than less water--at least psychologically :) Second, the model we got was one where I could open the top and add clothes. So I could start the cycle, run through the house and add in anything I forgot. Again, not useful for everyone and not even available on ever top loader, but very useful for our household.

I ended up with a Kenmore because of the time frame. I wanted a Speed Queen because they make laundromat machines.

3 & 4, I dunno.

I'm pretty sure I can soak in my front loader, but honestly I've never had too. Even nasty kitchen rags come out really clean. Front loaders clean much more effectively and efficiently. Also, clothes come out dryer. We hang dry everything, so that is a big bonus for me. If you use a dryer, it will cut down on those costs as well.

[devil84]

1. Fridge: I've got an old side-by-side that's been wonderful. I thought I wanted to replace it and get one of those fancy new stainless steel, freezer on the bottom, french doors on the top. Then we spent a week at a beach house with one of those. Oh, it LOOKED great! The fingerprints all over the stainless were the least of the issues. The freezer *looked* huge, but hardly stored much more than two "half-gallons" of ice cream, one of those frozen margarita buckets, and a couple of ice packs. The wire drawer was an unusual shape with an awkward 3" drawer -- left a lot of dead or unusable space. The fridge part had lots of shelves -- so many that it could store lots of condiments if they were in short containers. Even lots of plastic storage containers for leftovers didn't fit unless we took out a shelf or two. It was a HUGE unit, but didn't store nearly what I can get into mine -- it could barely hold the condiments and food for a week at the beach. We needed the second fridge two floors below to keep everything. I no longer covet that fancy refrigerator! I'd suggest taking a quick inventory of your fridge for containers, measure them, and see if you can find a unit with the proper space for what you use.

2. Washer: I have a front-loading LG that I've had for probably 8 years. I LOVE IT. I got it when we had teenagers at home and our water use dropped *dramatically.* HE detergent is easy to find, and I've used non-HE detergent, too (just use a bit less). You can add clothes after the cycle has started. I've solved the soaking problem by using a bucket as I don't have as much to soak any more. The front loader spins the clothes much faster and gets more of the water out, so we're able to dry the clothes much faster, too. Unless clothes are really dirty, I use the quick cycle on the washer (27-32 minutes) and drying takes about the same amount of time. Whites can dry as fast as 20 minutes, heavy clothes in about 40. Used to take around an hour to dry. Not only are we saving on water, we're saving on electricity, too.

Can't really speak to #3 or #4.

[DukeUsul]

Refrigerator: We bought an LG bottom freezer, french door fridge in Sep 2007. I absolutely love it. It's still going strong and hasn't had any major issues. They issued a repair notice for the gaskets it was sealed with and came and did a replacement for an improved gasket, plus gave us a small check for the difference in energy costs due to the issue. The only issue I have is that the area for water and ice isn't tall enough for some glasses and it can be hard to make contact with the button that releases the water/ice. This seems to be something they've already improved on in all the newer models I've seen.

Washer: We bought a front loading high-efficiency washer in late 2009. http://www.amazon.com/GE-WCVH6800J-Front-Load-HydroWash-Compliant/dp/B0038ZZVJ4/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top It's quiet, uses a lot less water, and the clothes come out extremely dry. It has reduced our water consumption and also reduced the time it takes our dryer to dry clothes. We've had no issues with it in the three years we've had it.

Security: No recommendations

Movers: I had Trosa pack up a Packrat storage container for me. They were friendly, fast and motivated. They were more focused on getting everything in the storage container rather than ensuring things were packed appropriately to reduce risk of damage. If you do hire them, be sure to focus on that when you discuss the move and monitor the loading.

I'd give a great recommendation to Marrin's Moving. They moved us from Cary to Durham back in 2007 and were 1) the best price we got for a all-inclusive move (packing included) and 2) they did a bang up job on the packing and moving. Marrin's gave us a firm estimate for the move, which was huge for us, since the other vendors all gave us estimates that allowed for them to charge more if they underestimated the weight. Well Marin's underestimated the weight (and all the others did too) but Marrin's honored the flat estimate, even though they had to make two trips, which they hadn't planned for.

[tommy]

I wouldn't use ADT if they paid me to do so. It's simply a terrible company, with no regard for the safety, security, or convenience of their customers. Their business model is ridiculous considering the nature of the business they're in, and they execute it with zero efficiency and zero humanity. Run the other way. Try to find a reliable local company rather than a national/international behemoth like ADT.

[rasputin]

We have been happy with our LG fridge, with French doors and freezer on the bottom. Have had it about 5 years.

[cspan37421]

1. FWIW I had a good customer service/warranty experience with an LG dehumidifier ($200ish) which died 4 yrs into a 5 yr warranty. They shipped a new one out and took the old one back, all on their dime. As for fridges, I would check Consumer Reports - they collect quite a bit of data on reliability of many brands. I've had mixed luck with just about every brand of major (and small) appliance. My GE range/oven is great; my GE cordless phones were awful. My Frigidaire dishwasher has blown the doors off my old Maytag at half the price.

2. Many high efficiency detergents are now labeled for use in either type of machine. We have a top loader and I think the detergent we use can be used for either. As with #1, we often end up at Sears and get Kenmore, which is private-labeled from some other brand (often Whirlpool). We almost never buy extended warranties, but we did on the w/d - and it paid off. [Probably added 25%-30% to the price.] We got 5 years and I think each unit saw the repairman 2-3 times over those 5 years. Not sure if that tells you about Whirlpool/Kenmore or w/d generally. But when you don't have a washer and you have 2 kids, and have to head out to a laundromat - well, that's no good at all. Much better to get a repair guy in pronto.

3. Depends on where you live, but I would recommend a local place. See what security system businesses and restaurants use and ask them about it. That's how we found ours here in Chattanooga. ADT spends a LOT of money on advertising and a lot of effort up-selling you. Our local guys worked with our existing sensors, put in new pads and "brain", kept our monthly rate level for well over a decade, etc. It finally went up but they've earned a lot of goodwill with us. One telling sign they are local: they're our only "utility" that doesn't do direct bank draft for billing - they only accept checks!

4. No idea but I would ask around anyone who has moved in or out lately. My guess is you'll find strong opinions one way or another.

[fuse]

I didn't want to post several threads, so I am combining my requests. I am (hopefully) going to be closing on a new house soon, and I will be needing to purchase a few things. Would greatly appreciate the DBR advice that is usually so generously offered. Some of these have been covered before, but it's been a few years, so I want updates. NOTE: I will NEVER EVER buy anything from Sears again, so no Kenmore.

1- refrigerator. I really would prefer a bottom freezer, though the freezer space seems pretty small. I would actually prefer a single top door instead of French for cost-cutting reasons, which is convenient since they seem to be phasing out these models and are on sale. A guy at The Appliance Center in Durham told me that they no longer carry LG b/c of their poor customer service records, which I had also heard was bad. Have usually gone with GE, but have been told their quality has gone down since they started production overseas. They are supposedly getting ready to re-start a factory in Kentucky?

2- washer/dryer. I thought I wanted a front load, but heard you have to use high-efficiency detergent in them even if they are not high-efficency washers. Mostly looking for a good, realiable, affordable brand here that can save on my water bills. Am moving to the county, so water will cost twice as much. Something that will last long and not die right after the warranty runs out.

3- security system. Have never gone here before. My brother uses ADT for a basic system. I mostly just want something to keep the bad guys away when I am not home. It's a quiet neighborhood with one deputy sheriff right next door, and another right down the road.

4- moving company. Think I'm going with All My Sons. They were voted best in The Independent and they are less than Two Men. I'm only moving about ten minutes away and am only having them move furniture. I have heavy stuff upstairs and my family's backs and knees aren't what they used to be.

Again, would appreciate the input!

Fridge- happy with our Kenmore Elite side by side. If I were buying new, I'd do Kenmore but might do the bottom freezer French door setup.

Washer/dryer- we have a front load LG set that works great and we've had for 6+ years.

Security system- we were happy with ADT

Moving company- TROSA. Assuming you are in the Triangle area, this is an option I'd urge you to consider. Cost competitive, and the workers are recovering/ recovered addicts working off debt from the program that helped them get back on their feet. There are some things you may need to do a bit differently, like provide a pizza lunch while they pack or drop off your stuff, but highly rewarding and a good way to support the community.
We used them, and we're very happy with them.

[Jim3k]

For appliances generally, I'd check out Consumers Reports. Things change in the appliance field all the time. Furthermore, the various brands are almost meaningless as brands are purchased. Whirlpool owns Whirlpool, Maytag, Amana and Kitchen Aid. Frigidaire is now owned by Electrolux. And so on. I have an 8-year old Amana fridge with the bottom door. It's quite good. You might also want to consider a countertop-depth refrigerator. They are a little wider and don't stick out from the counter.

Electrolux, by the way, makes great dishwashers. I bought one to replace my 7 year old Maytag and really like it. It's really, really quiet and doesn't use much water. [I also recommend the pellet detergents instead of the powder or liquid].

You might want to check out Fisher & Paykel appliances. It's a New Zealand company; very highly rated. They have a top load washer with a big tub that spins as fast as a front loader and saves water. Great for baby stuff. And, of course, there are several European dishwashers: Asko and Miele are good, but the Electrolux beats them, IMO, both in performance and price.

I also recommend that you stay away from the "all the bells and whistles" version of any appliance. Get the low-medium end one with the same motor as the top of the line. You'll save money and there will be less to go wrong.

[captmojo]

Amana has generally been accepted by the 'white goods' servicers as the top standard.
I prefer top freezer on any make. The reason, should there ever be a problem with cooling, cold goes down. Most of what is kept in a refer/freezer's freezer section, is put there on a very temporary basis. Longer held items are in a storage freezer. Anywho, with the amount of insulation used today and with good door seals, food can be expected to remain safe for a minimum of 24 hours if the doors are kept closed.
If space is an issue, over/unders are generally not as wide a cabinet as side-by-side units.

I worked in appliance service many moons ago. Glad those days are gone. There have been so many changes and improvements in front-loading washers since my time, I can only say what problems they used to have. They do use much less water.

I maintain my own security...when I'm home. Mower was stolen from here early this year. Heck, they my have violated my space but it actually turned my advantage.(long story)

I've always moved myself. I now concentrate on staying put.

[wilko]

If you are moving within the Triangle I would suggest Ladd. http://www.laddmoving.com/
I went to HS with with the youngest Ladd. One of my good friends worked for them over a summer. And they have moved MY stuff from time to time. I would recommend them to anyone needing this service.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

2- washer/dryer. I thought I wanted a front load, but heard you have to use high-efficiency detergent in them even if they are not high-efficency washers. Mostly looking for a good, realiable, affordable brand here that can save on my water bills. Am moving to the county, so water will cost twice as much. Something that will last long and not die right after the warranty runs out.


Whatever type of washer you buy, check this pureWash out http://www.greentechenv.com/ Watch the video on how it works. There are two versions - one for top loaders and one for front loaders, the difference being in the water flow rates used by the different styles.

Also check out some of the other products on my web site shown below. Several readers have purchased the PowerwoRx unit. And you can't go wrong with the Indoor Air Quality equipment to improve the air you breath in your house. Today's energy efficient, "tight" houses can cause lots of respiratory problems, even if no one in your home has asthma or allergies.

My contact info is on the web site, or PM me through here.

[aimo]

Thanks for all the advice! I ended up at HHGregg on Halloween night taking advantage of their extra 11% off (which turned out to only be 10% off b/c I bought Whirlpool, but I convinced the sales guy to knock a few bucks off my dryer vent kit). W'pool is made in America, which is important to me. I got the Duet 3.5 cubic foot front-loading washer and matching dryer. I'll just have to give my stockpile of regular detergent to my mom. I went with a W'pool French door/bottom freezer. It has a bigger bottom freezer than most since the icemaker is in the top. It's plenty big. All items have good user reviews. Think I'm going with All My Sons for moving, I have personal reasons to not go with TROSA, though I do believe their cause is worthy. haven't decided aobut security, yet. I want to talk with my new deputy sheriff neighbor and see what he thinks. He is apparently a 'hole, given the flag flying in his yard, so the fact that he has a gun, too, should make things interesting . . .

[cspan37421]

Cool. I hope you either got the extended warranty (since our stuff that has needed it is private-labeled Kenmore by way of Whirlpool) or bought with a credit card that doubles the original manufacturer's warranty up to one full year (Visa Gold/Signature benefits, or AMEX).

With respect to detergent, you might want to investigate whether you could still use it by using less than what is marked on the container. After all, it's still water, detergent, and dirty clothes. HE washers use less water, ergo, presumably, less detergent is necessary. I would be a little surprised if there was some reason why the surfacants and perfumes of one detergent cannot work in an HE washer, if applied with the proper concentration.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Whatever type of washer you buy, check this pureWash out http://www.greentechenv.com/ Watch the video on how it works. There are two versions - one for top loaders and one for front loaders, the difference being in the water flow rates used by the different styles.
My contact info is on the web site, or PM me through here.


Cool. I hope you either got the extended warranty (since our stuff that has needed it is private-labeled Kenmore by way of Whirlpool) or bought with a credit card that doubles the original manufacturer's warranty up to one full year (Visa Gold/Signature benefits, or AMEX).

With respect to detergent, you might want to investigate whether you could still use it by using less than what is marked on the container. After all, it's still water, detergent, and dirty clothes. HE washers use less water, ergo, presumably, less detergent is necessary. I would be a little surprised if there was some reason why the surfacants and perfumes of one detergent cannot work in an HE washer, if applied with the proper concentration.

Or, you can eliminate the detergent, surfactants, plasticizers, toxic chemicals and perfumes all together! :cool:

[killerleft]

Instead of going with a security company, I opted for this unit:

http://www.amazon.com/Skylink-SC-1000-Complete-Wireless-System/dp/B003MP93BW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1351904335&sr=8-4&keywords=skylink+home+security

You set it up to dial neighbors/friends who live nearby (and your cell, of course!) in case of a break-in. You record the message you want it to send. You can add pieces (extra door or window detectors, for instance). Best of all, you don't pay a monthly fee.

Mine has never given a false alarm, and alerted me to a break-in. The police were there inside of 5 minutes, but just missed the burgler. We got a computer back with the help of LoJack, an anti-theft recovery system that came with our Dell.

can't edit: coimpany, lol