Nothing Like Getting a New Washing Machine

Today has been a beautiful day because today was the day that our new washing machine and dryer were delivered and installed! If you've spent quality time with 25+ year old washing machines and dryers then you'll probably understand my excitement. We've been the proud owners of our old washer and dryer since 2003 when they were passed on to us by David's brother Sam who got them from my inlaws when they upgraded their washing machine sometime around 2001. Sam had them in a house on well water in Moscow, ID which means the inside of the washing machine drum is permanently stained a rust color. Attractive. I can't complain because they were free and they did the job.

It's been our radar that we'd possibly need to replace our washing machine and dryer for the past year or two but when the washing machine all of a sudden stopped during it's regular cycle a month ago my heart almost stopped along with it. Thankfully I was able to restart it but that's when the tax refund got redirected to the oh so glamorous New Washing Machine & Dryer Fund. We made a cursory trip to Best Buy a few weeks ago to get an idea of cost. Then we came home and I did some research on what brands were the best. After all, we only plan on buying a washing machine and dryer once every 20 years and we'd like a good one during this next 20 years that will see the most use!

Going into our search we assumed that Maytag and Whirpool would be the best options. Much to our surprise that wasn't necessarily the case. Brands that we would have never considered 10 years ago for a washing machine are now dominating the field. I would have never guessed that Samsung would make a good washing machine but according to numerous websites, reviews, and the illustrious Consumer Reports they do.

After my research I spent a day in Salem price comparing with both kids in tow. Can't say how much fun it is to try and negotiate with salespeople while my children refuse to stay within my line of sight. I visited Lowes, Kelly's Applicances, Sears, and Best Buy. Out of all four Best Buy had the best deal and I even had a coupon. You know how I love coupons. So the next day I drove back into town and made the big purchase.

Here's the Laundry Room with the old machines:

I find it amusing that the old washing machine is advertised as "energy saving"

And finally the new machines! Look how shiny they are! My husband's favorite part? The fact that the laundry baskets can fit on top so he no longer has to kick laundry baskets out of the way of the door to the garage. If you don't get 6 loads behind in your laundry on a regular basis I don't want to know about it.

On closer inspection the buttons and dials look very much like a complicated computer. Is that a big power button? Good lord I hope I'm tech-savvy enough to run this thing. So far I've done one load of laundry and it seems to have come out okay. I even used my homemade laundry powder and I think it worked just fine. The only surprise so far has been the musical nature of the machines. Looking at them at the store they're not turned on so I didn't get to see/hear the sounds it makes. It sings. I kid you not. Both the washing machine and the dryer play a tune at the end of the cycle instead of beep. And it's not a short tune either. I'm pretty sure I'll be digging through the manual very soon to figure out how to switch from the creepy music to a regular old BUZZ.