This is a little off the beaten path of my blog so bear with me. Seldom do I rate equipment but I had to buy a new washing machine last October 2010.
So here goes my saga.
I bought this new type of washer made by GE, no agitator and it is supposed to save water. As stated in the title of this little blog it is a General Electric High Efficiency Washer, Model #WJRE555OK2WW. Similar to this http://products.geappliances.com/ApplProducts/Dispatcher?REQUEST=SpecPage&Sku=WJRE5550KWW . I’m all for doing my part of green so I bought this new system. I read the user’s manual three times so I would understand what I am doing! (I’m an instruction person, lol.)
I immediately had to purchase the new HE (High efficiency) laundry detergent because I noticed that the powdered soap was not dissolving but I thought I would give that a whirl anyway… NOT! I broke down and bought the more expensive laundry detergent. In my opinion watered down crap but, hey, what ya gonna do! 
I want clean clothes.
Okey Dokey, after about two months I noticed that my clothes were getting kind of dingy, particularly whites. I read the book again. Nope, I was doing everything right. New detergent, laying the clothes around in a circle (pretending there is an agitator) and unrolling socks and anything else that might have gotten lumped up. I was beginning to be a bit concerned when the soap film started building up in the inside seams of the clothes!
I, also, noticed that the length of running time had increased to double the time that the old washing machine ran. No, not my imagination because I started timing that GE puppy! What normally took about a half hour in the old agitator machine was now taking 1 hour and 10 minutes, similar cycle. You can increase this time if you add the additional rinse to get the soap out. Oh, I forgot to mention I had to re-spin everything again because the clothes were so wet that it was making my dryer cut off. (No, dryer is not broken, it is a safety feature, so it doesn’t burn up.)
Here are a few examples of the dirty laundry after they have been WASHED several times. That white stuff on the robe is soap build up. The socks have dirt from yard work, yes, I was wearing shoes. Then the dishtowel which I actually washed three times before I took this picture. I won’t go into the unmentionables or the bedding. Grrrr is all I will say!
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At this point I decided that it was time to call the repair man. I bought this machine at Lowe’s (who I just love) but I had to let them know that I was really disappointed in this product and they should consider not selling this model. They, of course, did not tell me if there had been more complaints about the product. They just directed me to the wrong phone number to get help. After a two-hour adventure with their automated call directions, service department and the transfer calls around in a giant circle, I finally found someone who realized I hadn’t bought their long-term appliance contract! At that point I was told that I would have to contact the GE service department directly. You would think that Lowe’s should clearly state that in the automated phone help!!! That would have saved me a lot of time and disappointment with Lowe’s help.
After taking a day off I decided to bite the bullet and call GE. I got a very pleasant representative and explained what was going on and they said promptly that they would send a repair man to see what was going on. I made the appointment on March 14th. A very, very pleasant repair representative came at the appointed time. I explained my woes to him and even showed him some of the clothing. He confirmed the soap build up. After checking the machine he told me several things. The first being that I had a first generation (as he called it) motor and he would order the second generation device. He could be back in a week to install. Woohoo.
Meanwhile I went to my Dad’s home and washed and bleached all my dingy white clothing so I could start over when the new motor was installed.
A week later the service man came and installed the new equipment. While there he suggested that I use the extended rinse cycle, even though I don’t use a liquid clothing softener because it would be better for getting the HE Detergent out. Because I had been complaining about the length of time that the washer ran he explained that the reason for the longer run time was because there were two motors in this new machine. One motor takes the AC power, coming into the house, and converts it to DC power so the DC motor can run the machine. And since it is a DC powered motor it will necessarily take longer to run but not to worry it is using less electricity that way. That last statement drove me crazy! I wish I knew an older electrician to answer that question. OK, I followed his advice and now am running the extended rinse (which uses more water) and the clothes rinse better, no soap build up. And I only have to re-spin when doing a full load of heavy towels. All my new white socks that I purchased still have to be washed twice or have to soak in bleach. I feel as if I have to go back to a block of soap and a scrub board. Geezee peezee.
More importantly, that nagging question about the DC/AC crap the service man was feeding me when I posed the question about running time. I mean if I run a machine on AC power for 27-30 minutes and the clothes are cleaned how is it saving me money when I am running a DC powered piece of machinery for 1 hour and 10 minutes???
I was discussing this with my Mother’s husband and he found a little piece of modern engineering called “Kill A Watt EZ” http://www.p3international.com/products/p4460.html . It is an electricity usage monitor which let you know what your costs will be by the hour, day, week, month and year.
Great, he and I have the same cost from our power company. So we decided to run some tests. First he on the regular agitator washing machine that only runs for a half hour cycle, regular load. Then it was my turn to check out the same cycle with my new and improved GE washer!
As suspected, his machine used .16 KWH for the wash cycle. This translates into $17.63 a year and a measly .04 cents a load. MINE, well duh, .21 KWH @ a cost of $26.18 for the year and .07 cents a load! It doesn’t save you water if you have to use the extended rinse or re-rinse and it doesn’t save you electricity either.
I was right to have my bad vibes. What kind of junk is GE selling to us? I’m going to find an old agitator and get rid of the new piece of crap.
I bet you couldn’t tell that I am not pleased. If you have any options, my advice would be not to buy this particular washing machine.
Thanks for reading and have a great day.
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Jim said,
May 15, 2011 @ 8:47 pm
I would shoot the sucker and bury it in the backyard!
Nolan said,
May 24, 2011 @ 10:00 pm
I have the same machine and this review was right on the button, I feel like a sucker for buying the thing.
grouchow said,
May 25, 2011 @ 8:22 am
Agreed! Yard sales are looking better and better.
Pattie Davis said,
August 1, 2011 @ 5:55 pm
OMG… this is US all over..our machine is just a yr and 1/2…. found out that we have to replace the unit that spins the basket… when it rinses..it washes… when it washes… it draoins…a VERY SCREWED up washer for sure…I HATE IT!!!
also..we have not had any help from Lowes or GE!!!!!!!
grouchow said,
August 1, 2011 @ 8:52 pm
Yes, I am glad I realized what was going on before my years warranty was over!! ( I had to was bed sheets twice just yesterday. )YUK I am currently waiting for the replacement machine and I will post a follow up on the one that is due to arrive tomorrow. AND NO, It is not the same machine, it will be one of the old fashioned Agitators that GE is still making. I hear they will be obsolete next year and you won’t be able to get one. Hit the yard sales QUICK. That will be my next option if this puppy doesn’t work right!!!
Ro Ho said,
July 18, 2011 @ 12:02 pm
We bought a Kenmore Elite top load HE washer 7 years ago. AGREE that you spend more energy and water re-washing clothes. I have found that adding oxyclean to the white wash before adding the clothes does seem to help. You have to watch out for the comouter glitches which are constant. To reset the computer means you have to stop the wash ( which isn’t running anyway) drain the washer and restart. This process has taken up to 7 times a load. Months may go by and have to repeat this process for days. Ready to find an old relic agitator wash where I can once again use sudsy soap. If these HE washers are so great, why is it so hard to find the HE soap. Have a good one.
grouchow said,
July 18, 2011 @ 12:15 pm
Thank you for your comments and thank you for the heads up. I am going to call the service department back today because my clothing is still not clean. Look forward to my follow up video as, hopefully, I will have it done soon! Again thanks.
Pattie Davis said,
August 1, 2011 @ 2:40 pm
OMG!!! This is happening to me as we blog!!! If I knew where my hubby has his gun….it would be sitting with many more drain holes!!!!
Why oh why..do they feel the need to change that’s NOT BROKE!!!
I hate my washer and curse the lady that talked us into it at LOWES!!
Thaks for the blog…now I know…it’s not me making errors!!!
grouchow said,
August 1, 2011 @ 8:48 pm
I really feel sorry for you. If I could find it again I would send you the link to the Reviews page but I forgot where I put the link. The comments were all horrible.
mike said,
September 8, 2011 @ 9:42 pm
this washer is garbage, i year old and it doesnt spin. wtf
grouchow said,
September 9, 2011 @ 12:14 am
I know I finally got GE to replace mine but I haven’t had enough time to find out what kind of job it can do. So, the jury is still out on this one.
jlo said,
November 9, 2011 @ 9:08 pm
the government is all on the destruction of all good things and valuable. they are putting things out so that we get frastruated and then what are we going to do when we are no longer in our comfort zone? It is not easy and it looks as if it’s not getting any better on this item or any other. I don’t know what I am going to do!
grouchow said,
November 9, 2011 @ 10:29 pm
Thanks for the reply. All I can think to do is complain and do it loudly but politely. Companies selling us junk is just unacceptable. Sad part is that they sell us junk that doesn’t last. Then, of course, there are no repair men to fix things any longer. If you can find a repair shop, you would be lucky if they could find the parts for that older machine!! How many VCR repair shops have you seen lately. My older washer broke and no parts to fix the silly old thing.
Dorothy Fenderson said,
November 29, 2011 @ 4:47 am
I am having the same problem. GE/HE
Front load I got from Home Depot, is worthless on white clothes. I can’t wait to get an old fashioned top loader washer. I used to be a fan of GE – hope they will have a recall and replace these washers.
grouchow said,
November 29, 2011 @ 9:18 am
Thanks for your comments. Hint don’t get a GE top loader either. They are just as bad!! That is what I bought and they had to replace it and the second one isn’t much better either. grrrr
Bonny said,
December 15, 2011 @ 11:27 am
I have had my top loader GE for over a year now and I hate it! I am about to send a letter to the Pres. of GE and tell him I HATE IT! I bought a “no agitator” type machine because I wanted to wash small (bathroom) rugs and bed spreads which didn’t wash well in an agitator machine. I was very excited I didn’t have to lug them to the laundromat ever again — so said the salesman at Sears. Wrong, wrong, wrong. This machine is worthless. The clothes, sheets, etc. on the top of the load stay on the top and never go into the water with soap! I had a repairman come to the house. He called a “support” number to get answers – in my presence – and was told since the clothes get so tangled (one of my complaints), tangle them before I put them in the machine and the machine will then untangle them. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? The repairman was confused at this response from the company. Clothes are so tangled I can’t get the wrinkles out in the dryer. And the items on top of the load — WHERE’S THE WATER??? I have checked the load frequently to see that top items don’t move from top and so little water, they don’t get washed. Sorry to use up so much space.
grouchow said,
December 15, 2011 @ 3:06 pm
Bonny, trust me, it gets worse. I had this non-agitator and it took a couple of months before I noticed that clothes were not getting clean! I was lucky (you could say) because my warranty was still good! They replaced my non-agitator – which uses more electricity than the old style washers – with a brand new GE washer with agitator. Great! Let me tell you DO NOT let them give you a new washer!!!! This replacement with agitator they gave me is of the same technology and I am finding out that it still is a piece of junk. I was just composing my new update on this replacement sucky machine (I was waiting to see if the dirt would build up). My latest load of whites, with bleach, didn’t even get the dirt out of my socks!!! Get your money BACK if you can. Don’t be conned like I was with a replacement!!! Thanks for your reply.
GE Washer Model # GTWN4250M1WS – A Update Video « Grouchow's Weblog said,
January 7, 2012 @ 3:41 pm
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Pam said,
January 17, 2012 @ 1:32 pm
I am having the SAME problems with the SAME machine!! Thanks for confirming that the machine is the problem – not me!
grouchow said,
January 17, 2012 @ 1:36 pm
Thanks for the comment Pam. It does take a while to realize the unit is junk, we always assume user error first!! Then you realize, well heck I’ve been washing clothes a long time. I can tell when clothes are still dirty. grrrr