Our New Washer and Dryer Are Finally Here
We just got our new washer and dryer, which also meant saying goodbye to the old set. Thankfully our plan to sell them on Craigslist worked out perfectly—thanks for buying them, Leslie Ann! That left us without appliances for a few days, as you might have noticed in our video house tour.
We sold the old machines for $250, which lowered the effective cost of the new set from an already-discounted total of $638 down to about $388. After adding a few necessary items like a wall plug and a stacking kit, plus taxes, our final out-of-pocket was closer to $460. Even so, we feel great about the purchase—especially considering the additional discounts and the low advertised base prices that some readers were able to take advantage of.
Delivery and Installation
Delivery and installation by the Lowe’s team went smoothly for the most part. One hiccup: the crew forgot the stack kit that secures the dryer to the washer. Even though we’d ordered it on the same receipt, one crew member had to return to the store to pick it up, which added about 30 minutes to the process. The installer who stayed behind mostly waited quietly at our kitchen table—either catching a quick rest or simply taking it easy while he waited.
The Machines Themselves
The new Whirlpool Duets have higher capacity than our previous Duet Sports, and they feature a slightly simplified control panel on top. That’s fine with us: as long as they clean and dry our clothes well, we’re happy. For the most part, they’ve performed as expected—except for one odd quirk.
On our first load, the washer started emitting a loud, high-pitched whistle whenever cold water was being pumped in. It almost sounded like it was whistling while it worked. After adjusting the cold water supply a few times with no improvement, I called Whirlpool and they sent a technician to inspect the unit.
It turned out to be a defective supply valve inside the washer—a known but not uncommon issue. The technician ordered the replacement part and is scheduled to return next week to complete the repair. Fortunately the machines come with a built-in one-year warranty, so the part and labor are covered without any extra cost to us.
Until the repair is completed, we’re getting used to telling the difference between the washer’s whistle and our tea kettle. They honestly sound the same. In the meantime, we’ve also started brainstorming shelf ideas to build beside the appliances and beneath the window for shoes, laundry supplies, and other mudroom-style storage. It’s a future project—“someday”—but we’re excited about the options and have already sketched out a few concepts.
Reader Questions and a Quick Update
We received a surprising number of questions about whether my 5’2″ wife—whom I like to call pocket-sized—can reach the top control buttons. Several readers asked for a photo showing her reaching them, so here’s one demonstrating that it’s not a stretch at all. Her arm isn’t fully extended and there’s no tiptoeing required.
Note: Signing up for store emails can sometimes surface good deals. I received a notice about a 20% off promotion on certain appliances; if you’re in the market, it’s worth keeping an eye on local sales and email alerts.
UPDATE: The repair technician returned within a week and replaced the faulty valve. The annoying whistle is gone—problem solved. We’re back to regular laundry and pleased with how quickly the warranty service handled the issue.
Have any of you had appliance delivery successes or horror stories? We’d love to hear them—someone’s bound to top ours.