Laundry has consolidated a bit since the last time you bought a washer. Amana, Whirlpool, Maytag and Kenmore are all essentially the same machine. Samsung and LG now have become major brands. You can buy Speed Queen for a different type of product.
GE and Electrolux are two compelling yet sleeper brands. The other companies may sell more nationally but GE and Electrolux have compelling features. They just lack representation in box stores like Lowe's, Home Depot, Sears and Best Buy.
So, we will compare two brands you should consider even if they are harder to find. We will look at the two companies, the products and then compare at the end.
Front Load Washer vs. Top Load Washer
Top load machines are also smaller in capacity at 2.5 cubic feet, use 40 gallons of water, more than twice the electricity, and spin slowly which equals a longer drying time.
The front load washer was introduced to address these issues. A front load washer assesses the size of the load and adds the necessary amount of water. Front load washers range from 3.5 cubic ft to 5 cubic ft, almost twice the capacity of the top load washers. They use 10-15 gallons of water per cycle, and have faster spin speeds to reduce drying time.
The load of wash tumbles, much like a dryer, washing the entire load evenly without an agitator. Front load washers are therefore gentler on your clothes. Think about the amount of money you spend on your clothes.
Electrolux
Electrolux is a multi-national home appliance manufacturer headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. They are the world's second-largest home appliance maker by revenue (after Whirlpool). Their products sell under a variety of brand names including its own as well as Frigidaire in the U.S.
Laundry is Electrolux’s best category in terms of features for the price. Their new laundry has many features unavailable in other brands.
GE Profile
General Electric has always been, and will continue to be, a common household name. Their product diversity seems to be never ending. In the appliance category, GE has a number of different series that range from a “value brand” to a “luxury brand”, including: GE, GE Artistry, GE Profile, Café Appliances, and their high-end, GE Monogram.
GE has always been a builder driven, rather than consumer oriented product. More often than not, GE appliances will be found in new housing or building developments and is mostly builder driven.
Profile is a 20 year old sub-brand of GE and their number 3 line after Café and GE Monogram. GE is now owned by Haier of China as of June 10th, 2016.
Cooking is GE's strongest category, but their laundry is decent as well.
We will be looking at the best selling models of each.
Electrolux EFLS617SIW - $989
Features:
- Perfect Steam™ Washer with LuxCare™ Wash
- 4.4 Cu. Ft.
- SmartBoost™
- StainSoak™ Option
- 15-Minute Fast Wash
- CEE Tier III - ENERGY STAR®
- Perfect Steam™ Enhanced Stain
- Removal
- NSF®-Certified Sanitize Option
- Fresh Water Rinse
- Integral Water Heater
- Extended Refresh
- Perfect Balance® System
- 2nd Floor Guarantee
- Reversible Washer Door
- 9 Cycles
GE Profile GFWS1500DWW - $999
Features:
- 4.3 cu. ft. capacity
- Time Saver Option
- Extended Tumble
- Steam Assist
- Stain Removal Guide
- Bulky/Bedding Cycle
Comparison
Both units feature steam, stain focused cycles, high temp water boosters and high RPM spin speeds. They are both EnergyStar rated and have similar capacities at 4.3 and 4.4 cubic feet. They both have five speeds for delicate clothes to towels as well as every wash/rinse combination.
GE is faster for a full load at 37 minutes versus 47 for Electrolux, but Electrolux has a faster quick wash at 15 minutes. Electrolux's doors are reversible, so the doors line up with the dryer for stackable installations.
But it is the three pumps feature of Electrolux which separate the brand from GE and the other manufacturers. The second pump injects fresh water in the rinse for cleaner clothes. It also removes detergent residue for cleaner clothes, important for allergy sufferers.
The third pump houses detergent mixed with water. This is released mid-cycle for optimum cleaning.
In the end, they both wash your clothes. Electrolux is next generation of cleaner fabrics. But as we’ve found over recent years the servicing rate has been too high to recommend either one.
Additional Resources
Have more questions about laundry? Get the Yale Front Load Washer Buying Guide with features, terms, complete capacity breakdowns and detailed profiles of the best brands. Over 185,000 people have read a Yale Guide.
Related Articles
Why Should You Trust Us?
It seems that every appliance review has nothing but glowing comments about almost every product, yet you read customer reviews and they are almost universally bad.
We are here to fill in the disconnect. We'll give you the best features, and the drawbacks as well, including reliability based on over 37,000 calls performed by our service team just last year. Our goal is to give you ALL the information so you know what's right for you.
Please consider subscribing or adding to the conversation in the comments below. We appreciate you stopping by.
A Note About Pricing
Pricing on this blog is for reference only and may include time sensitive rebates. We make every attempt to provide accurate pricing at time of publishing. Please call the stores for most accurate price.
Topics: