White Kenmore Elite HE3t 4.0 cu. ft. King Size Capacity
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White Kenmore Elite HE3t 4.0 cu. ft. King Size Capacity
This Unit was a scratch and dent unit in our shop.!!!!! We used it to was towels and washcloths Tshirts & shorts from the summer time BBQ's Capacity: Interior Size (Washer): 4.0 cu. ft. Cleaning: Wash Motion: Tumble Action Advanced Technology: Catalyst® Cleaning Action Max. Spin Speed: 1050 rpm Water Levels: Automatic Water Temperatures: ATC-5 Dispensers: Prewash Detergent Dispenser: No Detergent Dispenser: Yes, Detergent Advantage System Bleach Dispenser: Yes, Detergent Advantage System Fabric Softener Dispenser: Yes, Detergent Advantage System Standard Cycles: Normal: Yes Heavy Duty: Yes Whites: Whitest Whites Soak: Yes Delicate: Yes Permanent Press: Yes, Casual Special Cycles: Silk: No Wool: No Handwash: Yes Express Wash: Yes Large Items: Yes Sanitary: Yes Custom Program: Yes Unique or Exclusive: MyCycle Cycle Options: Delay Wash: Yes, up to 14 hours Prewash: Yes Extra Rinse: Second Rinse Stain Treatment: No Energy Saver: No Efficiency: Kilowatt Hrs. per Year: 176 Energy Star Compliant: Yes Convenience Features: Control Lockout: Yes Quiet Package: QuietPak™ 4 Add a Garment: Add Clothes Cycle Status Lights: Yes Estimated Time Remaining Display: Yes End of Cycle Signal: Yes Durability: Motor Spin Speeds: Variable Wash Basket Material: Stainless Steel Top and Lid Material: Painted steel Load Balancer: No Leveling Legs: Yes General Features: Controls: Audio-visual Depth with Door Closed: 31-1/2 in. Maximum Width: 27 in. Power Cord Included: No Fill and Drain Hoses Included: Yes General Warranty: 1 year parts and labor Item Weight: 245.0 lbs. Height, Console Top: 38 in. Overall Depth: 31-1/2 in. Color: Overall: White Control Panel: White Tub Basket: Stainless Steel ProsExcellent washing, capacity, water use; quiet,easy-to-use, intelligent control panel layout, Energy Star compliant QUICK LOOK The September, 2005 issue of Consumer Reports lists the Kenmore Elite HE3 4586 number one among front loaders. Added to the marketing spin about the other Kenmore Elite HE3t and HE4t, this well-known rating may generate unrealistic expectations for the HE3. Consumers may test its capacity limits and overload it (which can cause leaks, louder spin cycle, machine walking, and poor cleaning results). Being accustomed to less-prone-to-repair mechanical top loaders, new users might expect the high price of an electronic front loader is buying a useful life of 10, 15, or 20 years. As front loader design intrinsically inhibits internal evaporation, musty odors may surprise new users. If the unit is used behind bi-fold doors, it might not be possible to leave the door ajar and it might annoy to wipe the drum and door gasket dry. Hearing about its very quiet operation, it might come as a surprise to hear the quite loud spin cycle, something not mentioned by Sales or Marketing. Further, if the machine is positioned on a lightweight floor surface, and/or on the second floor, or is not installed level, the machine can shake and walk. If you buy the machine, you should be aware of these facts and attend to them. On the other hand, the HE3 is very, very easy to use and does a great job at cleaning dirt and stains. It washes hand washables very gently. It will clean your comforters and sleeping bags. Its wash cycles are quiet while conserving astonishing amounts of water and electricity. It also has a lot of style and can transform the lowly laundry room into a pleasant destination. I expect my HE3 will give me many years of trouble-free service with a little understanding and reasonable care. BACKGROUND This past summer the corrosion on the top lid and hinges of my 25-year old Kenmore top loading washing machine finally got to the point where bits of rust sludge were dropping into the drum. It was disgusting, I have to admit. When a respectable visitor arrived for an extended stay, I feared for my reputation and headed for Sears, model numbers in hand. I was really excited about getting a front loader . Particularly attractive were the extra-large drum capacity for sleeping bags, super-gentle tumbling action for silks and a very stingy water usage of only 10.5 gallons per wash. The concept of clothes being lifted and tumbled to work out dirt and stains appealed to me. How clever to harness the power of gravity to do my dirty work! I had been waiting to get my revenge on gravity-- for all it has done to me in recent years! I was ready to buy a front loader, yet really hadn’t done a lot of research on the differences between various machines or the specifications of the machine of my choice, the HE3. I also had not asked myself what I needed in a machine. Focusing on Consumer Reports' top three choices, I was prepared to take whichever was on sale at the time, which happened to be the HE3. REPAIR ISSUES AND WARRANTIES AVAILABLE Pretty much knowing I wanted the Kenmore Elite HE3, I headed to the machine. Unfortunately, there was the price tag (about $1150 retail). With $100 off for the sale, a $30-off coupon about to expire from a earlier dryer purchase, hopes of getting a sizeable Energy Star rebate from the government, and knowing that I had 12 months to pay before any interest charges would accrue, I steeled myself to continue. While looking at the array of little red lights on the control panel (good grief, there are actually 30), I almost became dizzy with a sickening vision of a Sears repairman handing me an exorbitant bill to replace one of those little red lights. If a light goes out in the first year, a “washer specialist” at Sears told me, its replacement would be included under the manufacturer’s one-year warranty. As they are considered “cosmetic” they would not be covered under any other manufacturer’s warranty on the HE3. These lights are electronic and as such are more susceptible to failure, which two separate “washer specialists” estimated would be a $125 repair after the first year. There's a 2-Year Warranty on the Sensor Smart Control Board defective materials or workmanship. A call to the Sears Parts Department revealed that the cost to replace the Control Board on the HE3 4587 is $190.00 plus the service call charge, $59.00. That’s $250. Could I, or one of my tech savvy friends, install this part? Big question mark… the Control Board on the HE3 4587 is $190.00 plus the service call charge, $59.00. That’s $250. Sears’ most expensive maintenance agreement is the “Master Protection Agreement”. A 3-yr. MPA warranty costs $199.99; a 5-yr. MPA costs $310.00. I made yet another call to Sears (every employee was eager to please, clearly had been through good training, and one in particular really knew his stuff). I learned that Sears also offers a less expensive Repair Agreement (call Sales for pricing) and two Deductible Repair Agreements with either $20 or $35 deductibles, which include a yearly service and repairs after the deductible. (Please note I have not double-checked this last information on the less expensive repair agreements, but will update my review if not confirmed.) My conclusion is that this machine may have repair issues, and that I will definitely be looking further into the details of the less expensive warranties. Naturally, they did not mention anything but the most expensive Master Protection Agreements when I bought the machine. I would think Sears should train their employees to apprise consumers of the full range of warranties they offer. INSTALLATION In my case, installation was no more than fifteen minutes from the time the machine came in the front door to the time the two amazingly brawny and courteous young men left. I even received a power handshake with simultaneous eye contact of just the right length. I had the impression he had been taught that somewhere, it was so exemplary… The installation was perfect, although they did not use a level. DESIGN NOTES A few people have mentioned mustiness and I noticed the same during the first few weeks. Upon reflection, one realizes that the normal escape of water molecules is impossible since this machine is sealed shut with a four-inch heavy duty rubber door gasket. Condensation is a clue, if you see it, water has accumulated and can’t evaporate, so open the door an inch or two. If you’re shopping around for a front loader, check the quality of the door hinges and the fit and finish of the door, too. Speaking of doors reminds me of the problem of leaks. Don’t be tempted to overload the washer just because the manufacturer says you can load in 400 pounds of laundry and water. Yes, they really do say that in the manual, and it was confirmed by a Sears technician! Obviously, the clothes would put outward pressure on the door and interrupt the seal of the door gasket. Remember, this machine is not an entertainment center! Oh, the push buttons are really nice to the touch. They’re located at the front, so easy, and the crispness of the buttons are a pleasure to use after so many years of reaching over and having to torque my wrist to set the dials on my old machine. I also prefer them to a touchpad, which I have on my stove and are totally abominable. AUTOMATIC FUNCTIONS Automatic Water Level – The machine senses the size of the load and automatically mixes the water level with the detergent in prescribed amounts, then injects first a concentrated solution of soapy water onto the dry clothes, tumbles them clockwise and counterclockwise, periodically injecting the clothes with the initially concentrated solution. Then it automatically adds the minimum amount of water needed to finish the job. Automatic Dispensers – The detergent, bleach and softener are poured into a three-compartment tray to the left of the control panel on the front. Maximum pour lines are easy to see, even for an older person. Each is dispensed at the proper time. I don’t use bleach or softener usually, so I cannot comment on how well these work. I have read that splatter stains on clothes have been a problem for a number of people, however. I personally dry the dispenser occasionally, as a few drops, and I mean a few drops, of water tend to appear in the dispenser after the cycle is done. WASH CYCLES Wash Cycles, Automatic Presets – I have stopped playing around with all the different override options and choose one the standard five preset cycles. I throw in the clothes, make my clothes with a single touch button and start the machine with another touch. It’s that quick and easy. However, the basic 5 cycles are: Whitest whites: Hot/cold, fast speed tumbling, 1:10 min, additional rinse, high speed spin Heavy duty: Hot/cold, fast speed tumbling, 1:05, high speed spin Normal casual: Warm/cold, medium speed tumbling, 45 min, high speed spin and a load cooling process to reduce wrinkling Delicate: Warm/cold, low speed tumbling, 35 min, low speed spin Handwash: Cold/cold, extra low speed tumbling and soaking, extra low speed spin There are two extra cycles: Rinse & Spin, Drain and Spin There is one custom programmable cycle. On the five basic cycles, you can change the cycle time, water temp, spin speed and number of rinses NOTE ON THE WASH CYCLES Another aspect of a front loader that a convert from top loaders must get used to is the longer cycle times. Since the removal of dirt and stains results from detergent penetrating the clothes through the gentle abrasion of the clothes tumbling against each other, the cleaning cycle is longer . For example the “Whitest Whites” cycle takes 1 hour and 10 minutes including the rinse and the spin. If the machine senses too many suds, the word “SUD” appears in the digital read-out and the machine automatically starts an additional rinse, adding still more time to the cycle. Yesterday I added HE detergent just slightly over the Maximum line, and the machine went through the SUD routine after the regular routine, which ended at minute 50, and added about five to ten minutes to the total cycle. There’s a countdown timer, which shows the time remaining in each cycle. It is useful to know the length of the cycles so that one would know when exactly when to start the Delay Start function, which on this machine has a 12-hour day. The 3t and the 4t have a 20-hour delay, I understand. I personally don’t live my life with such precision, although I can see this would be useful to eliminate wrinkling. PERFORMANCE Our clothes are not that dirty and I don’t use bleach or softener. I’m pleased that the wash comes out exceptionally dry due to high spin speeds (sturdy wash cycles) and unwrinkled and fluffy (delicate wash cycles). Drying time is dramatically reduced, increasing energy savings. This machine is very quiet until the spin cycle, when my son reported hearing it through his bedroom wall. The spin cycle is fairly loud but the sound is not abrasive, it’s more like a frictionless roar. The results of the Handwash cycle are excellent. The silks came out clean, well-rinsed, fluffy, and unwrinkled, ready to air dry. I will be doing my down comforter and sleeping bags soon. WHAT ABOUT THE BENDING? I have a mildly herniated disc in my lower back. Perhaps it’s the size of the door (large) but I’ve not experienced any pain loading or unloading the unit. I take care to bend at the knees and try to minimize the torque action putting clothes in the dryer. I did not buy the $199.00 13” pedestal drawer(one is also available in 15”) which would ease loading. The door on the HE3 opens easily with one hand, also not stressful for the back. I can easily imagine a tall person with back problems might need to address this issue seriously. BEST FEATURES, ONE PERSON’S OPINION Adaptive variable speed motor – adapts to load size; max 1050 rpm spin; five spin speeds Stainless steel inner tub – rust free Automatic water level – ensures efficient water use Automatic temperature control- corrects too cold water problem Automatic detergent, bleach and softener dispenser – releases at proper times in cycle Dynamic Balance –detects and redistributes off balance loads Push Button Control – in my opinion preferable to touchpad controls SUDS routine- detects extra suds and automatically starts extra rinse Annual operating cost - $14.00 Gallons Used per Wash – 10.5 gallons Came with a instructional DVD that my teenage daughter was willing to watch OTHER FEATURES Automatic door lock –keeps kids out Add a Garment – 8-minute window for adding forgotten items Status/Cycle Lights- indicate where in cycle Delay Wash –do the wash when the rates go down at night Control Panel Lock- locks wash settings during cycle FINAL THOUGHTS The Kenmore brand rates well in terms of repair history. I haven’t seen any model repair statistics. The HE3 was manufactured in Germany – perhaps this bodes well for the machine, too. Overall, it’s a great machine.. With plenty of years of life left!!!! Thank you amd Good luck!!! Selling Item locally so I opt to end auction before auction end date!!!!! | ||||||||||||
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