Apex Wash-a-Matic 1953 Automatic Washer - Full Cycle

Here is a full wash cycle in my 1953 Wash-a-Matic automatic washer. The Apex brand of vintage automatic washers is one of the most rare machines to find.
The machine operates with "Bouncing Basket" action. This action wobbles or nutates the entire fiberglass wash basket 610 pulsations per minute. The wash basket does not rotate during agitation it just nutates. To shift into spin the machine has a hydraulic water pressure clutch that literally fills a rubber disk with water to lift the brake plates up to engage the spin clutch. A very Rube Goldberg mechanical design for sure!
This machine is not easy to film as it is one of the most splashiest top-loading washers ever made. Kelvinator washers were also splashy but the Apex has shooting geysers of water that shoot straight up (well over 2 feet above the machine at times). Kelvinator splashing was more towards to side of the opening as opposed to the Apex splashing straight up. Thankfully it has a window lid and lighted interior when the machine is running!

[@madmanmapper]

The way it fluffs the clothes at the end of the cycle so they're not stuck to the walls is brilliant.

[@jeffsmith846]

I have been studying washing machines since I was a kid and I would watch the 53 model GE go through it's cycles. Always fascinated. I was born in 54 so by the time I was four or five and aware of how it worked, the machine was at least five years old. It lasted through a move and got put out into a wash house. It only lasted a few more years, I believe, because the voltage drop was too excessive in the wiring that went to the wash house. I had no idea that Apex had this type of agitation. Thank You so much for posting.

[@pauljbelorit3318]

What a great start up for an old time automatic washer,nothing like the old washers they were made years and years ago,and made with integrity. Awesome automatic washer!!!!!!

[@gearmelugin3424]

happy 70th birthday to the washer

[@BlindLibrary]

71 now.

[@astarisborn9820]

This washing machine is the coolest I have ever seen! Wow !!!🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩

[@jasonsadventures64]

That's completely insane. I bet it cleans good with all those pulsations.

[@wyzemann]

I now understand the sheer joy of owning one of these Apex Wash-a-Matics. This may be my fave next to the Unimatics. If only we could instigate a renaissance of top-load washers. Of course, that would mean an end to the EPA/DOE meddling.💪🏾

[@straightpipediesel]

Energy regulations is exactly why they revived this as the Whirlpool Calypso.

[@patcola7335]

The difference is, they are not meddling. They are dictating to WE THE PEOPLE

[@IAmNotAFunguy]

Very similar wash action to the Whirlpool Calypso. You can tell even back then they tried what they could to make "High Efficiency" washers!...

[@tyronlemons5203]

and Kenmore Calypso

[@petermaz701]

Fascinating Washer doesn’t seem to use much water. Just amazes me what they thought of back then.

[@Blurain727]

One of the ONLY traditional machines I like because of the way it washes.

[@canadianwashercollector3095]

Wonderful to see full cycle videos of your fantastic collection! I look forward to seeing more down the road when you make them.

[@yoshitorried6582]

I can watch this all day 😍

[@davida1hiwaaynet]

Thanks for sharing this! It's a very interesting design. Seems to give a good turnover during agitation. Love the orbital agitation design. Very unique!

[@markvolpe2305]

Kenmore/Whirlpool made one in the 90's kzbin.info/www/bejne/kITPhqV4e8SpbdE

[@maryrobert80]

Wow what a great video, This machine really knows how to do it's job and talk about that roll over action??? Fantastic!!!

[@mauromazzoncini5711]

What a cracking machine, and also very quiet , thanks for posting

[@loucrappi5869]

❤❤❤❤ I just love those old appliances

[@gcfifthgear]

I am watching this video and thinking of my mom's 1963 Kelvinator automatic, and you're right--it splashed like crazy, but nothing like this Apex! The major difference was the Kelvinator's agitator moved, not the tub. Kelvinator called their action "Deep Turbulent Washing Action," and they claimed you could wash a paper napkin without shredding it...

[@littlegreeny8510]

This is one cool washer!

[@websurfin9575]

I need a nerve pill after watching that totally frantic gyration!

[@3713msg]

What a fun washing machine! It just makes me happy watching it!

[@m.v.5425]

It’s a nervous machine😜

[@sodiebergh]

Outrageous! Thank you for posting!

[@limitedx3776]

Ive been look for videos if this washer for year thank you for sharing hope you share more videos of this washer

[@BUBBLESPOGO]

Try watching the 1953 Philco Bendix duo automatic washer/dryer. The most amazing machine. Extremely rare. It washes and rinses fantastic then the gas turns on and drys the clothes. Never knew there was a model made like the Bendix.

[@BUBBLESPOGO]

I'm sorry but I never liked these kind of agitators

[@loucrappi5869]

I want one there's nothing like an old-fashioned washing machine they last forever love those old appliances I love I love to have the money in the resources to go look for some

[@JohnAK72]

This machine kinda reminds me like Calypso! I don’t know exactly how but yeah that’s pretty much similar

[@larrylaffer3246]

Although novel, I kinda understand why this idea didn't catch on. That violent shake to loosen up your clothes from the barrel has to be absolute hell on the internals of the machine, not to mention it must need to have one hell of a heavy counterweight to keep it steady when it's doing the shaking; Making the blasted thing weigh an absolute ton like "Portable Self-Standing" Dishwashers.

[@automaticwasher]

None of your assumptions are correct. The only counterweight in the machine is to counterbalance the weight of the motor itself. The wash basket and drive system are hung by 4 heavy duty springs and each has a snubber to retard any vibration to the cabinet. The drive system itself is very simple without any need for a transmission, it consists simply of an eccentric post to nutate the wash basket and two clutch plates one to drive the wash eccentric and the other to drive the spin shaft to spin. The machine is lightweight compared to other machines of the same era because the wash basket is made out of fiberglass.

[@blogshagify]

Imagine having something in your house that washes your clothes and sounds like a freaking jackhammer

[@automaticwasher]

Except with the lid closed like it would be normally the machine is almost completely silent. The lid has a large rubber seal that keeps the noise inside the machine.

[@mgrella63]

Whirlpool should make a modern version of this machine with the same wash action. I know they did the calypso which was Awesome I still have mine.But this machine is Amazing!!

[@dcstanda]

That's the weirdest way I have ever seen a top loader wash, for a minute I kept thinking it was spinning because of the sound like it was on a spin

[@charlespurviskellyjr.1232]

To me…. This machine is a mixture of a Phico, a Kelvinator, and a Frigidaire Unimatic all in one, with a little bit of the Kenmore Elite Catalyst thrown in the mix. Quite an interesting washing machine indeed, and I never seen anything like this before. That wash action is INSANE!!! Those clothes ought to be VERY CLEAN coming out of this machine. Does this machine spin faster than a Frigidaire Unimatic? I would put those two head-to-head against each other. -Charles-

[@automaticwasher]

No this washer spins at 610rpm. However the ribs in the tub do help with better extraction than most other machines around the same rpm speeds.

[@umajunkcollector]

... and beating the clothes on a rock and a washboard all in one!

[@washingandmowing15]

You mean Calypso? just curious.

[@jeromedavis8575]

I'd love to see the inner workings of this machine. Also, if you can get your hands on a GE dispensall, I'd like to see it in action.

[@petermaz701]

I had a GE Dispensall in harvest gold. Inside the lid it would accumulate residue had to be cleaned constantly I was sorry that we bought that model. I eventually bypassed it so it would just use the filter flow and not go through the lid.

[@jeromedavis8575]

@@petermaz701 What do the dispensers look like and where are they placed on the lid?

[@petermaz701]

@@jeromedavis8575 There was a compartment for detergent, a compartment for bleach, a compartment for fabric softener and I believe one presoak. The lid was made out of plastic which I hated and then had a little plastic door that you would open that exposed all these compartments. Someone on eBay is actually selling the brochure of the GE dispensall I think it was 9.99 I really should get it for myself for memory sake.

[@jeromedavis8575]

@@petermaz701 What controls did they use? How did the agitation start? What speed combinations were available?

[@petermaz701]

@@jeromedavis8575 It was a combination of dials and push buttons. The agitation started slow and then would kick into fast speed because it used a clutch on the transmission. It had four speed combinations fast-fast, fast slow, slow fast, slow slow. Definitely a workhorse model the motor burned out on it. But I must say it did a lot of laundry my sister and her husband were living here at the time so not only me and my mother and father and every time somebody had a problem with their machine they bring their clothes here.

[@anderstekniugle1878]

theres some nice wash action going on here i love it, but i wonder what makes it vibrate so violently and yet spins so fine ?

[@jeanlucdrion1152]

My stars is that awesome. Now can it handle shirts , socks, jeans , undershirts, sheets , towels ?

[@automaticwasher]

Oh yes, it works great for towels and regular clothing as well.

[@orionparish9858]

If you hadn't said this was how the machine agitates, I'd say it was broken or something. Crazy 😜.

[@GabrielMSDZ]

this looks pretty violent, but i would love this washer

[@patcola7335]

It's just vibrating the clothes ? What do you see that's violent about it?

[@GabrielMSDZ]

Idk lol

[@patcola7335]

@@GabrielMSDZ ok...lol.

[@MetProduct-td4rz]

The washing action makes me think of a speed queen washer at 650 RPM

[@noahmiller628]

The wash basket looks like a fan

[@bobhackney3870]

How did you even find this? I seem to recall it was in a barn? How many were made? Is absolutely fantastic, of course.

[@CBF1]

Someone was selling it for £20 and it was just barely about to go to scrap I think. Robert drove up in his truck and snuck it for himself without anyone noticing. Probably paid or something. Yes I'm british haha.

[@annelisepereira5721]

beautiful brazil

[@fredwiley3731]

My lord , did you need a 4 inch concrete slab and j bolts to keep it in place.? I think it vibrates the dirt out.

[@CBF1]

I wonder how many Apex Wash A Matics are left existing, does it share the rarity of a Wurlitzer 165 band organ as only 11 of those exist... and is the Frigidaire Pulsamatic included on the list of "most rare machines to find"? I want a Pulsamatic in the future and I live in England...

[@automaticwasher]

I know of 4 Apex machines in total to exist as of now, I do believe 5 in total have been found since 1996.

[@CBF1]

@@automaticwasher Jesus christ... I sure hope the number of existing Frigidiare Pulsamatics or Unimatic WJ/WK60's aren't similar. Don't you have a 1947 Unimatic? If so could you do a video of it please? It's got a really interesting and beautiful looking drum in it, not what you'd normally see in a unimatic... the holes would normally be at the top of the drum!

[@iloveappleyoutube7198]

Nice rare vintage washing machine! If I may ask, where did you find this?

[@CBF1]

Someone sold it on craigslist and it almost went to the scrap heap. When he got to it's former location nobody was in the house so he snuck it onto the back of his truck and took it home to Minneapolis. It's only required one restoration since it entered his collection in 2009. He had another Apex back in the 1990's which he over-restored and scrapped after his attempted "restoration" failed. This Apex is the result of a 13 year long search, it is one of around less than 10 Apex Wash-A-Matics known existent. It is one of the rarest and most elusive washing machines in history.

[@carlyshipp4597]

Wow 🤩

[@tyronlemons5203]

I thought LG made the quiest washers but boy I was wrong this is very quiet with the lid closed

[@hoover1060]

What was the lifespan of one of these in regular use? I think they should work on making some of these old machines viable for today, updating the technology and such.

[@automaticwasher]

About 12 to 15 years since they could be repaired easily as long as parts were available. The machine listed in '53 for $299 retail price which is $3,122 in 2022 dollars, it was a big investment and meant kept as long as possible. Of course Apex was bought by the White Sewing Machine Company in 1957 which became White Consolidated Industries (WCI) in the 70s. So I'm not sure how long parts were plentiful after '57 I'm sure they were able to found for at least 7 to 10 years after the merger.

[@hoover1060]

I remember this was a dream machine of yours, so happy to see you have one!

[@CBF1]

@@hoover1060 Yes he had one in the mid 90's which he scrapped because he sucked at repairing it and overdid it. Not much of that washer exists now and when he found the one he currently has now, he made a post on the AutomaticWasher website titled "AFTER 13 LONG YEARS THE SEARCH IS FINALLY OVER!!!". Very few of these washers are known to exist today. Another one was shortly found after and is now in RevvinKevin's collection. One was also sold in 2018. Perhaps the absolute rarest automatic washer, even rarer than a Wurlitzer 165 Band Organ... only 11 of THOSE exist!

[@CBF1]

@agiflow Yep, had it not been for Bendix... it would have either been for someone else much later or automatic washers wouldn't have been a thing at all.

[@kian4645]

Wow..it’s action is functional and efficient..what rpm is the spin?

[@automaticwasher]

610rpm is the spin speed.

[@D0g_boy642]

Looks like people are still using old washers lol, and to be honest, I don’t judge the, because I also love old washers

[@CBF1]

Good. I will be soon too. A 20 year old Miele is the washer in question.

[@yannickbrundu8133]

what a monster! i think it was used more for shared buildings laundry? otherwise, im always surprised by american washers 😅here in swizerland, we have others kinds of washers

[@Ififitzisitz]

Blecgh! The darn thing's like a volcano on the wash cycle!

[@idkwhyiam9440]

Interesting

[@vpinchile]

I always wonder why they add water in the middle of the first spin

[@automaticwasher]

That's a spray rinse to flush out detergent and bleach before the 1st rinse.

[@m.v.5425]

So the agitator goes in a circle while bouncing a little?

[@Blurain727]

No, the whole tub does that

[@mauromazzoncini5711]

Would love to see this machine with its back cover off...pleeeeze

[@umajunkcollector]

That vibrating action, women liked to sit on the lid... 😅

[@yorkiepit]

Long gone are the days when washing machines got your clothes spotless and nearly completely dry. Absolutely loved how the machine finishes by agitating all the clothes off the drum back into the center. and un-bunching them.

[@noahmiller628]

Very similar to the Kenmore calypso

[@martinbirdwell7986]

On this machine I there's no temp control is wash temp set by the time you set with the timer?

[@automaticwasher]

There sure is a temp control on the machine, it's on the left side of the control panel. If you look at the video at 9:27 minutes in you can see the temp control.

[@davidadkison4702]

Who manufactured this machine? It looks like a precursor to the Fridgedaire

[@automaticwasher]

It was manufactured by the Apex Electrical Manufacturing Company of Cleveland OH. Apex and Frigidaire were competitors at the time and the machine has no connection what so ever to General Motors. The Apex Company was bought out in 1958 by White Sewing Machine Company which eventually became White Consolidated Industries (WCI).

[@carwashgaming3727]

the nutbuster 3000

[@Adoraswiss]

Diffrent continent, diffrent washers.. nice to see! but i am allways curious about, why in the usa and other countrys have prevailed topload washers, and in whole europe and other countries frontloaders..! all the tecnique and the engeneers of the toploaders in honor, but the frontloaders have the better cleaning efficiency with lower water and detergent consumption.

[@guirolain2319]

I have that same question? Many top-loading washing machines are sold in America today. perhaps because they are cheaper to manufacture, therefore cheaper for consumers, simpler, easier to repair and more friendly and versatile for areas with pressurized water supply problems.

[@Adoraswiss]

@@guirolain2319 maybe, but this thinking and acting is not realy sustainable and economical with ressources anyway..

[@patcola7335]

​@@AdoraswissWhere is the water going ? Our testing agencies here for years showed top loaders to be better cleaners than front loaders. Now all of a sudden the opposite is true ?

[@Adoraswiss]

I test it by myself a Toploader, and they defenetly dont clean better as a Frontloader.. in a Toploader needs much more and stronger detergents than in a Frontloader, this is not realy good for the enviroment..@@patcola7335

[@2packs4sure]

Fun but why 360p ??

[@automaticwasher]

Video is still processing on KZbin, it's up to 720 now and will have 1080p in a few hours.

[@2packs4sure]

@@automaticwasher Ahhhh,,, got it,, I'll finish it later then. Thanks

[@2packs4sure]

@@automaticwasher I've never seen anything like that especially that final fluff,, what were the drawbacks or flaws in that design if you know?

[@automaticwasher]

@@2packs4sure It's a great machine even the way it was originally designed. If it was designed now in 2022 I bet they would cut the 7 gallon fill to less than half that and find a way to prevent the water from bouncing out of tub.

[@wyzemann]

@@automaticwasherI wouldn't hesitate to buy it if they reintroduced a larger-capacity modern version that would be just as silent and effective. Of course, they'd never get away with it being $3000+🤨

[@mrtodd3620]

Where was this built?

[@automaticwasher]

In Cleveland

[@tyronlemons5203]

the tub looks very small could just be the video I don't know how big it is in person

[@automaticwasher]

You can't tell this in the video but the tub is wider than it is deep unlike other top loaders where the tub is deeper and less wide, so it looks small in the video. The Apex holds a standard 8lb to 10lb load similar to other automatics from this time.

[@DannyAndrewsjudematic]

Whirpool Calyso copy apex wash a matic, this washer is very unique.

[@pawfan]

Way better wash action than any of the present 'Knockoff' designs of present. Whirlpool's Calypso was a poor compliment to Apex's design.

[@amtc4jcts005]

The sound does not relax me like the washer is after this time, then the newer washers came along and they are too quiet to be relaxing

[@noahmiller628]

But more faster

[@smorgasbroad1132]

So beautiful. Looks like modern technology has screwed up all new appliances, and they only last a few years. Thanks for nothing geniuses. Go back to the 50's and build good quality stuff.

[@regplate2923]

Not so neighbour friendly if you live in an apartment. 😅

[@automaticwasher]

Actually it would be perfect for an apartment, surprisingly it is an extremely quiet machine and the outside is rock solid stable and does not vibrate especially compared to modern 21st century washers. You'd be much better off with an Apex than you would an LG or Samsung in an apartment.

[@themastergambiarraofc7925]

🤨📸 🤨📸 🤨📸

[@imasireniguess]

?

[@JudithCarolDumaraos-co5lz]

Ok I'm FB ok🎉 is it😢

[@user-jr8tj1rw9g]

Но ггг

[@papua5028]

That's like having a tractor as a washer. Too noisy and harsh on the clothes

[@automaticwasher]

You're completely wrong, this machine is extremely quiet with the lid closed (as quiet as a modern front load washer) and the bouncing action is very gentle on the clothes. Much more gentle than a back and forth agitator washer.