Westinghouse front loader "Tall Tumbler"

[@bethanymcgregor1470]

I bought my first front loader in 1980. It was a Bendix and had the controls on the top. I remember in the manual that it said if you have been using a top loader to put the cloths in without any soap and put them through a wash cycle. I did and lots of soap bubbles filled the machine. I was amazed at how much soap was left in my clothes--it made a believer of me how much more efficient it was than a top loader. The only disadvantage of it washing in one direction was it tied the clothes in knots when it was finished. When my wife and I got married she had problems with acne on her back and when we started using the front loader it went away and never returned. Our son would pull up to the door and watch it wash and would giggle and laugh. I got rid of it in about 1998 when the Maytag Neptune front loader was born. It was a good washer and lasted many years until it began to occasionally leak water on the floor. I never found out where it would come from. I later bought a Samsung front loader that is now 11 years old without a single problem.

[@washingandmowing15]

The Samsungs aren't reliable. When its time for replacement, get an LG.

[@themaytagrepairman]

Hi, my name is Bill. My grandmother had a 1966 Westinghouse Multi-Speed Laundromat. It was a stait front model before westinghouse lowered the basket. The reason they did it is because after years of use the door gasket would begin to dry out and the machine would leak water all over the place. In fact the doors on those models opened to the side and were flush with the front of the cabinet. Of all the machines on the market, that model is my favorite. You can be sure if it's Westinghouse!

[@watkinro4985]

Nice! My mom had two of these Westinghouse front loaders when I was growing up, first was a mid-60's vintage and the other was probably about 1978. I also remember the over-suds situations and the "walking". In fact, I think the '60's machine walked so far a couple of times that it unplugged itself! When you opened up the cabinet of the late 70's model, you could see concrete forms that were I guess meant to make it less likely to walk during spin. Those loud pops and bangs too! I remember when I was very young, I would watch it wash but then run away when I knew it was about to make those loud noises lol.

[@glemorenn]

this old westinghouse front loaders are really my favorit vintage washers, great vid thanks

[@themaytagrepairman]

What's interesting about this machine is the fact that Bendix and Westinghouse built front loaders before they were considered "High Efficiancy" washers. They were ahead of thier time if you think about it. If I'm correct the Bendix was introduced in 1938 and was the first "automatic washer" in this country. Then the Laundromat went on the market in 1947. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Of all the vintage machines the Westinghouse Laundromat will always be my favorite.

[@davedebang-bang6168]

Bill Slater in the last 40 years it’s been quite difficult to find anything but front loaders here in the uk. Top loader machines have been very scarce hotpoint made a top loader who’s production run was years maybe into the 90s ( lol I could be telling Big fat lies not totally sure when production ceased) and we have whirlpool top loaders but they are normally found in commercial settings. Nursing homes small hotels prisons. The front loader has always been more popular due to its compact size and the fact it can fit under the worktop in a kitchen. I don’t understand why you Americans have to have the huge front loaders and then put them on a stand. We can bend down to load the machine so why can’t you. And why do you need such huge drums most of the ones I see on KZbin are not even a 1/4 full and you wonder why they go mouldy and smell. Doing a full size load means the machine uses the correct amount of water which in turn helps to keep the machine clean It doesn’t keep the same few drops of water in the door seal fur 10 washes because the loads so small and the water level doesn’t rise above the door seal so it starts to smell it uses the correct amount of water so that bit of water in seal is constantly changing Also we are lucky to have heaters in our machines so doing a boil wash is easy and that helps keep our machines sanitised

[@patcola7335]

@@davedebang-bang6168 I'll try to answer. We in the US have used mostly top loaders since the wringer washer days before automatics. So manufacturers after the war really started to ramp up production of automatic top loaders. It's what we are used to. Even though we had Bendix and Westinghouse making front loaders Consumer reports panned them mostly because of the high sudsing detergents back in the early days of automatics. They were good cleaners but the best top loaders were better. The overwhelming majority of Americans latched onto top loaders. We always had front loaders in laundromats so we are we are no stranger to them. We even had washer makers here making combo front load units in the 50's and 60's up until the early 70's. They were complicated and costly and took a long time to wash and dry a load. So I guess the bending down thing for us is that we have been used to standing I guess. Yet we still have to bend down to get clothes into and out of the dryer 🙄. I just recently purchased my first front load washer and guess what ? I think it's great. Performs very well and doesn't take an unnecessarily long time to get through a regular/normal wash. At this point I won't go back to a top loader unless we get the ones we had about 15 years or more ago. The new Whirlpool I have now performs very well and I am pleased. 2 months of ownership and no signs of mold or mildew. I keep the door and dispenser drawer open when not in use and run regular hot washes.

[@mrb627]

I always liked the wash action of these machines. The clothes were always in motion. No pausing to reverse direction.

[@davenwin1973]

My mother had a Westinghouse front loader, but hers had the door swing to the side, and hers had dispensers for soap, bleach, & softener. She liked it, except for when it went into the spin cycle, which then it would take a walk. My Frigidaire front loader from 1999 is about the closest to this model in how it operates, except that it tumbles both ways, and has the soap, bleach, & softener dispensers, but automatically adjusts the water level.

[@themaytagrepairman]

Those loud bangs were caused by the pump and hi-speed drive (spin) solinoids. My wife and I had a Westingouse Laundromat that did the same thing. This machine however is the "Space Saver Laundromat" It operated the same as the full size Laundromat. Contrary to popular belief, these machines washed every bit as good as a reverse action machine made today. I miss my Laundromat. Westinghouse and Bendix had the right idea 60+ years ago with the front load washer. No computer board failures!

[@MyDan58]

I like that fact that it has an "overflow rinse" meaning it still tumbles, drains the water, but sprays clothes with fresh water, spins then rinse

[@Italman45]

My grandmother had a westinghouse front loader in the late 60's when I was a kid...it had cycle change bangs, especially when it went into a spin ....very loud bang...I remeber jumping if i was standing next to it....lol...this model is very quiet in compare

[@LlyleHunter]

I had one from 1968

[@midyar]

My aunt swore by frontloaders and in 1982 they bought this white westinghouse model with the control panel back mounted on the top.Had the door scale too. It broke down sooo many times it seemed like evey 6 months or so. I think they spent 7 to 800 dollars for this machine ; I remember the plastic pulleys/tensioner wearing out at a ridiculous rate.

[@eddy1210]

Hi, yes the drum is actually supposed to be like that, real low down to hold the water below the door level. The older models were even slanted towards the back.

[@eddy1210]

Interesting story about the door gasket, thanks for posting. The front loading Westys are one of my favorite vintage washers.

[@eddy1210]

Thanks for sharing that. The tall tumblers had the extra storage drawer at the bottom which also raised the height of the washer making it easier to load and unload. Look forward to meeting you soon!

[@3beltwesty]

The water volume with max water setting is 30 gallons ( 114 litres) with the long normal cycle. If Hot water is selected it would used 10 hot and 20 cold gallons. With a smaller load and mid setting the volume of water is about 20 gallons. For a short knit cycle and a small water setting; about 10 to 15 gallons is used total,

[@eddy1210]

Hi Wiljannn, the spin speed is only 500 rpm and water consumption is rather high at an estimated 125 litres. It does a "flush rinse" first for 1 minute then 2 full regular rinses before final spin of 5 minutes. BTW love your machines!

[@shenue]

I had one very similar to that years ago...in the 70s. I sure do miss the spray rince cycles. I don't think today's machines rinse the clothes nearly as well, without it. I'd trade in my 1 year old HE front loader for a good old 70s style machine, any day!

[@marcusmarkus3266]

one of the best front loaders...nothing fancy but did a great job on clothes

[@soap1919jt]

Jerome,For household front loaders, it started around 1990, with the Frigidaire models. All of them, from that point, tumbled in both directions.

[@themaytagrepairman]

When i was in school my roommates and myself bought one of these Westinghouse Space Saver Laundromats. It was a great machine.

[@Og-Judy]

Back when harvest gold and avocado green and chocolate brown were big in appliance colors! 👋

[@3beltwesty]

The Westinghouse Laundromat washer came out in 1940 but its production was halted in WW2, then redesigned and restarted after the war. The 1940 model was maybe the model A-1. A design patent D127308 for the cabinet is here: www.google.com/patents/USD127308 . Not much is known about the first model. I think it had a single belt and a had a transmission. A writeup of it exists in Electrical Merchandising January 1941 and odds says it spins 1500 times in 3 minutes ie saying a 500 rpm spin cycle in a marketing way.

[@Biblepipe]

My mother had the same machine except white in colour and the controls were at the conventional top/back location. Her's was a Westinghouse " Weigh to Save" Laundromat Washer. I noticed the machine in this clip has the weigh feature as well. Were the Westy front loaders with the controls on the front the only ones called tall tumblers? Everything else is the same; that lower/deep drum location and the SOUND. Unique to the Westy's. Almost brings me to tears. What a beautiful machine!

[@3beltwesty]

The Wash rpm is variable during one revolution. It goes from from 52 to 62 rpm are the specs; another place says 57 +/- 2. The OVAL pulley makes the speed vary; it is tied to the tub via one way clutch spring. During wash mode the 1/2 HP 1725 rpm motor drives the idler pulley with a v belt; this idler then drives the Oval pulley.

[@3beltwesty]

In SPIN mode the big solenoid is engaged; this moves the delrin sliding split pulley on the motor shaft ; and the motor then drives the giant round pulley which connects to the tub directly. In Spin mode the tub's rpm goes up to 500 to 540 rpm; depending on the load. The clutch spring on the oval pulley is slipping when in spin mode.

[@Wiljannn]

Well, 500 RPM is still rather high.. I know younger machines that only have 400 rpm ;) And 125 liters is about the same as washing one load in an old Miele.. So I find it very good for a machine of her age! Thanks! Tomorrow I'm getting a brand new dryer so my collection expands once again :D

[@Italman45]

and she used to have me watch it. If the soap covered the entire window, I had to call her quick or it would overflow and water would come out of the bottom....The fun part was when she would start turning the knob to drain it and then start if all over again.....All the freaken bangs......The stupid things you remember when you were a kid...Oh the fabric softner got rid of the soap in 2 seconds..Can't forget that....lol

[@HooverAC110]

It's funny the way the drum is slanted, they have kind of brought that back now with the new Hotpoint Aqualtis, that has a tilted drum apparently. Great vid :D

[@eddy1210]

up to 15 min wash time, 1 minute flush rinse, spin. Rinse drain Rinse final spin 5 mins. 5 wash rinse temp combinations. One speed, potato pulley which varies the tumbing rhythm.

[@samuelfellows6923]

😀 - similar to the original HOOVER keymatic we had over there 🇬🇧, the only differences with that Westinghouse - it didn’t have a window in the door, used a lot more water, had a rear impeller that when the water was above it, it was engaged and would provide additional agitation and didn’t have a direct water/fill jet

[@psdesert7907]

Wish my last 3 front loaders had a spray rinse like my old slant front Westie

[@3beltwesty]

The 1976 WCI White Westinghouse front load washer of mine uses 0.22 to 0.24 Kilowatt hours with a the normal cycle and normal load. This is a measured value with an integrating meter. With 16 cents per KWHR one load costs 4 cents in electricity.

[@Shakiralover4ever]

i always wondered which machines didnt reverse on wash. thanks now i can see one that did :-)

[@eddy1210]

It's still hooked up and in use. I only use it about once a month.

[@soap1919jt]

When U.S. appliance manufactures discontinued making front loaders for the home, in the 1960's, White Westinghouse was the only company that continued making them. They were made under the WW, and also, for a brief time, the Montgomery Ward Signature brands. WW front loaders always rotated in one direction. That never changed. The thing I did not like about the WW stackable units and the tall tub unit, is that you could not use liquid bleach or liquid fabric softener. To do so could cause spotting, resulting from fabric softener or bleach coming in direct contact with the load. The models with top rear, console controls had a dispenser at the top, for detergent, bleach and softener.

[@imperiallebaron4476]

Actually, in the later years of the White-Westinglhouse front loader, the drive system was changed from the original Westinghouse design to a reverse tumble system when White Consolidated Industries was bought out by Electrolux.

[@eddy1210]

Well, this is from about 1978 or so. It only turns in one direction and it has the "potato" pulley which varies the tumbling speed faster and slower throughout the wash. 525 rpm spin, so not great extraction.

[@kellysavage7073]

i love westinghouse but why did their tubs all look offset and disconnected from the washer front ?

[@patcola7335]

Three years too late but from what I hear it was to keep the water level below the door.

[@eddy1210]

No water heater, unfortunately. Spin speed 500 rpm, not great but still a very fun machine to use.

[@johnny2970]

it is so cool! What are the programmes on this washer, and how long does it take?

[@themaytagrepairman]

When you mentioned 400 RPM spin speeds of younger machines, are you referring to the Bendix front loaders? They had a very week extraction speed. You guys that collect and restore old washers and driers are doing what I wish I could do. I wish I could get my hands on my Grandmother's Multi-Speed Laundromat front loader and her Multi-Program Laundromat top loader. The control panels of both machines were almost identical. Grandma swore by Westinghouse Laundromats.

[@dottorben]

wonderful machine! Does it have a water heater inside? What's the spinning speed?

[@eddy1210]

I'm not sure why they engineered them so low but they were all like this from that era. Probably to keep the water level below the glass door. Westinghouse washers only had simple non-reversing motor and solenoids controlled the drain pump and spin action. Simple machine.

[@billynage]

There's another front loader that 'sprays' water into the clothes, but it has a reservoir that holds the sudsy water and I can't think of what it is. I'm sure you will know what model it is, there's a video on YT but I haven't been able to find it.

[@michaelremillard2215]

You can be Shure if it's Westinghouse 👌

[@luisreyes1963]

Wonder where one finds the parts for such an antiquity should it break down (perish the thought)? 🤔

[@Critique808]

@MyDan58 That is called a spray rinse.

[@Wiljannn]

What a great machine! Do you have any ideas what spin speed this machine has? And (app.) how much water does she uses?? Very nice machine! :D

[@themaytagrepairman]

The Polar only has a spin speed of 350rpm? Wow, that's just about crawling in this day and age.

[@Massimo5590]

Hi... also my first washer was a westinghouse... it was from 1978 and she lasted me until to the 1989. Of what year is it yours? but it does the turn from a sens only or does it turn from everybody and two the parts? max rpm spin?

[@johnny2970]

I know the video is 11 years old, but do u still have this machine?

[@eddy1210]

johnny2970 yes I still do and it gets used about once a month.

[@lynnwentzel4017]

loved my grandmothers and bought myself one in the late 80s...too bad the transmission went on it (design flaw) ... my top loader and my new HE frontloader just can't compare to this!

[@blueandwhite363]

If i was to buy a front loader, it would be one of these machines. The modern units will not clean like this.

[@blueandwhite363]

You could only hear a high efficiency washer if it gets off balance. They have balance sensors.

[@blueandwhite363]

I bet your old washer went crazy. how do you like your new washer?

[@Datsun7705]

Get a continental girbau softmount washer they are industrial machines

[@jeromedavis8575]

now they have circulation pumps to try to combat this problem.

[@theclueguy3388]

Blue And White front loaders clean very well

[@MasterOfWash]

Not only those (Bendix frontloaders) have a weak spin.... I own a Polar (polish machine). Production year: 1996. Spin speed - 350 rpm :p

[@MasterOfWash]

I refer to the post from themaytagrepairman.

[@johnny2970]

Is this washer still in use?

[@3beltwesty]

wash rpm is 52 to 62 spin rpm is 500 to 540

[@grandcarriage1]

Is it a combo or just washer?

[@johnny2970]

How is the programming on this maschine?

[@Ilovewashers]

the drum looks like it's out of place to me. is it suppose to look like that?

[@Ilovewashers]

By the way this washer is interesting.

[@Ilovewashers]

Okay I got it. I thought it was normal because it didn't effect how ran. But I asked just to be sure.

[@HVASEA]

Tub Bearings are shot....

[@MasterOfWash]

Yep. Very slow. The washer also hasn't got an unbalance sensor...

[@zaynali9430]

The modern Washer don't clean laundry like it

[@dragfish100]

Something tells me u can not overload it

[@eddy1210]

500

[@eddy1210]

@PPGCSuicide From approx 1975