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I find Consumer Reports reviews to be very conservative. I bought their top rated washer in a rental apartment where the landlord told me to "buy whatever." It

by ponker 6y ago

I find Consumer Reports reviews to be very conservative. I bought their top rated washer in a rental apartment where the landlord told me to "buy whatever." It was a decent washer, but nothing too incredible, and got mildewy smells (I know, I could have cleaned it more assiduously). For my next washer when I moved into my own house, I did my own research, and found a washer that 1) stored an entire bottle of detergent and dispensed it automatically 2) ran a venting fan to prevent mildew after a load is done, and keeps it bone dry, 3) Sends me a phone notification when my laundry is done and when it's been sitting for 30 minutes, 4) Can wash a small load and dry it in one shot with the venting fan. Massive upgrade and nowhere on Consumer Reports' radar.

totalZero 6y ago
How many years passed between the two purchases, and what was the ventilation situation in your apartment versus your house? (Congratulations on your home purchase, btw)
- ponker 6y ago
  3 years. Not much of a difference. But the old washer was always wet for a long time (even with the door left open) and the new one is always dry.
  - totalZero 6y ago
    Interesting; I guess you're right. I will take this as a data point indicating that Consumer Reports doesn't necessarily have its reviewers live with a product long enough to really understand how it performs under typical usage, even if they do get a chance to install/use it firsthand.
    - ponker 6y ago
      I think they also fall into the "Seeing like a State" fallacy where they like to rank things that are measurable. So they look at things heavily like water consumption and cleaning ability, which are easy to measure, but not "long-term stinkiness of the gasket" which are hard to measure. But having a stink when you open the door makes you feel disgusting about your clothes, regardless of the stain removing ability or how little water it used.

by ponker 6y ago

totalZero 6y ago

How many years passed between the two purchases, and what was the ventilation situation in your apartment versus your house? (Congratulations on your home purchase, btw)

ponker 6y ago
3 years. Not much of a difference. But the old washer was always wet for a long time (even with the door left open) and the new one is always dry.
- totalZero 6y ago
  Interesting; I guess you're right. I will take this as a data point indicating that Consumer Reports doesn't necessarily have its reviewers live with a product long enough to really understand how it performs under typical usage, even if they do get a chance to install/use it firsthand.
  - ponker 6y ago
    I think they also fall into the "Seeing like a State" fallacy where they like to rank things that are measurable. So they look at things heavily like water consumption and cleaning ability, which are easy to measure, but not "long-term stinkiness of the gasket" which are hard to measure. But having a stink when you open the door makes you feel disgusting about your clothes, regardless of the stain removing ability or how little water it used.